Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nancy Tag, Media and Communication Arts Chair, Professor, AD/PR, City College of New York (CCNY). Nancy and I first met a couple of years ago when when she interviewed me to be an Adjunct at CCNY. She has since written and published Ad Critique, a book we can all benefit from reading (and, then reading again!). I am thrilled to be able to share with you all our conversation about the book and about the skill and importance of ad critique.
“Ad Critique teaches advertising, marketing, and management students—both the “suits” and the “creatives”—how to effectively judge and critique creativity in advertising. This textbook is an instruction manual, a facilitator of dialogue, and a companion piece to classroom content. Its lessons result in actual skills that enable students to look at the creative product and embolden them to say something constructive and worthwhile.” (from the Sage Publications website)
AlixCompany Dialogue with Nancy Tag (click here)
Specifically, the Dialogue flow includes:
1. How did the idea to write Ad Critique come about?
2. Are you using it in your classroom(s) today?
3. I love the example of asking your students to critique advertising at the start of the semester (with pulled print ads placed around
the room for discussion) and then asking them to do it again at the end of the semester and with their work. It can be difficult to get into critique when it’s your (or your team’s) work. Outside of reading Ad Critique, what would you say we can do as professionals to foster good critique?
4. “Letting your strategy show” is another favorite. Would you extend for our listeners what you mean by showing your strategy?
5. What do you think advertisers and marketers need to know about critique given the new normal with diverse and eclectic ways of
communicating with consumers? I, of course, love the quote (p 172) “No matter how amazing the work is, it needs to be strategic.” What else would you say Ad Critique readers need to know about the application of stellar critique skills given communication shifts and the proliferation of social media?