I do a ton of direct response ad creative. Generally stock photos work really well if chosen with care, but brands shy away from them due to perceived cheapness. Their loss.
Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
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Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#32Reminds me a bit of the infamous Grubhub ad that came out a few months ago[1] - similarities include the color scheme, the checklist approach to racial diversity, and the attempt to project generic inoffensive "fun". The Grubhub ad, at least, is so bad that it's entertaining.
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#33> “From a design point of view, it’s pretty lazy,” says Hurley.
I love designers criticizing design used for business. It rarely incorporates any perspective on business objectives. As long as the design is achieving its goal then who cares?
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#34It’s largely driven by corporations trying to be as broad and inoffensive as possible. Not sure what skin color to use? Make them blue. Are your depictions of humans too thin, or too ableist? Make them misshapen blobs so nobody can tell. Not sure how to include non-binary representation? Just make them all genderless.
It's so inoffensive that it has become offensive to me, with an "evil megacorp" association.
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#35The name refers to how it resembles the work of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Group
For visual reference, Evan Collin's Are.na block is the most cohesive collection of this aesthetic I've found online https://www.are.na/evan-collins-1522646491/memphis-general-g... . The Memphis-esque style is definitely having a moment. You'll notice that the Chillwave aesthetic borrowed a ton of visual cues as well.
I find the "childlike" quality of it oddly appropriate for modern corps, but not in a good way, more like "we know we're infantilising you. Drink up!"
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#36I hate Corporate Memphis as much as the next person but
> “Isometric perspective is interesting, because nothing recedes to a vanishing point,” Rudnick says, “and therefore it also eliminates the variable of time.” He points out that this type of design is particularly popular with fintech and mortgage companies – playing down the passage of time is particularly advantageous to firms selling financial products that you may end up paying off for years.
seems like it’s reading a bit too much.
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#37Cool to see Humaaan mentioned. They were one of the first successful startups from Tommy Schlaaang and the Schlaaang Corporation.
Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#38Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#39Re: Why does every advert look the same? Corporate Memphis
#40I hate Corporate Memphis as much as the next person but > “Isometric perspective is interesting, because nothing recedes to a vanishing point,” Rudnick says, “and therefore it also eliminates the variable of time.” He points out that this type of design is particularly popular with fintech and mortgage companies – playing down the passage of time is particularly advantageous to firms selling financial products that y…
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who detected the scent of what I call "arthouse wankery" here. This is popular for the same reason flat UIs are popular - they're easy to create, blandly inoffensive, and convey "modern" to the viewer.