Here is an advertising design idea that will challenge you to make imaginative ads rather than boring ones. I call it the “Photo ID Design Model” and it is a very useful device if you create advertising for your company or organization. It is one of the easiest and most effective ways to create a striking ad, banner or poster. And it will almost always give you a result that gets noticed.
** Consider the photo id
Think about a “photo id” for a minute. Its most dominant feature is the photograph. The other elements on the card “support” the photo — the person’s name, address, or ID number.
These things are not necessarily less important than the photo. But the photo is clearly the main element. It is what the photo id is “about”, and that is clearly reflected in the graphic design of the card.
If you are not used to thinking of graphic design as related to function, this may seem like an overstatement — “Hey, it’s just a card with a picture on it.” But think about it for a minute. A photo id has the specific job of identifying a person. That makes the photo the most...