Quick Free Art Direction Creativity Lesson.

Travel back to 2005 for a campaign that broke a visual rule.

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This will be the only free post of the week.

You learn in ad school to “never” split a layout in half. You also learn that there are ZERO creative rules.

This campaign would have been included in my Favorite Print Ads Of The 21st Century thread (for paid subscribers only), but I was purposely saving it.

Yes, it is another excellent “Product Hero” campaign, for the London Yellow Pages. It is one of my favorite ever art direction campaigns, each execution visually satisfying. Ad agency: AMV/BBDO, London.

It is a classic classroom example of a Big Idea, one that could have run forever.

Some of the ads take a bit longer to get than others. Like this one, the springing pole vaulter.

But ALL the ads sell the benefit of the product, bringing back to memory the old NYNEX Yellow Pages tagline: If it’s Out There, It’s In Here (two spots from the early 90s campaign: “Fishing Tackle” and “Civil Engineers” ).