A U G U S T T W E N T Y - F I V E T W E N T Y - T W E N T Y

THE ART OF DECK MAKING

T H E A R T

“ Simplicity, clarity, complexity, and ambiguity

are not mutually exclusive states in language;

the sensitive typographer is one who can

manifest these states in the right mix by

“
controlling the elements at his or her disposal

- TIMOTHY S A M A R A author of Making and Breaking the Grid

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T H E A R T

GOOD DECKS SELL IDEAS.

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T H E A R T

Economist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman believes

that upwards of 95% of our decisions are made emotionally.

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T H E A R T

So, before we ask our clients to make a financial, strategy-based

investment, we must first ask them to make an emotional one.

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WE’RE VISUAL. THEY’RE NOT.

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T H E A R T

Never assume your client can visualize your creative.

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T H E A R T

Our job is to get the client past their cloud of data and
testing to see the value of emotionally driven work.

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T H E A R T

Decks can become routine.

Don’t forget the flowers when it comes to presenting ideas.

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T H E A R T

THE DECK COMMANDMENTS

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OPEN STRONG
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SUPER BOWL

J U L Y F I R S T T W E N T Y - T W E N T Y
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VS.
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SUPER BOWL
July 1, 2020
T H E A R T

USE VISUAL HIERARCHY

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T H E A R T

PAG E NAME

* O N E VISUAL FO CAL PO IN T

2.
ONLY INC LUDE THE NE C E SSARY

SUPPORTING COPY OR INFO THAT

CANNOT B E VOIC E D OVE R.

*CITATION OR SOURCES SHOULD BE TREATED AS LEGAL COPY. IT SHOULDN’T BE DISTR ACTING.

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T H E A R T

BE PICKY WITH KEYFRAMES

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VS.
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FIND HIGH-RES IMAGERY

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VISUAL EMOTION >

VISUAL PRESCRIPTION 2 3
 “
open on a girl and her dog watching TV
”
T H E A R T

VS.
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 “
open on a girl and her dog watching TV
”
T H E A R T

PAINT A BROADER PICTURE

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T H E A R T

“ Everything that can be done well,

can also be done poorly.

“
- JUSITN M O O R E Executive Creative Director, FCB West

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“As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot

Espresso is already waiting for him. The car is
driverless. The voice we hear is an AI assistant.”
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 “As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot Espresso is already
waiting for him. The car is driverless. The voice we hear is an AI assistant.”
T H E A R T

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

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DRIVERLESS : 60
Open on a wealthy, older man standing at the curb outside a very modern
glass and steel downtown office building. A futuristic vehicle glides to the
curb to meet him. A door slides open and the man hops in.
HERO: Evening Clarice, home please.
As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot Espresso is already waiting
for him. The car is driverless. The voice we hear is an AI assistant.
CLARICE: You seem melancholy David. May I help?
As our hero stares wistfully out the window. We see hundreds of driverless
cars all moving on the same computer grid. Traveling the exact same
speed, perfectly spaced apart.
HERO: Just thinking of a different time is all.
Here we flash back to him as a 16-year-old kid, his father giving him his first
driving lesson. Maybe we see him lying on the hood with friends, or leaning
for a kiss in the front seat, or taking a trip along a sun-soaked coastal road.
Then cut back to him in the back of his driverless vehicle.
HERO: There was a time when I was sat up there,
you know? When I had to rely on my
own two hands, my own eyes.
We cut back again to him as a younger man. Brief moments of how
glorious it was to have control of your own vehicle. Him pushing backs
into their seats. Accelerating onto a freeway. Roaring through a turn on a
twisting rural road.
HERO: When it wasn’t about getting taken from
place to place. But going somewhere,
and feeling something along the way.
SUP E R BOW L 2020
The final flashback is to 2018. A beautiful Audi RS5 in action, blasting along
a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. We cut inside the car to reveal
his younger self in the present day, hands planted firmly on the wheel. He
smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife next to him, then punches the
gas.
We cut back to the driverless vehicle to see it pull into a futuristic parking
pod attached to a home. The conversation with his AI assistant continues
seamlessly inside.
CLARICE: Maybe I can help you relax?
He lets out a dissatisfied sigh.
HERO: No see, that’s just... the... problem.
He stares glumly around the perfectly clean, perfectly ordered space.
Then we see a look of resolve in his eyes. He strides away and we cut
to him pulling open a door, opening up a large, dark space – some kind
of sub-basement. In the far corner, a car shrouded in a dust sheet sits.
A twinkle in his eyes appears as he approaches. He whips off the sheet
dramatically, to reveal a vintage, mint condition, 2018 Audi RS5.
CLARICE: David, NO!
We cut to a beautiful three quarter shot of the RS5 in action, blasting along
a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. At this point the audience isn’t
sure whether he’s gone rogue in the future, or if this is another flashback.
CARD: Drive like there’s no tomorrow.
We cut inside the car to reveal his younger self in the present day, hands
planted firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife
next to him, then punches the gas.
V E N A B LE S B E LL & PA RT NE R S | AUD I 25
T H E A R T

VS.
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Driverless :60
Open on a wealthy, older man standing at the curb outside a very
modern glass and steel downtown office building. A futuristic vehi-
cle glides to the curb to meet him. A door slides open and the man
hops in.
HERO: Evening Clarice, home please.
As the car glides into motion, a small cup of hot Espresso is al-
ready waiting for him. The car is driverless. The voice we hear is an
AI assistant.
CLARICE: You seem melancholy David. May I help?
As our hero stares wistfully out the window. We see hundreds of
driverless cars all moving on the same computer grid. Traveling the
exact same speed, perfectly spaced apart.
HERO: Just thinking of a different time is all.
Here we flash back to him as a 16-year-old kid, his father giving
him his first driving lesson. Maybe we see him lying on the hood
with friends, or leaning for a kiss in the front seat, or taking a trip
along a sun-soaked coastal road. Then cut back to him in the back
of his driverless vehicle.
HERO: There was a time when I was sat up there,
you know? When I had to rely on my
own two hands, my own eyes.
We cut back again to him as a younger man. Brief moments of
how glorious it was to have control of your own vehicle. Him push-
ing backs into their seats. Accelerating onto a freeway. Roaring
through a turn on a twisting rural road.
HERO: When it wasn’t about getting taken from
place to place. But going somewhere,
and feeling something along the way.
SUPER BOWL 2020
The final flashback is to 2018. A beautiful Audi RS5 in action, blast-
ing along a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. We cut inside
the car to reveal his younger self in the present day, hands planted
firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks over at his wife
next to him, then punches the gas.
We cut back to the driverless vehicle to see it pull into a futuristic
parking pod attached to a home. The conversation with his AI as-
sistant continues seamlessly inside.
CLARICE: Maybe I can help you relax?
He lets out a dissatisfied sigh.
HERO: No see, that’s just... the... problem.
He stares glumly around the perfectly clean, perfectly ordered
space.
Then we see a look of resolve in his eyes. He strides away and we
cut to him pulling open a door, opening up a large, dark space –
some kind of sub-basement. In the far corner, a car shrouded in a
dust sheet sits. A twinkle in his eyes appears as he approaches. He
whips off the sheet dramatically, to reveal a vintage, mint condition,
2018 Audi RS5.
CLARICE: David, NO!
We cut to a beautiful three quarter shot of the RS5 in action, blast-
ing along a picturesque Northwestern wooded road. At this point
the audience isn’t sure whether he’s gone rogue in the future, or if
this is another flashback.
CARD: Drive like there’s no tomorrow.
We cut inside the car to reveal his younger self in the present day,
hands planted firmly on the wheel. He smiles a boyish smile, looks
over at his wife next to him, then punches the gas.
VENABLES BELL & PARTNERS | AUDI 27
T H E A R T

BREAK YOUR OWN RULES

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T H E A R T

YO U R D E C K T E M P L AT E I S M E A N T TO B E A D E S I G N G U I D E L I N E , N OT A H I N D R A N C E .

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T H E A R T

I F A N E L E M E N T WO R K S O N O N E PAG E B U T N OT A N OT H E R ? C H A N G E I T.

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T H E A R T

YO U WO N ’ T B E J U D G E D BY H OW C L O S E LY YO U S T I C K TO YO U R T E M P L AT E ( W I T H I N R E A S O N ) .

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T H E A R T

A LWAYS C H O O S E V I S UA L E N H A N C E M E N T OV E R T E M P L AT E D E D I C AT I O N .

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T H E A R T

A L L T H AT M AT T E R S I S H OW G O O D O F A S TO RY YO U T E L L .

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T H E A R T

EVERY DECK MATTERS

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T H E A R T

A great deck is a love letter to your clients.

Hell, it’s a love letter to your ideas.

It shows you take pride in them.

It shows your dedication to detail.

Art directors (and everyone!) should put effort into each deck.

No matter how seemingly insignificant the information.

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T H E A R T

KERN YOUR ART CARDS

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T H E A R T

KERN YOUR ART CARDS

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KERN YOUR ART CARDS

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T H E A R T

RECAP
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T H E A R T

USE KEYFRAMES
OPEN WITH A STRONG VISUAL. PAY ATTENTION TO HIERARCHY.
TO ENHANCE YOUR STORY.

VISUAL EMOTION >

FIND HIGH RES IMAGERY.
VISUALLY PRESCRIPTIVE.

SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. PAINT A BROADER PICTURE.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO
EVERY DECK MATTERS. KERN YOUR ART CARDS.
BREAK YOUR OWN RULES.

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T H E A R T

THANK YOU.
CREATED BY AISHA HAKIM, ACD/AD