How Photoshop can create effective ads

When companies are trying to promote an event or sell a product, using Photoshop in their advertisements often means the difference between creating an ad that receives a large amount of media attention, and one that barely blips on consumers' radars. Photoshop disasters typically receive the most press, but a series of recent ads from Colgate shows how effective Photoshop use can also get noticed.

Colgate shows consumers what's important
Relying on the knowledge that Photoshop failures receive a lot of attention, Colgate released a string of advertisements that featured one subtle change to models' bodies. Each image features an attractive couple smiling against a blue background, embracing in a loving way. However, the male in each photograph has a large piece of food stuck between his teeth. The man's smile is always in the middle of the picture, so the viewer's eye is immediately drawn to the crud in between his dentures. But in the top right corner, a large right arrow points the reader to the obvious omission, something that would have been easily spotted had the food item not been so distracting. 

For example, one of the pictures that was featured in AdWeek shows a young woman with her arm wrapped around an attractive man. The man has what appears to be spinach lodged in his teeth, but the arrow reads: "Not even that missing ear gets more attention that a mouth without care." Immediately, the eye returns to the model's face, where the missing ear becomes obvious. Colgate effectively shows the importance of dental care along with how effective photo manipulation can be in advertisements. 

Companies benefit from creative advertisements 
​When you create advertisements with Photoshop, you have the potential to reach a far wider audience, especially if the images are creative enough to spark media attention. Photo series that use software successfully have been featured on sites including BuzzFeed, the Los Angeles Times, Jezebel and CNN, to name a few. Training courses provide these skills to employees, whether they work in a marketing department, a design role or in management. While we can't guarantee that your ad will receive such wide exposure, Photoshop classes offered by the American Graphics Institute are a starting point for providing your employees with the skills to create thought-provoking, creative advertisements.