Is there paint under your fingernails? Do you tear pictures out of magazines? Did you pick the typeface for your tattoo? Maybe you’re cut out to be an art director.

Art directors are idea generators. They dream up the concepts and visuals for any medium that tries to persuade someone to do something or buy something. Here’s how it works: first, as an art director, you get together with a copywriter and brainstorm until ideas emerge. Once the idea is approved internally in the agency, the concept is shown to the client. If the client “buys” the concept, the concept is produced. During the production process you call in a photographer to shoot the concept. Or you use an illustrator instead. Or a broadcast producer, or perhaps a digital producer.

Speaking of digital, don’t forget it’s a TWITTER, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE, GPS, PHOTOSHOP, HTML, HALO, DIGITAL world out there. And you’ll be a neanderthal if you don’t embrace it. By the time you read this, you’ll already be out of date. Today’s art director is an interactive, hyperactive, nut. When you show your “book”, it won’t be on paper, it will be on cyberspace, sent to agencies all over the world by the SEND button on your keyboard. Or you may not have a keyboard at all in two years from now. You'll simply speak to your computer and say "Send, please."

POP 501: Ideas First In today’s world, communication projects need to be media-agnostic. That is, they need to get across a consistent message in any and all media that can possibly be employed. Like no other time in our industry, a great idea must emerge before great work can be created. It’s not about creating a great print ad or tv spot or even a great Facebook page. It’s about solving a communication problem first and then finding the appropriate media to give the idea maximum impact.

POP 503: Idea Presentation In the ancient history of advertising (a.k.a. a few years ago), ideas were presented first as “roughs,” quick marker sketches tacked or taped on a wall, then explained to the group so everyone could understand what the hell the sketches represented. Those days are pretty much gone. These days you will likely present a complete Photoshop comp digitally, or you’ll have a one-sentence statement of the idea written in an email or showcased in a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation. This will take you through a whole pile of presentation formats. At the same time you’ll get the fundamentals of InDesign and Keynote, as well as iWeb for basic web design.

Program Length:  This is a two year diploma program with the primary purpose of developing a professional portfolio and the skills needed for entry level position in the advertising and design professions. This program is available in Berlin, Hamburg, Madrid, Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Sao Paulo. The art direction student takes 8 quarters with 4 each quarter. Each is 3 hours long. A quarter is 10 weeks long with a break of 2-3 weeks between each quarter.

APPLY NOW

The Quarter Away program allows students to study and intern in up to five cities around the world while they are in school. After a full year in one of our Base Schools, the art direction student can choose to go to one of our other Base Schools around the world and take courses at that school.

Next the student could choose to go one of our Greenhouse locations for a quarter. After a successful completion of a Greenhouse the student can apply for an internship for one quarter at one of our particpating agencies in just about any major advertising capital in the world, including New York, London, Moscow, Beijing or San Francisco, just to name a few. After all this, the student returns to a Base School to put together a final portfolio.

Getting a good job is what it’s all about. Having good contacts gives you a head start on landing that good job. The network of Miami Ad School graduates in leading agencies all over the world gives you a big edge. (Click "Read More" for a complete listing of agencies that have hired our grads.)

Knock on any ad agency door in leading agencies anywhere and you’ll likely find a Miami Ad School grad. If there isn’t one, the agency creative recruiter and creative director certainly know Miami Ad School well. Our reputation makes your job search much easier.

Agencies that have hired Miami Ad School grads:  AKQA, BBH, Crispin Porter Bogusky, Deustch, Euro RSCG, Fallon, Goodby Silverstein & Partners...