What’s the Big Deal About Designing Ads for Sponsorships? Q&A with graphic designer Rebecca Carino

How many times are you asked for an ad in a tribute book? Or to serve as a sponsor for a fundraising event? It may sound easy, but there’s more to it than you might think. 

We recently had a client who sponsored what seemed like everything in their neighborhood, and although we were impressed with their commitment to the community, each event was different, each had a different audience, and each needed a specific ad that could speak to that audience. 

Rebecca Carino, who does graphic design and website design and programming ( if you like our site, we have her to thank!), talks to us about all that goes into designing those sponsorship ads so that they work for your company! One size doesn’t fit all.

If you prefer to listen to our 10-minute episode together, click here. Otherwise, read on, friends!

Debbie Albert:  Companies, firms, and businesses are always asked to purchase ads for events and galas, career fairs, or their local Chamber of Commerce and it’s important that you don’t just send your logo. Your ad should speak to your business and to your audience in a way that should be memorable, or as Chip Heath and Dan Heath would say, it should be “Made to Stick!”

We’ve talked for years about how designing an ad or a website is collaborative, not unlike songwriting where one person writes the lyrics and the other writes the music.  Tell us why is the visual aspect of an ad so important.

Rebecca Carino:  The visual design of an ad is very important but it’s just one part of the project. The job of the designer is to listen to the client to absorb their vision,company’s goals and culture, and to learn their style, taste, and personality. All of that is inspiration for the visual components of the ad and that should all come through in the end. The most important thing is getting down to the essence or the heart of a business. What they are about and what they are trying to achieve, who they want to reach?

Together, we’ve had many initial meetings where we delve in and ask the right questions to get to the core of the company – what makes them special, what makes them shine, and what sets them apart from their competitors? You put that into words and I take those words and create a custom visual environment that’s inviting and engaging and supports their goals.

DA: We always talk first with a client about the audience and the business goals, and this information is crucial whether you’re designing a website or an ad.

RC:  It’s the “wow” factor we’re aiming for! 

DA:  What happens when you’re designing an ad and there’s more than one audience?

RC:  It’s important to stay true to the branding and to be mindful of how companies need their images shaped, whether it’s the website, an e-newsletter, a billboard, or any print collateral. You have to ensure you’re not making it hard for viewers to find the services they need, and I’m definitely from a “less is more” design ecstatic and sensibility. When there’s more than one audience, I’m even more of a minimalist and am sensitive to not overwhelm people with too much content.

Simplicity is key and the opposite of simplicity can absolutely kill an ad – and we’ve all seen plenty of those!  

DA: When I send you the copy for an ad, explain your process for the visuals. 

RC:  The art of designing is actually something that doesn’t take place inside my head; it’s very intuitive.  I first evaluate all the content I need to have, work with the branding elements, and then walk away and try to get into a place where ideas are flowing and images come and then I start sketching. I draw the ideas first by hand before even going to the computer, creating storyboards.

DA: You’re so old fashioned!

RC:  That’s my background! Fine art was actually something I did before becoming a designer, so before I even go through the process of designing photo selection or creating illustrations, or adding textures or playing with types, it’s drawing; the foundation is drawing.

DA: Can you give us an example when you created an ad for a sponsorship that you know really made a difference?

RC:  Many years ago I worked for a small agency which focused on designing for organizations working towards social change. We helped promote large non-profit community, health agencies, education, and arts institutions and my projects made a great difference to the communities they served. I was fortunate to work with a group of photographers,writers, artists, and production staff and we’d often used shots of real people from the neighborhood instead of stock photos. That made a huge impact because the campaign was strong and heartfelt.  

DA: One of the things about sponsorship ads that bothers me is that many of them are now electronic ads. We’re asked to put ads in online tribute books instead of a book that people get it at an event. They just see a slide show during the event or they can click on it online. There’s a lot less impact or the impact has to be faster. In those cases, people often just send in a logo, but the right image or a few good words could be much “stickier!” 

RC:  You have to think about that whenever you approach any design project or ad, creating a compelling image that grabs you and it gets to you right away.

This post is all about ads related to sponsorships, but these are important lessons for all types of marketing and advertising. If you find yourself faced with challenges related to ads, sponsorship asks, or other marketing-related work, give us a call.