Art vs. Science

Is advertising an art or a science?

This question, although debatable, has one definite answer from my perspective, and that answer is science. Advertising is a respected mix of research and psychology that revolutionized to modern media. Advertising is creative, but behind that design is a methodical approach to reach our audience and increase revenue and recognition of the brand.

I respect all artists, they can create a masterpiece that I can only dream of. That being said, their art is not automatically considered advertising. Advertising is a creation paired with a systematic campaign to support its reasoning and direction. Advertising cannot exist without scientific support, but marketing can exist without art. Example: Social media today may not have one piece of art attached to the campaign, but the scientific ROI measurements prove that social media is a form of advertising, therefore advertising is a science.

From a psychology perspective, advertisers research the behavior patterns of the target audience while incorporating past experience and information to develop a rational strategy for how to promote their business. After the creative pieces have been designed, a post-analysis is conducted to methodically track the results. Many experts may view advertising as the grey between science and art, I view the art as the book cover to many chapters of an in-depth, scientific study of people, products, behaviors, and mass communication.