Scratch that last comment. Advertising is art and I’ll back that up with an ad I did for toilet paper.

Do you consider forks food? I do.

well, I'm not exactly saying that God is just "a human emotion," but rather something that which cannot be explained with words...much like art

Drew, you're right, God is "a human emotion". Good point.

When speaking of the end result or method of creation, advertising may not be art, but when speaking of how we experience the two, they do share similarities. For instance, despite the intented emotional reponse the artist and advertisers hope to elicit, we still attach our own personal meaning to the work since it passes threw the layer of self. An artist may create just for the sake of creating (in this regard art is as far from advertising as flipping burgers) or instead create for a specific purpose in the same way we advertisers do, in which case the two relate. This hold true though...when speaking of some types of advertising, any art or even music, we do not simply view it, we experience it, going beyond the purely logical appealing to our emotions in much the same way we experience God, love, hate, or any other human emotion. So while I'll agree with most everybody who has commented below on a general level, I have to disagree on a very limited basis because I think some advertising can in fact be comaparable to art.

I'll be art after my 15 minutes. Like WOW man!

And furthermore, art requires no explanation.

No. Advertising is an end-result. It is the function that precedes the form. Therefore it is an art-form. Art is free to interpretation and analysis. It can be whatever the surveyor wants it to be. Advertising has immediate objectives that must appeal to the largest mass of narrow-minded perceptions in a concise amount of time. Art simply exists. An individual will decide it's relevant meaning and message.

Is art advertising?

Pure craft is often mistaken for art. Art = imagination + craft + passion. IMHO - the art director as frustrated artist is trying to self-actualize through advertising and design work. On the other hand, like the word "love", "art" has many meanings. Advertising can be thought of as the art of persuasion for example. btw - I don't mind revisiting this question because it has so many facets and implications.

All interesting and great points made below. I’m not trying to define what it means to be an artist but rather that advertising is not art. I chuckle when I read interviews in the ad rags with ad folks who claim what they do is art. Honestly, that makes me laugh. Out loud.

Mark—- For whatever its worth, everyone I know who is an artist, also has these traits: they are ‘young’ at heart, ‘immature’, and full of the wonderment of a child. Which I believe are some of the reasons why they are creative. I also think Tom’s questions represent important concerns that should be asked on a regular basis, so people in our business are well aware of the rules of the game, the roles they play, and the realities; so they know more about what they are dealing with.

Micheal- Yes, you are so right. Tom-I almost always love your posts, but just this once, I pose this to you: Our we so young and immature that this question needs to be posed even once, or once again? I think not. Please, please prove me right, just this once.

“Is Advertising Art?”. . . NO. Advertising might use art for business sake. Yet, advertising is just art for business sake…while, art is, art for art’s sake. Different concepts.----------“Advertising is a compromise. Art isn’t.”. . . Everything people have to deal with in life is a compromise, in some way, shape, or form; everything, including their art. The very duality of the artist’s persona is a compromise. Artists are insecure people, who possess tremendous egos; their need for exposure and acceptance, to gain self fulfillment is a universal trait and need. Other artistic compromises they must endure: maybe the artist does not have the conceptualization talent, or translational skills required to conceive or execute their perfectionist visions into art (which is never quite what artists wish it would have been, or not as good as it could have been, or never quite finished). Everyone has to serve someone, in order to survive and prosper. We in advertising, serve business and profit. Artists serve not only themselves, and they art; but also must somehow serve their patrons and galleries and critics (or they end up broke, with one ear missing).

I assume by the 'other end' you mean ass = shit

Bernini, Michaelangelo, Raphael. All artists, all compromised by the church's decisions on what is acceptable. But somehow, art came out the other end.

Compromised as in acquiescing to client requests/demands, agency requests/demands, media regulations… Relevant is a double-edged word. More often than not, my posts are just relevant to me. And maybe one or two other people with too much time on their hands.

BTW - when asked "is this post relevant" in the rating corner, what exactly does that mean? Relevant to what?

compromised (as in negotiated), perhaps not - constrained, definately.