Beginning Designer wanting Critiques

[HG80 Design]

Please critique this ad. I would like honest thoughts. The font at the top is horrible and being reworked. Other than that please give your honest opinions.

[PR Design]

For what purpose has the ad been produced?

[Toon]

Colours and layout are nice, can't stand the font in the header though

[D856C]

The purpose is important. That's probably the proper point of critique here.

Let's say this is supposed to sell something. Typography will only mask the fact it doesn't work for the sales purpose.

The headline -- not the typography -- doesn't promise a benefit or persuade the reader to start into the body copy. The body copy in reverse, white-on-black isn't particularly good readability. The "make the logo bigger" brand slap-on looks to be a ego play to a client.

In other words, it's one dimensional. It "works" on purely aesthetic grounds but fails on every other dimension -- including business effectiveness. Frankly, this is the reason graphic designers win awards for advertising creativity not client sales. As an advertisement it's only effective in convincing you to never let a graphic designer develop advertising on their own.

The critique would be to try to add more direct response savvy and business effectiveness into this. Do not interrupt readability with horizontal design elements or client logos that don't advance the selling story. There is a place for letting the reader know this is a Yamaha product. You haven't convinced me you know where that place is.

Revolutionary is used without any reason. The body copy makes no reference to why this revolutionary Yamaha is any different from last year's revolutionary mixer, or why you shouldn't just wait until next year's revolutionary model. (There is no call to action).

And "it sounds good too" in the body copy is worthless. The "ad," if that's what it is supposed to be, is too much display and not nearly enough sell. It doesn't have to be "hard sell" but it does have to apply at least some sense of sales technique.

[rossable]

as far as other adds for similar products go... your spot on.

most ignore font and text altogether... look at the image first and then decide if it's worth the time to actually read something.

check this for similar styles in design.

[MickyO]

All seems a little flat to me, needs bringing to life