This is an ad from Lululemon. In this post we are going to do some reverse engineering to expose the different design concepts they used to create this ad. You can find the original source for the ad here.
There are a few different qualities that make this a cohesive piece. First and foremost there are a few different design concepts applied.
Design Elements:
There are some important design elements going on here.
The first is Alignment:
As you can see in the image above the different elements are all in alignment. From one picture over to the other the 2 women are aligned, the text is aligned in the middle of each image, and they are aligned horizontally as well. The alignment in this piece makes it look clean and organized. If the text wasn’t aligned with each other then it wouldn’t look as put together.
Contrast:
Here I have highlighted some areas to point out the difference in contrast. In both images there is contrast in the picture itself, the skies are light and the foreground is dark. This works really well because not only does this help the subject of the picture stand out but it also gives the images a great contrast for adding text at the bottom. The white text really pops at the bottom and so does the red logo because they are set on a dark background providing great contrast.
Another form of contrast is the size of the main text compared to the logo and the text under the logo.
Repetition:
This ad uses repetition in the text. The text is the same under the logo as it is for the main text. Another form of repetition is that both images are of women exercising. There is repetition in the logo and the text. Both of them utilize white.
Proximity:
The spacing between the element creates a balance. There are essentially 3 thoughts or messages in each photo, but they all of course fit together. The first is the subject, the person who is doing the exercise. The second is the main text to drive home the point of the picture, and the third message is the logo. Or where you can go to get these exercise clothes.
Color:
There is also a great use of color. The contrast that has been created in the foreground of the picture allows the bright red and white logo to pop. The colors between the pictures have a good contrast. In the image on the right there are more warm colors with the sun setting, and there are cooler colors on the left, where the beach is overcast and even the girl is wearing a soft cool color. But all the tones work well together and the images don’t clash, rather they compliment each other.
Typography:
The typography in this is the same for the main text and for the text under the logo. It is a modern font set at a medium weight for the larger text which helps the text to stand out.
Adding onto the Ad:
The image below is the add-on ad I created to follow the original Lululemon ad.
So lets pick this apart and see why this also fits the same rules as the original ad.
Design Elements:
Alignment:
I followed the same concept of alignment as the original ad had. I did take some liberty with the image on the left as it’s not in the exact same spot as the original ad was. In the original ad the photo on the right, the subject wasn’t in the exact same spot as the subject was in the photo on the left. So with this ad instead of off centering the subject in a horizontal manner I my ad displays the subject on the left being vertically off centered.
However, all the text is in the exact same spot as they were in the original ad.
Contrast:
Both images have contrast. They both have a bright and clear sky while the foreground is darker which helps the white text and logo pop. My subjects stand out from the background because they’re not washed out nor do they fade into the background. The images are clear and crisp so you can see the defining contrast between all elements in this piece.
Repetition:
In this ad I created it has the same repetition as the first one. The text is white and part of the logo is white and so is the text under the logo. Both pictures are of women who are exercising, and the pictures both have clear skies. Another element of repetition is the fact that both subjects are outside. In the original both of them were on the beach, I didn’t want to do one picture of someone in the gym and someone outside.
Proximity:
I kept the same proximity of the text and the logo as the original ad did. It also gets those three points across, the subject who is exercising. The large text that gets the main point across, and the logo at the bottom so it doesn’t over power the piece but it still provides the essential information for where people can buy these workout clothes.
Color:
In the original ad there is contrast between the two pictures, this ad also follows this concept. The one on the left has warm and vibrant colors, while the colors on right are cool colors. On the photo on the right there’s still a little pop of warmth with the sunlight shining on the girl’s back and in her hair. I even added some beams of sunlight so that it matches the original ad carrying over that subtle theme of the light shining.
I also did a slightly dark overlay on both of these images because the original ad the tones were darker. These pictures were pretty bright to start off with so I adjusted the levels, the brightness and also added a dark overlay.
Typography:
I used the same size and type of font as the original ad had. I also tried to keep the message of the text the same and keep it very minimal like the original ad.
Conclusion:
The original ad and the ad I created creates a cohesive piece because the theme is the same. They all have subjects who are exercising outside. The ad I created has the same type of font, it’s the same size, and the logo is the same. The text is minimal like the original, I carried over the sunbeams shining through the negative in a subtle way. Both ads work together because the theme and the design concepts are the same.
