After years of being overshadowed by photography and film, illustration is making a comeback in the advertising world. Once a dominant force in brand communication—from wartime posters to vibrant 1990s campaigns—illustration had been relegated to a secondary role, often viewed as the "riskier option" that was harder to sell to cautious clients and slower to produce at scale.
Today's advertising landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for illustrated campaigns. While photography and film continue to dominate, this shift has made illustration's breakthrough moments all the more impactful. Creative professionals across the industry are weighing in on when agencies and brands choose to commission illustration and when they hesitate to embrace this artistic medium.
Havas creatives Daisy Bard and Orla O'Connor highlight the current disconnect: "Illustration is such an easy way to add dynamism and style yet no one has bought an illustration idea from us in ages. It's a real shame." Despite this reduced visibility, illustration maintains its position as a vibrant cultural language, even if it's not always the default choice in advertising.
The unique advantages of illustration remain compelling for brands willing to embrace it. Distinctiveness stands out as the most obvious benefit—in a marketplace saturated with photography-led campaigns, illustrated executions can immediately capture attention. Ali Augur, an art director and longtime commissioner of illustrators for Transport for London (TfL), explains the medium's flexibility: "It allows you to go where photography can't. You can bend, warp, and exaggerate. Color plays a stronger role, and illustrators can throw color around in a way that photographers can't."
Illustration particularly excels in creating comprehensive brand toolkits and world-building exercises. A suite of characters, icons, or modular assets can seamlessly adapt across out-of-home advertising, social media, and motion graphics, providing brands with a distinctive and ownable visual language. Jelly's Leah Airey points to Selfridges' recent collaborations with Fromm Studio as a prime example, where illustration was deployed across seasonal campaigns, from in-store animations to digital communications.
"It moved the needle by taking illustration out of its box and really expanding where it can be consumed," Airey notes. "Hosting illustration in a luxury setting is exciting—it pushes perception and delightfully surprises people." This approach demonstrates how illustration can transcend traditional boundaries and find new applications in unexpected contexts.
The tactile quality of illustration becomes even more pronounced in physical applications. Lee Bofkin, co-founder of Global Street Art, believes that illustration's impact is magnified when translated to real-world spaces. "Murals are different because they're actually cool—someone went to the Herculean effort to paint your message on a wall," he explains. "Costly signaling matters: the harder the message is to produce, the more it's remembered and trusted."
Nike's hand-painted mural of soccer star Mbappé, created by Global Street Art and later shared by the player to millions of followers, exemplifies this principle. The investment in creating something tangible and substantial communicates brand commitment in ways that digital-only campaigns cannot match.
Despite these clear advantages, several factors contribute to agencies' and brands' hesitation around illustration. Perceived risk tops the list, as some clients view illustration as "niche" or too youthful for their brand positioning. However, Airey challenges this misconception: "Children's publishing might be what people think of first, but global brands like Headspace, Google, and Hermès use illustration daily."
Timeline and procurement concerns also create barriers to illustration adoption. The medium typically requires more upfront concepting and approval processes compared to photography. Kill fees, usage rights, and licensing arrangements can deter procurement teams who are more accustomed to commissioning photography workflows. As Augur observes, advertising remains "awash with photography," making it the safer, more familiar choice for overstretched creative teams.
The rise of artificial intelligence has introduced additional confusion to the illustration landscape. Some clients assume that generative AI tools can automate illustration work cheaply and quickly. However, Airey argues that AI output often requires significant post-production repair, creating additional delays and costs rather than savings. "Accelerating to a place of required repair isn't quicker or cheaper—it's a blocker," she explains.
Successful illustration collaborations typically begin with clear communication and realistic expectations. Kirstie Johnstone, a senior art buyer, emphasizes the importance of honest upfront conversations: "The client needs to respect that the illustrator was selected because of what they bring, which can be transformative for the brand. At the same time, the illustrator has to be open to feedback."
Structural elements prove crucial for project success, including thorough creative briefs, clear understanding of work-in-progress deliverables, and dedicated alignment time between agencies and illustrators before client presentations. Budget transparency plays an equally important role in project success.
While illustration can be more cost-effective than photography—often requiring just one artist rather than an entire production crew—realistic timelines remain essential. "Some illustrators work incredibly quickly, but only if feedback moves just as fast," Airey notes. "Bringing us in earlier warms us up for when the green light comes on."
The creative relationship between all parties significantly impacts project outcomes. Airey advocates for full commitment from all stakeholders: "Both feet in. The projects we love most are where everyone has skin in the game. Trust the illustrator's creative muscle, not just their ability to deliver."
Looking toward the future, industry contributors express optimism about illustration's evolving role in advertising. The medium is adapting rather than fading, with new applications emerging regularly. Augur sees particular opportunities in motion graphics: "Add a touch of animation and its reach extends even further. In a digital landscape, illustration can give real standout, especially when paired with bold color."
Apple content designer Alfie Wheatley highlights how illustrators are increasingly functioning as creative partners rather than mere executors of predetermined concepts. "The most successful illustrators now are acting more like creative directors," he observes. "They come up with ideas, explain them, and bring unexpected twists. It's refreshing to see more than just illustrating the obvious."
Emerging trends point toward more hybrid projects, including augmented reality filters, illustrated environments, and multidisciplinary roles for illustrators. Brands are also expected to continue leveraging illustration for subject matters that require abstraction, such as emotions, health concepts, and technology, where traditional photography faces limitations.
Illustration's current position outside the mainstream may actually represent its greatest strength. In a landscape oversaturated with photographs and film, illustrated campaigns can cut through precisely because they offer something unexpected. As Airey concludes: "Illustration can have a youthful, playful energy, sure, but it can also be cinematic, luxe, full of gravitas. It can stretch and muddy the lines of craft, and that's where it gets exciting."
