It seems like only yesterday we were busy posting AICP Show promotional videos created by the students at the VCU Brandcenter. Alas, it’s already been a year since the school taught us surprising lessons about advertising history’s most famous artistic endeavors. Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci was the Richard Simmons of his time? What about the fact that the Eiffel Tower was actually constructed to represent a giant, metal dong? If these tales didn’t inspire us to “change the world” as advertisers, at least they doubled as awkward icebreakers at an industry networking event.

This time around, the AICP Show is once again calling that those clever scamps at the Brandcenter to continue the “All Art is Advertising” campaign, a nod to that fact that all award honorees get their independently produced commercials into the Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Film Collection. Above, we see how creativity has (or hasn’t) changed through history, from the Egyptians to the present day art director and copywriter duo. AICP also announced that the chairperson for the 21st installment of the awards show is Jackie Kelman Bisbee, founding partner and co-owner of  the venerable production company, Park Pictures.

Those interested in submitting their work can do so on AICP’s Show and Next Awards website from now through March 2. One more short, entry categories, and credits follow after the jump.

Read more

With the deadline for the AICP Show & Next Awards fast approaching, the “All Art is Advertising” campaign continues on. Having already focused on Michelangelo saving Catholicism with artwork , students at the VCU Brandcenter are switching their attention toward a different renaissance artist/ Ninja Turtle namesake, Leonardo Da Vinci.

Taking a case study approach to the thinking that went into Da Vinci’s famous sketch, “The Vitruvian Man.” Not only did the drawing of an idealized man cause a 300 percent increase in exercise among Italian gentlemen, but they dropped an average of 31 percent in body fat and sexual relations jumped up a whopping 1100 percent. Did Da Vinci’s clever advertising save the entire country? As this video would argue, probably.

So, is your advertising art? You’re probably no Da Vinci, but you can always enter the AICP show by submitting your entry by March 4 at this website. Though I’ve never been to Italy, I’ve been to plenty of Italian restaurants, and I’d blame Italy’s poor diet not on their food content, but on their portion control.