The Urge to Buy and the Art of Advertising with John Francis

The relationship of Art to Advertising has an early start. Sir John Everett Millais’s painting of ‘Bubbles’(1885) was sold for £2,200 to help sell bars of soap. In this talk, we will trace how the advertising industry became so successful, and in particular, why advertising in the UK is often thought of as Art. John will explore some of the most successful adverts and unpack the psychological and cultural context behind them.

John is an experienced university lecturer and international speaker. John trained and worked as a painter. John later produced and directed several short films and animations. John has taught film, art and pedagogy at universities in the UK, USA and Malaysia. John will travel from the UK to deliver this talk among a series of talks.