Sotheby’s: Digital Ad System

Acres and Acres of Ads

Overview

A modular digital advertising system built for social, display, and dynamic placements. The framework defined layouts, spacing, type hierarchy, and motion behavior used across Sotheby’s campaigns.

This page shows the core templates along with examples of how the system flexed—through partnership placements, platform-specific exceptions, vertical stories, and ads requiring full artwork visibility. Motion samples and storyboards highlight how pacing, hierarchy, and movement carried through each format.

Deliverables

  • Dynamic Feed Banner Ad
  • Animated Social Ads (sale title)
  • Animated Social Ads (artist, title/estimate)
  • Animated Banner Ads
  • Static Banner Ads
SOCIAL TEMPLATES: Templates for stories, feed, and dynamic placements. Built to support full-bleed imagery, tight crops, and flexible type layouts.
DISPLAY ADS: FULL BLEED. System for works of art that could be cropped dynamically. Designed to let detailed imagery integrate cleanly with text.
DISPLAY ADS: INSET. System for works of art requiring full visibility. Preserves image integrity while creating space for clean, readable text.

Animations built from the core motion system, following defined pacing, type transitions, and safe-area rules.

A selection of 1:1 social animations created for category storytelling and platform-specific needs that fall outside the standard template.

Vertical story animations built for promotional moments, partnership placements, and exceptions requiring bespoke design layouts.

Motion design for a widescreen livestream interstitial, expanding the system across editorial and partnership placements.

These systems supported hundreds of Sotheby’s digital campaigns each year, ensuring clarity and consistency across platforms, categories, and collaborators.