In this blog post, I am going to analyse three seasonal advertisements. The areas of the adverts that I am going to look at are;
- Product: What's being advertised?
- Plot: What happens in the ad?
- Target audience: Who will buy the product?
- Content signs: Signifer and what is signified
- Sounds: Diegetic and Non-diegetic
- Mise-en-scene: What colours, props and settings are used? Why?
- Camera shots:What shots are used and why?
- Advertising techniques: what techniques are used and why?
- Product: What's being advertised?
The IKEA company and products - Furniture and storage equipment for spring cleaning.
- Plot: What happens in the ad?
A couple try to get hold of each other, but they are restricted because of all of the junk in the room which is holding them back. So in frustration and determination, they clear up the house super fast and find each other again in the cleanliness.
- Target audience: Who will buy the product?
The target audience would be aimed at home owners, preferably the younger and more stylish market and university students. around the ages 19+.
- Content signs: Signifer and what is signified
shoes and jewellery accessories - represent the female side of the room and the mess
books, movies, DVDs and CDs - represents they are a young couple or students as they are up to date on the latest entertainment media (music and movies).
Piano - signifys love as it is usually a romantic instrument and quite old and gloomy tones are played which helps to set the mood.
- Sounds: Diegetic and Non-diegetic
Non-diegetic sound track. Young/indie style music to help represent to the target audience. The lyrics of the song also relate to the plot and story of the advertisement.
- Mise-en-scene: What colours, props and settings are used? Why?
Colours - the colour scheme first started out all dark and gloomy to represent cold, unclean, upset, loneliness and after it is cleaned, it is clear, white and light to represent cleanliness, inviting, pure and optimism/happiness.
Props - The props used in the advert are all household items to help set the scene of a young couples home and storage/furniture products from IKEA to endorse it within the advertisement.
Settings - The advert is set in a home to show the main target place for IKEA products. The advert aslo makes the house as a maze of clutter to help represent that they are lost.
- Camera shots:What shots are used and why?
Close up shots - on the characters faces to show emotions and on the products to help fit them in the frame.
Birds eye view - an overview shot to show the whole scene and size of the maze/mess.
Mid shots - to show how the characters are cleaning at frantic speed. Mid shot is used to fit the character, actions and emotions in the scene.
- Advertising techniques: what techniques are used and why?
Amazing products/services: By showing that the product/service (that the advert is based on) is amazing and works efficiently is so customers would be more persuaded to purchase it. This advert uses this technique by showing how good and innovative IKEA's products are as they are tidying, to help promote the products within the advert.
Music: Music is a effective way of setting the mood within a advertisement because it help to portray the message using sounds, jingles, music tracks, etc. Music is used within the advert to help portray the message of the plot and to help show the message of story.
Emotional response: emotional response help get in touch with the audience on a empathetic sense. By making the audience drawn into the advert using emotions, they are allowing you to embrace within the ambience/message that is being portrayed. This advert uses the emotional response to help show the feelings of the characters to make the plot more effective.
2nd advert: John Lewis - Old fitness equipment
The John Lewis company and the new initiative that they are doing for the new year using social media networks (Twitter). #NewYearNewStart. The initiative says (according to the advert) that if customers swap their old kit, they will exchange it for a new one.
- Plot: What happens in the ad?
In this advert, it starts off with a middle class man opening his garage door using a remote control. He walks in and starts to look and fiddle with his old sports equipment and trophies, showing that he is reminiscing his old hobbies and sports.
Then the camera focuses on his old sports kit and changes to him having a brand new one. This shows that he gets a sense of pride, which motivates him into getting back into shape and carry out his old sport activities.
- Target audience: Who will buy the product?
The target audience is focusing on middle/higher class audiences by representing the character with money and materials that gave him a succesful sporting past. The audience focuses on males, but can appeal to women too with a interest on sport/exercise/health or fitness. The age range would be around 25-60.
- Content signs: Signifer and what is signified
A few examples of the content signs used in this advert are;
old sporting equipment - to show the purpose and theme of the advert
trophies - to show the passion and nostalgia for the plot
garage/house - to show the wealth/class of the character, so the viewers know what kind of customers they are applying/promoting to.
- Sounds: Diegetic and Non-diegetic
The sound track throughout the whole advertisement was a piano version of the old theme tune from a sporting program that used to give on TV. This is used to show old representation of sport in his mind.
- Mise-en-scene: What colours, props and settings are used? Why?
Colours - The colours used in the advert are dull and gloomy colours to show upset and nostalgia as the man is reminiscing about his old memories, then at the end, the scene lights up as the garage door opens, showing his new kit, which represents light and optimism or happiness.
Props - The props used in the advert are old sporting gear and equipment like bikes and broken tennis racquets to show the variety of sports that the character used to play in the past. It also shows dusty old awards and trophies to show the achievements and passion for it.
Settings - The whole advert is set in a garage to show that it is part of a middle class family/person and the garage represents how the sport has been moved to one side physically and mentally, and as he is touching and discovering all of the equipment again, its as if he is mentally re-living and exploring his old passions.
- Camera shots:What shots are used and why?
Some camera shots used in the advert are;
long shot of the house - to show and represent the wealth or class of the character
close up shots of the old sports equipment - to focus on how worn out and old the equipment has become
Mid shot of the old kit - to show it from the point of view of the character and to get it focusing on the kit only (not showing surrounding scenery as it would in a long shot)
- Advertising techniques: what techniques are used and why?
Emotional response: emotional response help get in touch with the audience on a empathetic sense. By making the audience drawn into the advert using emotions, they are allowing you to embrace within the ambience/message that is being portrayed.
This advert uses emotional response by using camera shots to zoom into the emotions that the character portrays, it also uses music and colour to help set the mood and tone of sadness and reminiscence.
Music: Music is a effective way of setting the mood within a advertisement because it help to portray the message using sounds, jingles, music tracks, etc. This advert uses music to help relate to the plot of the advert and to help set the tone and emotion of the video.
3rd advert: Visit California 2012 - Misconceptions
The country, California is being advertised as a whole for tourist attractions and holiday spots.
- Plot: What happens in the ad?
Throughout the advert, it shows celebrities from California talking about stereotypes and misconceptions of people who live in the country. The scenes show different scenery/settings of California and move in sequence according to the script of what is being said. For example, one person says "we are not all skiers" and a skier appears saying "we are not all rock-stars", etc.
- Target audience: Who will buy the product?
The target audience is aimed at anybody who wish to go on holiday, but it is mainly aimed at ages of 20+ as it shows activities and celebrities which would be recognized of around this psychographic group.
- Content signs: Signifer and what is signified
The main content signs that are used in the advertisement are focused on the settings/backgrounds/scenery to help signify the message that the company is trying to get across to the viewer.
The signifiers or settings are various places to help appeal to all members of the target population fro example, disneyland resort for children, hot beaches for people who prefer the warmer climate, holiday villas for the higher class markets, ski resorts for adventurous people, musical stadiums/theatres for people who like creative/performing arts, etc.
- Sounds: Diegetic and Non-diegetic
Diegetic: The actors/celebrities talking in the advert to inform the customers/viewers
Non-diegetic: Upbeat and jaunty music to make the listener feel happy and entertained by the advert.
- Mise-en-scene: What colours, props and settings are used? Why?
Light warm sunny colours - represent its hot climate and the happiness of being in California.
Props used - Quantum Physics book in Kim Kardashian's hand to represent "misconceptions" and the golf cart with a moving fake background to unveil the true "California".
Settings - Various places in California e.g. a hotel villa to represent relaxing, a seaside pier to represent the beaches, Disneyland background to help appeal to the younger generation, etc.
- Camera shots:What shots are used and why?
High angle shots - to show the scenery and focus on the settings of California
Mid shots - focus on the celebrity to show "famous faces" (recognition)
Long shot - to show on whats happening in the scene and to give the audience the "bigger picture".
Advertising techniques: what techniques are used and why?
Ideal social groups: Ideal social groups is a strategy which helps create a ideology in the minds of consumers, which is that is you buy/use the product/service being advertised, you will be part of a perfect social group. This advert uses the technique of ideal social groups to help different audiences find the suitable setting or activity that appeals to them in California.
Amazing products/services: By showing that the product/service (that the advert is based on) is amazing and works efficiently is so customers would be more persuaded to purchase it. This advert uses the amazing product technique to persuade people to "Visit California".
Selective editing: Selective editing is a strategy used by advertisement creators to edit the footage filmed according to the message they wish to portray. They usually use clips that show the product in it's best form. This is to show the audience how well the product works.
This advert shows proof of using selective editing because they have used the scenes and clips that are the most effective in terms of persuading the customers to visit California.
Celebrity endorsement: The use of celebrity endorsements is an effective technique of persuading and attracting customers to a product or service because it attracts a larger fan base and the use of a celebrity will make the "model" more recognizable.
The Visit California advert uses celebrity endorsements effectively to appeal to all types of customers who share the same interests or are fans of big names. This is a good way of attracting customers as they are aware of the characters, so they feel familiarized with the product that it trying to be sold.
thank samsia, i really like it and i find it very helpful, hope that you will keep itup..
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