Today in class we looked at an article called 'Reading Lynx' in Media Magazine all about how to analyse adverts, and I learned a lot of new terms and words I hadn't heard before.
Firstly, I learnt about signs, relating to textual analysis. Signs tell you things about the place your in, a person, or in this case the advert. A choice has been made and this tells you something about the text. For example, you notice in the advert that the kitchen is not a modern one, but more 1950s retro with an old fashioned radio as opposed to an iPod. This instantly links you to a time when women were their husband's property and would do anything men wanted.
Next, we looked at substitution analysis. This is where you look at the signs around you and then replace them with other things, e.g. replacing hard, Formica classroom desks with carved mahogany wood. This latter example creates a luxurious feel, which the other reminds you of a school classroom. It is a good way to tell more about the place you are analysing.
We also talked about codes, two types of them. First, we looked at cultural codes. Codes are a way of communicating through adverts that rely on a certain knowledge or ideology, for instance this advert assumes the decoding will be doe by someone with a typically western ideology, who should find the advert sexy, glamorous and edgy. This is called the 'preferred decoding'. To any other group or culture this advert could appear as blasphemous, rude or inappropriate. This is known as the 'oppositional decoding'. The people creating the advert will have played on the preferred decoding to get their message across.
Technical codes were the next thing we learnt about. They include things such as lighting and camera angles, for example in a glamour shot like this back lighting is used to create a glowing effect on the skin and erase blemishes, so she looks flawless. Also a long or medium shot is used so that the whole body can be fitted into the shot.
I also learnt about Textual Analysis grids, which are a good way to start analysing the text. They work by picking out key art (main images) and key wording (main words), and then explaining the connotations associated with them. For instance if you took key art like the girl's parted red lips, the red connotes love and passion, and the parted lips suggests sexual availability or desire, which is what the Lynx team would have wanted to achieve.
Finally, we looked at the rule of thirds, which allows us to analyse the framing of a shot by metaphorically cutting the picture into three equal parts horizontally or vertically. If we did this to the Lynx advert on the second page of the article, we would see that most of the shot (the middle, centre third) contains all the sexualised parts of her body like her bottom and breasts. Since these are right in the middle of the shot, you cannot miss them and your attention is drawn to them because of the way the shot has been framed. The right third is taken up with the product name, brand and slogan, so again a large part of the ad is filled with the brand name to make sure people's attention is drawn to it and it is memorable. However, you notice that her face only takes up the upper corner of the left third, so not so much attention is focused on it. The rule of thirds helps to analyse the framing of a shot and helps to utilise restricted space. You can also tell what the ad's (and company's) messages and values are by what takes up most of the shot and what your attention is immediately drawn to.
Overall I learnt a lot this lesson about media analysis and I think these key terms will be very helpful in the future.
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Wednesday 18 September 2013
LUCOZADE AND LARA CROFT
Around 13 years ago, Lucozade created and advert featuring popular Tomb Raider heroine Lara Croft. But why did they choose her as their icon?
Firstly, Lara was popular and current. Video games were still quite a new thing when this advert was created, and Tomb Raider was a very popular game that a lot of people could identify with and relate to. Many knew the game and liked it. This made it a good choice for an advert. One of the people on the team to make this advert said that the key to good advertising was capturing something current to the time, and Lara Croft did this.
Secondly, Lara was seen by some people as an icon or role model. Although the advert was mainly supposed to appeal to men, it did appeal to some women too because a strong, powerful woman who could fight and succeed (even in virtual form) was a good advert for 'girl power', a popular issue of the time. Again, this made the ad relatable and current.
However, this advert was really supposed to appeal to men, as I mentioned earlier, and I think it does this very well. The game Tomb Raider was quite a masculine game (lots of guns, killing, fighting, which all stereotypically appeal to men) and so mostly it would be men that could understand and relate to the ad. Lara was also pretty, something that again would mainly attract the attention of a male audience.
The messages and values of Lucozade also come through in the ad very clearly, because of choosing Lara Croft. Lucozade is a drink that gives you energy, boosts you and keeps you healthy, and at the top of your game. Lara is a symbol of energy and being fit, healthy and strong. She is an obvious representation of everything Lucozade can supposedly do for you, and this is clear in the ad. It creates what one of the team creating the ad called 'mental shorthand' where the brain automatically links one thing (Lucozade) with another (Lara Croft, a strong, healthy individual at the peak of her fitness).
This leads on to synergy, whereby one company 'piggy backs' off the other i.e. they use each other's success to promote their own products. This advert used popular, established game Tomb Raider to promote Lucozade in a new and interesting way. There are lots of less interesting ways to present a product like this, e.g. someone in an office gets tired, has Lucozade, and suddenly does well at work, but these types of ideas have already been done and aren't as interesting as something like a video game, which will appeal to a younger target audience.
The final benefit to choosing Lara Croft to promote Lucozade is that she is an icon who behaves. She is fictional, and entirely controlled by the company who make her, therefore she cannot embarrass or disgrace herself in public as real life celebrities can. She does not have that metaphorical 'shelf life', and will never get old, tired, change in anyway or do anything bad to discredit the ad.
Overall, there are several very justifiable reasons for choosing Lara Croft as Lucozade's icon for their campaign.
Click here for the advert
Firstly, Lara was popular and current. Video games were still quite a new thing when this advert was created, and Tomb Raider was a very popular game that a lot of people could identify with and relate to. Many knew the game and liked it. This made it a good choice for an advert. One of the people on the team to make this advert said that the key to good advertising was capturing something current to the time, and Lara Croft did this.
Secondly, Lara was seen by some people as an icon or role model. Although the advert was mainly supposed to appeal to men, it did appeal to some women too because a strong, powerful woman who could fight and succeed (even in virtual form) was a good advert for 'girl power', a popular issue of the time. Again, this made the ad relatable and current.
However, this advert was really supposed to appeal to men, as I mentioned earlier, and I think it does this very well. The game Tomb Raider was quite a masculine game (lots of guns, killing, fighting, which all stereotypically appeal to men) and so mostly it would be men that could understand and relate to the ad. Lara was also pretty, something that again would mainly attract the attention of a male audience.
The messages and values of Lucozade also come through in the ad very clearly, because of choosing Lara Croft. Lucozade is a drink that gives you energy, boosts you and keeps you healthy, and at the top of your game. Lara is a symbol of energy and being fit, healthy and strong. She is an obvious representation of everything Lucozade can supposedly do for you, and this is clear in the ad. It creates what one of the team creating the ad called 'mental shorthand' where the brain automatically links one thing (Lucozade) with another (Lara Croft, a strong, healthy individual at the peak of her fitness).
This leads on to synergy, whereby one company 'piggy backs' off the other i.e. they use each other's success to promote their own products. This advert used popular, established game Tomb Raider to promote Lucozade in a new and interesting way. There are lots of less interesting ways to present a product like this, e.g. someone in an office gets tired, has Lucozade, and suddenly does well at work, but these types of ideas have already been done and aren't as interesting as something like a video game, which will appeal to a younger target audience.
The final benefit to choosing Lara Croft to promote Lucozade is that she is an icon who behaves. She is fictional, and entirely controlled by the company who make her, therefore she cannot embarrass or disgrace herself in public as real life celebrities can. She does not have that metaphorical 'shelf life', and will never get old, tired, change in anyway or do anything bad to discredit the ad.
Overall, there are several very justifiable reasons for choosing Lara Croft as Lucozade's icon for their campaign.
Click here for the advert
Wednesday 11 September 2013
HILLTOP COCA COLA ADVERT
The 'Hilltop' Coca Cola advert was produced in 1971, and was shot on a hilltop in Rome. The creative director Bill Backer had the idea for the advert one day when, sitting in the waiting room for a flight, he saw people chatting and talking over Coca Cola. He felt then that 'let's share a Coke' had a different meaning, about keeping people company and bringing the world together. He used this inspiration to create new lyrics ('I'd like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company') to the song 'I'd like to teach the world to sing' by Roger Greenaway and Cook.
The messages in the advert are very strong and clear. There is a group of people singing together on a hilltop about Coca Cola. They sing about peace and harmony, which is a play on words because 'harmony' could refer to their melodic singing and world peace. It shows people coming together and enjoying themselves because of Coke. The main line is 'I'd like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company'. This projects the image of Coca Cola bringing the world closer, people making friends and living peacefully because of it. It also features teenagers and a full grown woman (the main singer), which I think appeals to a target audience of people of all ages, to show that everyone can make friends and keep each other company over a Coke.
Additionally, this advert was made at the time of the Vietnam War, and this was when American people were very upset at American troops being lost because of this war. They thought it was nothing to do with them and they should take their troops out. This advert showed unity and togetherness - that America wasn't pro-war and conflict, but instead that they wanted world peace and that was what they were trying to achieve. This message also tied in nicely with the new slogan 'It's the real thing', which showed the sincerity of the advert, and that Coca Cola really was the 'real thing' - that it truly could help bring around peace and harmony.
The brand name, slogan and bottle are all very prominent throughout the advert, with everyone holding a bottle and occasional close ups of people holding the bottle and smiling. This is a good marketing technique because it means people can't forget what is being advertised - it shows Coca Cola's brand identity throughout.
The song was extremely popular, and over 100,000 letters were sent to Coca Cola demanding it be played on the radio, and it was eventually made into a single which was very popular.
Overall, the advert shows messages and values of peace, harmony, and bringing the world together. These messages had a big impact on America especially (but also other parts of the world) at a time when people needed confidence and something to believe in and I think the advert fully achieved its aims and purposes.
CLICK HERE FOR HILLTOP ADVERT
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| Teenagers that made up the chorus in the ad |
Additionally, this advert was made at the time of the Vietnam War, and this was when American people were very upset at American troops being lost because of this war. They thought it was nothing to do with them and they should take their troops out. This advert showed unity and togetherness - that America wasn't pro-war and conflict, but instead that they wanted world peace and that was what they were trying to achieve. This message also tied in nicely with the new slogan 'It's the real thing', which showed the sincerity of the advert, and that Coca Cola really was the 'real thing' - that it truly could help bring around peace and harmony.
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| The bottle and brand are featured constantly throughout |
The brand name, slogan and bottle are all very prominent throughout the advert, with everyone holding a bottle and occasional close ups of people holding the bottle and smiling. This is a good marketing technique because it means people can't forget what is being advertised - it shows Coca Cola's brand identity throughout.
The song was extremely popular, and over 100,000 letters were sent to Coca Cola demanding it be played on the radio, and it was eventually made into a single which was very popular.
Overall, the advert shows messages and values of peace, harmony, and bringing the world together. These messages had a big impact on America especially (but also other parts of the world) at a time when people needed confidence and something to believe in and I think the advert fully achieved its aims and purposes.
CLICK HERE FOR HILLTOP ADVERT
Monday 9 September 2013
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Friday 6 September 2013
MY FIRST LESSON
Today was my first media studies lesson. We looked at two adverts in the textbook and analysed them, talking about the scenery, the clothes, the type of shot, the text and the character's position i.e. standing, sitting, kneeling etc. We then watched an advert for Coca Cola Zero that was called 'Coke Zero meets James Bond'. It was an advert that promoted both James Bond films and Coca Cola. I learned that when companies work together to promote themselves like this it is called synergy. We talked about who the target audience was (young men) and how and why the colours, themes and shot types appealed to the target demographic. Overall, I really enjoyed my first lesson and found it interesting.
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