ASSIGNMENT A : Advert analysis

ASSIGNMENT A :  Television Advert analysis


Analyse and compare three television advertisements in detail in a written report which you should publish on your blog.

Your work will need to analyse the adverts using the  following headings and explaining as many of these terms as possible to gain a good grade;

• Form realist/anti-realist, animation, talking heads, series, documentary
• Style humorous, surreal, dramatic, parodic,nostalgic 
• Technical methods : Mise-en-scene, iconography,use of camera( movement  ,shots and angles,  editing( cuts and fades, pace) , sound and  music), graphics , special effects
• Selling Techniques : celebrity endorsement, lifestyle appeal, creating and emotional response or association (fear, compassion, social position), creating a memory of the product ,
• Characteristics of the product : benefits offered, advantages over similar products, USP (unique selling point), brand identity.

Try to find contrasting advertisements to allow you to show your knowledge of as many of the categories listed above as possible.

You can use previous work and examples as the basis for this assignment. 


DEADLINE : THURSDAY 13 October 2016

ANALYSING ADVERTS : KEY TERMS

Here are the key terms you will need to analyse your adverts in homework tasks, presentations and your first assignment . Other blog posts have a range of examples to help you understand them further.


FORM

Realist/antirealist
Animation
Talking Heads
Series
Documentary

STYLE

Humorous
Surreal
Dramatic
Parodic
Nostalgic


TECHNICAL METHODS

Use of Camera  

shot types :  closeup, long shot etc.
angles :  high angle/low angle etc.
movement : pan , tilt, zoom etc.

Editing ( cuts/fades , pace and rhythm )

Lighting and colour  ( warm/cold, light/dark etc.)

Sound ( use of music/ sound effects/dialogue)

Mis-en-scene ( everything in the scene : props,costume, objects etc.)

Iconography ( the hidden  meanings and connotations  behind the props, costumes, objects , lighting, colour, sound etc.)


SELLING TECHNIQUES

Lifestyle appeal

Celebrity Endorsement

Creating a memory in the target audience ( can be through humour, repetition, slogans etc.)

Creating an emotional reaction in the target audience


CHARACTERISTICS OF PRODUCT

Advantages over other similar products

USP ( unique selling point )

Creating a strong brand identity ( using images , logo, colour, music, messages, slogans and taglines etc.)

 

ADVERTISING EXAMPLES : car adverts

CAR ADVERTS

Target audience  : more likely to be older men

For example , here is  Matthew McConnaughy in an advert for the new Lincoln car.

STYLE :  Dramatic , with elements of humour.

TECHNICAL CODES :   

Use of camera :  e.g closeups on the main character's  face , panning shot showing the brand logo of the car.

Lighting : e.g warm, brown sunlight.

Sound :  e.g blues music symbolising the American location.

Mise-en-scene and  iconography :   e.g The wedding ring  the shirt and tie symbolising his married status and career success.  The bull, symbolising masculinity, power and speed. The open road ahead, symbolising freedom , the future and independence.

SELLING TECHNIQUES :   Celebrity endorsement , lifestyle appeal, humour.

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS :   None explicitly stated in advert




Not the differences ( and some similarities)  in mis-en-scene and iconography in this advert.

Volkswagen Tiguan advert  LINK

And here's a list of cliches in car adverts and more examples     LINK

ANALYSING ADVERTS : Technical codes and selling techniques

TECHNICAL  CODES

You will need to analyse the technical methods and filmmaking techniques used in the adverts you are studying and how they are used to sell the product to the audience. 
These are as follows :

Use of camera ( angles, shot types, movement )

Editing ( use and pace of of cuts/fades etc.)

Lighting ( light/dark , warm/cold)

Sound ( use of music, dialogue and sound effects , sting)

Mis-en-scene and iconography  Everything in the scene, especially use of costume, props and setting.  See this post for further explanation




SELLING TECHNIQUES



Lifestyle appeal      Many adverts will use lifestyle appeal . The main characters in adverts will often be people the target audience wants to become ( wealthy, successful, attractive,thin , happy etc. )  and will therefore link the product to this.

The other ways lifestyle appeal is used in adverts is to create characters that are the same as the target audience...fairly average in appearance/status etc. That way the target audience may feel the product in the advert is for them.

Adverts may also use minor characters who are of lower status or are shown as poor, unattractive, stupid etc.  to show the target audience what happens when you don't buy the product, and to contrast effectively with the main character.


Celebrity endorsement  This connects with lifestyle appeal as the chosen  celebrity should be someone the target audience looks up to , and is usually successful, rich and/or attractive. They should also possess some of the same qualities as the product or link to the product in some way.

Creating memory of brand /product in audience  ( using repetition, images, slogan , humour , memorable sting , logo etc.)

Creating emotional response in audience (  guilt, desire, fear, pity, jealousy etc.)

Most adverts will try to provoke an emotional response in their target audience that connects with them personally. Sometimes the advert is explicit and obviously trying to provoke strong emotions, and other times it is more subtle.

Creating  overt/hidden messages      

An overt message is a clear and explicit  message....the story of the advert and the basic content of the advert.

A hidden message is an underlying secret  message which the advertisers may not want to state explicitly ( for legal or ethical reasons) but which the audience may pick up  e.g  If I buy this product I will feel attractive, if I don't buy this product I will look older etc.

ANALYSING ADVERTS : Forms and styles of advert

There are roughly 6 different forms  of television advertisement.
These are:

1. Realist Narrative,
2. Anti-realist narrative,
3. Animation,
4. Documentary,
5. Talking Heads,
6. Stand Alone/Series

An example of a realist narrative:
This would count as a realist narrative, because it appears to be set in real-life.  The product suggests that this is a normal day-to-day occurence in the Redknapp household. A realist narrative advert is an advert with a story, appearing to be both believable and realistic.

An example of an anti-realist narrative:
This advert counts as an anti-realist advert – because although there is a story behind the advert, it is obviously fictional. Unlike the realist narrative, this is not day-to-day behaviour. You do not see a community of people known as ‘the Smarties’ dressed in morph-suits that live in a tube in real life.

An example of an animation:
An animation is simply what it says on the tin. It is an animated production. This means that although there are voiceovers, and maybe CGI, there are no actual actors running around. animation is used for different reasons where live action is inappropriate for the message, style and content of the advert.

An example of documentary:

A documentary advertisement uses a  lot of factual information and relies mainly on informing the audience rather than just entertaining.

An example of talking heads:
'Talking heads' is where the people in the advert talk directly to the camera.Direct human contact, facial expressions , eye contact and the human voice are used to sell the product ,often by emotional appeals to the audience. It is often used in charity adverts, where people who have benefited from the charity speak to the viewer, often thanking them for their efforts. This one, for California Tourism is showing famous actors and personalities trying to convince you, the viewer, to come to California.

An example of a series advert
A series advert is simply an advert that continues in a series. They often tell a continuing story that evolves throughout the series, attempting to keep the audience interested in and familiar with  the characters, the plot and hopefully the product.

STYLES OF TV ADVERT

You need to discuss how your chosen advert fits into the following categories :

1 Humorous  ( lighthearted and funny in tone)

2 Surreal  ( strange or unrealistic  elements )

        3 Dramatic ( realistic, serious and emotional in tone )

                           4 Parodic ( copying or referring to other media products like films or other adverts )

TECHNICAL METHODS : Camera shots , angles and movement

SHOT TYPES 

Establishing shot. Opening shot or sequence, frequently an exterior 'General View' as an Extreme Long Shot (ELS). Used to set the scene. 

Long shot (LS). Shot which shows all or most of a fairly large subject (for example, a person) and usually much of the surroundings. Extreme Long Shot (ELS) - see establishing shot: In this type of shot the camera is at its furthest distance from the subject, emphasising the background. Medium Long Shot (MLS): 

Medium shots. Medium Shot or Mid-Shot (MS). In such a shot the subject or actor and its setting occupy roughly equal areas in the frame. In the case of the standing actor, the lower frame passes through the waist. There is space for hand gestures to be seen.

Over the Shoulder ( OSS) shots are often used to show conversations as you are able to see a virtual closeup of the person talking but also the person they are speaking to.

Close-up (CU). A picture which shows a fairly small part of the scene, such as a character's face, in great detail so that it fills the screen. Close-ups focus attention on a person's feelings or reactions, and are sometimes used in adverts to show people in a state of emotional excitement, sadness or joy. 

CAMERA ANGLES

Angle of shot. The direction and height from which the camera takes the scene. The convention is that in 'factual' programmes subjects should be shot from eye-level only. In a high angle the camera looks down at a character, making the viewer feel more powerful than him or her, or suggesting an air of detachment. A low angle shot places camera below the character, exaggerating his or her importance. An overhead shot is one made from a position directly above the action. 

Point-of-view shot (POV). A shot made from a camera position close to the line of sight of a performer who is to be watching the action shown in the point-of-view shot. 

CAMERA MOVEMENT

Zoom. In zooming in the camera does not move; the lens is focussed down from a long-shot to a close-up whilst the picture is still being shown. The subject is magnified, and attention is concentrated on details previously invisible. It may be used to surprise the viewer. Zooming out reveals more of the scene (perhaps where a character is, or to whom he or she is speaking) as the shot widens. Zooming in rapidly brings not only the subject but also the background hurtling towards the viewer, which can be disconcerting. 

Pan. The camera swivels (in the same base position) to follow a moving subject. A space is left in front of the subject: the pan 'leads' rather than 'trails'. A pan usually begins and ends with a few seconds of still picture to give greater impact. The speed of a pan across a subject creates a particular mood as well as establishing the viewer's relationship with the subject. 

Tilt. A vertical movement of the camera - up or down- while the camera mounting stays fixed. 

Tracking (dollying). Tracking involves the camera itself being moved smoothly towards or away from the subject (contrast with zooming). Tracking in (like zooming) draws the viewer into a closer, more intense relationship with the subject; moving away tends to create emotional distance. Tracking back tends to divert attention to the edges of the screen. The speed of tracking may affect the viewer's mood. Rapid tracking (especially tracking in) is exciting; tracking back relaxes interest. In a dramatic narrative we may sometimes be drawn forward towards a subject against our will. Camera movement parallel to a moving subject permits speed without drawing attention to the camera itself. 

Hand-held camera. A hand-held camera can produce a jerky, bouncy, unsteady image which may create a sense of immediacy or chaos. Its use is a form of subjective treatment. 

Iconography explained

Understanding Iconography

Definition

Steve Campsall’s definition of iconography is useful. (Steve Campsall – Media – GCSE Film Analysis Guide (3) – SJC)

‘Iconography is an important aspect of genre. We expect to see certain objects on screen when we see a particular genre, for example, in a Western, dusty lonely roads, saloon bars, cowboy hats and horses, jails, sheriffs badges, guns, etc..
In a modern horror film, we expect young girls, ‘normal’ objects, use of dark and light, etc. These ‘genre indicators’ are called the iconography of the mise-en-scene or genre.’

So iconography can be defined as those particular signs ( or conventions) we associate with particular genres. 
Adverts may also be parodies of or refer to existing film or television genres.

Within television adverts ,  an audience expects to see different genre indicators in different genres (types) of adverts. For instance , three men in a pub = beer advert. Woman in bathroom=shampoo advert. These may be used so often that they become stereotypes.

As television adverts are so short ,  genre indicators and conventions are usually very clear and shown within a couple of seconds of  the start of the advert.

 Some of the elements of an advert's mis-en-scene  that make up genre iconography include:

Costume

 

 The way characters in adverts are dressed is very important in selling the product. If we are meant to identify with the main character ( e.g in a dramatic realistic advert) they will normally dressed in a plain and traditional way e.g t-shirt, jeans. Such a character is known as an 'everyman' or 'girl-next-door'.  Text on clothes is rarely used as this is distracting and can be a product in its own right.

If we are meant to aspire to be a character in an advert , the lifestyle appeal of the advert can be represented by having the main character dress in clearly expensive ( but tasteful) clothes and accessories . In contrast, characters we are meant to look down on or laugh at ( often because they have not bought the product) can be dressed in cheap, tatty or strange clothing.

In surrealist or humorous adverts , costume is often exaggerated and more unusual to add to the effect of the advert.

Settings

 Traditional settings for different types of advert include the kitchen , an expensive flat , a restuarant or a sports changing room . As soon as we see them we have an expectation about the type of product that will be advertised.

Also, the setting can be used to help sell the product. If the character who owns the product lives in an expensive flat, this is clearly an example of lifestyle appeal.


 Car adverts are often set in the countryside on empty roads.  Why ? What does this setting represent and how does it connect with the persuasive techniques of the advert ?

Props

Successful businessmen in adverts often have an expensive briefcase, expensive but tasteful jewellry, and a  modern and expensive phone. If they are representing the idea of a family man, the advert may show a closeup of his wedding ring.

So meaning works in two distinct ways.
1. A sign has a basic meaning literal overt meaning – for example – a wedding ring  is a piece of jewellry. This is called its denotation.
2. A sign can also have another second ( or hidden) meaning related to something completely different, which is often related to its context. This is called its connotation. In our example, the wedding ring's connotation is family life, stability and security. 


Have  a look at this humorous look at the cliches used in iconography in American advertising here