Advert Research

Style: Dramatic Humorous Parodic Surreal

Humorous Humour is used in adverts so that they stick in people’s

minds. Humour makes people enjoy the advertisement which may then persuade the audience to then buy it; which is the whole point of the advert. Adverts with comedy in them leave a long lasting impression on a person which may mean they’ll be spoken about a lot more than a boring advert. When an advert is spoken about, more people find out about the product which causes them to then tell other people which then carries on like a domino effect with person and person telling and buying the product. Sometimes the comedy in an adverts distracts those watching and makes them forget what is actually being advertised. Different countries have different types of humour and so comedy adverts will not be able to be used world wide as not everybody will find it funny.

VideoAldi Adverthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdEu6CaVQT0

EffectThis advert uses humour very effectively. It’s being used to advertise Jaffa Cakes which children enjoy eating. Because the advertiser knows that they’re aiming this at children, they used puppets. This is effective because this is what children play with and possibly think is real. If the children do think these puppets are real then they’d want to buy some Jaffa Cakes because the puppet told them that they’re nice. The bigger puppet eating the smaller puppet is effective because it evokes sympathy from the viewer and almost makes you want to buy some Jaffa Cakes even more just because the main advertiser in this video got eaten. The advert is repetitive and says the line “they’ve got orange inside” three times in this short 30 second period. This could be used as comedy as the last time it’s said is clearly ridiculous and sort of makes you laugh at the pure stupidity of the advertisement. In my opinion, I do find this type of advertisement effective even though it’s in a questionable way. After watching it, I almost sat back and questioned what I even watched and made me laugh but it did do well at advertising as now I do want some Jaffa Cakes. I find that this advert sticks in my mind and isn’t very forgettable with the puppets and high pitched, child-like voices that go with them and therefore, this advert, to me, does sell the product well.

Dramatic Drama is used to promote something or sell a product. Drama

really gets through to a person and captures their attention which may provoke sympathy from them. Dramatic adverts engage a viewer if it’s promoting something by saying ‘you’ and using first person words. Dramatic adverts are sometimes very harrowing and make people want to donate to a charity being promoted because they feel sympathy towards what is being shown on the advertisement. Others are used to disgust the viewer in a very dramatic way so that the point is clearly put across to the viewer. Drama is used as it’s almost surprising for something so heart-wrenching to be on television when you least expect it, like in the middle of a television programme. Some adverts using drama are used for the shock value and want to make certain things memorable so that the viewer does whatever the advertiser wants them to do, such as stop smoking, call the NSPCC or give charity to the starving.

Video NHS Smoke Free Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cta

MwtHwUo

Effect In my opinion, this advert is very disgusting. The dramatic effect in it is used very

well though, and very clearly gets the point across and repulses the audience – almost to the point of making them nauseous. Dramatic adverts stay in the mind of those watching. I feel that this particular advert will constantly remind smokers what is happening inside their body each time they have just one cigarette. This video is particularly effective as it’s real life and even though the sticky tumours are edited into it, it’s still real life as it’s literally what is happening inside a smoker’s body. This advertisement is effective as it’s so disgusting that it’s off putting to a smoker, deterring them from cigarettes. This advertisement will always be true no matter how the world changes and, so, I find that it’s effective because there will be no change to a smoker’s insides unless they actually stop smoking. This advertisement cannot be argued against as it’s scientifically proven that smoking can cause tumours inside your body and the only way to stop the cigarette related tumours is just to stop smoking altogether and I feel that this advert portrays this fact very well. When the smoker opens his pouch of tobacco, it’s stuck all along the plastic and his fingers. I think this part is effective because it almost symbolises how these tumours, if they carry on smoking, will be sticking to their lungs and all of their insides. I also feel that it has an impact on non-smokers because they can see this advert logically as they aren’t addicted to what could kill them. The gruesome advert is effective to teenagers and above as they are the ones that could purchase cigarettes.

Surreal Surreal advertisements tend to be remembered more than most as they

constantly stick in the forefront of people’s minds. They’re like a fantasy – something you wish would be you or could happen to you. Adverts like these engage the audience because it’s not something you see in every day life. Advertising like this captures the audience because they’re not like typical advertisements which just show the product being promoted, they do it in a way in which you wouldn’t typically see. Surrealism is almost like an art-form, where not everyone can think of such quirky adverts like these and so this makes them even more unique. Surreal adverts sometimes have absolutely nothing to do with the product, yet because they’re so unusual everybody seems to be talking about it which just promotes the advert even more through word of mouth. If something is strange or peculiar then a person is more likely to remember it than something straight forward and boring and so surrealism will stick in people’s minds and make them even question what is happening. It’s almost like you’re being taken into a fantasy world where what we see as ‘normal’ doesn’t happen and it’s like you’re a child again in your imagination. It’s less common than the average advert and so we, as viewers, want to see more of it happening.

Video Skittles Advertisement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17tS

hjZFUcM

Effect To me, this advert does make you want skittles but only

because there are so many right in front of your eyes. In my opinion, the surrealism of this advert doesn’t make the audience want the skittles but the way they’re placed in front of the audience does. The surrealism in this advert makes it stick in the forefront of the viewer’s minds although I don’t think that this is the reason they would want skittles, it’s just the reason they remember the advertisement. I don’t feel that the product being advertised has been advertised well and could have been better without the surrealism which has been used. Touching something and having it turn into skittles is not realistic at all and although I understand that this is the whole point of surrealism, I don’t feel as though the surrealism used was necessary. It could have been advertised a lot better if realism was used.

Parodic Parody is used in advertisements to either ridicule another

advert or draw negative attention towards it, further enhancing attention onto the parody advert. These advertisements stick in the forefront of the viewer’s mind and is almost humorous. Parodic adverts poke fun at those in the advert and are making fun of themselves which puts the viewer at ease. This encourages a viewer to buy the product being advertised. Parodic advertisements are more memorable for the viewer than a boring advert. The parody in the advertisement is humorous for the viewer because it is referencing another advert that has been viewed a lot. It’s almost as though they’re on the same level as the viewer and want to laugh at an advert just as much as the next person.

Video Specsavers Advertisement https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x89xAXHd2l8

Effect I feel that this parodic advert uses parody well. I feel that the parody

in the advert will attract customers as they see that the company do have a humorous side and glasses don’t always have to be a negative feature, as they are seen by many. The advertisement is a parody of the Lynx ‘Axe’ advert which is well recognised. The way they used a well recognised company to advertise themselves, another well known company, works in Specsavers’ favour. This almost shows me that Specsavers are on the customers’ level and want to make the customers laugh – rather than a serious advert showing something negative about eyes when needing glasses. At the end of the advert, the lines ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ and ‘the Lynx Effect’ are merged together to create “The should’ve gone to Specsavers Effect”. The humour in this attracts possible customers to their glasses stores and therefore, the aim of their advertisement has been reached. I feel that this advertisement is done perfectly. It is effective on its audience and will attract a lot of potential customers.

Form: Animation Talking Heads Documentary Stand Alone / Series

Animation Animation is used in adverts to particularly attract and engage

children. Animated adverts grab the attention of their target audience, persuading the potential viewer to watch the advert. This is important when the advert is aimed at children as they have a short attention spam. Children feel more engaged by animation and so would want to sit and watch this more so than a ‘real life’ non-animated advertisement. It’s interesting to watch, easy to consume and different to a usual advertisement. Animated advertisements make a lasting impression on the viewer, it’s more likely for a child or young person to remember a cartoon advert than any other type as it’s not something ‘normal’ that you can see when you’re living your life and so it sticks in the viewers’ minds. Animation keeps the audience engaged because it’s presenting information in a fun way which captures the viewer’s attention.

Video Dumb Ways To Die Advertisement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJNR

2EpS0jw

The narrative of this advert is advising children not to play around train platforms. It is an animated advert and so gets the idea stuck in people's minds and gets them singing it all day. The advert initially begins with all different 'dumb' ways to die and then the last verse of the song is all centred around trains and ways you could possibly die around trains. It is a visual and audio advertisement and the lyrics show the visuals in a literal sense. This is particularly effective on children. Some children and young listen prefer to listen rather than watch and some prefer to watch rather than listen, and so to have both makes it available for most child audiences. Even if you're not paying attention and watching the video, you can hear the song and get the main point across.  I find that the animation is an effective way to get the point across which it is trying to show. Children and even adults watching this advertisement will find these animations cute and will sympathise when they all die for reasons that they have brought upon themselves. The animation used in this will engage people of all ages. I think that the narrator at the end telling the audience to be safe around trains is effective as it makes a jokey, not so serious advert into a real and serious advert. The narrator is showing the audience that although these may seem silly and a bit of a joke, they're not and should be taken seriously. I think that the real voice heard at the end is an effective way to get the point across rather than carry on singing the song. This is because even though a person may be listening to the song, they may not be taking in each and every word of it. When it becomes serious, it’s almost a shock to the system and it’s as though a person listening would respond in a way in which they would want to listen as they would want to know why the tone of the advert has suddenly changed.

Effect

Documentary A documentary advertisement is sometimes called ‘narrative’.

In a narrative advert, there is always an equilibrium, disruption and a resolution. This was formed by Todorov’s Theory of Narrative structure. This means basically that the advert has a beginning, middle and end – just like a story. An advert using this form tells a story from beginning to end which makes the viewer almost bond with the person or product in the advertisement. This persuades people to buy the product or thing as they create a mental or emotional bond with the person or thing in the advertisement. It’s as though a person wants to find out the end of the story line of the advertisement after watching the beginning and middle. This persuades them to watch the end where the point of the whole advertisement comes together and makes the whole advertisement more understandable for the viewer.

Video NHS Smoke Free Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fw

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The story line of this advertisement is a man smoking a cigarette, which is obviously harmful to  his insides. The cigarette he is smoking begins to turn into a tumor with each inhale he takes, which is what's actually happening inside his body when he inhales. The narrator in this advert is telling the viewers what's happening, while the visuals are showing it. 

I feel that this advert comes across incredibly well and is greatly effective to an audience that smokes, persuading them to stop, and also to those that don't smoke as it's persuading them to keep it that way. At the beginning, the cigarette is completely tumor-free. This is the equilibrium of the story. This is the time where everything is fair and relaxed. This shows the audience that you're healthy when you are not smoking and inhaling the harmful chemicals in the cigarette.

As he starts smoking it, the tumor on the cigarette begins to grow, this is the disruption of the story. This prevents non-smoking viewers to begin smoking as you can see what's actually happening on this advert, where as in real life you can't actually see what's happening inside your body. To a smoking audience, this may possibly repulse them and make them re-think what they're doing to themselves. The narrator of this advert is also making the point clear when he says that every 15 cigarettes cause a mutation and mutations are what cause cancer. You can see the tumor growing on the cigarette which just emphasises the 'cancer, cancer, cancer' point the advert is trying to push at you. To someone that is struggling to quit smoking, this is an effective advert because it shows how disgusting it is and how it's ruining your insides, as well as the fact it can be a cause of some cancers, which nobody wants.

The resolution to this advertisement is at the end where it's just words and it's showing the quit smoking help-line and other things necessary to help someone stopping smoking. This is effective as the advert gives a smoker time to think whether it has affected them or not and whether they want to stop or not, and then sends the viewer in the right direction if they do choose to stop.

Effect

Talking Heads Advertisements that use talking heads are usually adverts that use real

responses, such as when someone exits a cinema and the instant reviews of the film are shown. It’s when a person is filmed from the chest upwards, showing a real response as a documentary type advertisement or more generally seen in news. It’s usually shown as though it’s an interview. Advertisers use this way of promotion as it shows the audience that these people are not actors, the responses are completely real and not staged. This makes all of the advertisement more believable which therefore makes a person watching this type of advertisement want to see whatever is being promoted. Talking heads in advertising makes the product or thing being advertised more trustworthy as everything about the responses being shown are real. Advertisements like these show the audience who the real target audience is. This is shown as the people responding well are clearly people who like this product or thing and so this is the audience that the company are targeting at. This makes people watching the advertisement realise whether they are or are not the target audience for the product or thing.

Video Sensodyne Tooth Paste Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpz

KXe0c21Q

Effect I feel that this advertisement uses Talking Heads in an effective way. I feel

this because it’s a real dentist speaking, rather than the advertiser, which makes the advertisement more realistic for the viewer. If the company was speaking in the advert, it’d just be like any other advertisement where a brand obviously thinks it’s the best brand out there. But, with talking heads, it shows that real dentists like and recommended this toothpaste which shows how good it is on teeth and how professional it is. Using a real dentist in the advertisement makes it more believable for the viewer. It’s an effective way of advertising a product because it’s not just telling you what the product does, it actually shows an actual dentist recommending the tooth paste which is what someone should want for their teeth – without having to go and see their dentist. Toothpaste is something every person needs and so to have a dentist advertising it who knows exactly what they’re talking about is effective because it’s easier than going to have to see your dentist yourself if you have sensitive teeth and therefore it’s as though you’ve seen a dentist but you haven’t at the same time. Talking heads is effective for the viewer as it’s more realistic and it’s believable.

Stand Alone/Series An advert that uses series is a type of advertisement

that always uses the same main character or characters. These are particularly effective advertisements as you almost feel connected to the characters and want to do something for them, like buy their product, just because it’s that company advertising. These adverts always have the same themes throughout. The story of the characters is shown throughout a number of the companys’ advertisements, making you want to continue watching them as the characters carry on their lives. This type of advertising attracts viewers as the audience likes to watch the characters develop through the series of adverts.

Video Compare The Meerkat Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75V

pOGcotlU

The series of Compare The Meerkat adverts are very effective in bringing in an audience. The advertisements begun with the baby meerkat, ‘Oleg’, being left at a family of meerkats’ front door and from them on you see the family grow. I feel that this is an effective way of advertising because your sympathy and empathy grows for this baby meerkat, who is very cute. The way this advertising their website, Compare The Market, is with the very similar names. If you go onto the website for Compare The Meerkats, it asks you if you’re sure you’re looking for meerkats and not ‘Compare The Market’ instead. This makes sure that you know what you’re looking for. With the series advertisements, you feel connected to the meerkat family and want to almost grow up with them in these advertisements. This makes the comparison website for houses, cars etc very memorable for a viewer as they always remember this random little meerkat when looking for insurance. These adverts have been going for years now and people still want to watch them now and remember them when they come on. This is effective for audiences who are just turning the ages of buying cars, houses etc as they have seen these advertisements on their TV for a long time and can now finally use them.

Effect

Technique Rhetorical Question Peer Approval Emotional Response

Rhetorical Question Rhetorical questions in advertisements are used to

encourage a different type of thought process of a viewer. When something is harder to sell, it’s best to ask rhetorical questions in order to promote this product. This is so that you can get into the mind of a potential consumer and make them question whether they really want something or not. If an audience already likes a certain brand, they will want to continue with them when they ask questions like this to make sure they have the best deal on whatever they’re getting from this company. Rhetorical questions are asked when you know that the consumer already knows the answer. This is to reconfirm with the viewer that they know the answer to this question and to persuade them to stay with your company too.

Video Geigo Insurance Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FyS

94N7M5A&list=PL7DF7A80EEE55368A

Effect I feel that this advertisement uses rhetorical questions very well. I

think this as it is effective on its customers or potential customers. The way this advert asks two questions – one for you and one for the company itself to prove to answer to – is effective on the viewer. I think this because the second question’s answer is always ‘yes’ which persuades the viewer to want to say yes to the question prior to this too. I feel that this is a great way to promote car insurance as it engages the viewer into the advertisement and makes them want to watch it. Rhetorical questions make a viewer want to see whether the company is as great as it says it is. This is because it doesn’t actually give you an answer. Therefore it makes you want to try it out with this company to see whether it’s as good as it says. It only implies it’s a good company and doesn’t actually answer the question as to whether it’s a good company or not. I feel that this is a very effective way of advertising.

Peer Approval Peer approval used in adverts is a technique used to show

the viewer that not only does the person in the advertisement agree that this product being sold is great – the peers or family of this person do too. This shows the viewer that maybe they will think it is as good as the two (or more) people in this advert will think it’s a good product which persuades them to go and buy it. This technique is particularly good on people who tend to seek peer approval when wearing or buying something. This type of advertisement already confirms to these type of people that it is a good choice to buy this product as more than one person in the advert are in favour of it. This type of technique can be shown as something that you will be respected by your peers for if you own this product.

Video Garnier Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMy

kQrBCMn0

Effect I feel that this advertisement is effective because it shows that

people of all ages approve this type of product. It shows that this product is child-friendly although adults can use it too. This persuades people with children to buy this product as they can see that it’s not harmful for children to be around and doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals like some other body products. This advert also shows that your child will actually like to be around you for using this product – in comparison to some other harsher products that smell and deters people from you. This is particularly good for those worried about using harsh chemicals on their skin. I feel that this advertisement comes across well for those worried about people not accepting them after using certain products as it shows that they will be accepted. Therefore, I feel that using peer approval in this type of advertisement is effective and promotes the product well.

Emotional Response Emotional response used in advertisements is

a way of provoking emotions from the viewer. Some say that this is a way to advertise their product although sometimes it is forgotten and only the advertisement is remembered – either for being sad or being happy. Emotional response connects with a persons’ emotions and makes them feel involved with a character or characters in advertisements. This makes the advertisement stick into a viewer’s mind.

Video Pedigree Dog Food Advert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDN

ZZ5nCNGg

Effect I feel that this advert uses emotional response well. This is

because I think that humans feel great attachments to dogs and therefore when they show dogs suffering, it provokes sympathy from the viewer. This will persuade the viewer to buy the product being promoted. Those watching this advertisement will want to buy this dog food product for their dog as they can see what amazing things this company is doing for abused dogs – donating 1 million dog meals this year. Humans connect with dogs and therefore they would want the best for the animals. If people did not buy this product then the company would not be able to afford to give this much food to rescue dogs. This will further persuade the viewers to buy this product for their pet as they will want the best food for not only their pet, but for others out there too.