Communication StudyCommunication Study

Assessment Task 2: creating an Assessment Task 2: creating an example of communicationexample of communication

Caradock GardensMagazine advertisement Commentary

Word Count: 799By Latoya Hancock

ContextThis single page advertisement was created

for the state’s The Adelaide* Magazine. This

publication focuses on elements of the state

and highlights hotspots around the town.

This advertisement may be placed in a

special tourist issue of the magazine.

AudienceThe image of the people exploring the maze in my advertisement relates to

my audience of family. This image symbolises the place being fun and

appealing to families with children. It is idealised that the place is also

educational and free, so this would appeal greatly to my audience.

Product & Campaign DetailsCaradock Gardens is a 30 hectare fictional

garden which is now home to a large

amount of hedge mazes. This advertisement

focuses on them and promotes other

facilities in the garden in the copy at the

bottom of the advertisement. I wanted to

create a simple advertisement that

had deeper meanings to it and have a powerful image which would draw

people’s attention to it. The advertisement is not flashy and does not contain

a large amount of text. The logo I created carries images that are associated

with gardens and nature.

Overall ConceptThe overall concept for my advertisement was to create the idea that visitors to Caradock Gardens

would have a heightened experience when they visit as the advertisement illustrates it as being

this amazing mystical garden. I created both an ideal element (the top half) and a real or grounded

element (the bottom half) to the advertisement. The basic idea was to promote the new hedge

mazes at Caradock Gardens. The garden wants to draw in more families, so I used an image with

people in it and mentioned family related activities (and the fact that it is free to visit) in the copy.

“Take a magical trip through wonderland this summer by exploring our brand new hedge mazes. Fun for the whole family and it's free. Whilst visiting, don't forget to explore our wide range of colourful gardens or have a scrumptious meal in one of our many restaurants.”

– Copy on Advertisement

Central ImageThe central image is the perfect

visual representation of losing

yourself in this larger than life

location. The hazy top of the

central image creates a fantasy

ideal of the garden. The bottom

half of the image is darker and

creates a more realistic feel to the advertisement. The people in the centre

of the image pointing into the distance bring a personal feel of families into

the advertisement. The way the tones of the colours change (from the top

to the bottom) in the advertisement links to my colour scheme.

CaptionThe caption in the advertisement

essentially does what it says and

gets lost in the image. The first

part of the caption creates a

signified of losing yourself in a

magical place due to its beauty

and vastness. The remainder of

the caption is found in the lower

half or grounded half of the

advertisement. It could be also

known as the new idea being

introduced or in other words, the

product that is being advertised. It

mentions that this place is real

and the word ‘our’ invites people

in to visit. The garden statement

creates a signified of the Garden

of Eden which Adam and Eve lived

in. Using this signified gives the

viewer the impression that this

place is just like the mystical

Garden of Eden.

LayoutThe given and ideal is placed at the top of my advertisement. It is shown by

the words ‘Lose yourself’ and the hazy top of the skyline. An image of a

fantasy world and makes the viewer want to look for themselves at this

location. The real and grounded is placed in the lower, darker half of the

advertisement. The text ‘in our garden’ makes you realise that this place is

real and available to visit to discover its glory. The simple logo shows real

elements of nature and the gardens whilst the text explains facilities of the

park.

Logo & Address

Copy

Central Image

Beginning of caption

Ending of caption

LogoThe Caradock Gardens logo is simple with

eight boxes of images relating to nature.

Birds are predominantly featured and the

colours complement central image colours.

The images create a signified of images

from different seasons, mainly autumn.

The address in South Australia is placed underneath the title to reduce the

amount of clutter on the page, thus creating visual balance.

Address

Images of Flora & Fauna

Colour SchemeThe advertisement’s colour scheme is dominated

by earthly colours and the colours of the

seasons. The brown caption tone allows the

viewer to notice that and then find the

remainder of the text. The semiotics of the

cartoon style images in the logo are the bird and

nature images. If the viewer sees these, they will

automatically think nature or gardens and a

picture will form in their head of a simple

garden. The colours tie in with the nature theme.