Planning

Planning - Further idea's

This was the brainstorm I made at the beginning of my research. I already had an idea of what I was going to do and that is why within my research I looked at various event planning companies as I wanted to find out more about the area of advertising. From analysing a large amount of adverts, to actually viewing what my audience had to say, I have come to a decision that I will not be advertising art and cultural events. On my survey, festival was the least popular answer which made me realise that my target audience has not ever experienced a festival nor would like to. As the most popular answer was wedding and birthday party's (on my survey results) it makes sense that these two events should be advertised. Therefore, I now need to look into how stereotypical wedding's and parties are presented. I need to ensure I understand what props, location need  to be arranged so that the 'events' in my advert have a high level of verisimilitude, making sure the audience is engaged into the advert. Receiving opinions from my audience will help me in my planning as I can now cut out idea's that would not be enjoyed, and develop idea's which would appeal to my audience.

Moreover, now that I know what my advert is going to be about, I need to start brainstorming what I am actually going to do for my advert e.g. presentation advert etc. Through my advertising research, I have noticed that adverts which are about a service are usually presentation adverts  who will have a representative of the company, or an actor representing what the service can provide for the audience. This interests me as I am advertising a service, which I want to look professional and I think a presentation advert would look sophisticated and professional. However, I also don't want to be cliche, I want to ensure my audience are engaged into my advert and therefore I need to be unique. I think combining a presentation advert with a 'slice of life' advert would be a good idea as I can show events happening, demonstrating to the audience what at the service is capable of.  Thus, I want to reflect back onto my research on 'slice of life' adverts and 'presentation adverts to see if any of the adverts influence in my decision - whether I will use this style of advert or not.

Finishing research..

Overall, I feel that I have come to an end of finishing my research. However, this does not mean I am going to neglect looking and analysing adverts as I could still be influenced further. I feel that I have gained a wide understanding on adverts, from analysing them and knowing the codes and conventions to actually doing some online and book research into adverts. Additionally, I also understand who my target audience is and what their interests are. When coming to plannng, I will be aware of what my audiences expectations are, and I will be able to engage them into my advert. 

Synergy between adverts

Overall, I feel like I have a wide understanding on adverts. I have looked into many adverts including adverts of the same brand, and different brands. However, it is important that I understand how the brand or service makes their adverts link. I am going to be looking into Cadbury's adverts. I will then list the features which are the same between the adverts. However, the adverts are from different times. The TV advert is 2013 and the sponsorship is 1996. Therefore I may spot more differences.

What linked? and how do I know it was Cadbury's?

• Both speakers are male
• Both speakers speak clearly 
• The product (chocolate) is one of the main features of the advert - this immediately tells me it is a Cadbury's advert as the audience can clearly see the product which is recognisable.
• Brand logo is the last two seconds of the advert
• Brown, white and purple are the main colors of the advert
• The animated chocolate swirls up in the bowl

Survey results

I have managed to receive over 100 responses on the survey I previously made. I had to ensure I gained over 100 responses as I wanted my data to be reliable. I am going to through all my questions and review the answers that were given. This may influence how I market and sell my service as I will find out who my target audience is as well as finding out what their interests are.

The first questioned I asked was the age of my audience. I asked this because I wanted to find out how old my target audience are. The significance of knowing the age of my target audience is that it will influence the way in which I present my service. For example, if my target audience were aged from 3 years - 10 years I would ensure my advert was slightly childish. However, if my target audience was aged over 30, the audience would expect an advert which is more mature. 

The majority of my target audience are aged between 15-21 (35%) therefore people of this age will expect my advert to be modern. This will influence the language in my advert as I may choose to be more colloquial rather than completely formal. However, 31% were aged between 36-50. This age group would expect something more sophisticated and professional. Therefore, when coming to make my product I need to ensure I can target both age groups as there is only a 4% difference. Moreover, the age group 22-35 was 20% and 50+ was 14%. Even though these two age groups were the least popular, does not mean I will not consider their expectations. I still need to ensure all of my target audience will be engaged and attracted to my product. Thus, working out the age of my target audience will effect my decisions when it comes to planning as I need to ensure the language, props, actor etc will appeal to all my target audience.

I then went onto asking what gender my target audience is. It is important that I know the gender of my audience as it could influence the representation in my advert and the environment. For example, if my target audience was mostly females I may include more feminine items or if my target audience was mostly males it may influence what props and actors I use.

By looking at my survey results, it is evident that there is more females than males (at 56%). However, there is only a small difference and therefore it is quite equal. I need to ensure I target males and females reasonably equally.

The next question I asked was the ethnicity of my target audience. It was important I found out what ethnicity my target audience were as for example, if my target audience was mostly people from Jamaica, they may expect Jamaican features in my advert. However, from analysing my results, 85% were 'White, British'. The other answers were a range from African, Jamaican and Indian. Just because a small percentage of my target audience is a difference race does not mean I should not still target them. Therefore, when coming to planning I will need to ensure all my target audience would find my advert engaging. 

I then went onto asking about my target audiences occupation. I think this is very important as knowing what occupation someone has links into social status. For example, people who have a higher social status and a high paid occupation may expect an advert which was sophisticated and professional and may not appreciate any humor which is in the advert. This may not be the case for everyone.

This is a range of answers I have received. All of my answers vary from estate agent, educator, sales assistant, supermarket assistant, manager, students, receptionist etc. Therefore, there is a range of occupations which people have. This means that I need to ensure my advert is suitable for people who have higher paid occupations as well as people who have lower paid occupations. I think it may be difficult finding out what all people enjoy, however, it is important I do as I want it to appeal to all of my target audience.

The next question I asked was 'Which of the following events have you attended in the last year?' - I wanted to ask this question as I need to find out what events are most popular. The most popular event that was stated was birthday or Christmas party. This tells me that this is a usual event to attend, and therefore in my advert it is expected that I advertise for this kind of event. The second most popular is Wedding as 63 people said they have been to one in the last year. I already know that this was a popular event which happened a lot. Therefore, this would be another event which I could advertise for. Moreover, the third most popular was prom at 62 people. However, apart from these three events, all of the others: festival, christening, charity and conference was below 30. Therefore, these events are not as popular and people may prefer to see a wedding or prom advertised rather than a business conference. 

I then asked 'What event was the best organised and why?' - this was were I wanted my target audience to say their opinion. I wanted to find out what events was the best run and why the audience thought so. I am going to examine my answers. 

"Prom was planned effectively as we had readily organised the catering, music and decorations in advance. There was a lot of team effort and leadership which made everything easier for the team inboard. The people attending we're aware that they would be served food and were aware of the time of arrival etc. "

From this I can see that to organise an event effectively, everything needs to be organised in advanced. The catering, music and decorations play a huge part into creating an event. 

"The Christening was a beautiful event, and organised very well by some event planners we know"

It is evident that the decoration of the event is important as this christening was described as 'beautiful' therefore how the event was displayed played an important roll into how the event was viewed.

This is only two of my answers which I received. However, I have closely evaluated each answer and it has taught me that - decorations are very significant as when people first attend an event, it is the first aspect they notice. Additionally, the preparation - all events need to be organised in advanced and thoroughly. Moreover, everything needs to be planned into detail - e.g. music, people, catering etc.

Furthermore, linking to the previous two questions, I then asked 'What type of event would you enjoy attending?' - I asked this because my previous question asks what events my audience have been to in the year but not what events they may enjoy attending. I wanted to find this out because some people may be really interested in attending a prom or a christening. The majority of the answers I received was either prom, party or wedding.

I thought it was important that I understand how popular events planners were. Around 90% of the audience said they would hire an events planner. This is good because it means that the majority of my audience would use an events planner, and therefore the advert will appeal to them.

I then wanted to find out why people wouldn't want to hire a events planner. I received 12 answers and each one was because of money. Therefore, if I made my service affordable I may be able to change their mind.

Moreover, I then intended to find out what expectations the audiences had. I needed to do this because it is important that I know what the audience expect as well as what standard they would expect the company to be. A lot of the answers I received said that they would expect that the service is professional, reliable and the event was organised well. All of these I would need to ensure I show or suggest I can do when coming to creating my advert. Additionally, other answers I found was that they expected people who work for the service to be 'chatty' and 'friendly' therefore I would need to ensure I create a joyful vibe in my advert so that the audience know that the service is happy to help. Furthermore, the answers also suggested that the people who want the event will be able to make the majority of the decisions and the events planner will just be there to help. Therefore, I understand that my audience expect my service to be friendly but professional as well as working with the client, helping them as much as possible.

Overall, I have learnt a lot about my target audience by making this survey. I wanted to ensure I knew the age, gender, ethnicity, interests etc of my target audience as they will each influence how I make my product. What I've found out:

• Gender of target audience is reasonably equal. 
• Age: The age varies completely, however, the main ages are between 15-21 and 35-50.
• Ethnicity - Majority are White, British
• Audience prefer weddings, proms and parties rather than christenings and festivals
• The service needs to be portrayed as friendly, professional and reliable

Recapping on radio adverts

I feel that I have built up my knowledge on radio adverts in the last few weeks whilst researching. I now want to recap everything I have learnt when it comes to radio advertising. Radio adverts are similar to sponsorship and TV adverts, however, radio adverts need to get their point across quicker and need to introduce the brand in the beginning. This is because sponsorship and TV adverts are visual and therefore the props or actors in the advert may be linked to the brand, however, radio adverts are not visual and therefore can only can recognised by the sound. 

Codes and conventions of radio adverts

• The title of the brand, product or service is introduced straight away so that the audience are initially are aware of what the advert is advertising. 
• The advert can last up to 45 seconds. However, radio adverts usually last up to 30.
• Persuasive language is used throughout despite what the advert is trying to promote; I have usually noticed - rhetorical questions and direct address.
• Background music creating an effect - e.g. creating a calming tone, or creating a type of atmosphere e.g. theme park background noise in the background of a Thorpe park/Alton Towers advert
• All speakers, despite age and gender, are spoke clearly and eloquently so that the audience can clearly understand what the speaker is stating.
• Speakers also speak in a friendly tone to ensure the audience is engaged

Therefore, I feel that I understand the codes and conventions of radio adverts. However, it is up to me whether I develop the conventions or challenge them. In my planning, I will look back and refer to the adverts I have analysed to remind myself of the conventions of radio adverts.

Analaysis of advert - remake of Galaxy chocolate

The next radio advert I am going to analyse is Galaxy chocolate. However, this advert has been made by a person rather than the actual company. The reason why I am still analysing is because the advert follows through with the codes and conventions of usual radio adverts and therefore I think it would be a good idea to still analyse it as I may be influenced, and may be able to develop some of the idea's used. The non diagteic sound of the music comes in (playing Love Story by Taylor Swift) a calm, soothing song, already creating a peaceful mood within the advert. The speaker is female and speaks throughout the advert clearly and eloquently. The diaglogue: "Had a bad day? Need to relax and unwind? why not treat yourself to a delicious, smooth bar of galaxy chocolate" - the recurring rhetorical questions engage the audience into the product, as they feel included and welcomed. The audience will also be able to reflect upon having a bad day and wanting to unwind and relax and therefore feel more tempted to have a bar of chocolate after work. 'Treat yourself' makes the audience feel as if they're acknowledged for whatever they do in  day to day life as the speaker is stating how the audience should be treated. The words "delicious" and "smooth" lure the audience into the product as the words engage them into how nice the chocolate is. Including the name of the product within the first 7 seconds helps the audience know what product the advert is advertising for, therefore immediately identifying the brand. Moreover, the female speaker then goes onto stating: "When I've had a hard day at work, I choose to sit on the sofa with a galaxy, the silky texture and creamy taste of this chocolate is enough to make the smile for the rest of the evening, so go ahead, turn a terrible day around with galaxy chocolate" - the target audience can relate to the speaker when saying how she sits on the sofa after a long day at work. The repetition of galaxy (three times) reinforces the idea of making the brand name memorable through repeating it to the audience.'Silky texture' and 'creamy taste' conveys how tasty the chocolate is, attracting the audience as the bar is made to sound sensational. 'Smile for the rest of the evening' and 'turn a terrible day around' emphasises the deliciousness of the product as it can influence your mood for the day. The sound of the music then gets turned up - the lyrics 'baby just say yes' also include the audience into the advert. Therefore, throughout the advert, the audience will be able to feel as if they can relate to the speaker as well as the brand. Additionally, the background music reiterates the calming tone throughout the advert.

Analysis of radio advert - Perfume

The next advert I am going to analyse is an advert which is promoting Nina Ricci perfume. The non diagetic sound of music comes in. The piano is very soothing, as well as the singer singing 'Unforgettable, that's what you are". The significance of using slow, calming music is that it creates a peaceful atmosphere and  mood in the advert. Also, the male singer reinforces the tranquil mood in the advert as he sings slowly and charmingly. A french male speaker comes in, introducing the name of the perfume and says: "like the memorable of a beautiful song, lingers on and on, the classic french fragrance that you can where anywhere, anytime and makes you.. (singing voice) Unforgettable" 'lingers on' makes it seem as if the perfume stays on you for a long time. The french male speaker makes the fragrance seem more authentic as it is stated that it is a 'class french fragrance - engaging the target audience into the product. Additionally, saying how the fragrance can be worn anywhere, and anytime makes it seem as if the smell is sensational and can be worn wherever the customer goes. The repetition of the name of the perfume (3 times in 29 seconds) makes the advert memorable as well as the actual product name. 

Analysis of radio advert - Action Fraud

The next advert I am analysing is an advert on a service that helps prevent fraud. The diagetic sound of a male actor’s voice comes in, speaking very clearly. However, the tone of voice comes across as very harsh and bitter. The dialogue: “Was that website genuine, or was that me trying to steal your identity?” – The rhetorical question engages the audience into what message the advert is trying to put across. ‘Steal your identity’ may make the audience feel worried about what they’re doing online and therefore may attract them into the service as they feel anxious to whether someone could or has accessed their details. The significance of using a male speaker is that males are seen to be stronger than females and therefore makes the audience more scared. The diagetic sound of the women coming in stating: “The devil’s in your details, protect yourself at action fraud at police.uk” – the significance of using a devil to compare to the people who use fraud, emphasises the evilness of and corruption which people can do if your details are not safe, therefore making the audience worry about other people accessing their data and stealing their identity. Also, using direct address throughout the advert makes the audience feel included and makes them want to be a part of the company as they want to feel safe. The inclusion of how to become a part of the service is mentioned at the end of the advert, which makes the audience listen to the advert the whole way through as they’re waiting for contact details e.g. phone, email etc. The radio advert is very short; however, it is very effective as the message that is put across fast.

Analysis of radio advert - Altown Towers

The next advert I am going to analyse is Altown Towers. Altown Towers is a large, well known theme park. The target audience is usually families with kids. The diagetic sound of three actors; a young girl and boy and a man (who is supposed to be there father) - their voices come in of them laughing, sounding as if they are 'play fighting' having fun. This engages the target audience as it seems as if the family are enjoying spending time together. In a friendly voice the father states: "Ok, ok before bedtime you have 20 seconds to tell me as much as you can and about what we did about Altown towers resort.. GO!" - the joyful tone of voice makes the advert come across as very inviting. The target audience can also relate to the situation on family outings. A young boy voice comes in and says: "saw the parrots, and the amazing fish at shark bay reef"- the inclusion of the animals will attract the audience as it shows that it is not a standard theme park, it also has animal attractions. Describing the attraction as 'amazing' emphasises the amount of fun the family had, therefore engaging the audience and making it seem as if the experience was fun and exciting. The girl voice comes in, sounding desperate to say to her dad what happened when they went to Altown Towers, making it seem as if the experience was 'amazing'. She states: "got really dizzy on sonic spin ball, then we stayed in the sonic room at Altown Towers hotel"- the fact that she said they got really dizzy will engage the younger listeners to the radio. Also, her tone of voice sounds very joyful reinforcing the idea that Altown Towers is fun and thrilling. The significance of the boy interrupting her conveys his excitement when coming to the topic of Altown Towers. The mum comes in, sounding friendly (as well as the rest of the family), then, all the family laugh which further reinforices the idea of the family being happy about their experience at Altown Towers. The non diagetic sound of the theme tune comes in, with a eloquently spoken male speaker saying "Escape to Altown Towers resort, book now at Altown Towers.com" - 'escape' makes it seem as if when going to the theme park, families will have no worries as they can escape to a different, exciting thrilling place. The significance of repeating the name of the theme park throughout the advert helps the audience remember the advert, as well as the park.

Analysis of radio advert - Warburtons

The next radio I am analysing is Warburtons bread. The advert is spoken by a young boy who talks about the bread and the brand. The significance of using a young boy is that it will appeal to a younger audience, engaging them into thinking the food that is presented to be 'healthy' is actually nice. As well as this, the boy sounds happy which therefore makes the older target audience think that if they buy the product, there kids will be happy. The dialogue makes the advert humorous; "If I find anything like broccoli in my bread, there will be consequences!" the colloquial language used links into how it is a child speaking. Additionally, throughout the advert the child creates a humorous tone by commenting on how he was unaware that Warbutons bread was healthy. The incorrect pronunciation of words reinforce the boys age. Moreover, the sound of the boy talking makes it seem as if he is on the phone to the company. Therefore, this advert uses humor to attract their target audience. 

Analysis of radio advert - Cancer research

The next radio advert I am going to analyse is 'Cancer research' - this is a charity which sponsors cancer. The advert lasts around 30 seconds. The dialogue; "every two minutes someone is told they have cancer' - starting with this statement it immediately shocks the audience, engaging them into the advert. This is spoken by a female speaker who speaks very clear and eloquently. Moreover, for the next part of the advert, more than one person speaks at a time. This makes people who fight against cancer united, which creates a nice message. The dialogue; "So join the biggest fight against it, race for life - you can walk, jog, or run 5K and help beat all types of different cancers" - the list of three engages the audience, also, saying that the person who takes parts in race for life can race it how they want, helps the audience realise that it is an easy way to raise money for the charity. "The more women who join, the more money we'll raise" - this quotation engages the audience as it shows that one person can make a difference. The repetition of 'more' conveys the enthusiasm the charity have to make more money for cancer research. Additionally, the dialogue of a group of women stating: "It's all of us vs. cancer" - it makes the audience feel wanted by the charity and reinforces how everyone who takes part is united. Therefore, in my brief analysis, I have uncovered that this advert makes their target audience feel very wanted and united. 

Analysis of Thorpe Park Fright Night radio advert

I started looking at radio adverts before analysing sponsorship adverts. I have decided that I do not think my understanding is advanced enough to be able to understand the codes and conventions of radio adverts. Therefore, I have decided to analyse more radio adverts so that I can broaden my understanding of adverts.

The first advert I am going to analyse is Thorpe park fright night. I have decided to analyse this advert as it is a type of event and as I am doing an advert based on an events service therefore it would be helpful to see how Thorpe Park advertises their event. The advert begins with non diagetic sound of a faint bang noise coming in, signifying danger which links into 'fright nights' at Thorpe Park. A female speaker, who sounds very scared quotes; "last night I went out with some friends, last night we went to Thorpe park, last night was a fright night, last night we braved rides in the dark, last night we faced judgement in the passing" - In between every time the speaker says 'last' a church bell or a bang would come in, signifying death, which is relevant to the topic of Thorpe Park as they want the audience to be scared and thrilled. The repetition of 'last night' illustrates how much the women was affected by it and additionally, it makes the advert more memorable as their is repetition. The fact that the speaker is female is significant as females stereotypically sound more vulnerable and weak which makes the audience believe that Thorpe Park fright night really did affect her. Moreover, a male speaker comes in, however, the voice is edited to make it seem scary and unusual. The dialogue he states is; "Fright nights at Thorpe Park, now including our newest horror maze, the passing - Making it our most intense experience ever. Book in advance and save 40% at ThorpePark.com - terms and conditions apply" - the comment on the new horror maze will consequently interest the audience, luring them into the idea of how Thorpe Park fright night this year will be extra thrilling. However, the speaker then goes onto stating details about how to save money which will also engage the audience as he is talking about how to save money. The sound effects in the background are scary which helps the theme of horror run throughout the advert even when the male speaker talks about prices. Moreover, the tone of the music gets very high and then the female speaker comes in and states "Last night, we died" - implying to the audience that Thorpe Park fright night is dangerous and thrilling, luring the audience into suspense.

Therefore, I think the Thorpe Park radio advert has been successful in engaging with their target audience - the use of the horror sound effects reinforced the theme of fright night throughout. 

What I have learnt from my advert analysis?

I feel that I have reached a stage where I do have a wide understanding on adverts and the techniques they use to lure the audience in. Analysing numerous adverts has taught me what camera angles are effective, what sound creates excitement and joy, how the editing helps create an atmosphere and tone within the advert, and how the mise-en-scene creates representation as well as sending messages about the company or service through the advert.

What I have learned about camera angles and shots?

I have looked at adverts that provide a service or sell products. However, despite the service or product the majority of the camera angles used have the same effect. From analysing adverts I have found out that long and wide shots are frequently used. It is normally shown to show a specific environment which is relevant to the product or service. This is something I may aim to include in my advert because wide shots allow the audience in viewing a lot of the scenery. Additionally, long shots let the audience view the speaker, or significant objects in the scene. Moreover, close ups also are used, however, normally they are used to create a thrilling atmosphere. Furthermore, high angles are not used much in adverts as they are normally used when the director wants the audience to look down on something or someone. However, low angles are used when presenting characters (especially when presenting a service). Often adverts present characters in a superior way, to ensure they look happy with the service - making it seem  as if the service makes customers happy and superior.

What have I learned about editing?

From analysing adverts, I have learned what editing techniques directors use and why. There are obviously different kinds of adverts e.g; presentation, humorous etc. Therefore, I have viewed and witnessed different editing styles for various reasons. One editing style I saw frequently was fast paced editing which created a tense atmosphere, luring the audience into what may happen next. However, slow paced editing created more of a humorous tone in the adverts which made them more memorable. Moreover, special effects such as black and white made the advert look either old fashioned or sophisticated - dependant on the scenery and characters.

Mise-en-scene?

After analysing many adverts I found that in most adverts it is high key lighting - as if the sun is shining so that it creates a joyful atmosphere. However, when I analysed a Christmas advert, the lighting was low key as it links into winter and the idea of Santa delivering late at night. All main actors or significant props were centralised at least once in the advert to show their significance.

Sound?

 

I feel that sound was very contrasting in all adverts. From analysing various adverts I found out that sound is very significant as it sets the scene. Sound is used to create many types of different atmospheres like; creating a soothing atmosphere (slow sound), or creating a thrilling atmosphere by using fast joyful sounds, or creating a humorous tone as the sound is parallel to the action. Moreover, each advert which had a speaker, despite the gender, talked very eloquently and clear. Therefore, I need to ensure that if I am having a speaker it is clear to what he/she is saying.

Additionally, I feel that I do have a broad understanding on adverts. However, I took the time to do some secondary research to widen my knowledge on adverts.

 

- Using someone famous or well known to sell a product / brand e.g. Usain Bolt represents Virgin

- Memorable popular songs to ensure the audience can easily recognise the brand

- Catchy slogans

- Unusual or humorous e.g. the Cadbury's gorilla advert

- Eloquently spoken voice overs (Clear spoken speaker which ranges between male and female)

- 30-40 seconds long

- Advert ends with slogan/brand or service name

 

 

Source for extra research

 

http://wiki.answers.com/

Advert analysis - Coco Cola

I am going to analyse a Christmas advert from Coca Cola. The advert is promoting a well known popular drink. The advert begins with a close up of the Coca Cola truck. The truck is decorated with loads of red lights to make it seem very christmassy. The non diagetic sound of the music is Christmas themed as you can hear the bells as long with the dialogue 'The holidays are coming' - therefore linking into the theme of Christmas. The close up of the truck displays the logo as well as an image of Santa. when the truck moves, all the town lights up - as if Coca Cola is lighting up the world. The wide shot of the scenery, shows the trucks of Coca Cola going through the town. The low key lighting makes the trucks stand out more as well as linking into how Santa delivers at night. The Christmas lyrics within the music reinforce the idea of the Christmas themed. The editing is fast paced which create a joyful and exciting tone in the advert. The close up of the bushes lights up when the trucks walk past, then, a mid shot of two children - looking very shocked and excited that Coca Cola have just drove past. The music slowly gets louder and more exciting. The recurring long and wide shots of the Coca Cola truck lighting up the city metaphorically presents how Coca Cola will 'light up your life'. The phone number of the company is placed permanently at the bottom of the screen. The ending is of Santa, coming to life on the truck - drinking a coke. The music fades out to signify that is the end.

Therefore, I think this advert was slightly repetitive. The recurring long and wide shots made the advert less interesting as there was hardly any mid or close ups. However, this advert was Christmas themed and I think it followed the theme very well as the low key lighting and Christmas lights were iconic of the season.

Analysis of advert - Virgin

I am now going to analyse a broadband company - 'Virgin'. The advert begins with a mid shot of Usain Bolt, a famous runner. The background is out of focus which makes the audience immediately be drawn into him. The significance of using someone famous makes the advert more memorable and almost the face of a brand. Additionally, people who are a fan of him are more likely to be apart of the brand if he is. The diagetic sound of a male speaker; "This is Virgin Media's super fibre optic broadband" - 'introducing the name of the brand in the initial stages of the advert is significant because it helps the audience straight away know who the company are. 'Super' suggest that the broadband they're promoting will be up to a high standard. Moreover, the wide shot, introducing a new (unknown character), shows the size difference. The male speaker states; "and this is regular broadband, out of shape" - this creates humour in the advert, as the two actors are representing different broadband and it is evident Usain Bolt is stronger, fitter and more advanced, therefore metaphorically presenting the broadband to be better. The shot reverse shot to people; one boy on a bed, holding a tablet and looking scruffy, and then a couple who use Virgin broadband and look happy and pleasent. The wide shot between the boy and the couple, and between Usain Bolt and the unknown man difrentaites them and makes it clear to the audience that they are very different. The high key lighting throughout the scenes makes everything visible and clear. The wide shot of the two runners, getting ready to run connotes to the audience that the unknown man is unaware of how to run fast as he doesn't know any starting positions therefore creating humour again. The close up of Usain Bolt winking leads the audience to favour him, which makes them more interested into the brand. The wide shot of Usain running fast, and then very long after, the unknown man is running much slower - metaphorically suggesting that Virgin is very fast in comparison to other broadband. The speaker states that other broadband are 'four times slower' which makes the audience interested in the brand as it is very fast. The ending is a shot of Usian Bolt pointing to the logo further links him and the brand together. The logo is large on the page so that the audience can visually see what the brand looks like.

Therefore, I think this website is successful in luring the audience into the brand. Using a well known runner to metaphorically present the broadband for being fast and successful.

Analysis of advert - Aspire

The next advert analysing is a football advert for the brand 'Aspire'. The advert begins with a 1 second action shot of a man blowing a whistle. The diagetic sound of the crowd combined with the costume of the man (referee uniform) is iconic sign of football. Therefore, the theme of football is introduced within the advert at the intital stages. The fast paced editing creates a tense atmosphere within the advert, luring the audience into what is going to happen next. The recurring close up of football players allow the audience to recognise the team, thus the audience will be familiar with the people and surroundings. The non diagetic sound of a lady singing is parrelll to the action on screen. The sound is slow and soothing, whereas the action on screen with the sound effects of the football match juxtapose. The low angle close up of the player kicking the ball, followed by the player kicking it in the goal creates a sense of competition and how all players are rivals. Linking into what football is like. Therefore, in this advert football is being presented as a healthy competition where all players are competitive but are friendly too. Moreover, the beginning of the advert has a effect on it, which makes it look like a daydream. When the team wins, the music gets slightly louder and over dramatised so that the audience is aware of the teams success. Additionally, the dream then changes to reality; back to children so that the audience is aware that this was a dream. The aim of this advert is evident as it is to 'dream big'.  The advert fades out onto a wide shot of the empty football pitch, with the words "There's a place for those who dare to dream" - this text is written in sans serif and in black font. This makes is simplistic but still stand out to the audience. The shot then fades into the logo, which is on the screen for 2.5 seconds so that the audience can recognise and read the logo.

Overall, the advert is successful in luring the audience into the brand. I think the recurring close ups combined with the slow paced create a tense atmosphere and make the audience want to watch the advert. From analysing this I have gathered an understanding of how to create a tense and inspirational tone in an advert. 

Analysis of advert - A2 students advert

Instead of analysing a real existing advert, I have decided to analyse an A2 students advert to see the difference in a real advert to a media students created one. The advert begins with a mid/close up. However, I think the advert should have begun with an image of the logo of the brand so the audience could immediately identify what the advert is advertising. Moreover, non diagetic sound of rock music comes in as the man is shaving, creating a mysterious but joyful tone in the advert. The recurring close ups combined with the low angle make the man on the screen seem superior which is significant as the actor should look good and superior as he is using their product. The camera is quite joggy which makes the advert seem less realistic. However, the black and white colour make the advert simplistic and look professional. 

By roughly looking and analysing this advert I have been influenced in a good and bad way. I have realised that I need to ensure the camera is always still as I have witnessed in this advert that the camera was jogged which made it look less authentic. Additionally, the black and white theme does make the advert look more professional, however, I think the lighting could have been improved. Moreover, the recurring low angle shots puts the actor into looking significant and at a high power which is good because he is essentially the face of the brand. 

Analysis of advert - Fabulous events

I am analysing another events company's advert. The advert is all animated and therefore no real life action is displayed. The color scheme is dark purple, which is symbolic of elegance and sophistication. This is significant because the more professional the company looks and seems, the more trust worthy the company comes across to the audience. The font is sans serif which makes the text stand out and look bold. The text constantly changes throughout the advert.

The diagloue - "are you looking for an efficient  diligent and world class event planner? Then look no further, at fabulous creations, we create a reception that reflects our clients  unique taste and personalities. We profoundly plan events that give your guest a day to remember, aside from events planning we specialise in venue decorations etc.."

Initially, directing the audience in the first sentence is significant as it immediately includes them into the advert, luring the audience into what the company has to offer. The adjective; "efficient" creates a sense of professionalism which is good as the audience will think the company are more reliable. The rhetorical question reinforces the idea of the advert luring in the audience. 'Unique' makes the company seem as if they can create an event for any type of person despite their tastes and interests. Moreover, the female speaker is very eloquently spoken which makes it easier for the audience to understand what the speaker is saying about the company. Recurring words on the screen are displayed as well as the dialogue of the female speaker. 

Therefore, this advert has been reasonably similar to the other events planning adverts I have analysed. I like the changing text and animation as it helps make the advert flow. 

Audience research (survey)

Whilst I am currently analysing real adverts. I think it is important that I still start looking into who my target audience are as I have already decided the theme/topic of my adverts. I have created a questionaire to find out information on who my target audience are and what they like most. I need to ensure I achieve over 100 responses so that my data is more reliable. I have asked basic questions such as; age, gender, ethnicity etc. However, my main interest was about events and what type of events would my target audience be most interested in when watching my advert. 

Recapping on sponsorship adverts

I feel that I have learned a lot about sponsorship adverts in the process of my analysis on a variety of the sponsorship adverts. This does not mean I am going to stop analysing as I can always improve my knowledge on sponsorship adverts. Although, I think it is important that I recap on all the things I have learned whilst I have been analysisng.

I have seen many different adverts, advertising various products and services. However, the similar aspects which I found in them all were:

• All speakers were eloquently spoken - I think this is good because the audience need to easily understand the speaker
• Slow/medium paced editing
• Close up of products
• Usually last around 11-15 seconds
• The brand/product must be visible in the commercial; generally speaking the product is identified very early in the advert or at the very end of the ad as a surprise tactic

Therefore, it has really helped looking at various sponsorship adverts. I feel confident in developing any codes and conventions which I think are essential but also feel confident in challenging any conventions.

Analysis of sponsorship advert - Haliborange (sponsors ITV football)

The next advert I am analysisng is an advert which sponsors ITV football nationals. The advert begins with a long, wide shot of a football pitch. The diagetic sound of the wind blowing helps create the atmosphere in the advert look and feel authentic to the audience. Additionally, the duagetic sound of the actors playing football also reinforces the sense of realism within the advert. The shot changes onto a wide shot onto 11 young boys, posing as if a picture would be taken. The zoom into the young boy who is talking, helps us focus on him and his dialogue. The dialogue; "The wind up here can knock you off your feet, bring it on" - links into the product they are trying to sell (haliborange - omegga 3 tablets) promoting that these tablets can give children energy and keep them feeling strong. The close uo of the product displays the different flavours it comes in, luring the audience into the variety of products they have. The text 'bring on the weather' is capitalised and in sans serif which makes it look bold and is easily noticeable. The text is white and is also centralised, also reinforcing how the text is easy to read. 

Sponsorship advert - ebay

The next advert I am analysing is an eBay sponsorship advert. I have decided to analyse this as eBay is a well known and respected company and it would be interesting to see how they market and advertise their service. 

The opening shot is of a girl in a stereotypical teenagers room. The significance of this is that eBay targets all people despite their social status which means they have to use an average setting to make the scene look authentic and because the majority of the audience can relate.  The zoom in, from a long shot, to a mid shot, shows the character talking, however, it reveals the costume which looks average - purposely targeting people whom use eBay for buying or selling. The diagetic sound of the female talking reveals her accent which is not posh, however, she is well spoken which is good as the audience can clearly understand what she is saying. The screen turns into animation, and sound comes in. The non diagetic sound is joyful and is in tune with when the words appear on the screen. The slogan is put up on screen which makes the slogan memorable for the audience, but also reminds the audience of what the service does for the users. The text is positioned to the center of the screen so that it is easily noticeable  The text of the slogan and logo is on screen for 4 seconds, ensuring the audience actually take in the words on screen.

I think this advert has been effective and I think eBay has targeted their target audience correctly. I think keeping the slogan or logo on the screen for a long period of time will help it become more memorable for the viewers. 

1

Analysis of sponsorship advert - Nestle

The next sponsorship advert I am analysing is Nestle, a company which sells a diverse amount of chocolate bars. The advert sponsors pop idol, a popular singing program. The advert shows 5 different chocolate bars, all of which are made by the same company. The non diagetic sound immeditaly comes in and is up beat, creating a joyful and exciting tone throughout the advert. The constant white background of the advert helps the chocolate bars become more noticable. Each chocolate bar is centralised, reinforcing the idea that the animation of the chocolate bars is the main focus. The advert is animated, making the chocolate dance which links into the program it sponsors. The diagetic sound of the female actor stating: "Pop Idol, sponsored by Nestle, who's your choc idol?" - the link into chocolate to 'pop idol' helps the relationship between the company and the program. The female speaker speaks clearly and eloquently which ensures the audience can clearly hear what she is stating. This advert was made in 2003, long before any of the adverts I have previously analysed. This explains why the graphics of the animation isn't as high quality in comparison to adverts nowadays.

 

Therefore, it has been interesting looking at an animation advert. Even though the advert has animated characters, I was still influenced by the sound and editing which was chosen.

Analysis of sponsorship advert - MandMdirect

I am now going to analyse a clothing sponsorship advert. However, this advert sponsors and Australian program which will help me identify if there is any difference from an Australian sponsorship advert to an English one. The background of the advert is blue - significant because the brands house style consists of blue and white therefore the advert is going to be recognisable to people who are aware of the brand. The logo is placed in the top left hand corner which makes it easily noticeable. The laptop is of the website which is significant because if the audience comes across the website they will immediately know the brand. The laptop screen then just changes to the logo which helps the audience remember what the logo is and what it looks like. Throughout the advert, the editing is slow paced which helps the audience focus on what is on the laptop screen and focus on the logo. The diaglogue: "MandM Direct, we're the biggest brands and the lowest prices, always make good neighbours" - 'biggest brands' infers to the audience that the company offers popular, well known clothing brands therefore luring the audience into what the company has to offer. 'Lowest prices' implies to the audience that the company is well priced (cheap) and customers will get a lot for their money. The speaker is a female, and is very elegently and clearly spoken to help ensure the audience can easily understand. Moreover, at the end of the advert a kangaroo hops onto the left hand side of the screen. The significance of using a kangaroo is that the animal is iconic of the Australian cutlture and therefore links into how the program is Australian.

Overall, looking at this advert has showed me a difference between English and Australian adverts. The  only significance difference was the animal they decided to use - as a kangaroo is linked to Australia whereas it is not linked to England. However, apart from this, their is no major difference. As well as the other adverts I have ananlysed, the speaker constantly is well spoken and the editing is slow paced. As I now repeatedly see this I can decide whether this had influenced me or whether I would challenge the conventions of a sponsorship advert.

Analysis of sponsorship advert - Leerdammer

The next advert I am going analyse is an advert analysisng a food product of cheese. I have decided to analyse this advert because the advert is showed on ITV1, a popular and well known TV company. The advert begins with the logo showing up through the pieces of cheese. The logo is centralised and is large on the screen to ensure the audience can clearly view it. The cheese looks authentic and already introduces the product. The editing such as the fade into the logo to the blog of cheese shows the product  clearly - the audience can then recognise what the product will look like in store. The product is placed to the middle so that it is the centre of attention. The shot changes again onto a dining table of various types of food (which is supposed to go with cheese). The close up reveals the cheese being grates onto the meal, engaging the audience as it looks very tempting. The slow paced editing combined with the non diagetic soothing music creates a calm atmosphere within the advert - therefore the audience will be lured into the advert. There is no speaker until the end. The diagetic sound of a female actor talking is significant because she states what the advert is sponsoring. 

Therefore, so far I am finding out that a lot of adverts that I have analysed have a slow pace which creates a calm and soothing atmosphere. The sound is also reasonably slow which reinforces the calm nature of the advert throughout. 

Action plan and deadlines

So far I have completed some of my research into advertising. However, before I start planning I need to ensure all the research is finished and I have a broad understanding on the topic of advertising. The gaps which I need to fill are:

• Analysis of adverts - Radio, TV and Sponsorship. If I want to achieve the best understanding of the codes and conventions of advertising, I need to watch as many as possible. So far I have watched and analysed four sponsorship adverts, five TV adverts and three radio adverts. Therefore I am behind in the analysis of adverts and that needs to be one of my main focuses for the next few weeks. (Aim to finish by - 20th of September)
• I need to ensure I am fully aware of the codes and conventions. I can do this by looking at adverts, however, it would be helpful to do some secondary research by looking on the internet and in books for additional information on the codes and conventions. (Aim to finish by - 23rd of September)
• I need to have my final idea (for now) done so that when it comes to planning I can start sketching. Even though my idea will change throughout the course, it is important I stick to one idea to begin with. 
• Analyse various pieces of information on advertising - how it works etc. (Aim to finish by 25th of September)
• Audience research - September 26th

DEADLINES

• 26th September - All research to be completed
• 17th October - Planning/pitch to be done and presented
• 19th December - Sponsorship sequence/radio advert to be complete
• 23rd January - Main text (rough cut) to be completed
• 13th February - Final cut done/blog finished 
• 27th February - Rough draft of evaluation
• 27th March - All coursework to be complete.

Analysis of Sponsorship advert - Destinations (2)

I am going to analyse another advert which is from the same company of the advert I previously analysed. I am looking at the same company because I have to create a set of adverts which have to be slightly similar so the audience can recognise the service. Therefore, I am going to look out for the similarities between the two adverts.

Similarities:

• The music
• The same actor
• Similar scenery
• Ends with the text centralised and on the bottom likewise to the other advert

Therefore, this means there are four similar aspects of the advert which is a lot. It is good how the adverts are slightly different, but, in order for the audience to recognise the service some aspects have to be the same.

The advert begins with a close up of tea being poured into a cup, slowly. The music cuts straight in and is calm and soothing - already setting up a peaceful scene. The sound is also parrell to the action as everything that takes place is calm and slow. The close up of the variety of puddings will attract the audience, the small (1-2 second) pan displays the amount of variety the company have to offer. There is a cut to a close up of a man, looking very happy - engaging the audience into the ideal lifestyle. The mid shot combined with the zoom out displays the happiness the actor is feeling. The costume such as the white shirt and hat are symbolic of holiday wear, reinforcing the calm scene. The medium paced editing throughout helps the company show what they can do for customers and what they're offering. Likewise to the other advert, the text is in the same place which will help the audience immediately recognise the company.

Sponsorship advert analysis - Destinations

The next advert I am going to analyse is Destinations, a holiday company. I have chosen to analyse this advert because it is a service rather than a product. I think it is important I look more into adverts which are made by services as that it what I am doing.

The advert starts out of focus, however, it is still evident what the scenery is - a holiday location. The significance of using a genuine holiday location helps makes the advert look and seem more authentic. Moreover, the lady turns around, slowly so that the audience can focus on her joyful body language. The mise-en-scene such as the women's props - (sunglasses, hat, holiday wear) reinforce the realism in the advert. The lady is centralised so she is the main focus of the advert which is significant as she is selling a lifestyle rather than a holiday, constantly smiling and looking content. The non diagetic sound of the soothing music is played throughout the advert, consequently creating a calm atmosphere in the advert. The shot reverse shot of the man taking a photo of the women conveys how happy they both are in the environment they are in. Furthermore, the shot changes to a wide shot of a large attraction with 'beautiful' looking scenery. The text is centralised and positioned to the bottom of the screen so that the audience can notice what the text is stating but it is not the center of attention. The writing is also in sans serif and white, similar to the opposing adverts I have previously analysed. 

Overall, I think this advert was successful and will appeal to their target audience. It is evident that sponsorship advert are very short so it is important that when I make mine I grab my audiences attention straight away.

Analysis of sponsorship advert - Isme

To ensure I will be aware of the codes and conventions of sponsorship adverts I need to analyse many so that I can become familiar with them. I am going to analyse my second advert which is a brand called ‘Isme’ – a shoe shop which sponsors Channel5.

The non diagetic sound immeditaly comes in which is an upbeat and joyful tone, consequently creating a optimistic mood in the advert. The female speaker speaks very eloquently and clearly, helping the audience understand what she is saying. The editing is fast paced as the shoes on the advert constantly change. The significance of the shoes frequently changing display the variety of shoes the shop have. Therefore, the audience can get a feel of the amount of shoes they have to offer in the 11 seconds the advert is in. The background of the advert is out of focus, however, it is still visable what the background is. The background is of a garden, which looks very sunny and inviting. The significance of this scenery is that it creates a bright and optimistic scene for the advert which will result in the audience being engaged into the advert. The text which states the delivery cost is positioned to the bottom of the screen but is centralised which makes it noticeable but not the center of attention. The text is white, contrasting against the background which makes more visable to the audience. Also, the text is sans serif which helps it also be noticable and visable. 

Therefore, I think this sponsorship advert is successful. Even though I am not planning to advertise a product, the advert has still influenced me and now I am grasping what the codes and conventions of sponsorship adverts are.

Sponsorship advert

As I have looked into TV and radio advertising - I think I should now start looking at sponsorship adverts. However, this does not mean I will be stopping looking and analysing radio and TV adverts as I think it is important that I know the codes and conventions thoroughly.

A sponsorship advert is a converted, shorter copy of the main advert - sometimes it can be different to the original advert but usually the sound stays the same so that the audience can recognise the brand or service. Sponsorship adverts are adverts that sponsor companies, services, business's etc. They are seen mostly before TV programs such as when a soap starts - a sponsorship advert will appear.

For example, Cadbury's sponsor Coronation Street. Every time coronation street is on, or their is a break, the advert will come on. Sponsorship adverts last around 15 seconds. This makes the advert long enough to display the brand or service, however, it is not long enough to show in detail what the product is. However, as this advert is played all the time the target audience will already be familiar and understand what the advert is. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi3yD0ovsqg

The advert begins with some non diagetic sound of some music which is soothing. The audience will recognise the music and will be able to tell what advert this is. Additionally, the music plays an important role because as soon as the audience hear the sponsorship advert music they will know that coronation street will be back on. The advert is animated as to look like everything is made out of chocolate - the people, the streets etc. Also, the fact that the street is a model of coronation street is significant as it creates familiarity and is also more recognisable. The wide shots display the whole street to the audience and helps them view the scenery which is supposed to look like the soap they're watching. The screen then 'swirls' into the logo of the brand, combined with diagetic sound of a male speaker talking - stating: "Coronation Street is sponsored by Cadbury's, the nation's favorite . The clear speaking helps the audience easily hear what the male speaker is saying. Describing the brand as the 'nations favorite  as well as having it displayed on the screen helps the audience remember what the Cadbury's slogan is and therefore helping the audience remember the brand. 

I think the Cadbury advert is successful. By analysing it I can get a feel of why sponsorship adverts are needed and how they benefit the audience. I still need to look into the codes and conventions of sponsorship adverts as well as ananlysing many more so that I can examine the codes and conventions.

TV/RADIO

I have been researching into radio and tv advertising to ensure I am fully aware of the conventions of both types of advertising. It is important that I have a wide understanding on tv and radio as when coming to plan my advert, I need to have a rough idea on: what I am allowed to say (or) show and who my target audience is and how I will attract them. I have looked at various adverts which I think have helped me understand the whole concept of tv advertising, I think I am now grasping the idea of what to do for a TV advert.

TV and Radio adverts need to be:

- memorable

- entertaining

- humorous (not a need but links into how the advert could be memorable)

- 30-40 seconds long

- engaging

As I am doing an advert on an events planning service, I need my advert to come across professional. I need to look into event planning companies again, to look at the design so that I can find out what it is that makes the advert look sophisticated. I am aware that not all event planning services have a professional / sophisticated look, and I want to see which one I would prefer.

I have already analysed this advert, however, I want to recap on why I thought this advert was sophisticated. Despite having no live action nor any voices, the simplicity of the advert is the main reason why I think this advert looks professional. The sans serif font which is bold, combined with the color scheme: gold and black creates a sophisticated look, luring the target audience in and as the advert looks posh, it is sub consciously reassuring for the audience as the customers feel as if they are dealing with  a professional company. 

I also want my my radio advert to be professional. The ones I have analysed have been successful as the speakers are well spoken and very understandable. This is something I would like to achieve. Therefore, I feel that I should always still be looking at adverts as I could be influenced and I can gain new idea's but I think I have learned a lot by looking at various adverts and I am now more aware of the conventions of tv/radio adverts.