“Marco is the reason I opened the bar”,
This gives us the notion that, owing to Marco’s popularity in the village, Marco’s brother opened a bar, knowing that the townsfolk would visit his bar regularly.
These make the target audience want to buy Guinness because they think that they will be popular and respected like Marco.
On the contrary, when Marco’s brother notifies us that Marco has worries,
“ ‘I’m getting older’, he says.”
“ ‘One day I’ll lose’, he says.”
“ ‘Don’t worry’, I say. ‘You’ll never lose’.”
This tells us about the real life worries of an older man that are present in Marco’s life, even though he is popular, he is still only human. Giving the audience this view on Marco’s life, manipulates their thoughts to sympathise with Marco, and on the whole, to make them go to the nearest shop and by some Guinness, just to feel less guilty.
This way of advertising also attracts a younger target audience as younger people tend to be more sympathetic than adults, and they may persuade their parents/guardians to buy Guinness.
The technique used by Guinness to sell Guinness to the target audience, subordinate to the role model, is the use of language. The Guinness advertisers most effective use of language is the voice over for Marco’s brother. His voice is low, almost a drone, but it has feeling and emotion, and this is present when Marco’s brother is telling us how Marco has worries of getting older. The target audience can relate to the voice over as it can be felt as a fatherly voice, which makes them want to buy Guinness because they are persuaded by the Guinness advertisers use of subliminal advertising.
A very important technique used by the Guinness advertisers is the use of camera shots throughout the advert. For example, the camera shots help to set the scene. The first shot of Marco we are shown is of him doing press-ups with a large man on his back. The actual idea of Marco doing press-ups with a man on his back, is again, another effective way of selling Guinness to the target audience, as it presents Marco as a strong role model.
But, along with Marco doing the press-up, the use of a long shot at this point reveals to the audience, the adoring onlookers supporting and cheering for Marco. This again shows the audience that Marco is well loved and is a champion, all because he drinks Guinness.
Almost immediately after this shot, there is another long shot of Marco judging a beauty competition. The reason a long shot is used here is to show Marco surrounded by the beautiful women. Which is a situation the target audience may aspire to if they drink Guinness. The final important frame is the freeze-frame of Marco standing with all of his medals on. This tells the audience that Marco is a champion and is successful, and also still is because he has drunk Guinness throughout his life. This shot is a mid-shot as it allows the audience to see Marco’s medals in detail.
In summary, the camera shots do two important things. Firstly, the shots emphasise the people’s adoration of Marco and his importance as a role model who will encourage the audience to but Guinness. Secondly close-ups are also used to emphasise the importance of the drink itself.
In conclusion it can be seen that the makers of this advert have used a range of media techniques to persuade the audience to go out and buy Guinness. I still feel that the most important technique used by the Guinness advertisers is the creation of a role model, Marco, who represents everything that his middle-aged audience would want to be.
He is still successful, fit and adored. Marco’s audience would also empathise with his vulnerabilities over getting older and frailer. So the audience are being persuaded to buy Guinness on two contrasting, but effective, ways.
