Teenage girls may aspire to be like Mariah Carey as she is a typical role model and widely known across the world. Her womanly figure and singing career are aspects that young girls may be jealous of and long for themselves meaning they will buy the perfume so they can relate to their icon. Teenagers are usually targeted because generally they have no financial ties or commitments so can spend more on whatever they like. Status is increasingly important to the younger generation and they like to have and wear what celebrities promote.
Women may buy this perfume for similar reasons to teenage girls but also to appear younger and to smell nice for the opposite sex or even just for self-actualisation. Even though they may have less disposable income to spend on luxuries than teenagers they may want to treat themselves once in a while.
The advert attracts male attention, as Mariah is a famous pin-up, meaning a much wider audience can be targeted. Boyfriends and husbands may buy the perfume for their partners because they find it appealing, as well as wanting to surprise their girlfriend, wife etc with a present. Her revealing outfit connotes a sexy side but most of her body is covered with vines and flowers, as if teasing the viewer, showing an innocent side too.
The advert appeals to the social, self-esteem and self-actualisation tiers of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as an increasing number of people feel the need to smell nice to gain respect and have confidence in themselves. The need to feel accepted by peers is a big issue throughout our lives so smelling good can boost confidence around new people. However, even though smelling nice can boost self-esteem, it is also a way to show the need of developing ones potential to the full.
AIDA, (Action, Interest, Desire, Attention), also plays a big part in the construction of an advert. The fact that the advert is extremely eye-catching means the audience are more likely to remember the perfume and who it is by, therefore resulting in them going out and buying it (Action). The advertisement would be found in popular magazines, which attract a varied audience, meaning several demographical groups would be exposed to the piece of media text. Young women aspire to Mariah Carey, which means the advert interests them, and men fancy her, which creates a wider audience (Interest). Women want to buy the perfume to associate with Mariah and to feel like a part of her celebrity status, whereas men would buy the perfume because they trust the celebrity name of the fragrance. She also has very little clothing on, meaning an increase in purchases from the male buyers, attracting more attention to the advert (Desire). The pose Mariah is striking connotes innocence but it is as if she is hiding something from the viewer, intriguing them. The lighting is unnatural, showing the perfume may break free of the mould most perfumes are captivated in, and suggests she is in a ‘fantasy’ land, where anything is possible. The font of the writing is very feminine and contrasts to the dark background behind it, emphasising the name and brand of the perfume (Attention).
The media language of the advert suggests that the perfume is very over the top and you get a lot for your money, so the audience targeted will be even more tempted to buy the product, as it is portrayed to be better than other brands. The fact it is shown to be better than the rest increases the self-actualisation attached to this perfume, making the buyer desire it even more. The busy background of the advert seems very realistic, with features such as the jaguars looking up to Mariah emphasising her importance, but the overall effect it has is unbelievable. Her costume and make-up, along with the swing made from entangled vines and flowers, captures the viewer’s attention because although they are out of place it creates a uniqueness that no other advert supplies.
The perfume is aimed at the majority of marketing categories, as it is an affordable yet long-lasting product, and can be recognised as a success in the advertisement industry. Many people could enjoy the perfume as it is aimed at a widespread audience and the profit made from this product could be huge.
