A comparison of the qualities TV adverts and Magazine adverts have. Magazines allow you time to browse. They hold more information than a TV advert and sometimes contain free samples for specific adverts in their magazine. They are cheaper to advertise in than television. TV has the additional qualities that a magazine cannot portray which is sound, music, jingles, language. The colour is used more effectively. Although both use colour connotation, Television has a moving image and you sometimes see demonstrations, but television is so expensive in comparison especially during peak viewing hours.
The fragrance I chose for my magazine advert is a “touch of pink” designed by well known LACOSTE. I thought this was a good advert to choose as its uses many different selling techniques but it does not state that it is a new product. It appears in the magazine Red. A thick glossy monthly magazine which features shopping, fashion, living, beauty, health and has many offers and stories of celebrities. I think that its target audience is the younger female, in an age range of 17-30. Touch of pink is a very modern fragrance and is obviously out to attract the modern generation of sophisticated women. This is a perfume women in the C and D categories would go for, but also possibly some in the B category too, who want to feel young, outgoing and vibrant.
The main colour of the advert is pink which leads me to believe it is definitely not masculine. When I first saw the advert, the model in the centre immediately struck my attention. Therefore I think she is the hook. The model being attractive and dressed with a modern low cut dress will cause males to stop and take an interest. This is a good selling technique because it may make males go and buy it for their partners. She also wears no wedding ring or indication of a significant other. This shows she is outgoing and feisty and will be out having a good time, and has no long term commitment. Her stance particularly suggests she is reaching for success, and craving in ambition. This would particularly interest those women in C and D categories who are looking to succeed in life, and that a ‘touch of pink’ can help you achieve your goals! Obviously this covers a wide range of people from business women who want a clean and fresh smell, to students who want a simple yet sporty tang in their lives.
The TV advert that I selected is selling a new range of Jaguar cars. The hook is a variety of these Jaguars driving down the road. The advert is about 25 seconds long and was aired between a 1st division football match screened on Sky Sports, Prime time. I assume it is targeting male viewers as more males watch football than females and males predominantly buy expensive cars, the businessman and wealthier person age range 25 to50. There is a lot of black, green brown, yellow, white and silver in the clips. Black connoting importance and the green calm fresh and healthy which is probably why the clips go through the countryside. The yellow, white and silver depict happiness, warmth, serenity, pure and scientific innocence. Jaguar cars tend to have a clean pure imagine and the cars are far more scientific than the normal everyday cars. The colours really appeal to both sexes.
In the advert there is a mixture of music and that of a voice-over. The voice-over is that of a man and he has a very serious businessman-style-smooth, deep, resonant-sounding voice. This is perhaps the type of person they are aiming to sell the car to. About a quarter of the way through the advert the background music starts, soft and smooth at first, as to compliment the drive of a Jaguar, but then it builds as the advert continues. Nearer the end it becomes very dramatic: a type of symphony which alters with the speed of the cars and as it disappears through the tunnel. As you see the old-fashioned racing Jaguars the music changes and includes the introductory bars of the modern day grand prix. The music is very influencing to make you believing the speed, smoothness, power, and sheer luxury of the cars.
What intrigued me about this advert was there were no characters used; during the editing between the cars we have no view of the drivers. It is only when it gets to the race track that we see someone. In the black and white clip that takes you back in time, we see the back of someone’s head, and at the very end we see two men walking away from their cars. There is no celebrity endorsement or particular ethnic group used, I think this is showing anyone who wants a fast, powerful, yet smooth luxury car doesn’t have to be a ‘David Beckham’ or a specific race, but a man wanting a bit of class in his life.
In the magazine there is relatively little text used it has been left quite simple but I think this does nothing but increase the productivity of the advert. The text emphasises the girly girl factor, with the use of pink lettering, the words ‘touch of pink’ are in bold; however the lettering is lower case which gives the look of cuteness and innocence which may be the look some women are trying for. I believe that the phrase ‘touch of pink’ is a great slogan as it will make readers curious as to what this touch of pink they are offering is. Hopefully women will want to have this touch that makes them unique. It also has a feeling of speciality, that the perfume has a touch that nothing else can give you, its almost irresistibility! It is particularly effective because it could be perceived as a question; what is the touch of pink? This then brings the readers imagination into play, and once their imagination goes wild who knows what might stop them so to say! The advert also includes a web address which gives a chance for potential customers to experience it online, and find more of what a ‘touch of pink’ is all about. This may be intriguing to some who want that pink touch. People may also take an interest in it if there are free samples.
The advert includes the Lacoste logo which outlines the fact it’s a good reliable make. Well known with a good reputation and trusted for good produce. I also noticed the models dress is another Lacoste product; this advert is therefore multi-purpose and multi-selling.
The advertisers have hit a fine balance between the use of colours, model and text. As they only use a bit of each technique, neither the model, colours, nor text throw themselves at you but as a group are highly appealing. The text compliments the background with the use of colours; it compliments the model and the bottle with the curves and roundness. Finally the background connotation compliments the model with the sky like feel and the jumping for success of the models stance. It seems to me the model is jumping high, as high as the sky to success, isn’t that what all women want success?
As I have already said there is a voice-over in this advert. It is a man with a very well-spoken professional voice. However he only contributes three short sentences. The first is Reassuring reliability and real peace of mind’, he then goes on to say ‘This is the new face of Jaguar’. Finally ‘Jaguar, don’t dream it, drive it’. There is also another voice-over, it says a few blurred words as the men are walking away form their cars at the race track, indicating the satisfaction of a race well driven. I think the reason they used the first man is because he sounds important and sophisticated, and appears wealthy! The clip also showed the racers so that viewers know that Jaguar are not only cars of luxury but also cars of sport, and that you can have wild times in these cars. But I do think that the business style man is the real target as you do have to be wealthy to buy a Jaguar.
Both adverts have their own particular strengths and own unique selling techniques. Nevertheless after thoroughly examining them and taking into account the different strengths and weaknesses Magazine and Television adverts have over each other I believe the Lacoste pips Jaguar at the finish line. As the Lacoste advert is very good in the use of colour connotation and ease of understanding. Following the anagram of adverts almost perfectly;
- S ingle-minded
- I mpractful
- M emorable
- P ersuasive
- L inked to the brand
- E ngaging
It is single-minded as there is nothing to distract you from the advert, everything is centred around ‘touch of pink’. It has a great impact with the straightforwardness and the models stance; I think you cannot turn the page without taking another look at what she doing! Memorable as there is little to take in, only a few words ‘touch of pink’, the use of pink is almost mesmerising, and if nothing else fails all you have to remember is ‘Lacoste’. Persuasive because the slogan ‘touch of pink’ is so curious that women will want this touch and the only way to get it is by buying the product! It is very much linked to the brand as the model is wearing Lacoste clothes, Lacoste is also a good female brand and the pink only emphasises that. I also think its engaging because it really does get the reader interested, immediately you think what is this women doing? Then looking on what is this ‘touch of pink’? Then the reader sees the bottle, the curves of a women and finds herself saying, I want this!
The most successful selling point of the advert is the model and her stance. Obviously the model is attractive which is appealing to men and women alike, her stance also brings with it curiosity. In a magazine you need a very good hook otherwise the reader can just turn the page and it will be ignored, where as in a TV advert the viewer can see and hear it. Her stance stops the reader from turning the page and then obviously it’s whether the reader fits into the lifestyle the fragrance is geared to
Although the Jaguar advert is good, and does give a very certain target audience it is not very engaging which unfortunately is one of the most important words out of the Advert Anagram ‘SIMPLE’ As you do need to engage your audience, and get them hooked, without an impacting hook you need not bother advertising! When I first watched the advert I didn’t really take much notice. It is only as I have an interest in cars and specifically Jaguars that I looked. Maybe because I don’t drive, I didn’t hook straight away, but I found it quite boring and non-descript. There was definitely nothing catchy to my eye, if I were a wealthy business man looking for a new classy car I don’t think there was enough in the advert to make an impact on me. Perhaps if they were to change it, add a better hook possibly even a rev of an engine would engage viewers as the sound would definitely be a head turner, or even a well-known theme tune.
Advertising is extremely important for every company as without advertising people cannot see, hear, or read about new products and will obviously not buy.
Advertising is also important in the 21st century because;
- There is so much competition between brands,
- Companies want to make more money and advertising is a way to gain new customers.
- If companies do not attract customers to buy their products they will not sell and be able to make a profit.
- No profit, no new products as everything costs money to make , to advertise to sell. It is really a vicious circle!
