How does the Hovis advert work as a myth?

The picture is totally in black and white except for two loafs of Hovis’ product in the lower right hand side foreground.  This attracts the consumer’s eye straight to the product.  But another mechanism of the advert is making you wonder why there is a larger black and white picture in the background?  What has this picture go to do with Hovis bread?  Again this makes the viewer then go on to read the context to the right hand side of the picture.  If this advert were mainly in colour, consumers would find it easier to single the advert out as a myth or lie.  As the advert is in black and white making it seem that is traditional making it seem more realistic for that time era.  But this advert can still be seen as myth if thought about deeply.  Who is to say that Hovis wasn’t even around in the 40/50’s?  The chances are most people brought their bread from bakeries in these time eras.  Another factor in this advert is that the people in this advert could be actors and the picture was taken only a few weeks before the advert was broadcast.  So this is why the picture has to appear in black and white to disguise its real appearance.

Every member of the family that appears in this advert has a happy expression on his or hers face.  Giving a false sense of total happiness.  During the 40’s & 50’s life was fairly hard going due to the multiplier effects of the 2nd world war.  Rationing was still taking place in the early 50’s and good jobs were hard to come by. So the expressions of the faces in this advert try to rub off a bit of Hovis magic on to you.  Another factor that may apply to today’s modern family would they get on with each other as the picture implies?

The text that accompanies the advert gives out particular phrases such as:

“Smell of fresh baked bread to guide us home”

“Old memories, stirred up by the taste of a country white loaf from Hovis.”

“A study white slice that tastes like real bread used to.”

“Hovis White Bread – as good today as its always been.”

These phrases try to persuade the viewer of the advert that their product has been around for many years and never lost its quality.  It also tries to make the consumer’s mouth water through the usage of words, “A study white slice” & “Smell if fresh baked bread.”  These planed phrases put the words and thoughts into to consumer’s head practically for them.