How successful is advertising? A comparison of two adverts discussing the techniques they use to persuade the consumer to buy products.

Sohna Jawara

Advertising

Question: How successful is advertising? A comparison of two adverts discussing the techniques they use to persuade the consumer to buy products.

Advertising is a form of commercial mass communication designed to promote the sale of a product or service, or a message on behalf of an institution or organization. Evidence of advertising can be found in cultures that existed thousands of years ago, but advertising only became a major industry in the 20th century. Today the industry employs hundreds of thousands of people and influences the behaviour and buying habits of billions of people. Advertising spending worldwide now exceeds £180 billion per year. Advertising agencies help create and place advertisements in a variety of media, including newspapers, television, direct mail, radio, magazines, the Internet, and outdoor signs. Advertising is so commonplace in the Western Society that an average person may encounter from 500 to 1,000 advertisements in a single day, according to some estimates.

Advertisers use a variety of techniques to engage consumers and persuade them to buy their product over another. I am going to analyse these techniques, and how and why they differ, by comparing and evaluating two magazine adverts. I will focus on the images used, the technical procedures used to create them, the language, how they cater to specific target audiences, the industry behind them and their overall messages.

The first advert I have chosen as an example is a Lux shower gel advertisement. The second is for an Adidas face cream.

The focal point of my first advertisement is an image of Sarah Jessica Parker, a well-known American actress in her 30’s. I think she is around the same age as the target audience, if not slightly older. I think her age helps sell the product because one of the selling points of the shower gel is, sophistication, and refinement which younger people will recognise in her and aspire to.

In the advertisement, she is smiling and looks radiant with windswept hair. This emphasises her fun-loving and frivolous attitude. This is a clever technique because by highlighting these elements of her personality, it transfers to the product.

She is looking directly at the camera. This creates an element of openness and is inviting. It makes her, and by association the product, more accessible to the audience.

She is posed as if she were just about to get out of her limousine unto a red carpet. This gives the advertisement a sense of place by suggesting that she is at a Hollywood event. In that sense it is quite informal and naturalistic. However it is not a true action shot and her face betrays this as she is staring directly at the camera. The fact that she is posing for the photo further perpetuates the glamorous “Hollywood” concept of the advertisement, because often in Hollywood, photographs that are meant to appear naturalistic are posed. This reinforces the message of the advertisement, which is that this shower gel will bring out the glamorous ‘star’ in you.

Her knees are pointed inwards and her toes are pointed, in an elegant and feminine pose. However her shoulders are thrown back, showing poise and confidence. These characteristics epitomise the kind of woman the advertisers are trying to appeal to, or the kind of woman the consumers aspire to be.

She is the only person in the advertisement, which makes her seem more important and more of a superstar, it also creates intimacy with the consumer as it makes them focus more on her. Therefore they concentrate on the main messages of the advertisement and it is more likely to influence them into buying the product.

The product being sold is a shower gel. It is positioned in the bottom right hand corner of the frame. Because the eye is naturally drawn from the top left to the bottom left, it should be the last thing the consumer focuses on. I think this is because they are in a sense selling Sarah Jessica parker’s lifestyle to the consumer through the product; therefore it is the less important image. However it needs to be there so they can recognise it.

In the second advertisement, the model is in his early twenties and attractive, muscular and athletic. His looks and physical type are what most men his age aspire to, therefore associating them with the product appeals to the target audience. He has dark hair and eyes, which make him seem more ominous and hostile.

He is wearing a simple grey tank top and grey strapping over his fists, which suggest he is about to do, or has just finished doing some boxing. This fits in with the idea of being “strong” and able to “protect” that are mentioned in the text and create uniformity so the advertisement has more impact on a consumer.

He is staring directly at the camera in an aggressive manner. He is in a fight-ready stance and his pose is confrontational. I think this is appropriate marketing because stereotypically, men don’t use face cream as it is still seen as quite feminine. Because our society defines ‘maleness’ as aggressive and strong, men using cosmetic products such as face cream are held up as being feminine because it is considered a feminine activity. By creating a strong, masculine brand image by including references to boxing, which is archetypical of the masculine stereotype, the advertiser men are encouraged to use this product because they can maintain their masculinity whilst doing so.

It is supposed to be in the locker room of a gym. I can tell because there are lockers in the background. This creates a sense of place, and makes the man more believable as a boxer. This helps sell the product because the consumer believes that if somebody as traditionally masculine as a boxer would use the product, they can too and not only retain their masculinity, but re-enforce it.

The product being sold is a face cream for men. It is placed in the bottom left hand corner of the frame and there is an image of the bottle itself and the box it comes it. This creates familiarity with the product, so if the consumer were to see it in a shop, they would feel like they already know it and would be more likely to purchasing it.

The images in the two adverts differ greatly because they are playing on opposite stereotypes. However they both use simple things to create sense of place. In the first it is the car and the red carpet and in the second the lockers. They also use setting to create intimacy with the consumer. In the first, you are allowed to see into her car, and in the second you see the model in a changing room, which is a very personal space. They both use this intimacy to familiarise the product and make the consumer feel comfortable with it, so that they are more likely to buy it. They also both only have one person features, this is so the consumer has their full attention on them and what they represent, allowing the advertisement to have a greater impact.

I am now going to look at the technical procedures and codes used to produce the shower gel advertisement. The main element is still photography, with some superimposed graphics. I think this makes it seem more natural and life like. The advertiser is trying to sell a lifestyle, so having a photographic, rather than graphic image makes the image seem more real and therefore more attainable to the consumer.

It is in colour. This makes it much more modern than if it were in black and white. Also, the more traditional, classical that feel black and white would give ...

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It is in colour. This makes it much more modern than if it were in black and white. Also, the more traditional, classical that feel black and white would give wouldn’t fit in with the message the advertisement is trying to convey and the target audience probably wouldn’t respond to it.

Red makes up the base colour of the advertisement, as the carpet and inside of the car are red. This creates uniformity within the advertisement (avoids two close shades of red clashing,) and makes all the other colours stand out. It fits with the product, which is also red. I think this is so the consumer will remember the red, and recognise it if they see the product. However the red used on the shower gel bottle is lighter, so stands out and is distinguishable from the background. The red used is very rich and adds to the affluent prosperous impression of the advertisement.

The polished black of the limousine breaks up the bright colour in the frame and creates contrast, making the reds and pinks appear even brighter and more radiant. The gold writing for the brand name matches her gold shoes and brings out her flawless, honey coloured skin. The silver star in the slogan is shiny and glittery, especially when compared to the plain finish on the wheel of the limousine, which is just below it. I think overall, the colour scheme is used to good effect because it reflects the message of the advertisement, and is pleasing to the eye of the consumer. The brightness of the colours also makes it memorable.

The advertisement is brightly lit, but she is the most lit up part of it. This makes her skin seem brighter and gives her skin a glow. The product being advertised is a shower gel, so emphasising the healthy glow of her skin helps sell the product because it leads the consumer to believe the condition of her skin is due to the product.

The camera was placed directly in front of her in the advertisement. The shot is a full body shot. It is slightly low angle, which places her in a position of superiority and importance. This emphasises her fame and renown, and makes the consumer look up to, and therefore aspire to be like her. Furthermore, your eye is drawn to the image of Sarah Jessica Parker because she is the largest, most central and most recognisable image in the frame. This has the same effect as the angle of the shot.

The image is cropped so that all you can see is Sarah Jessica Parker and some of her car. However, the consumer is supposed to think there is a big event going on around her, with other stars, photographers and journalists present. I think not including all the other people makes the shot more personal. The advertisers want us to be captivated by her and having other people in it may detract from her and draw the consumer’s attention away.

All elements in the image are in focus. There have been no obvious treatments made to the image. However, she will certainly have been airbrushed and any imperfections on her hair, clothes and skin will have been removed. This is to perpetuate the image of Hollywood starts as being perfect and flawless. This serves its purpose in the advertisement and makes the product appear more effective. However, the artificial, almost synthetic appearance of celebrities and models in photographs creates incorrect impressions and unrealistic aspirations for many people. The colours will have been filtered and the contrast altered to make the colours appear brighter.

The image of the product has been minimized. This is because it is not as important as the image of Sarah Jessica Parker. The image of her in the limousine forms the background of the ad, as all other elements are placed over it. This is because it is the most important part and the focal point of the advertisement. It takes up the majority of the advertisement space.

The face cream advertisement also only incorporates still photography. This gives the advertisement a more life-like feel than graphics and the advertisers are trying to make the consumer believe the man in the photograph is really a boxer. The advert is in colour, which also adds to the realistic element. Consequently, if the consumer believes the man is a real boxer, who uses face cream, they will feel more inclined to do so themselves for reasons I have previously explained.

The colours used are all ‘cold’ and light shades. Grey is the most frequently used colour in the background and foreground. I think this is because it is a moody sombre colour, to match the mood of the advert. It also links the background and foreground and makes the advertisement more pleasing to the eye.

The lighting is quite soft and not bright at all. This creates a laid-back feel and compliments the greys and blues in the advert. I think he has been lit from above so that he has shadows over his eyes. This makes him look more aggressive and menacing, and therefore “tougher”, which is the image the advert is trying to portray.

The camera is directly in front of the subject. A mid-shot has been used and the image has been cropped so that all you can see is most of the man’s head down to just above his waist. This allows us to see enough of his body to identify him as a boxer, but the camera is close enough to read his facial expression, which is an important part of creating the product image. Having the camera in close proximity also creates a confrontational atmosphere, which would appeal to the young male target audience.

Your eye is drawn to the main image first then the product. This is because the image is designed to make the consumer drawn to the product, therefore has to be seen first to have its desired effect.

All the elements are in focus. This makes the lines and shapes clear and crisp, which I think this is appropriate for the fresh bare colour scheme. No photographic effects are used, except perhaps some airbrushing on the model. This is to make him more attractive so the consumer aspires to have his looks. It also makes his skin clearer, which the consumer is supposed to mistake as a testament to the effectiveness of the product.

The image takes up most of the advert because it best puts across the message of the advert. The text is above, to the left and below the image, which shows that it is the most important thing and makes the consumer focus on it as it appears more central. It takes up the bulk of the space.

Both adverts are produced using mainly still photography. This gives them both a realistic aspect. However the first is slightly more naturalistic, in that she is actually in the process of doing something everyday such as getting out of car. The second however is entirely posed. A full body shot is used in the first advert and a mid shot in the second. I think this is because the first product is for use all over the body and the second for use just on the face. Therefore, the advertisements are able to show how the product makes the peoples skin look.

I am now going to analyse the language used in the copy. The brand name of the product is Lux. It is a play on the word ‘luxury’, and the shower gel is marketed as being up market and luxurious. The language throughout the advert reflects this. For instance, the words “pearls” and “rich” are included in the copy. In addition, the word Lux actually means light in Latin, which is a referral to the “radiance” the shower gel, will give your skin.

The slogan is “Brings out the (star) in you” and refers to the product. It fits in with the image because Sarah Jessica Parker is a Hollywood star and the advertisers are implying that using the product will make you more like her. The copy re-enforces this by saying that the product will “add a little opening night radiance”. In other words, using the product will make you look as good as Sarah Jessica Parker at a film premier.

It is written in the present tense. The slogan is short and the language simple. This is to make it memorable, and therefore the product more memorable so you are more likely to remember it when you see the product again and have the urge to buy it. It is written as a direct address to the consumer which makes it seem more personal and make the consumer believe the product would have the stated effect on them were they to buy it. The phrase “any girl’s skin” has the same effect. It also makes the product seem successful and effective because it has this spectacular effect on anyone who uses it. Therefore it gives the consumer confidence in the product and makes them want to by it.

A bold 3 dimensional typeface is used for the brand name. It is an exact replica of the typeface found on the bottle but much larger. It is the largest word on the advert so the consumer remembers it when they see the product in a shop and feel a sense of familiarity with it, which makes them more likely to buy it.

A loopy typeface is used for the rest of the copy. I think it was chosen because it is quite elegant and stylish, which are the characteristics the advert are promoting to the consumer. The word ‘star’ is expressed in pictorial form. This makes it more eye-catching and breaks up the monotony of the text.

This is a consumer advert, which means it is aimed at the public, rather than wholesalers or retailers who resell to the public. It is also a national advert, as it is aimed at consumers throughout the country (possibly some internationally as well). It works on the principal of image advertising; giving a product a personality that is unique, appealing, and appropriate so that the consumer will want to choose it over similar products that might fulfil the same need. The personality is created partly by the product's design and packaging but, more importantly, by the words and pictures the advertisements associate with the product. This personality is known as a brand image. Advertisers believe brand image often leads consumers to select one brand over another or instead of a less expensive generic product. Brand image is especially important for commodities such shower gels because within this product category there are few, if any, major differences in the product itself.

The brand name of the second product is Adidas but the range is called “active skincare”. The “adidas” logo is also included three times in the frame for emphasis. Using the adidas brand makes the product feel more familiar to the consumer because the target audience would probably have come across the adidas clothing and shoe brand. This familiarity attracts the consumer to the product because they feel it is a reliable brand and worth the money.

There are many sports based terms such as “equipment” “active” “athletes” and “fit”. These words plus the range name itself appeals to the target audience, of young athletic males.

There are two slogans. “PROTECT HEALTHY LOOKING SKIN” and “EQUIPMENT FOR FIT SKIN”. The language is highly proactive, energetic and masculine. For example words such as “protect” “action” “and “fit” are used. The word ‘protect’ appeals to men because of the traditional male role as protector. It also fits in with the image because boxing teaches self-defence. Reference to health suggests the product is a necessity for health reasons rather than beauty, which would be less deviant to our society’s constructs of masculinity.

It says the product is “triple action” and uses scientific terms such as “technology” “hydration” “UV filer”. It also says the product makes use of “patented oxygen technology”. This makes it seem highly developed; giving the consumer more confidence in its effectiveness and detracting from the fact it is a beauty product.

Refreshing words such as “breathe” and “oxygen” are used. They fit in with the colour scheme, and suggest to the consumer the fresh revitalised feeling they would enjoy from the product. There is a small image of some bubbles next to the words “Patented oxygen technology”. This depiction adds to the fresh airy atmosphere created by the copy and main image.

The advert is talking to the consumer. The slogan is written in second person narrative voice, like an instruction. This makes it seem more personal to the consumer and the commanding, slightly aggressive tone would make young males more comfortable, as it is more stereotypical to their behaviour.

The typefaces used are all either similar or the same. All the copy is in upper case letters, except for the Adidas brand name. The typeface is bold and quite square and looks a lot like a word processor font, as opposed to a handwritten type of font. This creates uniformity and makes the advert seem more formal and serious. Many different intricate fonts would make the advert seem too frivolous and feminine, putting off the target audience. This is a consumer advert. It has no narrative. It is just an image and several captions.

By comparison, the text in the first advert has a more whimsical informal feel, whereas in the second it is informative and commanding. This fits in with the respective product images. There is also no technical jargon included in the first, whereas it is a prominent feature of the second. This is because the Lux advert is placing more emphasis on how the product will make you feel.

I am now going to explore how the adverts appeal to their target audiences. From the choice of images in the first advert, I can tell the advert is aimed at female professionals in their late twenties or thirties, who are well-groomed and keen followers of fashion. This is because the chosen ‘face’ of the product, Sarah Jessica Parker, is all of these things. So by using her, the advertisers are hoping the consumer will identify these things in themselves and feel affinity to her and by association, the product.

From the product itself, I can tell the product is aimed at single people because the bottle is not family sized, and emphasis is put on it being luxurious rather than economic, which would be the case were it aimed at mothers. This also relates to the image because Sarah Jessica Parker’s character in “Sex and the City” was renown for being a single ‘thirty-something’. This creates further affinity with the consumer and her and the product.

From the text I can tell the product is aimed at women who are drawn into today’s the celebrity culture. The slogan would only have an effect on a person who looks up to celebrities, as would phrases such as “[gives] a little opening night radiance to any girl’s skin”.

I found the advert in a copy of Marie Claire magazine. This is a monthly glossy magazine, which is targeted at the same age range and type of woman as the advert. I think the advert is well placed in this magazine because the women reading it would be interested in celebrities and fashion. In addition, it is the kind of magazine in which Sarah Jessica Parker often features, attending events such as the one being portrayed. This is good marketing because it ensures their target audience will be exposed to the advert.

The magazine could be found in a number of newsagents and supermarkets. People other than the target audience may see it. Such as the husbands, boyfriends and children of the women it is aimed at. This would be especially effective around Christmastime or at a birthday because it could appeal to them as a gift idea.

The ad was printed in the middle pages of the magazine. This is because when a prospective consumer is flicking through the magazine, they would spot it, and as the advert has no real narrative, the message of the advert would be put across to the customer relatively quickly, allowing it to influence them before they leaf through the rest of the magazine.

From the choice of images in the second advert, I can tell that the advert is aimed at athletic males in their twenties or thirties. This is because these are the characteristics of the model used.

From the product itself I can tell the advert is aimed at men who care about their appearance, because it is a beauty product. I can also tell it is aimed at ‘outdoorsy’ types because it is such a strong face cream, developed with athletes.

From the text I can tell the product is aimed at men who are not overtly feminine. This is because many typically masculine words are used, to try to dispel the notion that beauty products are effeminate. Therefore allowing the consumer to feel comfortable with purchasing and using the product

I found the advert in a copy of Men’s Health ’magazine. I think this is effective marketing because readers of this magazine are of the same ages as the products target audience. They are also interested in health and fitness, and take care of their bodies.

The publication could be found in a number of newsagents and supermarkets. People other than the target audience may see it. Such as the wives, girlfriends and children of the men it is aimed at. This would be especially effective around Christmastime or at a birthday because it could appeal to them as a gift idea. In addition, I think that with male beauty products, it is quite common for them to be used by men as result of female suggestion or pressure.

Both adverts have been placed in places their target audience are likely to encounter them. They are both part of larger advertising campaigns, which include other media. This is also effective as it increases exposure. And the more a consumer is exposed to the adverts, the more effect they have and the more they persuade that consumer to purchase the product.

I am now going to consider what the advert tells the consumer about the industry behind it and how the adverts work as part of larger campaigns. I cannot tell much about the producers of the product itself from the first advertisement. However this information is not essential in a consumer advert, as it would be in a trade advert because then the company details would be essential.

I can tell that the advert is using a famous person who has the lifestyle many of the target audience aspire to or are interested in, to help sell their product. In their own words, ‘Unilever’, the company who own the brand name Lux, state that

“In 2004, Sarah Jessica Parker featured in the Lux 'Brings Out the Star in You’ advertising campaign. Best known for her über-stylish and spirited character as Carrie from Sex & the City, Sarah Jessica Parker epitomizes the modern Lux woman: comfortable and confident in her femininity, experienced in the ways of the world and understands how style and beauty really work.”

The advert relates to different magazine advertisements for the product, as there are three others which are all variations of this theme (one is included). It also relates to the T.V advert, which explains the slogan more clearly. In this, an ordinary young woman uses the shower gel and sets out with her boyfriend for a ‘night out’. She discovers an open limousine, leading to a glitzy Hollywood opening night. She steps into the limousine and out of the other side, and photographers and waiting fans mistake her for a Hollywood star and begin photographing and cheering for her, whilst walking down the red carpet, she is momentarily transformed into Sarah Jessica Parker. The caption is the same as that in the magazine adverts. Having the advert in different forms of media increases the amount of people it is exposed to. It also exposes some people to it several times, which allows the message to impact upon them more.

The techniques used are similar to those used for other Unilever brands such as Sunsilk, Lynx, Impulse and Sure and for similar brands from other companies. This is because they are tried and tested formulas for selling beauty products, and the products all have similar target audiences.

I cannot tell much about the producers of the product itself from the advertisement either. However this information is not essential in a consumer advert, as it would be in a trade advert because then the company details would be essential. However, I can tell that the product is made by adidas, as the explicit use of the famous ‘three-stripe’ logo is one of the advertising techniques.

I have not seen any other adverts for the product itself, though I have seen advertisements for the other products in the range and they work on similar themes and ideas. I think this is because they have similar target audiences.

I am now going to see how all the elements of the adverts come together to form an overall message. The overall message of the first advert is that if you use the product, it will make your skin glow and you will look more like a Hollywood star. The role model presented is the glamorous stylish sexy woman in her thirties. It also presents a stereotypical, slim beautiful actress, which is something many women aspire to be. It presents the idea that the celebrity lifestyle is to be admired and aspired to; because the whole premise of the advert is that the product will bring out the star in you. The product places high values on quite materialistic things such as beauty, glamour and luxury but also basic hygiene. It also plays on the consumers desire to keep up appearances. They have presented an extremely opulent image of the product, therefore the image conscious target consumer will purchase it to use that image and reflect it onto herself.

The overall message of the second advert is that the product will protect the consumer’s skin. It provides a fit, attractive young male as a role model. It is full of very explicit male stereotypes such as the boxer, and shows the typical characteristics of male aggressiveness and strength. The advert seems to fulfil the image conscious male’s desire to look after their skin and their overall appearance, whilst remaining masculinity. It also presents a very fit and healthy image with its many references to sport and health. It places a high value on health and fitness, but also on attractiveness and grooming. However appearing masculine is the value that seems to override all of these. Therefore, the advertisers have given the product an image that is such that it allows you to do both.

In conclusion, I think that both adverts make excellent use of techniques to create meaning, and to persuade consumers to choose their products. As a female, I would obviously be more drawn to the first advert, but objectively speaking, I think the second advertisement is the more successful. This is because it appeals to a wider range of people. This is probably because the market for female beauty products is much more competitive, so the target audience is much larger. Therefore each product has to appeal to a certain group within the target audience for their product type.

However, some critics suggest that advertising is negative because promotes a materialistic way of life by leading people to believe that happiness is achieved by purchasing products. They argue that advertising creates a consumer culture in which buying exciting new products becomes the foundation of the society's values, pleasures, and goals. After doing this analysis, I am inclined to agree. I think both adverts promote unrealistic role models and potentially harmful stereotypes. However, they have the desired effect, so while I feel they may be socially irresponsible, they are nevertheless successful advertisements.