The bold heading (unset the menu) is coloured in black. Usually the use of the colour black has negative connotations. When you see the colour black you seem to think death, sinister, exorcisms and basically pessimistic views. I think that it is wrong to feel so negatively about the colour black, as it appears racist to black people. It suggests as though I am saying that black people are sinister. I feel that we need to re-evaluate the meaning of 'black', as we do not understand the conflicts faced by black people, and to grasp the fact that black people themselves have chosen to use 'black' with pride, fully aware of its negative bias in the 'white' dominated world, especially when you do a connotative reading into this colour. But also keeping in mind, in addition it depends on the culture. The reading “Unset the menu” is in black.
In a positive view, black can be used as protection in the sense that it absorbs negativity, just as black clothing will absorb heat on a sunny day. However, the void that this creates must be filled with “positive energy” - something easily accomplished by burning it along with other colours, such as white. The black heading is trimmed slightly with white, therefore is positive. It seems as though the use of these colours together are suggesting that this product is saying that, it is safe and the ingredients are uncontaminated. That it is just absorbed with nutrients and goodness. Black could also indicate mystery. For example, dark impenetrable mystery as you can’t see through it. The meaning of the words “Unset the menu” are telling the consumer, yes, have something different tonight. Try something mysterious and out of the ordinary.
The bright vegetation of green used for the leaves that the girl is holding give a sense of nature possibly harmony. The colour of green has been said to help relax your thoughts. For example, in a theatre they have a “green room” where actors, actresses can go to relax before their performance. It is suppose to cleanse and balances our energy, to give a feeling of renewal, peace and harmony. The use of green seems to radiate a feeling of fullness and nature. It seems as though the commercial is saying that the product is full of freshness and goodness. And that the food is all natural and not packed with millions of chemicals, like most jarred food.
The use of colour is just one of the techniques it uses to target the intended audience.
Another technique is the use of images. There are two images on this printed commercial. There is one of a young woman who is stood in the background. The other image is of three jars of Sharwood’s food which are placed in the foreground.
The three jars of Sharwood’s food are set in the foreground, which is suggesting that the advertisement has the intention of saying it is extremely important. To an extent you could say that it is saying, “You really want me”. The images of the jars are set on top of the black background which is contrasting the image making them stand out and grab the audiences’ attention. The image is placed left to the brand name of the product and their slogan, which is, “stir up some passion”.
There is an image of a young woman around the age of 25, holding lush, green leaves.
The character is standing in front of the reader/audience and looking at them straight in their eyes. This is as if the whole advertisement attention is focused on the consumer. You could say this is making the consumer feel involved, another technique it uses. The woman looks as though she is in a state of ecstasy, jumping up in the air. This instantly catches and arouses the audience’s curiosity. They will probably glance at the commercial and say to their self, “What is she doing?” Then they would possibly read the rest of the commercial to find out.
Harold Rudolph called this magic element, “Story Appeal, “and demonstrated that the more of it you inject into your photograph images, the more people should look at your advertisements.
There is just one person in the commercial which makes it simple, so the audience can comprehend it better.
The young woman in the picture is an aspiration image. The character is full of life, vibrant, pretty and so on. People who are in the target audience age range could be manipulated into buying this product because they get the impression that after you eat the product, you will look like this. Most women aren’t satisfied with their self being; therefore they are always finding new ways to make themselves feel more attractive, whether it is a designer top, a new perfume, dieting tablets and so on. As a result of that, the advertisements take advantage of this insecurity.
The woman’s expression, you could say, is “orgasmic”. I agree with Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) who apparently said, “Everything comes down to sex.” And in “Ogilvy on Advertisement” it suggests that the best commercials are the ones related, or closely linked to sex, since it grabs the consumer’s attention. The expression that the woman is displaying creates the impression that the product is “just so good” and really tasty. Also, because the young woman looks healthy and is holding bright green leaves is implying that the food is good for you and natural.
The images are place in “zones”. Most commercials are set as story. And the majority of stories have a beginning, middle and end or a past, present and future.
The young woman is set in the “future” zone while the image of the jarred food is in the “zone of arrival”. This could suggest that the product is a new one.
The bold black heading (Unset The menu) set in the centre of the commercial is another method to catch the audience’s inquisitiveness. The use of the language, suggests to me that it is implying, “have something different”. It plays on the phrase that is used in restaurants “set the menu” or “set the table”. It maybe suggesting to the consumer, “feed your curiosity and try something mystifying”. The phrase seems to catch a sense of mystery in it.
The Sharwood’s slogan is “stir up some passion” which could be suggesting to the consumer, that you could cook it for a date or when you have tried this product-you will love it. Its slogan plays on the way you cook it, “stir up”. You could also argue that it is slightly alliterate, which appeals to the reader. It also can be said that Asian countries is the place for hot “passion”, so it suggest or links the product for being spicy and loveable. You could also claim that it plays on the human senses. The word “passion” and “stir up” are closely linked to strong emotions. All in all, the slogan is designed to grab the consumer’s attention and succeeds in doing this.
The type of font the commercial’s texts uses are “funky” or fresh style fonts. “Unset the menu” is done in a font called teen spirit, as you can see. It’s bold, and attracts people within the target audience. The slogan “stir up some passion” is in an Asian, Indian or Chinese style, which links closely to the product.
In my perspective, there is nothing intrinsically good about advertising. It is a tool, an instrument. It sometimes does have beneficial results but, too often, it seems to be negative, and has harmful impact on individuals and society.
This advertisement succeeds fully into manipulating its target audience. Either with the aspiration images, its centre title or slogan. Everything is closely linked within this commercial.
The conclusion is that some advertising is simply and deliberately untrue. It is not that advertising says what is overtly false, but that it can distort the truth by implying things that are not so or withholding relevant facts. As Pope John Paul II points out, on both the individual and social levels, truth and freedom are inseparable; without truth as the basis, starting point and criterion of discernment, judgment, choice and action, there can be no authentic exercise of freedom. I always remember if some things are too good to be true, it is mostly that it is.
On that note, my conclusion is, “The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple” ~Oscar Wilde
