In addition to the photographer having to choose the right objects and the settings, he or she also has another whole set of choices to make about the photographic equipment and the ways of using it. The photography has to first decide which type of shot and the best type of lens to use to capture the product. Shot sizes are usually described in four main categories: long shot; mid shot; close up and big close up.
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Long shot is when the whole of the main focus of the picture is in the photograph and showing the surround around it; this is known as depth of field.
- Mid shot is when the photograph of the subject waist upwards including some of the background.
- Close up also known as portrait shot, is based on the main focus on the subject from shoulder upwards; however the background will probably be out of focus. In this shot we are able to tell a great deal about the feeling of the person.
- The big close up is where the subjects face encompasses the frame of the picture. This can be used to narrow down the focus of attention and present things with dramatic impact.
By looking at both adverts, “Skoda Roomster” and “Mitsubishi Outlander”, you can tell that the photographers used a mid shot to capture the full features of both cars and the settings around it. However the “Mitsubishi Outlander” also shows a series of four smaller photos on the same advert, where as the “Skoda Roomster” revolves around one main image of the car. The first image shows the “7 seat configuration”, photographed in a mid shot, so you are able to see all the 7 seats and the detail on them. The photograph following after is also captures in a mid shot and shows the “innovative split tailgate”. This type of shot it perfect for this feature of the car, because you are able to see the amount of room the car boot has and the detail of it. However the third image is showing the “satellite navigation” and is photographed in a close up shot, so you can clearly see the navigation system in use. The finally photograph, show “information at a glance dashboard” also in a close up shot, so the audience it able to see this feature in great detail. These extra images allow the views to see different features of the car, which makes the advert more interesting to see and a more appealing to views.
Another important aspect in an advertisement is the use of copy. Copy is the writing you see on the advert; some may have large amounts of writing to give information about the subject, others may rely upon a short, memorable slogan. Slogans are the most important words in any display advertisement and are similar to newspaper headlines. They are used to grab the target audience’s attention and hook them into the advert. Copy is conventionally used in adverts, by reinforcing connotations of the image and putting pictures into context of how the advertisers want you to read the image. Research suggests that you are more likely to remember a product with a memorable slogan.
Both adverts mode of address are quite similar because they are both humorous. Mode of address is the way the advertisement specks to its audience. The “Skoda Roomster” has a fun, catchy anchor which is turned into a song.
Quoting:
“Not so much a rollerblading-down-the-sea-front-in-tight-shorts-woooaa-hoooaaah-bodyfor-orm-bodyform-for-you happiness.
But more of a the-kids-won’t-ever-kick-the-back-of-Dad’s-seat-again happiness”
This anchor suggests that the car is realist and is ideal for a family with young children; because of the space and extra leg room. However the “Mitsubishi Outlander” has a completely different slogan compared to the “Skoda Roomster” as it is a lot simpler and shorter.
Quoting:
“It’s rude to guzzle”
This is such a catchy slogan as it is so short enough to remember easily and it gives a bit of humour and rebellion into the advert. The slogan used in this advert is directed to business people because it specks to them in a more formal language; however the “Skoda Roomster” gives a more personal feel to the viewers as the anchor use a pronoun “you” which makes the audience feel that the advert is directed to them. Also the “Skoda Roomster” uses alliteration: “Roomy Roomster” seen under the anchor, which is rhetorical device used to emphasise the car and is easy to remember. Where as the “Mitsubishi Outlander” uses objectives like “stunning” to reinforce the message that it is sophisticated and stylish.
Overall I believe that the “Mitsubishi Outlander” is a lot more formal compared to the “Skoda Roomster”; because it talks to you in a formal manner. So due to this, the car will be aimed at mainly middle and upper class people. Where as the “Skoda Roomster” communicates to us in a song; suggesting that the car is affordable and suitable for families with children.
As well as the use of picture and copy, type style also plays a big importance on an advert. Bold, large lettering and different colours may be used to create certain ideas or points stand out and to attract the reader’s attention. Where as the use of capital letters can be used to emphasise particular words and make them seem important. However the type of font used can be part of the overall feel of the advertisement; for example: a formal, business-like handwriting such as “Times New Roman” connotes an advertisement to seem more personal or genuine.
The “Skoda Roomster” types style it quite casual because the advert uses a bold “Arial” font which is not a professionally-like handwriting; however this font is eye-catching because of its boldness and the sharp white colour stands out well on a dark background. However the “Mitsubishi Outlander” uses bold capital letters to emphasise the words and make them seem as though the words the audience is reading is important. On the over hand there are other words on the advert, where the some copy is in lower case; the advertiser might have purposely done this because some copy may be more important to read than others. The “Mitsubishi Outlander” also uses a business-type of font “Verdana” compared to the “Skoda Roomster” and this once again connotes the advert to be more formal.
In both adverts, the size of the font tends to vary. In the “Skoda Roomster” the anchor is much large than the copy near the bottom of the page, this could because the anchor is the key aspect of the advert. Also near the bottom of the advertisement, quoting: “Now available with 6.9% APR typical finance” the advertiser was trying to express the“6.9% APR” and they showed this by increasing the font. In the “Mitsubishi Outlander” advert the name of the car is printed in a large font size and the slogan beneath it, is slightly small. From this I can see the advertiser wanted the name of the car to be larger so that would be the first thing a person would see and then the slogan because that and the car are the main focus of the advert; however near the bottom of the page the copy is in small font; this may be that the information does not much relevance. This is a good technique used by advertisers to inform the reader to read the important aspects of an advert which in their eyes are the catchy slogan or anchor and the name of their product; as these are the thing which are going to stay in our minds when we are out shopping.
Along with typestyle, lay-out is a key factor in advertisements as where thing are placed on the page effects how the advert is read. In western cultures like our own, we read from left to right and from top to bottom; research suggests that the most effective advertisement is one which takes us from the top left hand corner of the page to the bottom right. The top left corner is normally the area where our eyes first drop on the page and this is called the primary optical are, also known as the POA; however the bottom right hand-corner is the last point our eyes reaches and is known the terminal area.
The primary optical area in the “Skoda Roomster” advertisement, you can see in small writing the contact number of the product and the website to view. Quoting: “For more information call 0845 055 45 45 or visit www.skoda.co.uk/roomster.” Straight away I can see that the advertisers are trying to make us contact their company or take a look at their website, also persuading us to purchase their product. Opposite the primary optical area is the dead corner; in that corner is the “Skoda Roomster’s” logo and you can straight away notice who the manufacture of this product and background information about the company. However in the “Mitsubishi Outlander” show something completely different in its primary optical area. In the top left hand-corner, it shows the name of the car say “The new Mitsubishi Outlander” and under the name of the subject is the products slogan which is “It’s rude to guzzle”. Automatically the advertiser is trying to portray a message in your mind to remember the slogan and that a new car has come out. Compared to the other advert, there is nothing in the dead corner opposite the primary optical area.
In the eye level area, where the eye meets the centre of the page, you can tell that both of the advertisements are quite conventional car adverts; this is because they are both dominated by a big image of the car they are selling. Having a car as the centre picture is rather expected; after all it is the product! It also draws our attention to the product before the anchor, slogan or copy. However, both adverts present they cars very differently; and this due to media advertising.
In the terminal area, the “Skoda Roomster” presents us with its anchor and a description of their product. The last thing your eye sees on the page is; quoting: “Now available with 6.9% APR typical finance”. This shows that the advertisers want us to remember that they are giving their buyers a low interest rate; so their audience is able to purchase the car in instalments; in another words means: “buy the car now and pay late!” However in the terminal area of the “Mitsubishi Outlander”, it shows us four images of the interior of the car and a description of the product. Compared to the “Skoda Roomster”, the last thing your eye catches is the contact number and email address of the company; followed by a slogan saying “Take a different road” with the “Mitsubishi Motors” logo. The advertisers are trying to make sure the last thing we remember of this advert is the slogan, company names or the email address; because it’s easy to remember and these simple factors can give you all the information you need to purchase the product.
Overall by analysing the layouts of both adverts; I believe that the “Skoda Roomster” advertising is very cleaver by adding: “Now available with 6.9% APR typical finance” in the terminal area. This is because the audience can not say that they haven’t got enough money to buy the product, because you can purchase it in instalments, rather than in one go. On the other hand, throughout the advert I was unaware of the name of the product; because it didn’t mention “Skoda Roomster” anywhere. However, with “Mitsubishi Outlander” the name of the product is the first thing you read; also it is bold and eye-catchy so you want be able to miss it.
The whole point of creating an advertisement is to persuade people to purchase their product, and those people are the target audience. I can tell that the target audience for the “Skoda Roomster” advert would most properly be for a family. However this car would most probably be driven by a male or a father; because the anchor mentions: “But more of a the-kids-won’t-kick-the-back-of-Dad’s-seat-again happiness.” Furthermore, there is a man driving the vehicle with the family seating behind in the advert. In addition, the language used in the copy would be aimed towards an average mid-class person.
In the “Mitsubishi Outlander” advert, the target audience for the product would be for people how want a versatile vehicle which can be used in the city and in the mountain areas; this has been showed in the setting. In addition the language used in the copy is formal and so the vehicle may be aimed at business people. Also by looking at the cars appearance, it looks pretty hefty; so women with young children would prefer to drive this car than any others, because it would be safer for their young ones. However by owing a 4x4 vehicle, the government has levelled a high tax for the use of one of these cars and there has been much debt where these cars should be used in the city or not. One of the debates is concerning mothers taking their children to school in these cars. If a child was to have an accident in the road with on of these vehicles, the chances are that the child will not survive. These cars also consume a lot of fuel so it is not echo friendly. Due to this, people may not be as reluctant to purchase the product and would affect the target audience.
In conclusion, both pieces of media I have chosen are quite similar in their own ways; however they also have a few aspects where they are different. The main similarity between the two adverts is that they are both trying to sell the same product which is the vehicles. Another similarity which both “Skoda Roomster” and “Mitsubishi Outlander” share are, they are quite conventional adverts; this is because majority of the car adverts are dominated by a big image of their product as their centre picture. Even thought these cars are made for families with children, the target audience for these advertisements are completely different. The “Skoda Roomster” is a male driven car and this is shown in the image and anchor; whereas the “Mitsubishi Outlander” it made for women so they can feel safe with their children, because of the sturdiness of the vehicle.
Overall all I prefer the “Mitsubishi Outlander” advert than the “Skoda Roomster’s”. This is because the advertisers have been clever, in the way they show the versatility of the vehicle in the setting; where as the “Skoda Roomster” was positioned in the green land. The “Mitsubishi Outlander” also presented the interior of the product in 4 series of pictures; which is eye-catching so the consumers knows what they are getting for their money. However the “Skoda Roomster” told us this in their copy. I also found the colours used in the advert were not as or eye-catchy or exciting as the “Mitsubishi Outlander’s” however I do prefer the humours used in the anchor in the “Skoda Roomster” advert than the “Mitsubishi Outlander’s”.
