The pictures in both adverts use the car as the main focus. From looking closely at the two adverts I have noticed that the angle in which the cars are seen are different. In the Peugeot 206 cc advert the car is seen from a distance and at eye level. This may be to show the reader the distance at the moment between them and the car (if you don’t own the car). The advert could be telling the reader that, that is the closest they will come to the car unless they buy it. This makes the consumer want it more because they cant get it.
In the Smart Roadster advert the angle of the car is almost on top of you creating a various number of meanings. This could be suggesting the car of high quality implying the owner will look good in the car. Another meaning of the angle of the car could be that it is bigger than you which then hints that you would look cool in the car.
In the Peugeot 206 cc advert the foreground consists of many snakes. Snakes suggest fear but are often misunderstood. In ancient times snakes were symbols of rain, fertility and creation. In the bible it explains the story of Adam and Eve and how the snake told them to eat the apple. This story is about temptation and evil. The advert may suggest that it is tempting to go through the snakes to get to the car.
On the other hand, in many cultures snakes symbolise eternity, wisdom and healing. This may imply that you should go through the snakes. Having the snakes in the foreground and the car behind tempts you to go through even though it is dangerous and wrong.
The pictures in the Smart Roadster are the main picture, the car and then a picture of a fairground with a few rides. The fairground could mean fun and excitement which links to the qualities you will have in the car. The impact that this will have on the audience is that you will not need to go to a fairground to have fun. The photograph of the car is slightly intimidating which may be a downside to the advert. In spite of this, the car is seen as overpowering which it may make you feel to over drivers if you drove this car.
In the Peugeot 206 cc advert, the position of the car is at eye-level and quite far away. One reason why the advertiser put it at this level is because this is the angle when you are not looking up or down which could represent you being able to get the car. If you are looking up at the car it could mean the car is too good for you but if you are looking down at the car it could indicate that you are too good for the car. When looking at the whole picture you can see ruins or parts of old building at the sides and behind the car. This could link in with the snake’s ancient background versus technology. Who will win? As well as the pictures the colours play a big part in advertising the product.
The colours used in the Peugeot 206 cc advert are dull apart from the colour of the car. This may be to focus on the product and not the rest of the advert. The colour of the car is red which could have a number of different meanings. The first ones that come to mind are love, anger, blood, power and energy. By researching further into this colour I have found many more colour symbolisms. In China the colour red symbolises prosperity and joy. This could indicate being joyful if you buy the car. Another aspect of this colour is life and vitality. By purchasing this car you could start a new life or add vitality to the one you have. This could signify being happy and could symbolise a change. This denotes that you will be happier if you buy the car. Often people who drive red cars are bold and dynamic. It is often said about people that you can tell what kind of person they are by the car they drive. I’m not sure if this is true but the colour is correct. Because red is bold it often links in with power and energy, this could carry on suggesting if you have power and energy it is likely that it will boost your confidence.
From reading further into this colour I have also found that red also is associated with root Chakra that deals with life at the level of practicality. This then suggests that the car is practical and also desirable, as it is associated with love (red roses). Although these are the good points about the colour red there are some bad ones. Stop signs are which indicate danger. There is also fire and burning along with anger and temptation. This concluded back to the colour of the car and the slogan ‘What would you go through?’ If you were tempted enough would you go through something you feared.
The Smart Roadster is more eye-catching of the two adverts because of the light green background colour. When people think of green they think life, nature, growth, envy and maybe well being. There are many other meanings of this colour, one being balance. From research well-balanced people choose green. Green is usually a symbol of grass and nature. The colour meanings of green connect with those of plants and nature in which w are growing and learning everyday. When a plant is a bulb it will transform into a beautiful flower. This is what is said about people and which also corresponds to the advert. By buying the Smart Roadster it may offer a change in lifestyle or growing and learning and finding yourself. The advertisement suggests if you buy the car you will transform into something better which implies feeling better and being in a better position. If you were in a different position, for example, at work, you would be earning more which takes us back to the advert and money, often associated with the colour green. Another symbol to this colour may be envy. If people are envious of the car then consumers will be jealous therefore making it more desirable.
On every advert there is usually a logo. This is so the advert is recognizable even if you haven’t seen the product. The logo used in Peugeot 206 cc advert is a blue square with a drawing of a lion.
The slogans used in the adverts help the consumers in remembering the advert and product being sold. In the Peugeot 206 cc advert the slogan is ‘The drive of your life’. This suggests that if you buy the car, or any car from Peugeot you will get the drive of your life. The drive of your life implies you wont get any car that’s better in your whole life. The ‘your’ in the slogan indicates that the advert is talking to you only. The slogan may help us in identifying the audience in two ways. In the slogan ‘ The drive of your life’ it could be for older people suggesting they have driven many cars but this will be the best, yet if the audience was younger they are unlikely to have driven many cars therefore this car being the best one they are going to drive.
In the Smart Roadster advert the slogan is ‘ Open your mind’. This may mean open your mind to new ideas such as the new Smart Roadster. Many of the Smart cars are odd in appearance which many represent opening your mind not just to Smart cars, but to other cars which are unusual. This may link back to the colour of the advert green in which this colour symbolises learning, changing and growing. By opening our minds to the new species of car we have allowed ourselves to grow and change with the times. I think both the adverts are effective but I think the Smart Roadster slogan is more effective than the Peugeot slogan.
The Peugeot slogan doesn’t particular appeal to me but I don’t believe that a Peugeot car would be the drive of your life in which ever target audience you fit in to. The Smart Roadster slogan is keeping up with the time we are in and allowing us to open our minds to new ideas and products.
As well as slogans, adverts use different styles of text to emphasize the important information or to highlight the slogan or title. In the Peugeot 206 cc advert the text that has been enlarged or pointed out e.g. the make of the car 206 cc, title ‘what would you go through? And the slogan ‘ the drive of your life’ has been increased in size slightly.
The purpose of enlarging the text for the title is so you see the picture then title and automatically know what they are selling and a technique used. If I wanted to buy the car and was interested in the advert I would read further. The logo has been enlarged so the reader knows what company is selling the product. The slogan is almost always enlarged to a degree so that we remember it therefore remembering the advert and the product.
In the Smart Roadster advert the word ‘helter skelter’ is significantly enlarged in a modern and fun style. The text is in black with a thick white border. Helter skelter refers back to the fairground earlier. Underneath this are the words; we dig your cornering, but not your carpet burns’. This is quite large, bold and black which suggests ‘read me’ in the text below the car it hints adventure because of the font and effect of rhetorical questions. These questions are effective because they make the reader think therefore spending time on looking at the advert and time to enjoy the advert and product.
The adverts both use a lot of techniques in order to sell the product. A technique that is used on both adverts is rhetorical questions. The Peugeot 206 cc advert uses only one rhetorical question where as the Smart Roadster uses many. Rhetorical questions are questions that don’t need to be answered.
Another technique used in both adverts is pictures. Adverts use pictures to show the product they are selling and then usually portray you in the car having fun. In the Smart Roadster advert it uses rhetorical questions, imperatives (join in) and colour to attract a consumer.
The logo used on the adverts is so the advert is easily recognizable without seeing the product. The logo used on the Peugeot 206 cc advert stands out from the background, as it is a blue square with a white lion drawn in the middle. The lion could symbolise strength, power, pride, courage, wisdom and regalness, which may relate to the qualities of the car. The design of the logo and the intricacy of it maybe to show the care put into not just the logo, but the car as well. Then hereditary of the lion suggest, kings, warriors, royalty, guards, English football shirts. This indicates that you would feel powerful in the car and it would be a privilege to drive.
The logo on the Smart Roadster is in lower case text suggesting child like letters. This implies play and learning which you may have in the car. The logo stands out from the background colour and the outside edge is angular hinting that the handling of the car is good as well as the traction of the tyres. The c in the logo could denote vision and what you can see whilst in the car. It could also mean how people see you when driving. The triangular shape next to this letter could be a play button suggesting you will have fun in this car non-stop.
To conclude this piece of writing I would say that the Smart roadster is more effective because of the use of colour, pictures, advertising techniques used and the text. The Peugeot 206 cc advert appeals to a larger audience therefore the advert cannot use some words that are extensive in language if the person is younger. The Smart Roadster advert appeals you a younger audience consequently using a younger language than it would if it was for an older audience. The colours on the Smart Roadster advert are a lot more fun than the Peugeot 206 cc advert implying I would have more fun if I bought that car.
