Explain and analyse the structures and techniques of television advertisements
Introduction
Television advertising is a method that a company uses to sell their product, it is a sales pitch done in a short amount of time. The aim of a television advert is to get the viewers’ attention and this in turn hopefully persuades them to buy or use the product they are selling. Many different strategies are applied, appropriate to the advert such as sad music is often played in the back ground of the NSPPC adverts when trying to get people to donate to a worthy cause, similarly the John Lewis Christmas adverts are well known for their heart felt captivating messages. It has become traditional, almost like Christmas itself, that John Lewis airs a narrative and emotional story and these adverts are highly anticipated. “As the nation - and marketing community - quivered in anticipation of the launch of John Lewis' magnum opus….” (1) and there is a lot of pressure on John Lewis to deliver - “every year, John Lewis must meet - but preferably surpass - the expectations of a public obsessed with an ad like no other.” (1).
Apart from the John Lewis narrative advert there are many other ways to structure an advert which I will discuss in this essay. This essay will also research and analyse the different types of adverts and techniques used in television advertisement and demonstrate how companies have used market research to ensure that the structure and the style of the advert, ranging from Humorous to Parodic, along with different conventions of recording the advert from wide camera shots to varying camera angles and different types of lighting ensure it meets the purpose of the advert.
Narrative Structures
A narrative structure is where the advertiser tells a story, however there are many different ways to tell a story. Linear structure is where the viewer tells a story with a beginning, middle and end, there is nothing to work out, it is simply a story. An example of a linear advert is the John West Tuna advert. A Story advert can engage the viewer more than non-story advert and results in greater enjoyment. If the story is well told with emotive elements the viewer is engaged, however at what cost? Studies have shown over the years the impact of adverts should be considered particularly in children, in that the brand or product they are selling, especially where the story element is powerful and emotive, for example if a spot cream is promising to rid all teenagers acne, the advert shows suddenly the boy gets a girlfriend and his life is perfect (Clearasil advert). The perception is unrealistic. Buijzen, M. and Valkenburg, P.M., 2003 highlights impacts of advertising on the young and quote:-
“Several authors have suggested that advertising stimulates materialistic values in children….. …..according to these authors, advertising enhances materialism because it is designed to arouse desires for products that would not otherwise be salient.” (2)
Therefore although using a narrative linear technique ensures the consumer achieves in goal in selling a product or service, the story lines used, are exaggerated and impressionable more so to the younger viewers, in not only offering to resolve a problem they have e.g clear spots up, or clear up body odour the narrative adverts go further and indicates that it will not only solve the problem but make life more better by becoming popular friends or getting a boy/girlfriend.
Techniques: Below is a list of commonly used techniques for advertising. I have selected a few to explain in more detail: Association: Uses images in the hope that you will associate them with good feelings that you already possess about the subject (cartoon characters, national flags etc) Example: Advert for Lynx Excite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgMZ2uCkwaI Humour: Adverts that are funny tend to be more memorable. Example: Panda Cheese Advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X21mJh6j9i4 Repetition: Repeating a message or idea so you remember it. Example: The McDonald’s advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRqB59G5c2Y Testimonials and endorsements: Featuring someone, like a celebrity, saying how the product worked for them. Example: Oral B toothbrush advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag32VObfwus Example: BT Smart Hub with Ryan Reynolds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTDb_mjti84 Bandwagon: Making a product seem more popular or trendy Association: Example: Advert for Lynx Excite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgMZ2uCkwaI Repetition Repetition of adverts is usually used in a form of a song or slogan. The slogan or song is so catchy the audience remembers the tune. The repetition of the song that the ‘go compare’ man sings in the first go compare advert was so successful it has continued through all of the go compare adverts. Typically in repetition style adverts there are limited lyrics and tend to repeat the same words usually with a catchy tune. The ‘go compare’ adverts are a success in that the advert is recognised nationally and internationally, however the risk of repetition adverts is that the viewer may become disinterested and almost ‘worn out’ by what its perceived to be an annoying tune/slogan. If the viewer becomes agitated by the advert, they are likely to avoid buying the product or service. ‘Consumer Fatigue’ is a risk with repetition style adverts. Emotional content
In advertisements emotion is used to elicit a response for a product or service, the idea being that if something connects with you on an emotional level, you are more likely to use it. Charity adverts are a prime example of this, the main emotion that is used here is guilt or sadness, they create this by showing distressing images of sick children or animals to get the public to donate and therefore help further their cause. These adverts are often played on loop at Christmas time, there are two main reasons for this. One reason is that people save their money for Christmas and, before they spend it all, people can spare £2.00. The second reason is that during Christmas time, people are surrounded by gifts, when these adverts come on, people gain a sense of guilt and are therefore more likely to donate.
“the research examines the relationships between knowledge of persuasion tactics and charities….the research finds that manipulative intent and the respondents' scepticism toward advertising tactics in general are negatively related to guilt arousal but that their affective evaluation and beliefs about a charity are positively related to feelings of guilt. However, it also shows that there is a positive direct relationship between perceived manipulative intent and the intention to donate.”(3)
Humour
Humour is used in many adverts to make it memorable. People remember funny adverts such as the “John West tuna” adverts which sees a man fight a bear over a fish. This technique is shown to work as people are invested in these adverts. Humour not only grabs the attention of the audience but also the good sensation created when laughing is hopefully associated with the product and thus we consciously or subconsciously link the feeling we experienced to the product. Another example of an advert that uses humour to put across is the dairy milk chocolate adverts. The advert shows a man in his office singing and rolling on his chair as he eats the chocolate, putting across how the chocolate makes him happy.
“…..two hundred and fifty-four university students were recruited to watch five television commercials and respond to a structured questionnaire. Results showed that humour secured attention getting whilst disrupting message processing. It is also found that repeated exposure to the same humorous commercial does not harm its persuasive effect. Male audiences regard humorous commercials as more persuasive while female audiences are the opposite.” (4)
Celebrity endorsement
Celebrity endorsement is when a famous person helps sell a product or service. For example women or men may choose to buy a branded lipstick as their favourite actress has expresses in a commercial in that it makes her lips plumper. Celebrity endorsement is a common techniques used in advertising and benefits are obvious in that the sexual appeal of the celebrity gets the viewer taking notice of
the product being sold and addition it helps brand equity. To a consumer brand equity creates product different to other competitors on the market. When a famous person sells a product as your recognise the, you are more likely to trust what they are selling and remember the brand. A famous Olympian selling running shoes almost convinces the consumer that if the Olympian uses them, they will of course perform better. However there are risks to celebrity endorsement, the famous Iceland Advert whereby Kerry Katona who was seen as a responsible mum and used slogan “All mums shop at Iceland”, was dramatically dropped from the advert after an appearance on TV and social media gossip accused her of taking drugs and not being a fit mother. When celebrity changes their lifestyle or public no longer seems them in a good light the advert can be short lived.
Subliminal Messaging
A hidden or subliminal message is a message that is delivered subconsciously. A subliminal message can be delivered through images or storylines. Overt messages, in contrast to hidden/subliminal messages, are easy to see and open displayed prominently. Overt messages can be implied, for example; an advertisement for toothpaste will imply that having whiter teeth is the best thing to have.
Branding Identity
Branding identity includes logos, colour schemes, slogans, values and is used in advertising so the audience recognise the product more easily. Brand Loyalty/consistency is when someone chooses to use only one brand for a specific product due to recognition and the quality of it. McDonalds’ branding uses the colour scheme of red and yellow; the two colours together create a bright tone, which correlates to the idea of McDonalds’ food being exciting and it being a happy experience when you visit the restaurant. McDonald’s and most other brands have added slogans to their brand through repetition. This forces the brand identity on the audience, in McDonalds’ case the phrase ‘I’m lovin’ it’ is repeated through all of their adverts.
Advertising Standards
Regulatory bodies such as OFCOM (Office of Communications) and The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) were set up to control the content of Television and Radio broadcasts. OFCOM is a government-approved agency and is responsible for the licensing of all commercial broadcasters and advertisers are therefore bound by a set of rules called The Broadcasting Code. The code covers aspects such as the showing of inappropriate content before a certain time and has the power to revoke licenses if it deems that there has been a breach. OFCOM also deals with viewer or listener complaints. If a complaint is received they will request a copy of the broadcast and examine the content, they will also request a response to the complaint from the broadcaster. After reviewing any evidence they will mark the complaint as either “upheld” or “not upheld”. If it is upheld then anything from a fine to revoking of a license can be levied against the offending broadcaster.
OFCOM is responsible for all facets of broadcasting whereas The ASA solely focuses on advertising, unlike OFCOM it is a non-statutory organisation and therefore cannot enforce legislation so instead uses a “code of advertising practice”. Its role is to make sure that any advertising material complies with their advertising standards codes and in particular it stipulates that "before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation" and that "no marketing communication should mislead, or be likely to mislead, by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise". Although unable to hand down any form of reprimand they are if necessary able to refer to either OFCOM or alternatively The Office of Fair Trading under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. (5)
In addition to The ASA there is the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) which works under the same codes as The ASA but deals specifically with sales promotions. Although they have never clearly defined their remit it is known to include BOGOF, Discounted Purchase Offers, Loyalty Reward Schemes (such as Tesco Clubcard or Air Miles) and Lottery/Scrathcards.
Audiences
Producers need to prove to potential advertisers that their message was received firstly by a certain number of people and secondly by a certain type. To reach a target number of viewers then you would need to advertise during “prime time” or during certain shows with high viewing figures. This would pretty much guarantee you high numbers, however would also prove more expensive as a premium is placed on prime time advertising (for instance, a 30 second slot during the 2015 Superbowl cost $4.5 million). To reach a certain type of audience then you would considering advertising during shows for that demographic, for instance, if you were advertising a product aimed primarily towards females then you might consider advertising during programmes such as Loose Women or Jeremy Kyle whereas if your target demographic is primarily male then you might lean more towards advertising during sporting events.
Focus groups are also appointed to see how well certain adverts are being received, feedback is noted and adjustments would be made accordingly.
Research into population spread could also be a factor and advertisers could consider advertising on a more regional scale depending on the demand in each area.
Advertisers/Producers like to categorise their audiences into 5 key demographics:
Income Bracket/Social Status Age Gender Race Location
Once these have been established they can dig deeper and look into things such as:
Buying Habits Brand Loyalty Type of Media (do they watch mostly TV, listen to radio etc.)
When they have this information, they can then try and shape their advertisement to suit their targeted audience.
Before an advert can be released, the developers must make considerations to their audience. The main way to do this is through interviews and primary research. Information about the product, advertisements and the person being interviewed are required. The reason that personal information is needed is to differentiate between certain groups and classes of people and to find any trends in the categories. Information about general advertising is needed to see what type of adverts appeal to most people, this is needed so that the advertisers can know how to appeal to their audience and therefore make people want to buy their product/service. Lastly, information relating to the product is needed to tell if people would buy their product and if so, what kind of people. Sources of information are places where individuals or companies can find out information on placing an ad. There are both primary and secondary sources of information. Primary research is research you conduct yourself, such as interviews or running tests and collecting the data. This is used when you can’t find the answer anywhere else or you need information unique to a situation. Secondary research it is done by someone else and you use it. An example would be using google to find answers to a question. Secondary is used when there aren’t too many variables involved in the research.
Conclusion
Advertising can be the difference between the success and failure of a particular product and therefore companies spend a lot of time, effort and money creating what they think is the right advert for their target demographic, while at the same time staying within the realms of what is and isn’t allowed to be broadcast/advertised.
As highlighted in this essay, many codes and conventions as well as different structures and techniques are used to try and make this possible. There is no right or wrong way, I suppose, for the advertiser/producer, it is just whatever feels right for that particular product. For example, humour is a very effective tool for advertising as it makes it memorable and gives a product more longevity in the buyers mind, but it may not be appropriate perhaps for the drink driving campaigns that come out around Christmas time, the advertisers there are looking for something hard hitting and memorable but are also looking for you to take the advert seriously.
A thirty-second-time slot is not a long time to get a message across, especially when that message first needs to grab the viewers’ attention and then show that viewer what it is that they want them to buy before informing them how they go about buying it.
References http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/ Buijzen, M. and Valkenburg, P.M., 2003. The unintended effects of television advertising: A parentchild survey. Communication Research, 30(5), pp.483-503. Hibbert, S., Smith, A., Davies, A. and Ireland, F., 2007. Guilt appeals: Persuasion knowledge and charitable giving. Psychology & Marketing, 24(8), pp.723-742 Chan, F.Y., 2011. Selling through entertaining: The effect of humour in television advertising in Hong Kong. Journal of Marketing Communications, 17(5), pp.319-336. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/915/contents/made