17 Campaign Analysis - Irn Bru (Assessment task)

Learning Objectives: 
To explore the Irn-Bru campaign and website identifying interactivity available to the user.

Key words: Campaign, brand, word of mouth, influencer, ASA, user

A campaign.
This is run by an advertising agency, in the case of Irn Bru the Leith Agency ran the campaign.
A campaign is a sequence of advertisements for a product and links the packaging, radio, TV, print and Internet adverts.

Irn Bru is a product and a brand that has been around for a long time and has lots of competition from other soft drinks. The Leith Agency was employed to run a new campaign and a new image in order to re-launch Irn Bru and attract a new audience.

The aim of the campaign was to celebrate Scottish people's ability to see the positive in difficult and embarrassing situations.

Text
The genre is soft drinks advertising. The aim of the campaign is to persuade the audience to buy an established brand rather than a supermarket one.
The adverts in the campaign each have a short, funny, linear narrative involving a potentially difficult family situation.

The problem or disruption is introduced at the beginning.
In the Steamy Windows advert, a young boy comes home to catch his Mum in an embarrassing situation.

In New Boyfriend a young woman brings her new English boyfriend home to meet her (very) Scottish Father. In each of the adverts the situation is made better when the person takes a drink of Irn Bru. This is an attempt to repair the disruption or problem.

In Mum, a teenager arrives home with his friends and his Mum discusses her new push up bra. The boys embarrassment is reduced each time he takes a drink of Irn Bru.
The drink is not glamourised in the narrative it is just seen to restore the equilibrium and the ending is a happy one.

There are a range of representations constructed in the campaign including that of national identity.
The New Fella advert was said to be anti English by some audiences in the way it represents the reactions of the Father to the English boyfriend.
Other representations seen in the campaign are gender and teenagers.
The representation of teenagers is quite realistic, they are seen to be relatively ordinary, they are part of a family and are embarrassed by their parents.

Organisations
Advertisements themselves are promotional but they also need to be promoted.
The Leith Agency used a range of strategies to make sure the adverts were seen.
Agencies that are targeting young people will use the platforms most popular with them, Internet and mobile phone technology.
For the Irn Bru Pink Bomb advert they used these stages of marketing, the most important being word of mouth.

• 1st Stage: The YouTube link Tweeted by a fan of the brand.

• 2nd Stage: 100,000 views in 24 hours thanks to some co-ordinated influencer activity.[Influencer is where the marketing of a product or service focusses on key people who will influence others into buying the product-possibly a well known celebrity will mention the ad in a tweet or an interview].

• 3rd Stage: 650,000 views over 3 weeks as a result of spreading the word across different platforms.

• 4th Stage: The television launch of the advert.

In less than a month there were over a million views and the link continued to be shared across Twitter. Three weeks after the initial Tweet the ad was aired in high profile television spots such as The European football championships. This generated an additional 300,000 YouTube views in 48 hours and triggered hundreds of additional mentions of the link on Twitter.

Regulation
The Ad industry is regulated by the ASA, the Advertising Standards Authority. Its aim is to ensure that;

• No-one is offended by an advert.
• That they are shown at the appropriate time
• That they are legal and honest and decent and truthful.

Ordinary members of the public can complain about an advert and the ASA must investigate the complaint.
Several complaints were made about the Irn Bru adverts.

Task 1: 
Using the handout provided write why you think there may have been complaints about these ads.

Audiences/Users
A key element of the Irn Bru campaign is its website. Here users can view the campaign but also engage with the product in a range of other ways that make the brand memorable. This form of advertising has become more popular recently, particularly with a younger audience who spend less time watching television and more time on the Internet. The Irn Bru site is very interactive and encourages the audience to become involved with the promotion of the product.

Task 2: Homework.
Explore the website for Irn-Bru http://www.irn-bru.co.uk
Here you can also view the audio visual and print advertisements for the whole campaign.

Using the handout provided; what activities and opportunities are available to the user?

Who is the audience for this product and how have they been targeted by the advertisements?

How does this website help to promote the product?

Year 11 Written task success criteria
Knowledge of the concept of genre/narrative/representation
Awareness of relevant theories
Demonstrates knowledge of the convergent nature of contemporary media
Use of media terminology/key words
Quality of written communication

17 Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (Assessment task)

Learning Objective:

You will consider Maslow's hierarchy of needs and how to apply this in your textual investigation.

Key Words: 
5 stages, motivation, target audiences

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs is a theory which suggests that there are 5 stages that people go through in life. 
The theory says that at each stage we have different motivations to drive us. 
If we apply these stages to media then we can use them to try to understand the motivations behind our target audiences as well as another piece of evidence to support our arguments.

Think of the levels as relating to growing up. 

When you are a little baby your only motivations are food and sleep. (RED) 

As you become a toddler your motivations are to feel safe and loved. (ORANGE) 

As a teenager you want to be accepted by your peers and you might start to have feelings of intimacy for others. (YELLOW) 

As a young adult you are career driven and want to achieve things for yourself. (GREEN) 

As a middle aged person (and possibly a parent) you start to concern yourself with the bigger picture the world and how you might have an impact. (PURPLE)

Task 1: 

Classify the images provided by sticking them next to the appropriate stage according to Maslow.

Task 2:

Explain why you think the images match the motivations for that stage.

fig 1

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fig 4

fig 5

fig 6

fig 7

fig 8

fig 9

Uses & Gratifications Theory 

focuses not on the product but on what people do with the media. 

This theory suggests that audience members actively seek out media products to satisfy their needs. 

It also suggests that, since the audience are being active, they pick and choose the messages and ideas that suit them from a media product and ignore the rest.
Uses & Gratifications Theory can link very well with Representation and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Task 3 (Homework to be submitted on Monday): 

Write a paragraph on the text that you are investigating assessing which stage of Maslow's hierarchy you think the audience for that text is at and why.

Remember to consider primary and secondary audiences.

Year 11 Written task success criteria
Knowledge of the concept of genre/narrative/representation
Awareness of relevant theories
Demonstrates knowledge of the convergent nature of contemporary media
Use of media terminology/key words
Quality of written communication

17 Richard Dyer Stars theory

Learning Objective: To apply Richard Dyer's Stars theory to a celebrity of my choice.

Key words: Manufactured, constructed


Richard Dyer's Star Theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are manufactured by institutions for financial gain. 
He believes that stars are constructed to represent 'real people' experiencing real emotions. 
Stars are manufactured by the music industry to serve a purpose; to make money out of audience, who respond to various elements of a star’s personality by buying records and becoming fans. 

• Dyer proposes that: A star is an image, not a real person, that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (eg advertising, magazines etc as well as films music).
•  BRIEF DEFINITION OF A STAR 

Icons and celebrities that have been constructed by institutions for financial gain and to target one specific audience/group of people.

• This persona of this star is a fictional identity thus  not restricting the star to musicianship, many ‘STARS’ introduce new aspects to their brand such as fashion trends or charity work.
• DYER’S THEORY CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO SECTIONS:

1. The making of a star
2. Constructions
3. Audience and Institutions
4. Hegemony (Cultural Beliefs)

5. Character and personality

• Rihanna is a prime example of Richard Dyer's idea of a star
• MAKING OF A STAR

Pop star Rihanna/RiRi is known for her identity which is not bound by her singing career. 

She was formally a pop performer only. Record label Def. Jam RocNation transformed her into a pop star after her album‘Good Girl Gone Bad’.

She had a celebrity boyfriend who became present in most magazine shoots and attended premiers and famous parties. These are known as pseudo events. 

People now recognise her not just for music but for her behaviour which they find out about through social media. She now has a huge star identity.

•  MAINTAINING STARDOM

Richard Dyer insists that true pop stars have lasting significances if they make sufficient sociological or cultural impacts if not they will be forgotten by all but their most avid fans within a few years.Rihanna has a charity what has made impact. The Believe foundation (founded by RiRi, 2006)outlined goals of aiding 10,000 people in need of bone marrow transplants, the foundation also wants to recruit and register donors; with the help of Rihanna the foundation raises brand awareness. The foundation would leave a lasting affect on people after her fame making her a ‘true pop star’.

•  AUDIENCE AND INSTITUTIONS

Stars are made fundamentally to make money. The music institution then models the stars image around the target audience.Rihanna is modelled on what trends are being set, her persona’s character and personality are based on what is the ‘right now’ trends

• CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY 

Dyer's theory suggest that stars are made to make money and that purpose aloneAlthough the star starts as a ‘real’ human in institution they are transformed so they can provided a image of their time and culture. Audience can see how Rihanna went from being curvy to skinny as the trends have changed.The audience tend to read them as not-entirely-fictional, as being are very much of their time and culture, the product of a particular generation. The star provides audiences with idea of what they are meant to be like.

• CONSTRUCTION OF A STAR

The star is built solely for an audience, not the person. Rihanna was constructed by Def.Jam Roc Nation (her record label) with hair-dos, fashions and other USP’s to differ from othersFor example you can see how she has changed in time to be different

• HEGEMONY (CULTURAL BELIEFS)

Hegemony in Star theory is that we (as the audience) can relate to the star as we admire or share what they are experiencing. This develops into idolisations. 

Rihanna has a massive following in magazines, social networking sites and so on so the audience can see her actions everywhere. Some attempt to replicate what they like about the star, but this can be negative to the stars as they are seen as role modes. Rihanna can be seen as role model to 13+ females, but as a ‘bad girl’ she isa bad influence because she is spotted smoking drugs, abusing alchol and taking nude photos as well as staying in a relationship with a alleged abusive boyfriend. 

Rihanna is seen to deal with young people's issues and so appeals to a young target audience.

Task 1:

Use the handout to name your favourite star.

Choose one only.

• List 3 reasons why they are your favourite star. What gives them star status?

Possible reasons could be the genre of the texts they work in, the type of character they are seen to be, what do you like about how they appear in interviews?

• Write a paragraph on how the star has changed over the course of their career; ask yourself if you did not used to like them and do now? Vice-Versa? Why is this?
• How has the star been constructed? 
• Do some research to find out how they have promoted themselves and the texts they have appeared in.  Are there any interviews or do they use social media extensively?
  

16 Connotations of colour

Learning Objective: To apply colour theory to texts

Key words:

Color surrounds us everyday of our lives.

Each color conveys a feeling.

The psychology of color evaluates what each color portrays.

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It's suggested that the color red creates the feeling of excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, and danger.

RED

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While green gives more of a relaxing feeling.  Green is also suggestive of nature and freshness. The colour of new beginnings.

Symbolizes nature, calming, refreshing, growth, harmony, fertility, safety, healing, and freedom. 

Green is easy on the eyes and non-invasive. 

Darker hues of green tend to be more masculine and conservative. Dark greens are often linked to the financial world (wall street, wealth, money). Lighter hues of green (aqua, olive) are good for healing or peaceful purposes.

GREEN

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Blue suggests trust, security, reliability, belonging, and coolness.

The police are known as the boys in blue.

Holds mostly positive connotations: peaceful, calming, tranquility, loyalty, nature (sky, ocean), depth, stability, trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, spiritual, productivity, cleansing, and health. On the flip side, blue can also be representative of cold and depression.

Blue is considered a masculine color, and is more commonly preferred by men over women. It’s a good color to wear to job interviews and a wise choice for promoting high tech products, as it suggests precision and strength. Tests have shown that people in blue colored rooms tend to be more productive. Weight lifters have also been shown to be able to lift greater amounts of weight in blue colored gyms.

It’s advised to not use blue in association with anything food or cooking related, as it suppresses the appetite. Blue, when combined with warm colors like yellow or red, can create high impact and vibrant designs. Blue is often considered to be the safest global color.

Darker blues tend to more represent depth, expertise, stability, power, seriousness, and integrity. Dark blue is commonly used in the corporate world. 

Lighter hues of blue are often used for anything relating to healing, tranquility, Freshness and softness.

BLUE

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Violet is the color of dignity, spirituality, wealth, royalty, and magic.

Combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. 

Terms associated with purple include: royalty, ambition, wealth, sophistication, femininity, creativity, mystery, nobility, magic, independence, and romance. Because purple appears little in nature, it can often appear artificial. Because of this; it’s advisable to not use purple in designs trying to portray a sense of “natural”.

According to surveys, about 75% of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. 

Lighter colored purples tend to evoke romantic and nostalgic feelings while darker purples more commonly convey gloom, sad feelings, and frustration.

PURPLE

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Black can suggest hate in some cases, but on the other hand it can suggest sophistication, elegance, seductiveness, and mystery.
Black is used commonly to advertise luxury cars.  This has to deal with the fact that black symbolizes authority, sophistication and power.  So someone who wants to feel in control of their car and important would probably lean towards a black car.It is a formal colour, worn to black tie dinners.


 The black leather jacket is a symbol of rebellion.

BLACK

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The opposite of black is white which is considered pure, virginal, clean, and youthful.

The feeling can also coincide with light and hope.

Innocence, purity, goodness, cleanliness, perfection, safety, positive, faith, cleanliness, cold, virginity, safety. A wise color choice for use with charitable organizations, hospitals, and anything trying to show safety or purity. A neutral colour.

WHITE


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Yellow, a color that obviously suggests the sunshine and the warmth the sun provides.  It's also a very happy color that conveys hope.

The exciting colour of health and happiness.

YELLOW

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Another bright color is orange which is a very playful, warm and vibrant color.  

It is a dynamic cross between red and yellow, the colour of movement.

Estate agents use orange as ado parcel delivery companies.

Also a healthy colour like... er oranges!

ORANGE

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All these colors and more are used in marketing and media because of all the different feelings they are able to convey. 

Task 1: List the  Colour symbolism summary below in your orange books

Red – importance – passion – love - danger

Orange – health – movement -dynamism

Yellow – warmth – permanence

Green – freshness – beginning- youth– newness

Blue – cool – sad - authority-trust

Purple – wealth - luxury - power

Black – evil – formality - mourning - simplicity - sophistication

White – innocence – purity – formality - sophistication

Neutral – urban - sophistication


Task 2:

Create a mood board using Adobe Photoshop to show how colours have connotations.

• Red
• Yellow
• Blue

Below is an example of a mood board.

Flatten each image and save as a jpg which will be included in a Power Point presentation.

E-mail this to Mr Ealey when complete.

Year 11 Written task success criteria
Knowledge of the concept of genre/narrative/representation
Awareness of relevant theories
Demonstrates knowledge of the convergent nature of contemporary media
Use of media terminology/key words
Quality of written communication

16 Textual Investigation 2 - Sound analysis

Learning objective: 
To identify the technical codes of sound within moving image texts
To develop analytical skills in examining audio in a media text

Key words: 
Diegetic, non-diegetic, voice over, sound bridge, synchronous, asynchronous, contrapuntal.

It is important that you can identify the different sounds within the text you are investigating using media terminology.

Task 1: 

Orange books, note down  Sound Terminology and meaning as discussed in class.

DIEGETIC

A sound that is part of the film world and usually heard by those in it. Music on a jukebox in a cafe or doors opening for example.

NON-DIEGETIC

A sound which is added later during editing for effect and therefore cannot be heard by those in the film world. Voice over narration, soundtrack or theme tunes for example.

MUSIC

A soundtrack added during editing and the sound and tone can affect the meaning of the scene and appeal to audiences of that genre.

ASYNCHRONOUS SOUND

Sound which is in the world of the text but the audience cannot see it being produced therefore it has greater significance. The sound of footsteps but we are not shown the feet walking.

SYNCHRONOUS SOUND

Sound which is directly matched to a moving image. The term is used in two ways in different sources:

-    Sound recorded at the same time as the images – for example, dialogue spoken by the actors on set. This does not include any sound added in post production.

-    Sound which appears to the audience to come from the scene, whether or not it was actually recorded with the images. Thus includes post-synched dialogue, sound effects and Foley. Also known as parallel sound. Footsteps for example.

SOUND EFFECTS

Usually added to film in post-production, they may be used to build up ambience or reinforce action.

SOUND BRIDGE

Film and TV editing technique in which visual cuts are deliberately not matched with audio cuts. For example, the editor may cut to a completely new scene, but allow sound from the preceding scene to run on for a short time. Alternatively, we may hear the sound of the next scene before we see it.

VOICE OVER

A type of non-diegetic, asynchronous sound in which the audience hear a voice that does not have a source either within the frame or within hearing distance, and which is not heard by the people on screen. Voice overs allow us to see things from a particular character’s point of view

CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND

Sounds that do not easily match the images they are accompanying, or even go against them. This can have a disorientating effect upon the audience and make them question what they are seeing.

Task 2:
Using the handouts provided, identify and analyse the sound types within the text you are investigating for your essay. 

Task 3:
Complete the Audio Technical Codes Test. (homework to be submitted on Thursday)

Year 11 Written task success criteria
Knowledge of the concept of genre/narrative/representation
Awareness of relevant theories
Demonstrates knowledge of the convergent nature of contemporary media
Use of media terminology/key words
Quality of written communication