6 Analysing a campaign: Irn-Bru - Representation

Learning Objective: To explore the Irn-Bru campaign and consider representation.

Key terms:
Campaign: This is run by an advertising agency, in the case of Irn-Bru, Leith Agency. A campaign is a sequence of advertisements for a product and links the packaging, radio, TV, print and Internet.
Representation: How people , places, issues and events are presented in different media texts in order to create meanings.
Stereotypes: this is where a group of people are shown in a particular way by exaggerating certain characteristics.

Task 1: Write down the two definitions above in your orange books.

Irn-Bru is a product and a brand that has been around for a long time and has come up against competition from soft drinks.
The company had to create a new campaign and a new image in order tore-launch itself and attract a new audience. It launched a cross media campaign in 2012 with a new slogan:
Irn-Bru: Gets You Through
The aim was to celebrate the Scots' 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 this 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 is introduced at the beginning of each advert.
For example, in Steamy Windows, a young boy comes home to catch his Mum in an embarrassing situation.

In another, New Fella, a young woman brings home her new English boyfriend to meet her very (stereotypical) Scottish Father.
In each of the adverts the situation is made better when the person takes a drink from the can of Irn-Bru.
Within the narrative structure, this is the attempt to repair disruption or resolve the problem.

In Mum, one of the most recent adverts (2013) in the campaign, a teenager arrives home with his friends where his Mum discusses her new push up bra. The boy's embarrassment is reduced every time he takes a drink from the can and the situation is made to seem better.
The drink is not glamorised in the narrative but 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 national identity.
In fact the New Fella ad was said by some to be anti English in the way it represents the reactions of the Father to the English boyfriend.

Task 1: 
Create a mind map in your orange books which deals with the representation of Scotland and all things Scottish that you can think of.

Task 2: 
Create a mood board of stereotypical Scottish things. E-mail this to Mr Ealey at the end of the lesson.

Other representations seen in the campaign include teenagers and gender.
The representation of teenagers is more realistic than in some advertisements, they are seen to be relatively 'ordinary', they are part of the family and are embarrassed by their parents.

7 Celebrity and Media organisations

Learning objective:
To think of an idea for a new product and choose a celebrity to endorse the product.

Key terms:
Endorse-If celebrities endorse a product they say that they use it and think it is good.
In this way advertisers hope to persuade the audience, if they like the celebrity, to buy the product.

Without the media, celebrities would not exist.

Media texts are the ways through which stars and celebrities are marketed to an audience.
Stars learn how to use certain media texts to their advantage, but they are not in control of some of the images that may appear in the media.

Target Audience-Advertisers know who their target audience is going to be, after all without this there can be no sales/profit and subsequently no more product/service.

Pseudo events-events that keep celebrities in the public eye, red carpeted premieres, chat shows (like Jonathon Ross) charity functions etc.

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Advertisers use a number of ways to categorise their target audiences:

• Maslow.

• NRS.

• Uses and gratifications theory.

Media texts, for example magazines, will be very aware of which celebrities are favoured by their readers and will feature them on the front cover or in the pages of the magazine.

As most of us do not have direct access to our favourite stars, we rely on the media to give us information about them.

The media like to use celebrities that are easily recognisable with the target audience.
They try to use people that the audience can easily associate with, this way people will trust what the celebrity says (or endorses) and will buy the product or service.
Olly Murs, for example is 'East End boy with a working class attitude and braces. Audiences can associate with him and will trust him. He is marketed as a 'boy next door' type.

Audiences can also use celebrity to construct their personal identity (Uses and Gratification theory).
This means that advertisers can try to sell the idea of a lifestyle which the audience can aspire to.

It is important to advertisers that celebrities stay in the public eye for the right reasons (reasons that will attract a target audience and sell a product or service). Celebrities use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram to keep their fans updated.

Miley Cyrus uses Instagram to keep her fans updated

Chat shows are also a good way for stars to control their image. Here they can come across as down to earth or posh, whatever suits their career. These are called Pseudo events.

All stars are constructions (Richard Dyer said this). They are constructed using visual and technical codes in the media productions they appear in.

However if a celebrity becomes unpopular or has some negative news around them, this is not good for the product that they are endorsing. Tiger Woods for example, was dropped by Nike following some controversy.

The Coco Mademoiselle Chanel ad campaign used Keira Knightly as a spokesperson for the product. However, it is difficult to sell a fragrance through the media so the campaign shows Knightley within a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle which would appeal to the target audience. The ad shows Knightley to be a confident or empowered young woman.

Some celebrities are ideal for certain products because they appeal to audiences that might want to be like them or  would like to have a lifestyle like them.

Advertisers use persuasive techniques to attract audiences.
Persuasive techniques include 
Bandwagon - All the cool people are doing it. No one likes to be left out or left behind, and these ads urge us to "jump on the bandwagon.”

Repetition - words, sounds or images may be repeated to reinforce the main point. The ad may be repeated all over town

 Humor. Many ads use humor because it grabs our attention and it’s a powerful persuasion technique. When we laugh, we feel good.

Emotional appeal: When decisions are made at the subconscious level, they are based on emotions and instincts, or "gut feeling."

See this post on persuasive techniques for other techniques advertisers use to attract audiences.

Answer the following questions.Write in your orange books.

Task 1 [25]: 

How may the media affect an audience's response to a celebrity? [5]

For example, by the way in which photographs are framed.
Consider the settings the celebs are shown in.
What other events do celebrities turn up in?

• Explore how celebrities make sure that they stay in the public eye? [5]

• Why might  advertisers want to use celebrities to endorse their products? [5]

• Give some examples of celebrities who appear in advertisements for products.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages for this advertising technique? [5]

• Why do you think L'Oreal chose Cheryl Cole as their endorser? [5]

Task 2 [10]:
Think of an idea for a new consumable product.
Choose a celebrity that you would use to endorse your product.

Write down:

• What your new product is, (for example a fragrance or a new pair of trainers). [2]
• The name of your new product. [2]
• Your choice of celebrity. [2]
• Explain why you have chosen that celebrity. [4]

Task 3 [25]:
Mock up (draw) a print based advertisement showing how your celebrity choice would help to appeal to your audience.

• Annotate your design showing the decisions you have made.

(This is NOT an Art exam so just indicate colour by writing and stick figures will do for people, just write next to them)

You must include the following:

• Main Image 
• Copy
• A Slogan
• Brand Logo

Consider if your advert uses any of the following persuasive techniques: 

• Bandwagon
• Repetition
• Testimonials/Celebrity endorsement
• Humour

8 Representation of stars and celebrities in the media

Learning Objective:
To discuss how celebrities are represented on magazine front pages.

Key terms:
Construction-The way in which the text is put together, for example the choice of font, headline or main image.

Anchorage:
The words that go with the image. They give the image meaning.

Depending on the media text, stars and celebrities will be represented in different ways. Representation is an important media term and it means the way in which media texts, for example magazines, newspapers and television programmes, present people, events and issues.

The ways in which stars and celebrities are presented by different media texts will affect how the audience views and judges them. For example, the way in which magazines represent celebrities through their use of images, headlines and captions can have an effect on what the audience think about them.

When exploring how a particular star/celebrity is represented in a media text you will need to think about:

1. The way in which the media text is constructed:

How have technical codes like camera shots and editing been used to construct the text?

Does the construction give a positive or negative representation of the celebrity?

2. The way in which anchorage contributes to the representation:

How do the captions, headlines, language and mode of address used in the text contribute to the representation of the celebrity?

3. What ideas and messages are contained within the media text?

What does the text want the audience to think about the celebrity? How do you know this?

4. How will different audiences respond to the presentation of the celebrity?

What will affect the response?

Representation refers to the construction in the mass media of aspects of ‘reality’

Representations which become familiar through constant re-use come to feel 'natural' and unmediated. This is how stereotypes can become harmful and negative.

Richard 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).

Task 1: Write down the statement about stars that Richard Dyer made.

Why is the public attracted to celebrities?

There are at least three differing components to any celebrity’s persona:
1) The ‘real person’ - the personal identity that pre-exists the public’s perception of that celebrity.
2) The ‘screen presence’ – this is based on the characters or roles that the celebrity plays on screen (action hero, romantic comedian, girl-next-door)
3) The ‘public persona’ - what we come to know about a star or celebrity through newspapers, magazines, etc.

Three Faces of Victoria Beckham

Cause for concern or neurotic wife

Glamorous, Sexy Partner

Task 1:
Discuss how the images, construction and language are used to represent the celebrity Lindsay Lohan on these texts. Write in orange books. Use the points

9 Advertising Regulation

Learning objective: To consider the role of the ASA in regulating advertising

Key terms: decent, honest and truthful

ASA – Advertising Standards Authority

All ads should be legal, decent, honest and truthful. (The ASA)

Without good reason advertisers should not play on fear or incite distress.

Advertisers should not condone nor incite violence or antisocial behaviour; they should not offend.
There are specific rules concerning health claims with regards to such things as tobacco and alcohol.

Children are also carefully considered –
‘advertisements should not contain anything which is likely to exploit their credulity, lack of experience or sense of loyalty’.

[ASA cannot censor adverts, it can respond to complaints and make advertisers aware of public concern. It can put pressure on advertisers to pull adverts.]

In the written paper, you will need to show good knowledge of advertising regulation 

When you discuss the three main texts/campaigns we have studied you should also be able to show that you are aware of some of the major issues surrounding advertising regulation.

This pages contains links to some short case studies.

The ASA 

History

In 1961 the Advertising Association established the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) to draft the British Code of Advertising Practice (the CAP Code). In 1962 the industry set up the Advertising Standards Authority (so named even though it is not a public authority in the usual sense) to adjudicate on complaints that advertisements had breached the new Code. The ASA operated under an independent chairman who was to have no vested interest within the industry.

The Advertising Standards Authority ensures that adverts are legal, decent, honest and truthful and that they do not mislead, harm or offend and are socially responsible.

What makes people complain about ads? 

• In 2011 the ASA handled 31,458 complaints about 22,397 ads. 

• They ruled 4,591 had to be changed or withdrawn. 

• What do you think people complain about?

Why wouldn't these ads be allowed today?
Pre-regulation 

1965 advertising of cigarettes is banned on TV. 2003 the ‘Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act’ came into force, prohibiting the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. 

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(Misleading)

What makes people complain about ads? 

• In 2011 the ASA handled 31,458 complaints about 22,397 ads. 

• They ruled 4,591 had to be changed or withdrawn. 

• What do you think people complain about?

The importance of Context

Context: Youtube What was the complaint made to the ASA?

 The Advertising Codes require that ads should not be likely to be of particular appeal to children or young persons, especially by reflecting, or being associated with youth culture...

Context – A pop-up ad on a website in paid-for ad space. 

Advert for a ring tone featuring the American ventriloquist, Jeff Dunham, with his dummy, “Achmed, the Dead Terrorist”. 

The ringtones used some of the phrases from Mr Dunham’s act, including, “Silence! I kill you!”, “Stop touching me” and “Knock, knock. Who’s there? Me. I kill you.” 

What was the complaint?

A viewer challenged whether the ad was offensive because it was racist towards Muslims. The ASA noted that at no time did the ad make any reference to terrorism or the Islamic faith, and therefore concluded the ad was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.

Not upheld.

Print based ads; What was the complaint made to the ASA?

If advertisers go too far in using airbrushing and other post-production techniques to alter the appearance of models and it’s likely to mislead people, then that’s wrong and we’ll stop the ads. Advertisers must be able to provide appropriate material to us to demonstrate what retouching they’ve done in the event we question them, and they mustn’t mislead,” - Guy Parker (Head of the ASA)

The companies involved gave these responses.

“L’Oreal admitted post-production techniques had been used in its advert featuring Turlington to “lighten the skin, clean up make-up, reduce dark shadows and shading around the eyes, smooth the lips and darken the eyebrows. 

However, the beauty firm said it believed the image accurately illustrated the results the product could achieve.”

 Basically: you're product doesn't work but computers do. 

They admit that they reduced the dark shadows in the ad that sells a product claiming it reduces dark circles but still maintain that the picture is accurate. 

The company, which provided the ASA with pictures of both women “on the red carpet” to show that they were naturally beautiful, admitted that digital post-production techniques had been used on Roberts but maintained that the changes were not “directly relevant” and that the ad was an “aspirational picture”.

So, she's beautiful, you only had to use computers to make her even more beautiful so that people could aim to be like that because aiming to be Julia Roberts in her natural Red-carpet form wasn't unrealistic enough in the first place? 

Harmful/irresponsible ads

Miu Miu Prada

Drop Dead Clothing

The media watchdog said the ads might be sending the clothing company's young audience the wrong idea about body image.

Wells and Young

Department of Health (2007) 

The ASA received 774 complaints about this anti-smoking TV and poster campaign. The ASA ruled that the adverts were suitable to be seen by adults, but not by children. The advertiser had to take steps to ensure the adverts would not be seen by children.

Moving Image 

• This is one of the most complained about ads in recent history! 
• 1,089 viewers complained. 
• Why?

 

• 220 people complained it was offensive to blind people. 
• 1070 complained that it might encourage cruelty to animals. 
• The ASA decided the complaints were not upheld. No breach of rules regarding likelihood of causing harm or offence, did not encourage or condone violence or cruelty, would not cause serious distress, didn’t show harmful or negative stereotypes.
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• Paddy Power plc – July 2010 Not upheld The ASA said it was not offensive in itself to create an advert referring to people with a disability. Paddy Power said it featured an action “so unlikely that it was absurd”. Paddy Power said the advert did not show the cat being kicked or suffering any violence or cruelty. It was clearly and deliberately shown to be unharmed at the end of the item. Paddy Power had chosen a blind football match to promote a lesser-known sport – the World Blind Football Championships were going to take place in 2010. Paddy Power produced a letter of support from the manager of the England Blind Football Team. All the players in the ad were actual blind football players, many of whom had represented the national side.
• 
  
• The ASA’s final decision was: 
• 1. The action in the ad would be interpreted by most viewers as a humorous depiction of a fictional situation, with the humour derived from surreal and improbable circumstances, when an unforeseeable and accidental action occurred. 
• 2. It was unlikely to be seen by most viewers as malicious or implying that blind people were likely to cause harm to animals whilst playing football. 
• 3. The ad was unlikely to be seen as humiliating, stigmatising or undermining to blind people and was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence.

• 
  
• Complaints 
• • The ASA investigate. 
• • If the complaint is ‘upheld’ then the advertiser is required to remove/amend the ad. They are prohibited from using similar approaches in future marketing. 
• • The ASA promotes itself as highly effective, however sanctions are weak and compliance variable.

Coco Chanel:
Why would people complain about this ad?

• 
  
• The 2011 campaign featuring Keira Knightley came under an ASA ruling in 2013.
  The section of the ad that caused the complaints was the undressing of the model by the photographer and the obvious sexual tension between the two people. This was seen to be inappropriate as it was scheduled during a children's film.
  
  
  Case Study. Chanel, Coco Mademoiselle:
  
  
  1. Who created this media message?  Why?
  This is a print ad for Coco Mademoiselle perfume which is made by the Chanel Company. This ad campaign features print and television ads, as well as a mini-feature film in which actress and spokesmodel Keira Knightley plays the role of Chanel Company founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Knightley has starred in films such as Bend it Like Beckham, Pride and Prejudice and the Pirates of Caribbean series. The campaign was created to advertise or feature Coco Mademoiselle perfume and was released to coincide with the holiday shopping season.
  2. Who is the target audience?  What text, images or sounds suggest this?  
  Coco Mademoiselle perfume was released in 2001 to target Chanel’s younger market and as a new product line to the Chanel Company’s world famous No. 5 fragrance. The Coco Mademoiselle perfume is marketed as a less expensive option, typically selling for between $75 to $100 per bottle. With that in mind, it would seem that Chanel is looking to attract their “younger market” which might imply children as young as eight years old, or possibly the "tween" market (which is generally considered ages 8-12 years old) . Although the target ethnicity is not known, every spokesmodel for Coco Mademoiselle perfume has been a young, white woman. At $75 to $100 per bottle, one might assume the class to be one that could afford such an expense. In addition, Knightley is pictured wearing an expensive-looking pearl necklace.
  3. What is the text (literal meaning) of the message?
  Knightley is pictured nude wearing a pearl necklace and is strategically covered by a black bowler hat and a white dress shirt. A large image of the Coco Mademoiselle perfume bottle is prominently featured in the foreground. The Chanel logo is in all-white in the top-right hand corner of the ad and the words “Coco Mademoiselle” are in black to the left of Knightley. The only other text on the ad is “shop chanel.com” in small type in the lower right hand corner. The background has a “black and white” theme.
  4. What is the subtext (unstated or hidden message)?
  The designers of this ad appear to be going for a perceived “classic” look, utilizing a black and white color scheme, old-fashioned accessories and a sexualized female subject. It is important to note that Knightley appears nude (although strategically covered) in all segments of this ad campaign.
  The ad also appears to send a message of an elegant lifestyle…one of wealth and privilege. It seems to both glamorize and define “beauty.”
  5. What tools of persuasion are being used?
  Symbols - This ad uses strong overtones of sexuality. Symbols include the use of the black and white design scheme and the props (bowler’s hat, pearl necklace and dress shirt) in an effort to promote the concept of elegance and wealth.
  Celebrities - Keira Knightley is a film actress and has no connection to what
  is being sold, aside from getting paid to endorse it.
  See Language of Persuasion post.
  6. What healthy messages are communicated? What unhealthy messages are communicated?
  There really appears to be no healthy messages in this advertisement. The implication that buying and wearing this perfume will help the purchaser achieve elements such as beauty, sexiness, elegance, wealth and refinement is simply a fantasy that no product can provide.
  7. What part of the story is not being told?
  The price per bottle, between $75 and $100, and the ingredients of the perfume.
  The timing of the launch of the ad campaign was of particular interest, as the bulk of the television ads were set to be released in early December, which seems to target the market that is buying for the Christmas holiday. This is a continued push for a consumer culture that makes promises of happiness and fulfillment through product purchases.
  Knightley was paid a reported one million dollars for a one-year campaign with Chanel. However the cost, both literal and figuratively, of products like this one, often doesn’t provide the level of satisfaction the buyer might hope for.
• 
  
• http://www.burlexe.com/keira-knightleys-chanel-advert-banned-from-childrens-tv/

10 TV advertising

Learning objective: 
To analyse a TV commercial for Persil.

Television Advertising

The history of mass advertising and the history of television are closely intertwined. 

Without advertising, television would have made no headway in countries without a state sponsored broadcaster (mainly the US) and would certainly not be the instrument of mass communication it is today. 
Television advertising takes the form of tv commercials (often referred to as TVCs or spots) which are either 30 or 45 seconds long.

TVCs appear in gaps between and during regular programmes, known as commercial breaks. Advertisers buy time in specific breaks, knowing that their target audience must be the same as that of the programme during which the break occurs. 
Thus teen soaps have commercial breaks filled with pimple cream and music CD ads.

Task 1: Work in Pairs
Identify the target audience for the following programmes:
Consider The type of audience, Age, gender, Maslow, NRS, Uses and Gratification theory. 

 

___________________________________________________________________________

• The John Bishop Show (Stand up comedy with strong language and sexual content).
• Great British Railway Journeys (Documentary series shows ex politician Michael Portillo traveling around the UK by train).
• Holby City (Hospital drama in which the narrative deals with the relationships of the characters).

Task 2: Work in Pairs
Identify two or three products or services that might be advertised during the same programmes, bearing in mind the target audience that you have identified and the products or services that might appeal to them.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Advertisers may choose to sponsor a whole programme, which means their logo and a short identity clip accompany the beginning and end of a programme ("Brought to you by...") and their advertising may feature heavily in commercial breaks during that programme. This is controversial, as it is felt that sponsors may interfere in the content of the programme if it doesn't work in their favour.

Television advertising is under threat from platforms like Sky Plus, Virgin Tivo Box, and the phenomenon of "time-shifted" viewing. When you record a programme you tend to edit out the ad breaks when reviewing it later. 
The problem is, without the funding that selling commercial space provides, there would be no TV programmes to start with, so TV companies are very anxious about the long term changes in viewing habits.

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Task 3: 

Watch the advert for Persil which is embedded below.

Task 4: 

Write down the shot types you can see and indicate why they have been used. 

Use time code and write in your orange books.

Task 5:

Complete the handout and submit by the end of the lesson.

Year 11 GCSE Media Pre exam Assessment task 2015-06-08

Name_______________________________________________

1. Write the connotations of these colours when used in advertising:

Green: ______________________________________________________________________

Blue: ________________________________________________________________________

Orange: _____________________________________________________________________

2. Why would high key lighting be used in an advertisement?

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Write the visual codes that are used in media to get a message across about a product. _____________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

4. Name three possible parts of a print based advert _________________________________________________________________________________

5. Write down three persuasive techniques used in advertising and describe why they are used._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Why would these shot types used in advertising?

An up shot of a woman riding a motorbike______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A down shot of a homeless child____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An extreme close up of a working man_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. What is non diegetic sound?_____________________________________________________________________________________

8. Todorov said that _____________________ narratives have a beginning, middle and an end. There are five stages to his theory, state them: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. How do advertisers categorise target audiences? Say what the different methods look for in an audience _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10.  Finish the sentence:

The ASA ensures that advertisements are___________________________________________________