STYLES OF ADVERTS

Parodic-These style of advert tends to make fun of an already existing advert, or by imitating it to criticise them. For example, in this IKEA advert, they are using exactly the same format as Apple to advertise and promote their catalogue. This is a significant way of advertising their catalogue as Apple is a successful multi national corporation which are well known by a mass target audience, therefore through the use of their format they are aiming for a mass audience. Through this advert,IKEA is drawing negative attention towards Apple and pointing out their flaws and disadvantages as a company but through mockery. In addition, they are using small satirical advantages over their product by ironically saying, "eternal battery life" as a mass audience know that Apple products have a bad reputation with their batteries. Through this parodic advert, IKEA is formulating a bond with the audience to make them pick up this catalogue and see what they have to offer as a company. This satisfies and caters the audience through the materialistic domestic goods they have. The audience for this IKEA advert are people who belong to any of the demographic groups from students to teachers and so forth. This is because they are exploring new ways of meeting their personal needs. The psycho-graphic that this advert appeals to is aspirers and mainstreamers. This is because they seek status by being orientated to their image and personal needs that they associate themselves with. They are looking for ways to better themselves through family brands. A disadvantage of using a parodic advert is that the viewers may not find it funny that a company is mimicking another, therefore will not continue to watch the advert as it may come across unprofessional.

Humour- A humorous style advert entertains and engages with silly jokes or phrases and hooks the audience by making them laugh, although this depends on the target audience as well as age group that they belong to. It is often harmless and sticks in our mind which is the reason why these style of adverts are so successful. In this Cadbury advert we are introduced to the Gorilla who is playing the drums.This makes us laugh as its unrealistic and childish. It creates an entertaining atmosphere and makes us feel as if life with Cadbury is more enjoyable and stress free. Mainstreamers who belong to any demographic group (A-E) will be intrigued by this advert, because Cadbury is known as a popular chocolate brand. It attracts mainstreamers as it is a sentimental feature of life (food). Despite, the advert using a gorilla which is mostly associated with young people as it is funny and childish, the target audience are not only young but anyone who loves chocolate. The audience varies from both females and males of a high management status to pensioner and casual workers as it is flexible. A disadvantage of this advert may be that through the humorous style, the gorilla may cause confusion for the viewers. Viewers may lose patience and not understand what is being advertised as the chocolate comes in right at the end.

Surrealism- This style of advertising consists of characteristics which the audience are not completely sure what the product is. Surreal adverts have a more vivid and artistic narrative creating a dream like effect which interests the audience by making them fascinated of how it is done and the message behind it. This plays away from a conventional advert. The Greek Style yogurt advert tends to follow a similar narrative and style to this. They are introducing a Greek Style yogurt by using the setting of Mount Olympus and Greek mythology. This automatically creates a surrealist idea by advertising their product in an unrealistic way to say that their product is so good it takes them away to "heaven" or a place for "Gods".  This advert caters to its audience by presenting their product as something so good, it takes you to heaven. The demographic audience for this advert vary from (A-E). Audiences from higher jobs/status to lower jobs/status appeal to this product as they belong to the psycho-graphic group of aspirers who seek confidence,this is also implied through the celebrity endorsement in which consumers may aspire to feel and look like her. Also, mainstreams who favour family brands will want to experience the surrealism of this Muller product. A disadvantage of a surrealist advert is that viewers may not be appealed to CGI and green screens as the whole idea of heaven and Greek Gods may be disrespectful to religion. 

Dramatic- A dramatic advert gets our attention and makes us feel sympathy or anger towards it. It engages the audience by leaving us with a dramatic message or service. Dramatic adverts are often advertising serious issues such as bullying,abuse, drunk driving and many more. In this "love story" about Evan, they have used a realistic setting which gets our attention about a cute high school love story. Once they start playing back the advert and showing us what the other boy was planning throughout it we feel angry but sympathies with it. "While you were watching Evan, another student was showing signs of planning a shooting". Despite, beginning the advert in a positive way, the shock tactic and dramatic style hooked the audience,by shocking them with what the actual message they were conveying is. The target audience for this advert would be flexible, as it would be for both male and female students that belong to the demographic group E from any ethnic background. This is due to the fact that gun violence and rebellious behaviour is most popular within the younger audience rather than older audience. Also, through the setting of the advert it depicts that students are more likely to be interested in this concept as they are young and may want to explore life differently to an elder audience. It caters the target audience by making them feel suspicious and prepares them by warning them that these things may happen even in places like school/college.  The gun man in this advert may be seen as struggler on the psycho-graphic profile as he seeks escape from reality and is alienated from all the other students. The conventions of a dramatic advert is that the message that they are trying to pass on comes right at the end, this is a disadvantage as the audience may lose interest or focus and not wait until the message is displayed. 

WHAT IS ADVERTISING?

Advertising is the process of promoting business products, services and information to an audience. This is a form of communication between the manufacturer and the consumer. These advertisements are paid for and huge agencies make a vast amount of profit by creating these adverts and then distributing them in many forms. These forms vary from print media such as newspapers, leaflets,posters to adverts on the Tv, radio, and on the web. It has become an economic force to everyone as it benefits both the manufacturer and the consumer. As well as that, advertisement are part of our urban landscape as they are such a big factor in the business and media industry. This is because by advertising a product it constructs and creates a image for the audience which lures them in whether it is just their time or actually making them buy it.

Examples of advertisement:

This perfume advert is clearly aimed at the female target audience. This is evident through the codes and conventions used within it. The flowers the female is holding are representing femininity as they are stereotypically associated with females. Also, they may indicate what the perfume smells like, therefore sweet and summery. The font of the text "Miss Dior" is also written in a calligraphic font type making it more pretty and delicate. Through this advert, the aim was to let women know that if they have this perfume, they will smell great as well as look like the model, therefore pretty.

This Calvin Klein 'Dark Obsession' male perfume is targeted at a male audience. This is clear through the mise en scene and codes and conventions used. The open shirt suggests that if you wear this perfume you look sexy and females will be attracted to you. By having the shirt unbuttoned it allows the audience to see the models body creating a sexy masculine look. The direct address of the model shows us a clear facial expression of a flirty man despite being serious. This lures the females in therefore making males buy it. The image is black and white creating a simple house style but also portraying masculinity.

What is the purpose of advertising?

The purpose of advertisement is to appeal the selling product to a mass market audience rather than a niche. The more people that become aware to the product or service that is being advertised immediately creates a greater success as well as economic force. Furthermore, convincing the customers that your companies product is right for their needs will sell your product instead of a different companies one.

Other formats of advertisement:

• Television- TV Ads reach a mass audience compared to other formats of advertising as it reaches the viewers when they are most attentive. Also, it allows to convey a message with sight, sound and motion which allows the consumer to get a better idea of the product being promoted.
• Radio- Through radio adverts, the audience is able to hear the same advert again and again as it is not a common way of advertising products. Also, as radio adverts are not time consuming and straight to the point, listeners are more likely not to turn it off but instead listen.
• Print- By advertising through print formats such as posters, newspapers leaflets, it does not force the audience to listen to it or read it, it is a personal choice therefore allows them to use it whenever.
• Public speaking- Public speaking is a direct way of speaking to an audience and persuading them to buy your product. By seeing them and them seeing you it creates a consumer and provider bond bringing them closer to you and vice versa.

How do we examine television adverts? 

In 1961 the Advertising Association established the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) which was influenced to draft the British Code which is known as the "CAP Code". They are the sister organisation of ASA by working alongiside each other to regulate. Television adverts are examined by organisations such as ASA (Advertising Standards Authority). Their role is to regulate the content which is used within advertisements, promotions and sales in the UK and explore any complaints that are made. They follow codes that they identify for before distributing anything to make sure they do not mislead by inaccuracy, ambiguity and exaggerating content. If they fail to stay truthful and legal it can get withdrawn. 

This home office advert "Disrespect Nobody"campaign was launched in 2016 to inform young people about domestic abuse. ASA received 216 complaints about it as it "implied only men engaged in abusive behaviours and that the ad might actually prevent male victims of domestic abuse from seeking help." Viewers mostly complained about the language that was used in the advert to describe relationships which may have domestic abuse primarily as one issue. "If you're checking your girlfriends phone." or "if you turn to violence when your girlfriend disagrees with you." These statements focus on males being abusers and females being victims of it. ASA did not uphold the complaints as they believed that there are no specific claims males being portrayed as abusers. Also, different scenarios were used from both females and males.