Procter & Gamble launched Tide in 1946 and quickly became brand leader in America.
DMB&B (advertising agency which handled P&G’s accounts) used print & radio in order to quickly build audience familiarity with the brand. Both media forms used the “housewife” character and the ideology that its customers “loved” and “adored” Tide.
Historical and Cultural Context context in relation to media language
Print advert from the 1950’s conventionally used more copy than we’re used to seeing today. With development and many ‘new’ brands and products entering markets. Potential customers typically needed more information about them than the modern audience, so companies used more advertising, marketing and branding. However, conventions of print-based advertising are recognisable in this text. Representations of women-
Bright primary colours connote the positive associations that the audience would have with the product
Headings, sub-headings and slogans are written in a sans-serif font, connoting an informal mode of address.
Reinforced with the comic strip style image in the bottom right-hand corner with two women ‘talking’ about the product using an informal lexis.
Historical Context in relation to audience
The advert reflected historical attitudes and beliefs which seem outdated. In the post-war boom of the 1950’s (particularly in America) new technologies developed and became desirable products and the status related to the American Dream. These products tended to be advertised in slots in American domestic melodramas watched by women.
Post WWII included the rapid development of new technology for the home, designed in order to make domestic chores easier. Vacuum cleaners, microwaves, ovens & washing machines all became desirable product of the 1950’s consumer. These products link with new technologies also developed during this time (e.g. washing power)
Social and Political Context in relation to representation
Interexts to consider would be the WWII adverts “Rosie The Riveter- We Can Do It!” advert for the War Production Co-Ordinating Committee.
The representation in these adverts challenge stereotypical views of women being confined in the domestic atmosphere. Traditional ‘male roles’ were vacated as men left to fight.
In the 1950’s, while men were being targeted for the post-war boom in America’s car industry, women were the market for the technologies and products being developed for the home. These stereotypical representations of domestic perfection became more linked to a modern need for speed.
Dress code of the advert’s female main character include a stereotypical 1950’s hairstyle. The fashion for women with short hair had a practical use as longer hair was considered hazardous for women.
Social and Cultural context in relation to audience
Once the war was over, women returned to mainly domestic roles, as a result- cleaning and other domestic products were still largely targeted at women.
Rationing ended in 1954, and as a result the post-war economy rebounded. Inflation was low giving most people a more disposable income, which through advertising were encouraged to spend on more consumable products (washing machines & steam irons). These sales of these products increased by 70% in the 1950’s – aided by advertising. The ‘boom’ of purchasing was also aided by the arrival of commercial television in the 1950’s, therefore increasing platforms for advertising and reaching audiences.
Hall believes that all representations are constructed through signs/codes which are understood by the audience. He asserts that stereotyping reduces people and social groups to a few characteristics which are recognisable to audiences because they are reinforced over time. He argues that stereotypes tend to occur when there are inequalities of power.
Stereotypes- Often used in media as showcasing a culture.
Applying Hall’s Theory of representation: Consider-
What stereotypes are prevalent in advertising? How are they constructed? What key elements of stereotypes are therefore recognisable by the audience?
Are the stereotypes constructed by the audience either/both positive/negative?
How are subordinate (minority) groups constructed as ‘different’?, and the effects this has
Theory 2: David Gauntlett’s theory of identity
Gauntless asserts that the media provides us with the tools/ resources that we use to construct our own identities. Advertising offers us ‘role models’ suggest that we often ‘pick & mix’ which aspects of these products we want to use in the construction of our own identity.
He argues that the media today, unlike in the past, offer a more diverse range of stars, icons & characters. The 2018 JD advert is an example of this
When applying Gauntlett’s theory of identity, consider:
To what extent do the representations of gender differ from those in the past?
Do different sub-genres of advertising offer different types of representation?
How might an audience respond to the representations they see in advertising?
Audience
Demographic profiling: A way of categorising by dividing consumers into groups based on: (e.g. YouTube can tailor ads due to the content that you watch)
Age
Gender
Income
Education
Occupation etc
This means that this information can help advertisers determine their target audiences for products and develop adverts that focus on a specific demographic.
Psychographic Profiling: A way of categorising audiences based upon personality, values, opinions, attitudes & lifestyles.
There are 5 types:
Mainstreamers: (make up about 40% of the population), they like security, tried and trusted brands and like to think they belong to a group of like-minded people. They are persuaded by value for money and are less likely to take risks.
Aspirers: They want status and prefer brands which show their place in society. They are happy to live on credit and will buy designer label items. They are stylish and may be persuaded by celebrity endorsement.
Explorers: This group like to discover new things, they are attracted by brands and products that offer new experiences and instant results. “I knew them before they were famous”
Succeeders: People who already have status and control, have nothing to prove. They prefer brands which are serious and reliable and believe they deserve the best.
Reformers: This group is defined by their self-esteem and self-fulfilment. They tend to be less impressed by status and not materialistic. They are more inclined to buy brands which are environmentally friendly/healthy.
Audience Theories
Theory 1: Stuart Hall’s reception theory
Hall believes that audiences are active- not passive. They engage with/repond to texts.
He suggest three main ways in which audience may respond to a media product:
The preferred reading
Audiences accepts the messages contained within a product, in the way the producer intended. Usually the case if a product reflects the ideas and beliefs of the audience (e.g. when you read a newspaper)
The negotiated reading
When the audiences accepts someof the product’s messages and disagrees with others.
Oppositional reading
Where the audience does not agree with the values, attitudes and beliefs of the product/its content.
This may be related to culture, age, gender or other factors affecting audience response.
Example: Straight Outta Compton’s representations of African Americans
Preferred Reading: Accept the meaning behind the film and sympathise with the characters from their tough lifestyles. The cultural significance of N.W.A and the positive aspect these had. Links to a realistic African American experience in areas like Compton. -Prejudice police & brutality.
Negotiated Reading:Understand the messages behind the film about life in Compton, and the positive aspect of the men yet disagree with the representations of African American women in the film.
Oppositional Reading: The audience sees a mis-representation of African Americans (stereotypes) as rebellious and violent. That the film portrays all police are corrupt and therefore a dishonest outlook on society. Disagree with excessive use of drugs, violence and bad language being shown. Racism and prejudice against African Americans.
Theory 2: Albert Bandura’s Media Effects
Albert Bandura is an American psychologist who conducted research into media effects.
Social learning theory: Suggested that audiences may learn aggressive behaviour from viewing others. AKA The Hypodermic Needle Theory
He therefore theorised that:
The media implant ideas in the mind of the audience directly.
Audiences acquire attitudes, emotional response and new ways of behaving through copying those they observe.
This theory is criticised by many, (including David Gauntlett) as being outdated and unhelpful because it assumes that all audience members are passive and not actively engaging with the product.
Theory 3: George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory
The idea that the exposure to repeated patterns of representations over long periods of time can shape and influence the way in which people perceive the world around them. (e.g. 1950’s sexist adverts are an example of this)
The idea that cultivation reinforces often outdated values or stereotypes. A reflection of the time period it is set in.
There is minimal clothing in the advertisement that suggests something sexual. The woman is being held down by another man, which has connotations to dominance and forceful behaviour. She is also the only person wearing makeup, this implies that she is seen as a beauty object and therefore desired. The advert sparked controversy over the simulated gang rape perceived by the gestures, expressions and lack of eye contact- suggesting a lack of emotional connection. The men are also presented as emotionless and all are wearing the same colour clothing and therefore only desire one thing. The print advert includes a large transparent “Dolce & Gabbana” logo to make the brand bold and stand out to the audience at first glance, with the logo positioned where the man is holding the woman down. The use of colour in the print is dull with a basic background and dark clothing, this portrays a sense that the woman is trapped in the situation. The lighting further reinforces this idea with high key lighting focusing on her facial expression in contrast to the men’s blank expression.
The print advert is constructed with coke bottles in the centre of the picture and everyone else in the image is focused on the bottles. This produces a piece of clear advertisement of the product to the target audience. It is also made in a paint like style, which in the 1950’s was used for many different types of advertising and throughout the products history. Coca Cola used these print styles which audiences began to associate with the product. These print styles was commonly used among advertisements during the 1940’s through to the 1960’s.
The text at the bottom of the advert sets a clear picture with a border to highlight the main image. The white background makes the red coca cola logo stand out more to the potential audience that is viewing it, therefore promoting the brand further. The central image depicts a mother serving bottles of the product to her children, this shows that the brand is reliable. Coke communicates the product brings together the family by the representation of a loving home and the mention of “family circle”. Coca Cola used this scene which underlines the stereotypes of women and their duties in the 1950’s as a lot of companies used misogyny in order to promote their products. The second image below the main image portrays a man carrying a crate of coca cola with the caption “Take enough home”, this reinforces the ideology of men and women roles in the 50’s as well as the clear expression of happiness on everyone’s faces, creating the message that consumers wouldn’t be disappointed with the product. In both the main image and the second image show more bottles than there are people, this represents that consumers will still want more of the product.
Coca Cola used a colour scheme in the piece, in the girls dress and flowers there is a use of red which is strongly associated with the company logo. The use of warm colours also symbolise coming together as a family and the warmth of a family home. The main source if light in the picture is the fireplace which generate a more personal touch and comfort to the advert. This is further illustrated by an eye level angle in order to suggest the audience are part of the family depicted in the picture. The target audience are families, this connotes that the product includes absolutely everyone. The repetition of “home” in the advert further outlines theme of coming together, and this presents a sense that family is a theme in this advert.
The advert mirrors many social beliefs at the time, including the roles of women and mothers within a family looking after the children. The stereotypical father role was going out and working, which is subsequently narrated by his exclusion from the main image.
Historical print advert 2- Alcoa Advert 1953
The advert is constructed in a way that is sarcastic, and in the modern era has a shock factor to it. The image is placed at the top in order to attract the audience to it, on first thought it appears to be an advertisement for a bottle company. However, the advert is in actual fact for an aluminium company, which is made clear through the logo and description. This type of advert is interesting because it includes a long paragraph on a print advertisement which are typically short and snappy.
The central image is of a woman with a shocked look on her face, presumably because she just found out that women can open bottles too. It communicates the 1953 context of the stereotypes and stigma around women and highlights the difference between modern day society and how it has changed. Colour is used in several different ways in this advert, what the woman is wearing and the background both have relatively neutral tones to them. This use of simple colours conveys to the audience that women think simply until they are told otherwise. This idea is further portrayed by the use of red on her lips, her nails and the bottle, which highlights how women consider beauty over practicality. The expression on the woman’s face is one of surprise, illustrating that the woman did not know this fact and had to be told it, this form of subtle misogyny was used in many adverts in the 1900’s targeted at women for stereotyping, and the idea that women could not think on her own (shown by the dehumanisation in this advert) and her husband had to do manual labour on her behalf. The image has been edited to give a 50’s style to it, as well as being airbrushed to convey the message of how women were more objects of beauty rather than productive.
The font styles in this piece are relatively simple, with the main title reading “You mean a woman can open it?” this rhetorical question and use of direct address signifies women seeking approval as well as demonstrating the product and how it works. “Woman” is underlined in order to attract women to the product. The background of the text is an off white which has strong connotations to Aluminium and typical manufacturing colours.
The advert speaks to its audience by having a woman on the cover as well as talking from the perspective of a woman. This shows that the beliefs of the creators of the company at the time were prejudice against women and their roles so therefore constructed an advertisement based on those views. At the time, this advert would not have been shocking to an audience as it was common belief of womens roles.
The advert begins with a close up of a boy on a skateboard which immediately cuts to the skateboarder attempting to do a trick yet subsequently fails. There is a continuous montage of the skateboarder trying it again and again until there is a low angle shot of him standing up, the expression on his face conveys the pain he is physically suffering. However, this cuts to several different people of various cultures and ethnicities with serious expressions on their faces, highlighting the important message behind the video. Throughout the video there are many tracking and panning shots due to the amount of action and fast pace sports involved. There are also several scenes with a projector in the background, symbolising that your dreams can become reality to the viewer.
The narrator is successful NFL and human rights activist Colin Kaepernick who had previously come under controversy in 2016 as he refused to stand during the American national anthem. Nike also come under criticism after the video was released, with people protesting and cutting the logo from their socks. The video was controversial due to the message behind it, and the many influential non-white figures that featured in it.
The clothing throughout the video isn’t obvious it is Nike, and therefore is not demonstrative action. This is an example of soft cell advertising as it isn’t clear what the video is promoting until the end. The video depicts a strong sense of diversity and has been named “one of the most diverse advertisements that Nike has ever done”. With people from various different backgrounds to people with disabilities and even young children are featured it is clear that the diversity that Nike was going for was extremely successful.
The advert is constructed in order to tell a story of resilience, it intends to portray the message of “just do it” and to follow your ambitions. There is a subtle tint of white on the video which are the company’s main colours- black and white. In context this can equally we applied to the movement of black and white that this video is applying. The narrator of the video Colin Kaepernick, has previously criticised the American justice and police system on the attack and killings of young African Americans.
Nike have demonstrated diversity in this video- Most activities were sports such as tennis/American football, nevertheless it is clear that Nike does not discriminate against anyone who identifies with the brand, and consequently the target audience is very varied.The narrator talks to the audience in order to communicate to them. This is done by the use of direct address to make it personal as well as statements and rhetorical questions about your future. The video is made to make you think about it after watching it, it keeps the video in your mind and as a result further promotes the product. Nike also uses emotive language to make people feel inspired, and emotionally touched.
At the end of the video it has different scenes from the video projected onto city buildings as it pans out. The iconic “just do it” slogan appears as well as the Nike logo, this form of advertising is subtle as it is presented as more of a motivational video.
Audio-Visual Advert BT Sport
The initial clothing in the advert shows the young girl wearing school uniform. After this, it cuts to her brother in the same uniform. Throughout the video her mother and father both attempt to speak to her, yet neither of them are identified. Even in scenes when the girl is at school, everyone is wearing the same uniform besides the professional sports players, this presents these celebrities as special and significant. The girl is wearing dull school clothing which enforces the message that school is boring to her and sport is the only thing on her mind, which is also shown by the lack of scenes at school or in the classroom. BT used identifiable sports figures in their advertisement in order to attract various different audiences involved or interested in that sport, this is also shown by the wide range of sports demonstrated throughout the video. Football, Tennis, motorcycle racing & rugby are all extremely popular sports directly chosen to appeal to the target audience. In this case, there is a form of identity and familiarisation that the viewer has with the sports stars and activities shown on screen. In order to attract audiences, BT have created a character of a young aspiring child in order to set off a sympathetic response, they do this by mentioning her name as “Charlotte” at the beginning for the viewer to feel like they really know her, reinforced with the close up shot.
The advert begins with this close-up on the main character of the advert- a young girl, which is presumably not the intended target audience. However, she is watching football and the scene quickly cuts to her leaving her house referencing a footballers celebratory gesture as the commentary continues. The girl begins to run commentary about the actions she is doing herself, simulating that she is in control and further proves this by the girl beating the professional players at their own games. There is a comedy aspect that the audience would feel as she outsmarts the players, therefore now triggering a more humoured response from the viewer. The upbeat music plays throughout the advert after she leaves the house, imitating that she is physically getting involved with sport and the happy music is how it makes her feel. Her facial expression for the full duration of the video is serious, reflecting the viewer’s beliefs of their own sport as well as the celebrities maintaining that level of seriousness suggesting that she is really playing them. The lighting is mostly natural daylight, however this changes to softer lighting with close up shots at the beginning and end of the advert, presenting intimacy that the audience feels connected to the character. At the end there is a brief close up of the girl for a final time with a blue tint, representing the blue she is wearing as well as in the BT logo which is also presented.
BT sends the message of independence as Charlotte narrates her own achievements, it enforces the topic of women in sport and the potential power they have if they ‘dream big’. It communicates to the viewers to stand out, which is conveyed through Charlotte wearing the same uniform as everyone else but being the only one actively and passionately involved with sport. BT named the advert ‘Take them all on’, referencing Charlotte taking on high sports figures. Nevertheless, with the use of an imperative ‘take’ this directs the viewer to take action themselves. The advert shows innocence and imagination in a concept that is not widely covered in sports and illustrates that the purchase of BT Sport can make you as involved as the players you are watching.
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