Advertising and Marketing: Key conventions

Our new topic is Advertising and Marketing - an important aspect of Media Studies.

Here's the lesson video for Tuesday:

One of the key aspects to deconstructing advertisements is denotation and connotation. Remember the definitions:

Denotation: the literal meaning of something
Connotation: the deeper meaning or what is suggested (reading between the lines)

Codes and conventions of print adverts

When studying print adverts we need to look for the following conventions or typical features:

• Picture of product
• USP - unique selling point. What is it that makes the product special or different to appeal to consumers?
• Lighting
• Setting / colour scheme
• Logo – this is usually the brand name 
• Slogan – this is a catchy phrase summing up the ethos of the product e.g Nike’s ‘Just Do It’

Adverts will often use unique and interesting ways to attract the attention of the target audience. This might be: innovative branding; clever use of space; unconventional or subversive ideas; emotional connections or shock / controversy.

Media analysis example - Maltesers advert

Conventions and analysis

• Pictures of the product (Maltesers) to remind us of the type of product it is. The image also reinforces the word ‘lighter’ as the chocolates dance and jump off the floor. 
• The Logo is bright and large in the centre of the advert. The word ‘malt’ relates to the flavours used and ‘tesers’ is a play on the word ‘tease’ which ties in with the playful, light ethos. 
• The Background features the heavy use of red. It is bright and eye-catching with connotations of love. This makes the consumer recognise the brand colour and makes them think they love the product, or may gift it to someone they love. 
• The Slogan at the bottom is clearly visible and stands out against the background. ‘Lighter’ and ‘enjoy’ reinforce the USP – that Maltesers are slightly healthier or 'lighter' chocolate. 
• The Colour Scheme is red and white - recognisable from the packets of Maltesers, creating a brand identity. 

Introduction to advertising: blog task

Create a new blogpost called 'Advertising: Key conventions'. Look at this Skittles advert:

1) What key conventions of print adverts can you find and what are the connotations or deeper meanings of each convention?

2) For each convention, write about how it might appeal to a target audience. 

3) What is the USP (unique selling point) for Skittles and how do you know?

Look at the Maltesers example above if you are unsure how to complete any of these tasks.

Extension task

If you have completed an in-depth analysis the Skittles advert, do some additional research into creative or powerful print advertising. 

Task: Find an example of a print advert for EACH of the following:

1) A clear brand identity

2) A shocking or controversial idea

3) An emotional connection to audience

4) An innovative or ‘different’, subversive concept (e.g the porcupine advertising VW car)

5) A foreign advert that you can understand despite the language barrier

Finally, write what the USP is for each advert.

Due date: on Google Classroom

Magazines: Final index

We have now completed our work on Magazines and need to publish an index to demonstrate we have finished every blog task. 

Every index you create is an excellent way to make sure you are revising the course as we go - as well as highlighting if you've missed anything. Your index should include the following:

1) Magazines: Introduction and conventions

2) Magazines: Representation and social contexts

3) Magazines: Tatler CSP case study

4) Magazines: Reveal CSP case study

5) Magazines: Exam question blog assessment

For your index, the text should link to YOUR blogpost for that topic so you can access your work quickly and easily for checking and revision. This also means if you have missed anything you can catch up with the work and notes and won't underperform in assessments and exams due to gaps in your knowledge.

Creating your index

To create your index, first copy the list of work above and paste it as plain text into a new blogpost called 'Magazines: Final index'. Then, open your Media blog in another tab and use your blog archive to open up all your work from last term. For each post, copy the URL - this is the web address that will end .blogspot.com/name of the post. For example: 

https://mediamacguffingcseyear1.blogspot.com/2020/01/representation-introduction.html

Once you've got the hang of it, you should find the index only takes 10-15 minutes to produce. Here's a short video showing you how to create a blog index in Media:

Magazines: Exam questions blog assessment

Normally, we would be doing an assessment on Magazines in class in exam conditions but clearly these are not normal times! 

Instead, we are going to set you an online assessment that you can do on your blogs. This means you have access to ALL the information you need for the assessment so hopefully everyone will do extremely well.

Miss Fowler has created a lesson video that talks you through each question in the assessment and how to structure your answers:

Magazines assessment: tasks

Revision

We know that these Magazine CSPs are likely to come up in your Paper 1 exam next year. Therefore, it's vital we have good quality revision material to return to over the next 15 months at various end of year exams and PPEs.

Look over your blogs and create revision cards or knowledge organisers for each of the Magazine CSPs with the key details for Media Language and Representation:

• Magazines: Tatler CSP case study
• Magazines: Reveal CSP case study

Media glossary

Use your Media glossary to help you in your assessment. The more Media terminology you use the better you will do!

Assessment questions

Create a new blogpost called 'Magazines blog assessment' and answer the following questions:

1) What is a convention of a magazine cover? Give an example from Tatler. [2 marks]

2) How does the front cover of Tatler use media language to appeal to its target audience? [6 marks]

3) How does the front cover of Reveal magazine represent female celebrities? [12 marks]

Due date: on Google Classroom.