Warm Up
What is target audience?
Today we are going to have another go at writing an analysis paragraph of a print ad.
The steps are the same each time you do it:
- What is being depicted in the advertisement? Describe ad
- Make notes on two or three code communicates (colour, text, lighting, body language)
- Explain who you think the target audience is and why
- Note any stereotypes that are present
- Write a paragraph explaining what you have found, making sure you link it to the message of the ad/brand
EXAMPLES
This ad depicts an edgy-looking guy sporting a mohawke; he is wearing an orange t-shirt in an off-beat record shop. The text claims that the gentleman is a PC and that ‘Windows 7 was [his] idea;’ this personifies the PC, suggesting the PC is more about the person using it than the object itself. The unposed body language, matter-of-fact gaze and casual dress of the man implies he could be anyone and that the text actually refers to all PC users. This suggests Windows 7 is Microsofts response to consumer demand, making the company seem hip and responsive. The fact that a computer is not shown anywhere in the ad reinforces that the brand Windows 7 is focused more on the people that use it than the machine it will be used on.
In this ad a young boy stands holding a soccer ball, wearing a white shirt covered in mud. The text says that ‘dirt is good’ implying that dirt is something this company likes. This promotes the idea that OMO is not scared of dirt and therefore has confidence in the quality of their product. The playful look of the boy holding the ball is meant to show that getting dirty is something that comes naturally to young boys and that it is something they enjoy. This suggests an air of inevitability about having to remove stains from clothes. Mothers looking at this ad will be intrigued by the claim ‘dirt is good’ because for many of them dirt is something that they dread seeing on clothes. OMO is positioning itself to be able to relieve some of their anxiety by presenting themselves as a brand that relishes any ‘dirt’ challenge.
