A2 MEDIA STUDIES

Unit 2734
Critical Research Project
ADVERTISING
MAIN TOPICS
• The nature and purposes of advertising
• Messages and Values
• Product Placement
• Niche and Mass
Nature and Purpose of
Advertising
• What is being sold, why and to whom?
• What strategies are being used to sell
the “product”?
– Textual analysis – sound, mise-en-scène etc.
This is Explicit information
– Also consider Implicit information –
aspiration, image, lifestyle
– What value is given to the “product”?
Cont…
• Look at the purpose of
advertising
• Not all advertising is to
sell particular products
– Inform, educate, raise
public awareness
– Campaigns which
promote a set of ideas
and values
• Are the strategies used
the same?
Messages and Values
• This topic has an element of crossover with the
previous one
• Again, need to consider what is being sold
• Begin with textual analysis
– Representation of social groups, places, events or
institutions
– How is the representation used to sell the product to
the target audience?
– Why has the company behind the advert used these
representations?
– To what extent does the representation within the
advert confirm/challenge attitudes in the target
audience?
Product Placement
• Product placement can
provide a means of
exposing either a product
or the brand name to a
wide audience
• Companies pay vast sums
– Tom Cruise driving a BMW
– Carlsberg truck in
Spiderman
– Coca-Cola being drunk by
Buffy
• Can case study a particular
company – Schwepps-, a
particular range of
products – drinks - or a
particular range of media
texts – TV Drama
Cont…
• Then consider why
these choices have
been made
– Breadth of potential
market
– Media texts may have
particular values which
can be attached to the
product
– The company might be
aiming to expand their
market and target new
audiences
Niche and Mass
• Niche – small, specific interests
• Mass – broad range, diverse interests
• These are not fixed
• Could research the
difference/similarity between
strategies for niche/mass
– Pick a niche market and investigate
what products are targeted and how
• Focus on relationship between
product and consumer
Cont…
• Focus on relationship
between product and
consumer
• It is never passive
• Consumers have demands
and expectations
• Relationship between
company, product and
consumer must be
understood
TASK 1…
• Think of an advertising campaign
• Make notes on the following:
– What is being “sold”?
– Who is the audience?
– What strategies have been used?
– What representations have been used?
• Present your ideas to the rest of the
class