Advertising Task 2 Notes

Audience

- Target Audience demographic (age, gender, location, ethnicity, race, class, level of education)
- Target Market (broader then target audience)

Psychographics

- Definition: Study of lifestyles, values, attitudes, interests and personalities

- Linked to psychology and sociology
- Extensively used by media industries for marketing

Achievers

- Prosperous
- Make their own decisions
- A lot of advertising directed to them

Aspirers

- Aspire to a better life, but not yet able to achieve it

- Aiming for prosperity
- Status-seekers

Socially conscious

- Aware of social issues

- Politically active or aware
- Positive outlook & self-motivated

Belongers

- Conformists with mainstream values

- Reluctant to take risks
- Fit ‘Middle Class’ stereotype
- Traditional in outlook and habits

Experientials

- Risk takers
 - Looking for the next thing

I-Am-Me

- Appel of products which makes themselves different to others

- Youthful, energetic & demanding

Audience Categories

- Can be categized by social markers, toys, music devices, screen content

Denotation

- A literal definition or description (will always be the same)

Connotation

- The emotional response (changes depending on who is responding)

- Can be linked to two media theories

Semiotics

- Uses and Gratifications

- Study of ‘signs’ and ‘symbols’
- How they are used by media producers
- How they are interpreted by audience
- Roland Barthes created the theory of semiotics
- Linked to the notion of connotation
- How ‘meaning’ is made by producers and understood by audiences

Media audience theory – uses and gratifications

- Jay Blumler Eli Katz’s theory

- Use – action of using something or the state of being used for a purpose
- Gratification – a source of pleasure
- Audiences make active use of the media to fulfil certain needs

Uses and Gratifications – Four Needs

- Surveillance – the need to know what is going on in the world

- Personal Identify – positively identifying with a product or person
 - Relationship – building a familiarity with a product or person
- Escapism – using a product or person as a means to ‘escape’ everyday life

Apple iPhone ad

- This advert seems to be aimed at the aspires as it shows someone that is working hard even
using the term “hero” to describe them, which is linked to their work ethic
- As well this the advert shows the use of the phone by showing the man having to use it in his
work