I have chosen adverts, about a car and a mobile phone. The brands they are trying to sell are Mini and Nokia. Both adverts have slogans – “It’s a Mini adventure” and “Connecting People”. The graphics are good in both instances but in different ways. The characters in the car advert are – an elephant, man and the Mini, all at the circus. They attract our attention not only by the obvious difference in size but also by the banner which invites us to “Spot the Difference”. It is so obvious that it makes us want to read on to find out exactly what details the makers of the car are trying to impress us with.
The Nokia advert has graphics of a much more simple nature, yet more striking and with more immediate visual impact. The advert is uncluttered and depicts only a human eye (much larger than life size) and a mobile phone. It attracts our attention by making us curious as to the connection between these two objects. Neither of the adverts really tells a story although the Nokia advert has play on words. It uses every day sayings e. g. an eye for colour, an eye for beauty, an eye for the moment… etc. The photograph shows an eye and nothing else but it is shown greatly magnified and with clarity.
It links up perfectly with the short, punchy phrases written alongside it. Both adverts are individual and do not relate to any other previous advertisements. They are not part of a series. Although the car was advertised in a women’s magazine I do not think it is particularly geared at women in general. A woman can drive a Mini but there is nothing in the advert, which particularly relates to femininity. The target audience is surely all the people who can drive not just women. The Nokia advert also was found in a woman’s magazine.
It corresponds more with this type of magazine since it is obviously the photograph of the eye of a beautiful woman. Yet this, too, would be better placed in a magazine, which has a more varied audience. It is targeting any mobile phone user who wishes to own the latest model in mobile phone technology. On the whole both adverts achieve their purpose- the Nokia advert because it not only shows off its camera facilities but also how sleek and stylish it is in today’s modern world, and the Mini advert because it not only compares the car and the elephant but also reveals further statistics and details relating to the car.
Overall, the phone advert appeals to me more, mainly because of the simplicity and beauty of the eye and the fact that the camera/phone is another step further into the world of modern technology. It is, indeed, an “eye-catching” advert! The Nokia advert has the eye as its central image. It is larger than life and photographed in such detail that the reader can actually see the pores of the skin and each individual eyelash. This gives maximum impact and suggests that the camera in the phone might give similar results.
There is no one main feature to focus on in the Mini advert. It is more colourful but nothing in the picture is larger than life. It is the writing, which makes the impact, not the picture. I hope this shows that there are many different aspects to consider when planning a successful advertising campaign. Although there are many different approaches, each one can achieve its target audience if dealt with in the correct way to make maximum impact.
