Advertising and Marketing: Key conventions

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

Colour scheme - appeals to specific audiences/creates specific branding

Slogan - sets the brand apart from everyone else

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

A pink colour scheme would appeal to a more feminine audience

A slogan would appeal to returning customers

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

Their slogan "taste the rainbow" is iconic because it is used everywhere in their branding

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.

1) Santa

2) Dove shampoo bottle

3) Malnourished boy

4) Animal

5) Teeth

Final index

1) Magazines: Introduction and conventions - https://shreyammedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/1-1-list-three-mostimportant-magazine.html

2) Magazines: Representation and social contexts - https://shreyammedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/1-1-write-definitionof-representation.html

3) Magazines: Tatler CSP case study - https://shreyammedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/1-look-at-tatler-media-pack.html

4) Magazines: Reveal CSP case study - https://shreyammedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/media-language-1-how-many-of-12.html

5) Magazines: Exam question blog assessment - https://shreyammedia.blogspot.com/2021/02/1-what-is-aconvention-of-magazine-cover.html

Tatler Conventions

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

 

One convention of a magazine cover is using cover lines. Cover lines are used in tatler to provide greater detail to the reader after they have already been hooked onto the magazine. For example, “Meet Georgina bevan, she looks good in pearls”

 

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

 

The target audience of Tatler are rich, posh women who are interested in fashion. The front cover of tater appeals to this audience by using appropriate cover lines. For example, the cover line ”which is fine because all you need are the new accessories” shows that the target audience are people who are interested in the latest fashion trends. The serif font used for the name of the magazine “Tatler” shows that the magazine is focused on authority and tradition while the colloquial language used in the taglines also shows an appeal to younger audiences.

 

The woman seen in the cover of the magazine is wearing fancy jewellery and makeup which is trying to promote the traditional standards and expectations society have on women. This stereotype of women is further enforced by the pink text and feminine clothing the woman is wearing.

 

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

 

In the magazine, women are represented as being maternal and motherly. This is shown by the taglines “blooming baby bumps” and “becomes a very posh woman”. This is a negative representation as it portrays the image that women are built to stay at home and be mothers. An audience could be offended by the magazine as many people in today’s society choose not to have kids.

In the magazine, women are represented as being interested in heterosexual relationships. This is shown by the taglines “we’re in love” and “instant attraction”. This is a negative representation as it portrays that all women are straight. This might offend members of the LGBT community

In the magazine, women are represented as being very fashionable. This is shown by the cover images which include celebrities wearing fashionable designer clothes. This is a positive representation as it shows that women think highly of themselves and want to look good to impress other people

Reveal Conventions

 Media language

1) How many of the 12 magazine cover key conventions feature on this edition of Reveal? List them with specific reference to the convention on the CSP edition of Reveal.

The are coverlines on the magazine

2) What is the font choice used on the cover and what does this choice connote? Here's a blog to help you with this as we haven't been able to complete the Photoshop typography lesson yet due to Covid-19.

The font is sans serif. The colours and font make the magazine stand out

3) How do the cover lines appeal to the Reveal target audience?

They talk about lifestyle and fashion

4) What are the connotations of the Reveal colour scheme on this particular front cover?

They are bright to be eye catchy

5) How are images used to create interest in the magazine? Find three reasons for your answer. (E.g. mise-en-scene such as props, costume and make-up, body position, facial expression).

Props such as phones and drinks show a sense of a luxury lifesytle

6) What differences can you find between the use of design and typography between Tatler and Reveal? List at least three and explain the effect on audiences.

More eye catchy colours/fonts in reveal

More exaggerated taglines in reveal

More use of colloquial/slang language in reveal

Representations

1) What type of celebrities appear on the front cover? How are they represented in Reveal? (Positive? Negative? Reinforcing or challenging stereotypes?)

Famous celebrities presented with a good fashion sense

2) How are women represented on the cover of Reveal? Think about both images and cover lines here.

Fashionable and quirky/flirty

3) How do Reveal and Tatler represent social class? (E.g. middle/upper class and working class)

Middle/upper classes have luxurious lifestyles

4) What would be the preferred and oppositional readings to this cover of Reveal?

The preffered reading would be to listen to the realtionship/fashion advice that the magazine gives. The oppositional reading would be to become offended by the way women are portrayed in the magazine

Social and cultural context

1) What aspects of British life are reflected in Reveal? How does this compare to Tatler?

Relationships and culture

2) What do the cover lines in Reveal suggest about the issues and lifestyle of Reveal readers?

They are very social and outgoing

3) Find three other front covers for Reveal. What issues or features regularly appear in Reveal? 

Relationships

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

1) How does the front cover engage audiences with possible narratives? Look for stories, cliffhangers, dramatic cover lines etc.

2) What are paparazzi images and why are they crucial to the front cover of Reveal? 

3) How does the front cover juxtapose text and images to create contrast and narrative on the front cover of Reveal 18 March 2017?

4) What do these two magazines suggest about representations of social class in the British media?

Tatler CSP

 1) Look at the Tatler Media Pack. Go to page 2: how does the editor introduce the magazine?

As a magazine targeted at people with rich and luxury lifestyles

2) Now go to page 4 of the Media Pack. Focus on the print magazine (NOT tatler.com - the website). List the key demographic details: age, gender %, ABC1 % (social class), HHI (Household Income), % of those living in London and the South East. What do these demographic details suggest about the average Tatler reader?

They are rich and wealthy women

3) Look at page 6. What do Tatler readers think about fashion? How much do they spend?

They think highly of fashion and spent a total of £843 million last year

4) Go to page 10. What are the special editions of Tatler that run throughout the year? What does this suggest about the Tatler audience? What about the pyschographic audience group that best fits Tatler?

The tatler audience are wealthy who like to travel

Media language

Revise the 12 magazine cover key conventions and check how many feature on this edition of Tatler.

1) What different examples of typography can you find on the cover of Tatler? What are the connotations of the serif and sans serif fonts? Here's a blog to help you with this as we haven't been able to complete the Photoshop typography lesson yet due to Covid-19

The fonts stand out

2) How do the cover lines appeal to the Tatler target audience?

They mention about fashion

3) What are the connotations of the Tatler colour scheme on this particular front cover?

Pink for a more feminine style

4) How is the central image designed to create interest in the magazine? Find three reasons for your answer. (E.g. Mise-en-scene such as props, costume and make-up, body position, facial expression)

Make up to appeal to a feminine audience

Representations

1) What different groups of people are represented on the cover? (E.g. men/women/white people etc. Look at the image and text/cover lines to help here)

White women

2) What do the cover lines suggest about the lifestyle of rich people in the UK?

They should be interested in fashion

3) Are there any stereotypes being reinforced or subverted? How? Why?

Women should wear makeup

4) What would be the preferred and oppositional readings to this cover of Tatler?

They would either submit to these expectations of women (preferred) or be offended by it (oppositional)

Social and cultural context

1) What aspects of British life or people are NOT reflected in Tatler? (Watch the clip above again if you need help with this - the clue is in the title 'Posh People')

Tea and crumpets

2) Tatler runs special issues on holidays, spa breaks, cosmetic surgery, watches and jewellery and private schools. What does this suggest about the magazine's representation of life in Britain?

It is very luxurious

3) What audience groups might be offended or insulted by the front cover of Tatler April 2017? 

Those who cannot afford plastic surgery

4) Find three other front covers for Tatler from different months. What issues, subjects or people are regularly featured in Tatler?

Travel and motherhood

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

1) Are there any misrepresentations or under-representations of certain groups? What might this suggest about the target audience?

2) How does the front cover engage audiences with possible narratives? Look for stories, cliffhangers, dramatic cover lines etc.

3) What does the costume and make-up in the central image suggest about the character featured on the front cover of the April 2017 edition of Tatler?

4) Read this Guardian article on the BBC documentary about Tatler called Posh People. What does the article suggest about the people who produce and read Tatler?

Representation in reveal magazine

1)   1) Write a definition of representation in media studies. Clue: The answer is in the notes above!

 how groups or events or individuals are presented / portrayed.

 

2) Now look at the cover of Closer magazine above. List all different types of people and groups represented on the front cover. E.g. women, celebrities, race/ethnicity etc.

 

They are white women/celebrities

 

3) What does the representation of women on this front cover suggest female audiences are mainly interested in?

 

Fashion, relationships and pregnancy advice

3)    Are there any stereotypes you can identify? E.g. women and motherhood; celebrities etc.

 

Pregnant women and celebrities

 

4)    Is there anything on the cover that subverts typical stereotypes in the media?

 

Gay men having triplets

6) What is the preferred reading of this magazine cover - what do the producers want audiences to think when they see it?

 

The reader would accept the convential ways of being a woman

7) What is the oppositional reading of this magazine cover - how might someone criticise this magazine cover or be offended by it?

 

The reader would be offended by the way the media would be trying to present women

 

8) What are the social and cultural contexts to this magazine cover? What effect might this magazine have on readers or society?

 

Women should be interested in fashion and pregnancies

Closer CSP

1)    1) List the three most important magazine cover conventions in your opinion and explain why for each one.

 

Title – help people recognize which magazine it is

Cover image(s) – helps make the poster stand out and hooks potential readers

Strapline/slogan – another way to hook potential readers

 

 

Now study this cover of Closer magazine:

 

2) Identify as many of the magazine cover conventions as you can and write a list of where they appear on this cover of Closer. As an extension, you could also write about the preferred reading for the convention - what the magazine is trying to communicate to the audience.

 

Example: The title of publication is 'Closer' and appears in the top left of the magazine cover in large white text on a pink background. The connotation of the pink background is femininity which suggests the producers are aiming this at a primarily female audience and perhaps want the magazine to appear friendly and warm.

 

The cover images shows the face of multiple celebrities which could hook the reader and be a good selling point. The celebrities are also female which means that the producers are aiming this at a female demographic.
The taglines include greater detail for people who are already hooked onto the magazine and are wanting to learn more about its contents. One of the taglines is “Mother’s day special” which is placed above a couple of images of pregnant women, further niching down the target audience of the magazine. Taglines should be smaller than the actual title of the magazine because they are extra detail.