Tuesday, 28 November 2017

Music Copyright

Music Copyright

It is important to make sure that the music used is copyright free and authorized by the owners. Copyright refers to the exclusive and assignable legal right to publish a product using other work. It is the legal protection give to the creators of music which enables composers, recording artists etc, to be recognized and paid for their work. The music we hear on the radio or TV possess two separate copyrights. One of them involves the musical composition and the other is the sound recording. The musical composition involves the music including lyrics that the composer or artist has combined. Also, the sound recording is a sequence of various forms of sounds.

Image result for music copyright

There are exclusive rights that have to be used when using copyright music and this involves:

Reproduction: The right of reproduction allows you to decide who can copy your work. This varies from it being used in movies or publishing the notepad sheet music online.

Distribution: This right allows the owner to decide who can sell the copies. 

Derivative works: This right allows you to decide who can make a new project based of your original work.

Public performance: This right controls the performance of your work on radio, clubs, TV or anywhere else in public.

For my production, I have used non-copyright music as it allows me to easily access it. It also allowed me to create my production at a faster rate as I was able to avoid the hassle of gaining permission to use other music. I used music from a YouTube channel called NoCopyrightSounds which produces music available to creators for their own use free of charge. As a result, I was not required to fill in a music copyright letter and was able to go ahead and find the music that suited my adverts. This was why I used non-copyright music as it allowed to work efficiently. 

On the channel it shows the way in which audiences are free to use the music which legally covers them. It serves as a form of copyright letter and explains the ways that people can use it for their own work and production as long as they do not take credit for the sound. This allowed me to use their sounds which were utilized in my advertisements to engage the audience and build intensity with the audience. 

Image result for ncs music

Saturday, 25 November 2017

Similar Adverts

The similar adverts that I have viewed have been highly influential and beneficial in developing my own idea for my TV adverts. I have picked out key techniques and elements in two similar adverts that I aspire to make my adverts reach to. I have analysed the forms, styles and characteristics, techniques as well as the different uses of codes and conventions in both adverts and the way in which it remains a distinctive advert promoting football boots. The cinematography and mise-en-scene utilised in the adverts has particularly helped me to develop my own visual idea. 

Nike Total 90



This advertisement by Nike promotes the 'Total 90' or 'T90' in a narrative driven form. Nike is one of the leading sports brands and they use celebrity endorsement, featuring real life players such as 'Cristiano Ronaldo' and more. This can appeal to the audience as the football stars will grab their attention. The advert follows the progress of an upcoming football star who plays for Arsenal as they make their way up and also contains a lifestyle appeal as the character begins to achieve stardom. The advert is all in a point of view shot which invites the audience and makes it seem that they are the player themselves. This makes the advert seem even more realistic as it is from the audience's perspective and the advert presents an ideal world for a football player playing in big games and achieving stardom. As a result, this advert can identified in the style of surrealism as it contains some elements of surprise. The audience may not have expected to experience a player's point of view in football, and this makes the advert more appealing as it is different from others. The cinematography that is used in the advert is effective as it invites the audience to experience the effects of the 'T90'. The point of view shot allows for the audience to view the player's feet and the 'T90's' that are being worn and put into action. This is highly effective as it gains the audience's trust because they are being put to use and are proving its function. 

Although I will not be able to deploy a constant point of view shot in my advertisement, I will use it in some shots to signify that the football boots in my advertisement are being used. This will allow my audience to relate the narrative with the brand product which will be the football boots. I will include close up shots of the player's feet whilst celebrating a goal to suggest the product's work. This will allow me to further emphasize the benefits offered with my product because the shot power has concluded with a goal and this will prove to the audience the product's function. I will also focus on the football boots before my character puts them on to allow the audience to identify the source of the player's upcoming rise in form. My advert will ultimately be in the form of a narrative driven advert trying to be as realistic as possible. In my adverts, I will not be able to shoot in a stadium with huge crowds which may reduce the realistic features of my advert. There may be humorous elements as well when my character is missing clear cut chances and the unbelievable rise in form could be perceived as humorous. This can further appeal to the audience as they will want to purchase the football boots and see what the hype is all about.  

Puma

The following advertisement by Puma presents their own 'evoPOWER' and 'evoSPEED' boots in an realistic and humorous form where real life football players are all undergoing a series of events while wearing the boots. The advert can be classed as realistic as some players are in a hotel room and are kicking a football whilst breaking other stuff in the room. This scene particularly promotes football as it communicates that they try to play anywhere because of their love for the game. This all happens while they are wearing the football boots which are a striking pink and yellow and remain clear and visible for the audience throughout. The advert is very fast paced which emphasizes the 'speed' that the boots provide the player with. There are also humorous elements because the players seem to stop doing everything in order to kick the ball with their boots in unideal locations such as a hotel room. The football is passed on to different scenes where other players are also playing football with the boots all through match on action and invisible cuts which further maintains the speed of the advert and keeps the audience gripped. The advert also deploys a supernatural feeling with the football boots through unrealistic elements. In this particular scene, there is the destruction of a library where the player is running away with the ball at his feet. The use of CGI allows the bright football boots to stand out and this makes it seem even more impressive in an unrealistic form. In each scene, there are different scenarios involving the players and this builds to the ultimate scene where 'Sergio Aguero' is using the football boots in a real match. He dribbles past his opponents and scores an unrealistic goal that reflects the advantages of the boots. The ball is hit with immense power at a high speed and the camera follows the ball into the net. This narrative makes the football boots even more appealing as it makes the audience feel like they can do the same. As well as this, the celebrity endorsement further appeals to the audience as the football players are all in different situations and enjoying themselves with the brand product on their feet. The advert uses a variety of camera shots to exhibit the intensity and adrenaline that the football boots give to the players. The advert can be identified as a surreal advert as well because of the unrealistic features where 'Marco Verratti' is dribbling through the destruction of a library. Also, the advert contains special effects which further adds a surreal feeling to the advert and makes the product even more attractive to the audience. 

This advertisement is more unrealistic than the Nike advert but still keeps the audience hooked and interested because of the surreal elements such as special effects and editing. The final scene in the advert where the player is playing in a match has inspired me to make my second advertisement similar to it. Similarly, my second advert will be under floodlights which will differ from my first advert during daytime. This will imply a different match is being play and will emphasize the continuity in the series advert. I will present my character dribbling through players and scoring goals to emphasize the enhanced power with my football boots. I will also deploy a more clear narrative in my advert and show progress in the football match. The way in which the football boots in the Puma advert remain clear is something that I want to do in my own advert to make clear to the audience what the advert is promoting. For example, before my character shoots the ball, the camera will focus on the football boots in slow motion to highlight the power of my product. My advert will not have any CGI or special effects unlike the Puma advert but it will still appeal to the advert in a more realistic way.



In both the Nike advert and Puma advert, the scenes where the character is on the pitch have influenced me in the production of my own advert. The use of mise-en-scene in these scenes is similar to the way in which I want to present my adverts. I have analysed key shots that have influenced my own work and allowed me to advance with similar elements and make my advert unique at the same time. In both adverts, the brand identity or slogan is revealed at the end which has inspired me to do the same as it is a conventional way of presenting it. In the following PowerPoint, I have identified the different camera shots in both adverts. My two adverts will be a series and will follow on from each other.



Target Audience

Planning: Target Audience


Before commencing with my production of two TV Adverts, a TV Sponsorship and Radio Advert, it is vital that I identify my key target audience. If I am able to do this, I will be aware of their specific interests and expectations so that I can make present my advertisements in a relatable way. My target audience will make up a large amount of those who consume my advertisement and contribute to its success. It is important to take my target audience into consideration as it needs to grab their attention and appeal to them. Through both primary and secondary research, such as my questionnaire or interest searching, I have gathered information about my target audience. This has allowed me to find out more about their interests and expectations that I can implement and present to them in my advertisements. It has allowed me to prepare myself and also identify the key conventions that should stand out in my advertisements so that they will respond to it. 

Demographic Profiling (Age, Gender, Ethnicity)

Following the responses from my questionnaire and analysing the different responses, I have concluded a target audience with specific demographics. My brand product that is the football boots will mainly appeal to men aged between 16-21. This is because although women also play football, there is more men that are stereotypically interested in purchasing football boots. The target age was identified as these are the ages where aspiring footballers will often be training to work towards their goal. Despite this, women and other people with different ages can be appealed by the advertisements. They do not have to play professional football to purchase the football boots. As well as this, my target audience will be of any ethnicity because a sport does not have any restrictions. Anyone can play football and anyone can purchase football boots. The realistic form that I will be implementing in my advertisements will appeal to my target audience as they will feel that they can follow a similar path in football. My narrative will follow the rise in form of a football player who acquires the brand football boots and this will invite my target audience to go ahead and do the same. The characters in my advertisements will all be men, which also shows why other men will perhaps be more interested. I will use a variety of ethnicities in my characters, where my main character will be black. This will hopefully invite audiences of all ethnicities and communicate that to purchase football boots, ethnicity does not matter. In my second TV Advert, there will a 'street' theme that will be emphasised by the location of a football cage. This may appeal to a target audience of young people who relate to this sort of environment. I have chosen to do this to invite all audiences to purchase the football boots and show that football can be played anywhere as long as you have the brand product. Ultimately, my advertisements will be targeted at a mass audience, however my target audience will be most liable to respond actively or passively because they will be the most interested.

Psychographic Profiling


I have also identified the psychographics of my target audience which will benefit me in better understanding what they are like. I will be able to find out what their different interests are. My target audience will mainly fall under 'Aspirers' because of the way the football boots will promise to improve them. It will be the latest sportswear brand and one of the most popular football boots that players will want to purchase to absorb different ideologies of the product. Other audiences with different psychographics can also be appealed to the football boots because anyone can play football. Anyone from 'Mainstreamers' to 'Individualists' can purchase the football boots to play the simple game so this shows how the advertisements will ultimately appeal to a mass audience.

Socio-Economic Model (Income Bracket/Status)


As previously explained in my research, audiences will fall under categories depending on their income and class status. Following my research, I have concluded that my target audience will mainly consist of students, unemployed people or casual workers in category 'E'. This is because the concept of the advertisements relates to young people as identified via the demographics. Thus, young people will most likely be found in this category. Upcoming football players will also be in education and classed as students. There can also be unemployed people or casual workers who still aspire to become a professional footballer and the adverts will appeal to them. The narrative will involve young characters as well that my audience will be able to relate to and identify with. However, other audiences from other categories can also be interested in the brand product. Audiences who simply enjoy football as a hobby will want to acquire the latest football boots. Despite it being unlikely that someone from category 'A' will be interested, they may still enjoy football and will need football boots to play the game. Therefore, when they go to purchase football boots, they will be made of aware of my brand product because of the advertisements. 

Audience Reactions

Audience engagement will be a key reaction from my target audience. This is because they will either respond passively or actively to it which will determine the success of my product. Barthes' semiotics theory can be linked to this audience reactions as there will be key signs that will allow them to engage with the audience. For instance, the different iconography such as the football will indicate that it is a football based advert which will take them closer to the football boots.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I have identified my target audience for my football boots advertisements to a suitable extent. The brand product will most likely appeal to men aged between 16-21 due to the narrative of both TV Adverts that shows the rise of a young player. Audiences who aspire to play professional football will be inspired by the narrative and be appealed to the brand product. This target audience will also most likely be 'Aspirers' and will fall under category 'E' of unemployed people or students. Despite identifying my key target audience, this does not restrict other audiences from being appealed to the advertisements. Many people enjoy playing football and need football boots to do this so they will also be interested. 

Wednesday, 22 November 2017

Final Idea

Planning: Final Idea

TV Adverts


Product: My product will be football boots designed to enhance a player's 'shot power'

Brand Name: FirmWear 

The brand name I have decided to use is 'FirmWear' which will be a footwear manufacturing company that specialize in football boots. The football boot that I will be advertising will be called FirmWear SP7 which will be a brand new product designed to enhance a player's 'shot power' which is abbreviated and followed by a famous number in football, '7'.

The 'SP7' will be a brand by FirmWear similar to the way Nike released 'Nike Total 90' in 2000 which mainly involved football boots and was highly recognized through the abbreviation, 'T90'. This is why my brand product involves an abbreviation, because it adds a swagger and importance to it that the audience have to know the meaning of. The product by Nike highly inspired me to come up with my own product that enhances a different type of skill, where the 'T90' enhances touch and control and the 'SP7' enhances shot power. My product would be set up to compete against similar products such as the 'Nike T90' because it promises sport enhancement through the design, and may appeal to different types of audience through the advantages and benefits offered.

I will also be promoting an upgraded version of my product in my second TV advertisement emphasized in the form of a series. The brand name of the product will be the same but followed by 'V.2' which will show that is is the second version of the 'SP7'. The product will have an improved design which will appeal to the audience as they will feel they are purchasing a developed product following an already trusted and successful initial product. 

Slogans: "Feel the Power"

The following slogan is a simple yet effective one as it communicates its message and summarises what the product is all about. It is appealing and memorable for the audience which will make them remember it when they go to buy football boots. 

Forms: 

My advertisement will be in the form of a realistic advert and the two adverts will be a series. The product will have a specific quality that will improve a player's shot power to a believable extent. The content in my advertisement will certainly be believable in football which is why my adverts will be realistic. 

In the first advert, my main character will be a young football player who is struggling in front of goal for his new team. I will include content of comedic missed chances and off field problems. The players agent will end up contacting the new FirmWear company and will bring him the new product. Once the player begins to wear the boots, his form drastically improves which is also almost comedic as he scores acrobatic and long range goals.

Styles: The two adverts will be a series as they will follow up on each other. The final TV advertisement will show the protagonist in casual costume who is invited to a game of 'street' football. This will appeal to all audiences who enjoy playing football with their friends. It will make the audience feel that it is realistic because of the way a football star enjoys a game in a football cage. In the final TV advert, we'll witness the old version of the product begin to wear out in effect and he is introduced to the updated version mid-game. This narrative is effective in allowing me to introduce a new version of the product by pinpointing new features and advantages which will further appeal to the audience. The second advert will appeal to the audience as it will also highlight an added 'touch' that is required in street football. The player will put on the new football boots mid-game and ends up scoring many goals with skills to emphasize the new effect of the boots. 

The main style of my adverts will be dramatic because of the sports influence it has. The two adverts will mirror the rise from failure to success which will encourage other young footballers to do the same and start off by purchasing the football boots. There may be humorous elements within the adverts as the player will miss easy chances and the commentator will express his disbelief. His rise to form will be motivational and inspiring to audiences who aspire to be like him. This shows that the product most of all instills a strong confidence for those who purchase the product. Any product's effect in performance is limited, but are effective in making player's believe in themselves.  

Characters: My main character will be a young black male, Tyrese who is an upcoming superstar going through a rough patch. There will be other extras such as a goalkeeper and defenders. There will be another young man in formal uniform who is the player's agents and will be the one to provide him with the football boots. He will also be the main character in the second advert and will be used to show the transgression from professional football to street football

Mise en scene:

In my mind map, I briefly explained the different elements of Mis en scene in my adverts which I will evaluate in more detail.

Locations: The main location for my first TV advert will be in my school Astro Turf as it is a place where my characters can play football. The changing rooms and different offices will be part of my locations as well. For my second advert, the location will be in a football cage will will be used to emphasize street football and invite a wider range of audiences to purchase the product, 

Iconography: The football boots will the key iconography that the audience will notice play a pivotal role in the narrative. There will be a football as well as kits, goalposts and other daily items that will deploy a realistic feeling to my adverts.

Lighting: There will be constant high key lighting to give off an energetic feel about the brand product. In the opening scenes of the first advert, there will be low key lighting to emphasize a negative mood where the player is reflecting on his poor performances. 

Colour: There will mostly be bright colors in the advert where green will stand out the most as most of the content will be involved in the football pitch. The colour of the football boots will be closely presented as to highlight the product placement.  

Costume, hair & make-up: The main costumes will involve sportswear, such as football shirts, shorts, jogging bottoms. For my second advert, the character will be dressed casually to suggest that they are coming from a business meeting and have found time to play football in a cage. All characters will have casual hairstyles.  My main character will have short hair and no make up to further deploy a realistic mood. 

Body language & facial expression: There will be reactions to goals and missed chances both physically and emotionally. 

Positioning of characters: There will be a central composition where the characters will take up most of the screen. Most of the action will take place in the opposition half and box where the attackers are approaching the defenders. 

Editing: Both of my TV adverts will be fast paced and will involve several cuts to convey the intensity of the football game. There will be a fade to black at the end of each advert which will lead to the brand product's slogan, in order to promote it. 

Sound: My advertisements will contain a variety of both diegetic and non-diegetic sound. There will be commentary in the background of the football match to imply a live match and crowd noises. There will also be diegetic sound in the form of dialogue which will help to progress the narrative. There will be non diegetic sound in the form of music to enlighten the advertisement's mood.





The image above is one of my brand products that I will use for my first TV Advert. I have shown the different colours that will be presented at the end of my advert. Also, it allows the audience to relate the advert to the football boots. 




The image above will be presented at the end of my second advert, to mark the introduction of a new pair of 'SP7's' that the audience will want to upgrade to. It will show the old and new pair to highlight both sales. I have also developed my product ideas on Photoshop and also constructed a brand logo that can be attached to it. 
























TV Sponsorship: 

My TV Sponsorship will follow on from my second TV advert. It will feature one of the characters from the TV advert and show him doing kick up while wearing the latest boots. My sponsorship will be SoccerAM because it is a football-based talk show that helps young footballers improve as well. I feel that it relates to my brand product and would most likely be sponsored by a successful sportswear brand. I will present the sponsorship while the player is doing kick ups until he blasts the ball at the camera to highlight the power of the boots. It will then cut to the brand slogan and show product placement to increase awareness of 'FirmWear'. I will utilise the music to create a jingle for the audience that they will remember. The same music will be heard in the first advert of a fast paced rap beat. In my TV sponsorship, the music will slowly rise until the ball hits the camera to build suspense.  



Radio Advert:

Finally, my Radio Advert will take my target audience through a football experience where the football boots will enhance this experience. It will take the audience back to a their past failures where they have blamed their football boots. My radio advert will promise that with 'FirmWear' this will never happen again. My voiceover will explain all the added features that separates the brand product from competitors. I will also include a benefit through ordering the football boots online and entering a chance to train with 'Tottenham Hotspur's' first team. This will highly appeal to my target audience who aspire to reach the level of professional football players. Thus, they will purchase the boots and also hope to achieve more out of it through the competition. In my radio advert, I will include conventional sounds of a ball being kicked and football fans cheering. The music will be utilised to build suspense for the audience and serve as a jingle where it will be a memorable sound. 


Monday, 20 November 2017

Questionnaire & Graph Results

Create your own user feedback survey



The primary research which I conducted was highly important as it granted me further knowledge about what my advertisements need to look like. It also helped me to find out about the types of audiences they appeal to. Primary research is essential to help determine how I should progress with the production of my advertisements. I constructed a questionnaire consisting of ten questions which allowed me to understand what is required for the production of my advertisements. I was able to find out what the expectations and needs are for my audience. The questions involved simple option boxes which was fairly quick to answer. A key question was wether people would be more convinced by a product if they saw it being put to use. All of my candidates responded with yes which told me that I need to include the football boots in my adverts. Overall, I was able to understand what the audience want and able to pinpoint a target audience for my football boots advertisements.

There are several advantages of questionnaires and those involve:
  • Easy way of collecting and analysing data
  • The format is familiar with most people, so it will be fairly simple.
  • They are straightforward.
  • The results are immediate.
  • The respondent is not pressured into answering anything, they have time. 

Disadvantages of questionnaires:
  • Some of the questions may be skipped.
  • Some respondents may give inaccurate answers.
  • There is no way of validating the results.
  • Some people may be irked by the questionnaire.
  • Not effective for in depth investigation. 
For my questionnaire I sampled ten students in my year to fill out the questionnaire. All of the candidates had a solid understanding of football and other sportswear products. 

Conclusion:

To include, this research has been highly beneficial to me in the production of my advertisements. There is a strong correlation to what the audience would like to see in the TV advert as well as the product. I was able to apply the key conventions and characteristics in my advertisements which will appeal to them. It has highly benefited me while approaching the final production stages. Ultimately, this research has helped me to identify my target audience and their demographics, psychographics and the different reactions I can expect from them. 

Wednesday, 15 November 2017

Initial Ideas

Planning: Initial Ideas


To create a successful product, I have listed different initial ideas which has helped me towards finalizing one final idea. The initial ideas have helped me to combine all the potential products and conclude one idea, assessing all the possibilities. Constructing a list of initial ideas can also help you to come up with a whole new concept and develop your ideas. The initial ideas that I have listed have been simple and clear and further developed with the one I like the most:

Initial Idea 1:

Product: SuperWater

Advert Style: Non-realistic, Surreal

Outline of Narrative:

A new water bottle product that enhances performances levels for athletes. The first advert would show an athlete struggling to keep up with the challenges of sports. When someone offers him the water bottle, his performances drastically improve. The advert will focus on the brand product and contain product placement to clearly present the reason for the character's performances.

The second advert would show a different scenario where an ordinary person walks into a shop and observes all the different water brands. He smiles at the brand product and picks it out which challenges other rival products showing that this brand is what people now like. This advert would be realistic and effective in presenting the brand product in a good way where it appears more favorable over other water bottles.

There are many popular water bottle brands such as Evian or Volvic that my advert would be competing with. This idea would be a good one because it would be simple and unique in the way I want it to be presented.
Image result for water bottle brands



Characters: In this advert, there would be two main protagonists for each advert. Anyone could be involved in sports and want to drink water so it could be either a male or female actor. 

Mise En Scene:

Setting: Sports field as it is conventional to a sports related advert.

Lighting & Colour: There would be natural lighting on a sports field and some high key lighting to emphasize the effect of the water bottle. 

Body Language & Facial Expressions:The characters will be sprinting or playing a sport so they will show athleticism. When they become thirsty, they will start to show fatigue until they drink the water bottle and re-energize themselves.

Iconography: The key iconography will be the brand product of the water bottle. 

Costume: Due to the first advert being on a sports field, the characters will wear sports clothing or tracksuits. For the second advert, the character will be casually dressed to emphasize a realistic feeling.

Theories: Todorov's theory would relate to this production as there will be a clear narrative structure. The water bottle will prove the resolution to the disequilibrium where the character is performing badly. 

Initial Idea 2:

Product: FirmWear SP7

Advert Style: Realistic, Narrative driven

Outline of Narrative: A brand new pair of football boots brought by 'FirmWear' called the SP7 which enhances a football player's 'shot power'. The first advert would follow a football player who is also performing badly in games. When his agent offers him the new football boots, I will clearly show the product placement and the way it improves his game. The advert will be realistic as the player will gain confidence and improve his form through the football boots without doing anything unrealistic.

In the second advert, the same player will be casually walking from a business meeting and will be invited to play in street football with other players. He will be wearing his boots and will not be able to keep up with the opponents. This is where the updated SP7's will arrive and he begins to wear them. After this, everything will once again go his way and present his ability. Both adverts will focus on the narrative as the character picks himself up both times to eventually succeed. I will focus on the football boots in both adverts to show that it is being put to use and emphasize its effect. 

In terms of football boots advertisement, there are many sports brands that produce these adverts in different ways. Some of them include Nike, Adidas, New Balance and more. They all have different versions of football boots and present their adverts in similar realistic ways where it is put to test. If I was to go ahead with this idea, I would set up my brand product to rival other similar products. 

Image result for football boots adverts

Characters: My characters will mainly involve male football players because it is conventional. Although women also play football, mens football is more popular thus I will use male characters. My main protagonist will be a talented male footballer who will be able to follow the narrative and score goals. 
Mise En Scene:

Setting: The setting will be mainly in an Astro Turf for the first advert. This is because it will identify as a football match that is being played and the audience will instantly notice the pitch. In my second advert, I will use a football cage which is ideal for street football. 

Lighting & Colour: There will be natural lighting to deploy a realistic feeling within my adverts. This will make the audience feel comfortable and allow them to focus on the brand product. The green colour of the Astro Turf will stand out as well as the colour of the boots that I will choose. 

Body Language & Facial Expressions: When my character is playing poorly, he will show his frustration and will be constantly moving in the game. This will also be a recurring use of mise en scene in the second advert where the player will improve drastically when the brand product is brought to use. 

Iconography: The ball and the football boots will be used in both adverts to allow the audience to clearly identify the concept of the advert. It will indicate a football theme and convey the football boots. 

Costume: In the first advert, the character will wear a variety of shorts, football boots and jogging bottoms in football bibs. In the second advert, the characters will be wearing casual clothes to show the way in which football can be played at any time as long as you have the boots. 

Theories: Once again, Todorov's narrative theory can be applied as the football boots will serve as a resolution to the player's poor form. Barthes' semiotics theory can also be applied as the different iconography such as the football will indicate that this is a football boot advertisement. This will make the audience instantly aware of what they are watching and will grab their attention. 

There are several advantages that come with this idea such as its uniqueness or motivational message. However, it may be hard to produce because of the amount of characters and shots that will have to be used to bring everything together. 

There were other initial ideas that I could have developed but chose to narrow it down to two of my preferred choices: 


Conclusion: 

To conclude, I have chosen to go ahead and go with the idea that involves the football boots. This is because I really like the narrative idea and entire concept. As well as this, I know that I will enjoy the production stage as I am already familiar with playing football, and will be able to construct a realistic narrative. 

Producing initial ideas has greatly benefited me as I have realised what I want to do and have gained a brief idea of what to expect. 

Monday, 13 November 2017

Institutional and Commercial Advertising

Advertisements that intend to promote a company, corporation, institution or other similar entity, is called institutional advertising. These type of advertisements will not attempt to sell anything directly, but instead informs the audience about what the institution is doing for the society and community in different forms. This may involve forms relating health and employment or literacy, as they are matters that will likely concern and interest the audience. Institutional advertising most commonly come in radio, television, print or digital, where the producers can clearly communicate their message through the dialogue. An institutional advert can also be when the advert promotes another industry that already ensures to help society in a way. 


RADIO

PRINT

CHANNELS OF
INSTITUTIONAL
ADVERTISING

DIGITAL

TELEVISION

There are many examples of institutional advertising where the producers will target a social issue to grasp the audience's eye. In return, the company can improve its brand image by communicating and doing something the audience are concerned about. An example of this is when 'Adidas', a renowned sports company that has inspired me produce my own advert promoting football boots, started the campaign to donate 10% of their sales to poor orphans in Africa. This portrays 'Adidas' as a generous and caring company which will further appeal to the audience that buys their products. The audience will be more motivated to buy their football boots as they know they will be partly contributing to a cause. As well as this, audiences that are not 'Adidas' customers will be motivated to buy their products in order to help the company in its mission. This will ultimately boost their sales revenue as they are also reaching out to a social cause and this perfectly shows how institutional advertising can improve the brand image and populate them as they are generating goodwill and improving public relation. Thus, institutional advertising is important for companies that want to obtain a good image and wish to access a different target audience by answering to their social concerns.



This advertisement by 'Coca Cola' is an animated form and can be regarded as institutional advertising, despite the brand product being the focal selling point. The advert involves animated polar bears opening up a coke bottle and sharing their happiness with the audience. The advert may seem innocent and straightforward, but 'Coca Cola' discreetly communicates the reality of the nearing extinction of polar bears. In doing this, the advert raises awareness of growing pollution without evading the brand product. This makes the company seem that they are aware of this and the audience will feel that they want to do something about this.



Sunday, 12 November 2017

Barthes' Semiotics Theory

Roland Barthes is a recognised theorist of semiotics which involves the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretations. He was one of the earliest structuralist or post structuralist theorists of culture, where his work developed our ideas of structure and signification which have come to support different cultural studies and critical theory today.  

Semiotics involves our actions and thoughts which we do automatically without thinking. We are controlled by a complex set of cultural messages and conventions which are dependent upon our ability to interpret them instinctively and instantly. An example of this is when we see the different colors in a traffic light, and we instantly know how to react to it. The traffic light signs are an example of the way a cultural convention is established over a long period of time, which we learn as children without realizing. We know that the red light means stop and this requires a deal of unconscious cultural knowledge to understand the meaning. 

Barthes communicates that everyone responds to semiotics because everyone is always unconsciously interpreting the meaning of the different signs around them. The signs do not always have to be visual and can involve aural and sonic signs such as sounds of police sirens which automatically alerts us to the presence of a nearby police car. 

Semiotics in Media

In media, the audience will look for signs to aid them in their interpretation of the narrative. For instance, in a TV advertisement there may be signs that allow the audience to realize and conclude what is being advertised and associate the advert with the brand. 

There are three types of signs in the study of semiotics which involves:

Iconic Signs - This is where icons serve as signs where the meaning is based on the similarity of appearance.

Indexical Signs - This is where the signs have a cause and effect relationship between the sign and the meaning of the sign and there is a direct link between the two. 

Symbolical Signs - Signs that are symbolic will have an arbitrary or conventional link.


Image result for roland barthes semiotics theory

In all forms of semiotics, the signs can be broken into two parts which is the signifier and the signified. The signifier will be the object, item or code that we read and recognise such as a drawing or word. Every signifier has a signified, which is the idea or meaning that is communicated by the signifier. When these are both combine, they form a sign which often have no direct relationship between a signifier and a signified. The relationship between them can also change in different times and contexts, where a certain word can refer two different stuff in different situations. 



In this advert by Adidas Predator we can see that they are promoting 'control' in football through the football boots. When we see the football boot, it signifies to the audience that the advert is about football and is followed by the brand logo of Adidas. This alone acts as a signifier of semiotics as the audience become aware of a brand that promotes their own sportswear. Through the brand identity, the audience can better understand the item that is promoted. As well as this, the celebrity endorsement deployed with the featuring actor 'Paul Pogba' serves as a form of signifier as the audience can recognise that he is a football player, and will associate the advert with something to do with football. 

In a similar way, I will present my football boots in the advertisement which will serve as a signifier. I will focus on the football boots which will communicate to the audience that this is what is being advertised. Also, the props used in my advert such as the football and goalposts will all combine to serve as a signifier which the audience will interpret and realise that it is a sports adverts. This will aid them and lead them to the recognition of the football boots that will be promoted through the advert. 

Saturday, 11 November 2017

Richard Dyer's Utopian Theory

Richard Dyer: Utopian Theory

Dyer's Utopian theory involves the idea that audiences consume media texts and products with a clear set of pleasures to draw from the experiences. Dyer suggests that audiences turn to media texts to make up for the deficiencies that they inherit in their lives, and to fuel their obsessions of keeping up with society. This can be linked to the Uses and Gratifications theory as it involves the idea that audiences choose to consume media texts to gratify their own pleasures. This clearly suggests that audiences wish to escape reality through the consumption of media texts and products where the media world represents an ideal world. 

"The notion of entertainment as in some sense utopian - expressing ideals about how human life could be organized and lived - is implicit in what the most widespread assumption about entertainment, namely, that it provides 'escape' Entertainment offers the image of 'something better' to set against the realities of day-to-day existence."


This shows the way in which audiences rely on Utopian solutions as a tool for escapism and entertainment. 

There are three suggested reasons as to why audiences choose to consume media texts which are due to to Social tension, Inadequacy and Absence. These three reasons are all generated by reality, which shows that the consumption of media provides audiences with a 'Utopian solution'

The table below clearly presents the way in which audiences substitute their own reality for a Utopian solutions and the way that audiences respond and view real life issues. 



Advertising Psychology 

The psychology of adverts is the meaning behind the advert and usually effects specific groups of people depending on the target audience. Applying advertising to Utopian solutions, it serves as a form of escapism. This is because the audience will view high quality products or service being advertised and wish to acquire them and keep up with the lifestyle. Advertising is particularly important in selling lifestyles to the audiences and selling them an experience by glamouring the product or service. Advertisements will aim to come across as trendsetters where audience will try to keep up to date. 

The audiences will aim to be superior to others or part of a superior group.

Thursday, 9 November 2017

Cultivation Theory

Cultivation theory explores the way in which repeated exposure from TV and other media texts can result in the viewer's change in attitude. Professor George Gerbner and Larry Gross theorised the cultivation theory and concluded that TV is a pivotal component of the socialisation of most people into standardised roles and behaviours. The exposure to television will alter the viewer's perceptions of reality in the long term which will have small yet significant effects. The more time that viewers spend watching on the TV, the more likely they are to believe that social reality aligns with reality portrayed on television. As a result, the content that is being viewed and the different ideological messages transmitted heavily influence the viewer's perceptions of the real world. 

The cultivation theory can be broken down and analysed through three different types of viewers:

Heavy Viewers 

The first would be heavy viewers of TV who are thought to be 'cultivating' attitudes that seem to believe the world as presented on TV is an accurate depiction of the real word. Prolonged watching of television can convince the viewers of a certain example of violence. The effects of cultivation are broken down into two distinct levels where the first order involves the general beliefs about the world and second order involving specific attitudes, such as hatred or despise for law and order. Heavy viewers are sometimes unaware of the extent to which they absorb media texts and view themselves as only moderate viewers but in fact or not. 

Light Viewers

These type of viewers tend to spend less time on TV than heavy viewers, and ultimately consume less media texts. Those who view less than four hours of TV a day will fall into this category and ultimately will not be as effected as heavy viewers. Their judgement and depiction of society will be less influenced by the TV and more realistic. 

Moderate Viewers

Moderate viewers will watch less than four hours a day and avoid watching the TV at times. They are less likely to be influenced by the TV and their perception of reality will not be altered by media texts such as when watching violence on TV. 

Cultivation Theory Model

Image result for cultivation theory


The cultivation theory model presents the way in which TV viewing can alter the viewers perception of social reality and change their attitudes.

Mean World Syndrome

Long term exposure to violent media will also make the audience more likely to behave violently and become less shocked by violence, although there are no evidence to prove this theory. This is called the Mean World Syndrome which is an assumption of the cultivation theory. Gerbner concluded that violent content in television and other forms of media texts make viewers believe that the world is more dangerous than it actually is. Through the consumption of violence, they will develop an exaggerated belief that the world is prone to violence and it is a cruel word. Thus, this will trigger the viewers and it will seem to them as violence is a constant threat to their lives.  



Sunday, 5 November 2017

Advert Censorship

The censorship of advertisements involves the suppression or prohibition of any part of the text that is considered inappropriate, unacceptable, or obscene. Many TV adverts may cross the boundaries and therefore regulation companies are forced to take action and remove any part that would be deemed illegal. Some censorship will remove content that poses a threat to security or is viewed as politically inappropriate and misleading to society. 



The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK's independent advertising regulator where they ensure advertisements remain suitable and compliant to the advertising rules made up by the Advertising Codes. The ASA will ensure that most types of advertising such as those in Radio & TV, newspapers, magazines, billboards, posters, leaflets, brochures, emails, mobile messages, sale promotions or shopping channels, are all suitable and that it sticks to the Advertising Codes. If the ASA finds that an advertisement has breached the advertising rules, they will have the right to withdraw or amend the media text. There are a range of sanctions to act against these advertisements who are unwilling or unable to work within the rules. Adverts which are misleading, harmful, offensive or irresponsible will often be banned by the ASA and they also monitor adverts to further ensure they follow the rules. Despite the ASA covering most forms of advertising, they do not cover sponsorship of events or tv programmes, political ads, press releases, telephone calls, shop windows, private ads and press releases.

The ASA regulates advertisements through two systems. The first is a system of 'self-regulation' and the second is 'co-regulation'. Self regulation is where the industry writes all the rules that adverts have to stick it. Non-broadcast advertising, including newspapers, posters, websites, social media, cinema, emails, leaflets, billboard, is covered by self-regulation. Co-regulation is another system where the ASA have arranged with the communications regulator or Ofcom. This grants responsibility to the ASA to regulate TV and radio advertising. TV and Radio advertising are pre-cleared before they are broadcast to ensure that the ads broadcasted stick to the rules. 

 The ASA also monitors advertisements in sectors where there are potential consumer protection issues or where there are societal concerns about specific products, such as age-restricted products like alcohol or gambling. 

Ultimately, the ASA aims to make advertisements in the UK all legal and compliant with the advertising rules put in place. The accuracy and honesty of adverts are down to the ASA as they make sure that there are no misleading or harmful texts within adverts by proactively checking advertisements every year and responding to complaints of the audience. In the previous year, the ASA 'resolved over 29,000 complaints relating to just under 16,000 ads.' 




The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) is the sister organisation of the ASA, which is responsible for writing the Advertising Codes involving the non-broadcast code and the broadcast code. For instance, there are rules regarding children if aderts are directed at them or featuring them. It will include rules about unsafe practices and unfair pressure on  them and more which adverts will have to comply with upon the release. The CAP works alongside the ASA to support the media industry and help them get their ads right before they are published. Before an advert is published, the Advertising Codes are put to use as a form of guidance, pre-publication advice and training for the industry. Before an advert is published, the Advertising Codes are put to use as a form of guidance, pre-publication advice and training for the industry. 

The Advertising Codes for Non-broadcast advertising is the rule book for non-broadcast advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing communications and involves the following rules for:

  • Compliance
  • Recognition of marketing communication
  • Misleading advertising 
  • Harm and offence
  • Children
  • Privacy
  • Political advertisements
  • Promotional marketing
  • Distance selling
  • Database practice
  • Environmental claims
  • Medicines, medical devices, health related products and beauty products.
  • Weight control and slimming
  • Financial products
  • Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims
  • Gambling
  • Lotteries
  • Alcohol
  • Motoring
  • Employment, homework schemes and business oppurtunities
  • Tobacco, rolling papers and filters
  • Electronic cigarettes
Details on the Non-broadcast Code can be found on:

The Advertising Codes for Broadcast advertising applies to all advertisements including teleshopping, content on self-promotional television channels, television text, and interactive tv ads. It also applies to programme sponsorship credits on radio and television services licensed by the communications regulator. The code involves the following rules for:

  • Compliance
  • Recognition of advertising
  • Misleading advertising 
  • Harm and offence
  • Children
  • Privacy
  • Political and controversial matters
  • Distance selling
  • Environmental claims
  • Prohibited categories
  • Medicines, medical devices, treatments and health
  • Weight control and slimming
  • Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims
  • Financial products, services and investments
  • Faith, religion and equivalent systems of belief
  • Charities
  • Gambling
  • Lotteries
  • Alcohol
  • Motoring
  • Betting tipsters
  • Premium-rate telephone services
  • Telecommunications-based sexual entertainment services
  • Homeworking schemes
  • Instructional courses
  • Services offering individual advice on consumer or personal problems
  • Introduction and dating services
  • Competitions
  • Private investigation agencies
  • Pornography
  • Other categories of radio advertisements that require central copy clearance
  • Electronic cigarettes
  • Scheduling
Details on the Broadcast Code can be found on: 

There are several examples where the ASA and CAP have been forced to intervene with adverts that don't follow the Advertising Codes. Most recently, a worldwide backlash on a 'Pepsi' TV Advert featuring Kendall Jenner led to the removal of the advert from YouTube. The advert was heavily criticized and caused upset from audiences as they presumably made light of a serious issue concerning the movement of 'Black Lives Matter'. 

Kendall Jenner for PEPSI Commercial from Shazzu on Vimeo.

An article from the 'Independent' reads 'Pepsi was forced to bow to widespread criticism at the time and remove the video from YouTube. In a statement they said: "Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding." The advertisement can be viewed on Vimeo above and this clearly shows how advertising censorship is important to ensure the audience are protected from any offensive showings. The ASA received many complaints on this advert and played an influential role in the ultimate withdrawal of the advert on YouTube by 'Pepsi'. It is clear how this advert has, perhaps inadvertently, not followed the Advertising Codes as it caused worldwide offence regarding the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. One example is where Kendall Jenner walks up to the police and offers him a Pepsi which supposedly ends police brutality. There are many implicit messages that the audience would take offense to. It is suggested that police brutality is not so serious and makes light of the situation which victims would clearly take offence to. 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/kendall-jenner-pepsi-advert-response-protest-police-model-criticism-backlash-a7929061.html