Blog Post 6: Research Into Existing TV Commercials (Other Genres)

This research allowed me to see a useful comparison to take-away food delivery service adverts. It allowed me to spot the general conventions of a TV advert as well as by genre. It finalised my ideas for branding, representation and style for the genre I am working with. It was very useful to see further representation and advertising techniques such as emotional appeal, comedy and narrative telling in 'general' adverts.
The adverts I watched and their common features:
- Persil 'Dirt is Good', Crunchy Nut 2017 UK Ad, M&S Food 'Spend it Well', McDonalds 'Bold Move' UK.
- Popular or catchy music
- A close up of the product
- Voice over at the end
- Voice over followed with their product or logo
- A catchy slogan

M&S Food 'Spend it Well':

- 'Shake of You' by Ed Sheehan playing behind the shots of the food which will attract and entertain a wide number of the audience since it's so popular and makes the advert fun, youthful and the noises the food make when it's fried for example, is perfectly in time with the music, making the advert slick and impressive.
- The editing in the video is very clever, with many closeup and mid shots of the food, each couple shots of the food is interspersed with a shot portraying an element of nature that has the same movement as the food which makes. This makes the advert memorable since it's so satisfying for the viewer to watch. Since the food has been prepared so nicely we get a sense that M&S brand values represent good quality and tasty food with exciting flavours and textures, which, through the highly slick video and high end branding of the logo (black and white), looks as if is aimed at a more middle class audience.
- There is a voiceover throughout the whole advert asking rhetorical questions about the viewer's current food which engages and persuades he/she to buy the delicious food shown on camera at M&S. This voiceover goes through to the end, where on screen text of 'M&S Spend it Well' is shown.

McDonalds: 'Bold Move' UK Advert:

- I feel this advert is aimed at a teen demographic but adults could also enjoy it too as it reflects back on their teenage years.
- When we see the boy's imagination, an edgy, alternative, upbeat song is played while we see many mid and long shots put together and sharply edited to form a montage-like video to portray teen angst. This section of the advert, especially with a lower saturation of colour and a 'dusty' filter when the boy and girl are together, shows an intertextual reference to the famous teen programme 'Skins'. Since so many people engaged with this programme is broadens the appeal of the target demographic and makes the advert more memorable, showing McDonalds is a youthful brand.
- It again, ends with a voice over, followed by their logo, followed by their slogan, which I found out was the typical order when looking at conventional techniques of adverts.

This research was useful to me because it allowed me to analyse more adverts so I could further explore how intertextuality and brand attitudes and believes were conveyed. Both adverts have inspired me to not be afraid to make my advert youthful and full of vitality. At least in one of them, I will add a catchy song because it makes the adverts more memorable and I think I will also show a close up of the food on screen, like the M&S to entice the audience and really make them want the service of my company. I also like the idea of the food noises being in time with the music. I think I  will explore this by trying to fit the skating shots in my first advert to the music, producing a slick, cool advert, perfect for my target demographic.