Ideology in Advertising - OUCA401

Dolce & Gabbana - 'Offensive to Women'

Ideology is the "science of ideas" and can be defined as a collective idea or perspective on a certain subject, from politics to religion and moral. It could be said that most dominant ideologies derive from gradual persuasion from the mass media which usually are relevant particular political opinions of the time.

This picture has been carefully constructed to suit the target audience, the models are young and exceptionally beautiful, thus appealing to a similar target market. The image itself is selling the false hope that buying this brand, you will achieve a look which oozes beauty, style, elegance and sex appeal.

In our society the mass media dictates how we should aim to look, then designers attempt to sell us the the design of clothes they have influenced us to want. In the image, the men are facing the woman who is in the centre. Her submissive position and the fact that she is outnumbered is deceiving as she actually has a dominant role. She is commanding authority over all the men in the picture as well as seducing the audience. The strategy of using sexuality to sell the product is common within the advertising market. 'Offensive to Women' is the caption that can be seen at the top of the advert, the wording wishes to challenge the way in which females should be presented and spark controversy. 

The audience might ignore all the signs that are presented to be oblivious to the messages we are being given, but we still receive the intended message subliminally.

Surrealism in Advertising - OUCA401

Lifebuoy - 'You are what you touch'.

This is a surrealistic campaign for Lifebuoy Handwash, a brand marketed by Unilever. The campaign shows that incorporating something that disrupts the usual can give a strategic advantage due to its creative nature. In this advert, Lifebuoy Handwash reminds us of how important it if to wash your hands with the campaign "you are what you touch".
These surreal images of a kitten croissant and a hamster muffin stress the company's message of hand washing hygiene. It is a creative way to get attention and perhaps even encourage non-germaphobes into washing their hands before they eat.
It uses the surrealist technique of metamorphosis to change the shale and perception of the animal,  but keeps realistic qualities such as colour in order to allow the consumer to identify with the object that it should be.
Not all people are concerned with their exposure to germs and assume that their hands are clean if they have been washed recently. The execution of this ad helps people create an image of what words would not be able to do.

Semiotic Analysis - OUCA104

Communication of Advertising, writes "Semiotics highlights the way that we ourselves take part in the creation of meaning in messages, suggesting that we are not mere bystanders in the advertising process, but participants in creating a code that unites the designer and reader" (Leiss, Kline, Jhally, Botterill 164)

• The main colour in this advertisement is red, which is the typical colour of Heinz. Even when people see this colour, they would associate with Heinz sauce.
• The sliced tomatoes that make up the bottle shape, show healthy connotations of the product, that it is made of healthy fruit rather than sugar and preservatives. It transforms a sugary condiment into a wholesome, raw ingredient, playing on the healthy connotations and giving a nutritional aspect to the product
• Even though it is not clear, the audience can clearly identify with the shape of the bottle and therefore the brand. 
• The slices of the tomato are a vivid red, presenting a ripe and healthy product. This may be a reaction to the government's attempts to decrease preservatives, fat and sugar in our food.
• The image is positioned in the centre of the advert and so it draws your attention directly to the middle, making the image the forefront gives a visual aid as you do not have to read the end line to recognise what the product is.
• The endline, "No one grows Ketchup like Heinz.", reiterates the image and concept of growing the product, not that it has been produced in a factory, but give an organic feel to the product. It shows that there is no competition and that this is a special product that cannot be replicated.

'So Clean' Summary - OUCA401

This extract looks at how advertising, and Lever, targeted women as a consumer at first and through logical arguments, offered them a solution. For example, if you wanted to be less tired or worn down by housework then you should buy Sunlight soap. They targeted the need of the woman to please the man at this point, by relieving them from housework, it would improve aspects of their life, and ultimately their love life by providing domestic advise Lever's advertising targeted the female, more specifically, the mother - the maternal bond triggers the desire to ensure that their daughter were happy and had the best start as a new housewife. It then developed into removing the innocence of the housewife and posing women as the "sensual classical goddess" giving them a new confidence and power form. The adverts played on relevant current affairs. Orwell made a statement of how bourgeois prejudice created a divide and stigma of the working class. This caused cleanliness to be seen as a luxury and ultimately a trend. Advertising then took this opportunity to make good hygiene affordable across all classes, for example Listerine proposes the idea that of your breath does not smell good then it prevents you from getting married. This also gave a fear factor, thus creating a new social demand. Lever aided the creation of the admass culture which was heavily criticised due to eventual impact of mass production on the quality of the end product. This created competition within the product market and the need for effective advertising which would make for a desired product. Lever states that honesty is a cardinal principle and part of survival in the advertising worlds.

Mondrian at the Tate Liverpool - OUCA401

On the 2nd of October, we made an educational visit to the Tate Liverpool which was holding an exhibition of Mondrin's life works to mark the 70th anniversary of his death. The Dutch painter was most renowned for his works in 'neoplasticism' and was a key part of the De Stijl art movement.

'Reconstruction of 26 Rue du Départ'

"The studio comes with a mythology; it is seen somewhat romantically, as a place for pure creation, continuing in space the the artist's thinking process"

It is not necessarily this piece that influenced Mondrian's work, but the Montparnass district of Paris is Mondrian's most most famous studio. When he moved to Paris in 1911, he first settled on a place that had undergone rigorous development, and his fascination with not only the new structures, but the debris of the past ones were seen in his works. And thks shows that Mondrian saw urban development as part of human evolution towards a more abstract environment - the abstraction here is seen as something that is ever-changing. His studio was and still is seen as an incredibly contemporary experimental space where Mondrian rethought abstraction daily. He literally used his walls as a canvas to create and compose his artworks. This is apparent in his pieces as architecture was a heavy influence, showing a clear relationship between architectural space and the outside world by using primary colours and straight lines - the foundation of any creation. It it also well known that Mondrian was inspired by the road systems and in particular the grid systems in New York which formed these box-like compositions. It illustrates how the painterly space of Mondrian's canvasses was in constant dialogue with their direct surroundings. He was also inspired by nature; trees and buildings are motifs that run throughout his career. This work shows Mondrian was at one with his environment, the studio became an area of evolution and continuation with his work. It consistently looked into the future with his pieces, directing him to the most ambitious developments of his art.

Deconstruction of Advertising Practice - OUCA401

Fit for the Future

Inspiration links with innovation as M&S still aim to create products that embolden their brand image, but do not stray from their known and loved products - by improving them. 'In touch' relates to service and value by being at one with the customer, M&S still aims to respond to the demand, this ultimately relates to trust as there has to be a close relationship between the company and the customer to ensure that they feel their voice is being heard. This is reiterated through integrity as they have to do the right thing for the customer, and ultimately, the chain of production also, forming a stronger brand.

Autumn Advert, 2007

This advert feeds back into the heart of what M&S is as a brand. The music, which is beautifully archaic, has been carefully selected to emphasise the elegance of the celebrity models as well as the archive inspired clothing they are wearing. Not only does the fabrics such as silk connote luxury, but so does the train; you can see by the richly panelled corridors and the opulent dining cars that this evokes a chic and timeless style in their new collection. The advert alludes adventure through the form of transport; first with the train and second with the boat in Venice, capturing the essence of quality and composure.

Food Advert, 2014

The advert explores the curiosity of not only the viewer but the inventor of these food combinations. It focuses purely on the food, a black background and although there is music there are no words so this makes the viewer concentrate on the food. It shows combinations and processes so you can see how the dishes come together. The freshness of the food reiterates quality and the constant new ideas that make sure there is always something different. The advert even shows a quote, '100 new ideas', making sure it is in touch with this audience.

Context of Advertising Practice - OUCA401

Evolution of M&S

M&S first opened on the Kirkgate market, Leeds at the start of the 19th century, displaying and selling a range of essential household items, carrying a slogan of 'Don't ask the price, it's a penny'. More luxurious goods, such as tea sets and clothing, were introduced between the 20s and 40s, expanding the target market and ranging prices up to a shilling. This is when MARSPEN as a brand was first introduced. During the 40s and 50s, resources became limited and this caused M&S to adapt to customer needs by providing items that would help prolong the wear of old clothes and also introduced savings vouchers so that customers were able to receive good quality at a good price. In the 50s, advertising in cinema caused a new revelation, by associating celebrities with M&S. The 60s saw the introduction of non-iron fabrics such as Orlon that were hard wearing and maintained their shape. As the women started to work, the demand for convenience in the kitchen increased, and in the 80s, M&S introduced ready meals and homeware collections. The 90s commenced designers (PerUna, Autogragh) clothing in stores - brands that are still apparent toady. M&S has maintained its known quality in clothing and introduced the same standards in it's 'Taste range' food.

5 Core Brand Values

Quality: Presenting luxurious products and brands that reiterate an exclusive high standard and therefore quality; this is seen in their 'This s not just food, this is M&S food' campaign that began in 2004
Value: M&S first opened with the slogan 'Don't ask the price, it's a penny.' forming a basis of value for the essentials at the time.
Service: This directly links to the need at the time and M&S's ability to respond efficiently. For example, adapting to limited resources by offering supplies and savings vouchers.
Innovation: New ideas pinpoint success in the brand. This is seen in the 1960s when the company pioneered fresh chicken as a saleable product.
Trust: By using iconic figures in advertising influences the concept of high quality and reliability, offering a style and brand that is trusted.