What is advertising

Advertising: a campaign promoting an idea or product with the intent to persuade or generate interest within a target audience. The campaign may use many different forms of media to promote a message for a set amount of time.

Media platforms used to advertise:

Social media, video adverts, magazine adverts, billboards, bus signs, radio adverts, leaflets, pop-up ads (on games), newspaper ads.

Evian- live young ad

What is the message?

Evian is attempting to convey the idea that drinking their water will allow you to feel younger and therefore happier and freer, like a baby. This would be for an older target audience.

Is it effective?

Yes, the message is clear and the execution of the advert is memorable so people are more likely to notice it and speak about it, promoting the brand awareness further.

What style is used to convey this message?

There is a juxtaposition of style: rap and babies in nappies

Boys will be boys- strapline for an ad

What was the message?

Boys need to be held accountable for their actions, they shouldn't be excused because "boys will be boys"

Works with the idea of stereotypical boy behaviour- e.g. fighting

We need to change our behaviour for future generations

Real footage was used to amplify how much it happens in real life- emotional response

Catch attention when people laughing at the beginning- boys and bad behaviour

capture many young boys in the frame- enforces the impact

It was effective because its current 

Transforming behaviour that starts early on

The boys will be boys campaign conveyed the idea of excusing boys behaviour due to the nature of their gender, the campaign is promoting the idea that this isn't a valid excuse and they need to be held accountable for their actions. Interestingly, the campaign is effective as it uses current issues and real footage to reinforce the seriousness of the matter and encourage people to change their behaviour. Furthermore, the idea is that this problem begins from a young age and therefore we need to stop excusing this behaviour so that men of the future are better and held more accountable.

Why was this campaign controversial?

Many viewers of the ad found it offensive, these viewers were exactly the exact type of people who the ad was targeted at. The ad caused many people to go onto social media platforms to give their opinions on the ad and there of course were many disagreements. Interestingly, some viewers of the advert took it very personally and felt they were being targeted by the idea and felt it did not apply to them which caused a great deal of controversy online. Furthermore, in this way, the advert gained additional attention and therefore promoted the brand further.

In addition, the advert caused controversy because men who don't partake in these actions felt it was harsh to group them in with those who have and therefore were offended by the ad. However, the reason for the advert was to educate people about the things going on as well as hopefully prevent these actions for the future generations of men.

Gillette- campaign message

A Gillette advert that references bullying, the #MeToo movement and toxic masculinity has split opinions online.

The razor company's short film called believe, plays on their famous slogan "The best a man can get", replacing it with 'The best a man can be'. 

The company says it wants men to hold each other "accountable". 

It currently has 23,000 likes and 214,000 dislikes, at the time of writing- and that's increasing all the time.

Controversy

Negative responses: some men were offended by the negative representation of masculinity. 

Positive responses: the advert is getting them good numbers and causing a debate- which they must have known when they put out this ad. In addition, it's a change in stance for the brand.

Nike- dream crazy

The campaign's message: I believe the message being conveyed in this campaign is that all the greatest athletes never gave up on their dreams and therefore this inspires the viewers of the ad. 

Everyone's equal and where you come from or how much money you might have has nothing to do with the extent one can go to achieve their dream.

Instead of becoming the best and comparing yourself to others, strive to be the best version of yourself.

It is effective: