TV ADVERTISING TASK 1

TV ADVERT ANALYSIS TASK 1

YSL BABYDOLL MASCARA

This advert is promoting Yves Saint Laurent's latest contribution to their make-up range, the Babydoll Mascara. I personally think the advert,overall is an unconventional advert despite it having some conventional aspects. My judgments are based on the Structure,Techniques and Characteristics of both the advert and the product itself.

STRUCTURE

• Form

The structure of the advert is in the form of 'realist' with a 'surreal' style. Typical conventions used include camerawork,editing, music, mise-en-scene, iconography and sound.

• Camerawork

In terms of Camerawork, close-up shots and extreme close-up shots are enforced so as to show the audience the clear benefits of the product. Achieving long,thick, volumised, multiplied and defined lashes is the goal and expectation set by women when they purchase a mascara. Close-up shots aid in promoting the product while also being a contributing factor of a persuasive technique.  The close-up and extreme close-up shots used in the advert were of Cara Delevigne's lashes,eyes, eyebrows, over-all face and the product itself.

• Editing,Music,Iconography,Sound

Another convention used was the Editing. Unlike typical adverts, the YSL Babydoll Mascara advert is made up of many still shots,which I assume are actually photographs, compiled quickly resulting in a quick,sharp and snappy video. However, a smooth running video is also included which I believe is to show a contrast between the past and present. In the beginning after the bold iconography of Yves Saint Laurent's logo, YSL,a smooth running video of Cara Delevingne getting ready for a possible good night out is shown accompanied with a  high beat music played softly, this particular scene represents the present time Cara is in. It soon progresses onto scenes that varies from black and white, to colour of Cara partying and going out with friends. The music becomes louder at these scenes which makes it apparent that they are flashbacks of Cara's night. Also, the music lyrics contain the name of the product, 'Babydoll', showing a very clear focus and professionalism of the brand itself and the product. The music was a very good representation of the product and the overall message of the advert in terms of its characteristics. Another convention in many adverts are voice overs. This particular advert had no voice-over at all. The only sound coming from the advert was the music, confirming my decision of this advert to be of a unconventional type .

• Mise-en-scene

The whole entire narrative of the advert is about the mascara playing a part in Cara's glamorous,partying life.In the first scene of the advert,Cara is in a old-fashioned luxurious room, decorated in French Decor of mint greens,golds, and whites. Furniture was modern with a black leather sofa and matching 5ft lamp beside it,opposite, a fireplace surrounded with gold embellishments was positioned next to large, ceiling height, white french doors with simple rectangular patterns embossed onto it.A grand mirror embellished with gold patterns is also shown, Scenes of when Cara is partying takes place in a large dining hall with an equally large painting covering an entire wall.Tall champagne and cocktail glasses are placed on the table and in the hands of Cara's accompanies.   In terms of fashion, and clothing worn in advert, it consisted of only sleek black clothing with panels of leather .Clothes were simple and sophisticated with a touch of masculine influence. In one shot, Cara was seen holding a black skateboard in black 8 inch heels . Make-up was kept very simple with a 'thin cat eye flick' eyeliner lining her eyes, a bright pink lipstick and of course the YSL mascara coating her eyelashes. 

CHARACTERISTICS

• Benefits Offered,USP,Lifestyle Appeal

Unlike other mascara adverts this YSL advert does not state any of the benefits or claims of the mascara, in fact there are hardly any words persuading and promoting the mascara throughout the advert except at the end where a quote of the product, ''more than a mascara,an attitude'' is shown in bold pink lettering's over a plain black background. A social media interaction is also shown at the end, known as a Twitter Hash-tag promoting the interaction of  '#yslbabbydoll'. I think YSL's reason for this is because their advert is a representation of their brand. Being a high end brand, their advert was expected to be equally of a high level, allowing the minimalist persuasive technique speak for the brand itself.  

I believe the Unique Selling Point of this mascara is the product brand, YSL and the celebrity they used , Cara Delevigne to endorse it .YSL is a high end luxury brand renowned globally in the fashion and beauty industry, Cara Delevigne holds a high social standing point in the industry and is adored by many people around the world .She was voted as World's Top 100 Most Beautiful Women in 2013 by Forbes Magazine.

Being a of a high-end brand, the product instantly appeals to the extravagant and splendor lifestyle. The packaging design also reflects YSL's brand while also being a contributing factor of a persuasive technique. 

TECHNIQUES

• Celebrity Endorsement, Association.Emotional Response

 The mascara is being promoted by celebrity endorsement. The brand hired the renowned and uprising successful English fashion model and actress, Cara Delevingne to be the main protagonist in the adverts' narrative. As mentioned earlier, Cara is very well known  in the fashion and beauty industry and is looked up to and admired by many young women around the world. It has once been said that aspiring models no longer aspire to be models but aspire to be Cara Delevingne. I think it was a very good decision made by YSL to hire Cara to be the celebrity spokesperson for the product. The brand is associated with social position due to the price of it. I doubt teenagers can afford the mascara, however working women can.The mascara costs £24.

MAXFACTOR FALSE LASH EFFECT MASCARA

The advert above is an example of what I think is a common conventional mascara advert.The advert is promoting Max Factor's False Lash Effect Mascara and is 20 seconds long. The advert contains aspects of common Structure,Technique and Characteristics.Typical conventions used in advert include mise-en-scene,camerawork,editing,music and computer graphics.

STRUCTURE

• Form,Style

I think the structure is very bizarre but I would say it is a combination between realist and anti-realist. This is because in the beginning there is a scene where there are models strutting on the runway, which later on progresses onto them dancing in bold dynamic movements imitating the eyelashes.Later on a scene of a camera crew on a TV production set is shot .These are all very realistic however 15 seconds into the advert the two models merge and suddenly become one person, again imitating the eyelash and directly interpreting the script when the voice over says ''volume and length in one''. As the advert is 20 seconds long the form and style is not easily understood straight away, making the whole style of the advert very surreal and quite dramatic. 

• Camerawork

Close-up shots were taken of the product which is very common in advertising since showing the product in it's clear and detailed form is vital since the audience is expected to buy it. Long-shots are also used to depict the scene of the advert ,which is a runway stage,backstage and camera crew platform.

• Editing,Music,Computer Graphics

Unlike the YSL advert of the Babydoll mascara, music is played softly throughout the entire advert the volume is also kept consistent whereas the YSL advert the volume had varied. Computer Graphics were used in this advert a lot of the time,creating special effects to enhance the product even more and make it more appealing. Another attribute that stood out in comparison with the YSL advert is that the whole production is in black and white, this choice of editing is kept consistent throughout the whole advert,unlike YSL's advert where only certain scenes (flashbacks) were of that effect . The only colour shown in the advert was the product, the mascara itself. This I assume was done to make the product standout. The computer graphics used were splotched and blotches of random black lines or splashings. Which is another convention the YSL advert did not include. 

• Mise-en-scene

The arrangement of scenery of the advert took place at a TV studio, a stage of a runway was shown with a TV crew and equipment set-up. The Mise-en-scene is extremely minimalist compared to the YSL advert, probably because the YSL advert is 1:09 minutes long, whereas this Max Factor advert is only 20 seconds long. Properties used were camera recording equipment, a stylist's pouch and the set of production of the advert.Nothing in the advert was as detailed as the YSL advert mainly because the Max Factor advert is made up of mainly computer graphics and effects which require the absence of such properties as the deem to be unnecessary for the modern theme of this advert. 

TECHNIQUES

• Overt Messages, Association

As in this advert there was a voice-over since the beginning of the advert, messages of the advert and it's purpose is clearly heard and read. The script included the description of the mascara wand while also stating its benefits. The advert is associated with a popular lifestyle since they are not using a celebrity to endorse their product, I think the main message is to overall embrace the popular lifestyle after all the scene setting is of a model strutting down a runway,before being filmed and recorded by a TV production and crew, and then be waited on by a make-up artist applying mascara. 

CHARACTERISTICS

• Benefits offered, advantages,USP

Since the start of the advert, claims has been made about the mascara achieving voluminous and longer eyelashes. The product has been described as '' the ultimate formula'' and '' providing 100 percent lash glamour'' . The message that it is both a volumising and lengthening mascara in one is constantly exaggerated in the script, voice over, dancers movements and computer graphic edits. The unique selling point has to be that it is two in one formula. Being a mascara consumer myself, I understand that achieving longer and thicker eyelashes is often only done by purchasing two separate mascara products that aid only in one of those targets. I often use two diiferent mascara's for my eyelashes, one for lengthening, and the other,volumising. Max Factors False Lash Effect Mascara however is promoting a one of a kind formula for convenience. Thus their exaggeration and message of the advert is the wonderment of the mascara being unique.

RIMMEL LONDON SCANDAL EYES MASCARA 

STRUCTURE

• Form,Style

The Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Mascara is an anti-realist of a form advert with a humorous,surreal and dramatic style. The advert's narrative is that the main protagonist is being arrested for having voluminous eyelashes. Making the 24 second advert humorous,surreal and very dramatic. The surreal and dramatic style I believe was incorporated int o the advert as it reflects on the mascara and advert in terms of the mascara being able to provide 'dramatic' results to you eyelashes to the extent that your eyelashes seem to be unreal and hard to believe they are your real lashes. This advert is expected to be very unlike the YSL advert since no humour was included in the advert, however I think it is is enexpectaedly suprsing that it is unlike the Max Factor advert since both brands are of  the same price range and sold in high-street shops appelaing to the same audience. Despite this , I would still say this advert is conventional as it produces the typical conventions of a TV advert.

• Camerawork,Editing

The entire advert was shot on a green screen which is similar to Max Factor's advert ,however the scenery of the advert takes place on the street, and in jail.Like the YSL and Max Factor advert close-up shots and extreme close-up shots are taken of the eyelashes and face. Nonetheless , in this advert there are more close-up shots than there are of other shots and camera angles.

• Mise-en-scene

The scenery is taken in rough alleys and streets to set the atmosphere of the mascara being 'scandalous'. A newspaper was shown at the begining of the advert with headlines relating to eyelashes, such as '' girls lash out'' and ''massive scandal '' . Police equipment such as flashing head lights, handcuffs , motorbike. fingerprints, police tape, jail bars, mug shot card,height measurements, jail uniform. Fashion and clothes worn were typical police outfits such as the police uniform, accessories and the jail uniform.The model wears leathe gloves