PRODUCTION – ADVERT (SOI)

I intend to create two print adverts to advertise a ‘Vaseline’ lip balm product. I aim to create a separate radical and reactionary product to display different representations. I loosely followed the “curious cat”, EOS lip balm campaign as my style model.  I will include iconic signifiers of the products, a dominant signifier of my model’s face, anchorage with information about the product, a slogan and indexical signs that relate to the campaign connected to the product. However, in the historical advert, the main image will be in black and white to create the impression that the advert was produced in the past. 

The radical product will be a modern advertisement. The Vaseline lip balm I will be using for the radical representation includes the iconic signifier of the pride flag and information regarding the ‘LGBT+ Switchboard’. I will create a campaign in support of the LGBTQ+ community. I will also use a male model to create a counter-typical representation and to juxtapose ‘societal gender norms’ in beauty and skincare adverts which use female models to play to a social stereotype, linking beauty with femininity only. To reflect these modern views, I will use the slogan, “celebrate our differences”, in my advert. I intend for a ‘young’ audience to consume my product. It will be advertised to appeal to young women (aged 14-35), to play to the gender stereotype, and young LGBTQ+ individuals who see themselves represented through the diversity of the brand’s support . Generally, the advert would most likely appeal to ‘The Mainstreamer’ and those of the working class,  who can afford to buy from high street beauty stores, but aren’t willing to spend money on high end products. I believer that a mainstream beauty magazine, such as ‘Cosmopolitan’ or ‘Elle’ would generate my product as they often contain a range of adverts which aim to project to counter-typical identities and groups of people of ranging financial classes. 

The reactionary product will be set in the 1950’s historical period. The Vaseline lip balm I will be using will not include the iconic sign of the pride flag and it will be plain, normal branding to communicate the lack of diversity within the beauty industry at this time. I will blur the main image of my model to ensure that her lips and the product, which were in colour, will stand out. I will create a highly edited image which removes any blemishes to also represent the beauty standards at this time. I will include the slogan “give the perfect kiss with Vaseline”, this reflects Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘Male Gaze’ and how historical representation of women and femininity was for the pleasure of men. I intend for an ‘older’ audience to consume my product. It will be advertised to appeal to heterosexual, married women (aged 25-40), who are positioned to believe that using this product will help “give the perfect kiss” or give pleasure to men. I think that a mainstream 1950’s beauty magazine would produce my advert. 

Leave a Reply