Category Archives: Audience

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Qualitative and Quantative

Quantitative Data = Number based.

Qualitative Data = Interpretative.

Research product 1- Jasmin Noir

Quantative:

Targeted to those who want to be “that” woman and seen as brave/dangerous and bold. Someone who is expensive and wants to spend excessively- linking to Laura Mulvey with her theory of the “Male Gaze”.

This would usually be for people who are aged 25-40 and it also appeals as a great gift meaning that it has some appeal to men as well.

Research Product 2 – Dolce and Gabbana

Targeted to those from middle class and up. As they will have enough income to support their little shopping spree or impulsive buy.

This will be for people who want to be seen as impulsive or have a break from reality, maybe someone who is growing and altering their presentation/ identity. This will be for people of ages 25-50 as this is the age where people are entering the later stage of their life.

My Product: Jimmy Choo Perfume

My target audience is from 16-45 who will be learning to embrace themselves and their new identity due to the fact that society is constantly changing and their true selves may not have been accepted yet, but with the Jimmy Choo perfume they will learn how to and grow with confidence as they learn what it means to be feminine or masculine or both.

this is mainly aimed at the middle class however this perfume is inclusive to people of all classes.

Qualitive Data:

Research product 1- Jasmin Noir

The aspirer,

Research Product 2 – Dolce and Gabbana

The explorere, the aspirer, the mainstremer

My Product: Jimmy Choo Perfume

The mainstreamer, the aspirer

CSP 3: Score

Media language Analysis

Semiotic Analysis:

  • The Dominant signifier is the male who has been placed above all the women. He is surrounded by a paradigm of women who clearly are holding the man in a higher status, they are beneath him both literally and metaphorically. There is a code where the man is holding a weapon and seems to be in a dangerous jungle like area, this holds meaning to the fact that the man is strong and supposed to be shown as attractive to women, saying if you use their product it will make you manly and irresistible to women. This is a reactionary view of the time as during the era of this advert it was normal for women to be discriminated and seen to be beneath men, hence the use of women holding the man above them. The anchorage of the phrase “Get what you’ve always wanted” followed by the image of the man being held above the women all under the theoretical spell of his masculine appeal.

Textual Analysis:

  • They’re in a jungle type setting, which allows the females in the ad to wear their supposedly safari clothing, which is just clearly a over sexualised type outfit, to clearly be attractive to the presumed straight male that the ad is targeted at.
  • A main male character, with a well cut clean shave, (to promote the product of course).
  • The main heading “Get what you’ve always wanted” – Text that attracts the customers and the target market.
  • 5 Female characters being used as a marketing strategy to appeal to the target market.

Representational Analysis:

  • This ad is a clear representation of the Patriarchy, the women are clearly being used in this constructive reality where they are here only to serve to men, the ad is trying to create a collective identity that if men use their product they will “Get what they’ve always wanted”. Based on contextual ideas, this is all a tool used to generate more sales and produce more loyal costumers, which of course, is a main purpose of an advert.
  • The text clearly follows some voyeuristic ideas, as well as the use of the male gaze, to once again, like mentioned before, appeal to the target market of the presumed straight male.
  • This ad is an bold representation of body positivity values and the fair and equal representation of women during the time period. From my own knowledge, during this era women were discriminated against and were not treated anywhere near as equal to men. Men were considered protectors of women and that women were to do as they were told by their husbands. As men went out for work and earned the majority, if not all of the money for the family, the wife would stay home and take care of the kids and the home. I believe that therefore, the use of the women in this advert, represents this old ideology and tradition.

The narrative:

The narrative of this advert is that if the man in the advert was not using the score hair grooming product, he would not be worshiped and wouldn’t be attractive to women, that he would not be as manly. The main title and strap line of “Get what you’ve always wanted” directly points out to the audience of the advert and uses a subtle manipulation of the reader, that in fact YOU do want what is being shown in the ad, that YOU want Score grooming product. It implies that that all men want it, this is a toxic masculine idea which clearly creates some issues but yet, it’s what “you’ve always wanted”. It also follows ideas that men want to be better than everyone and want to be attractive to women, but it can only happen, the thing that they’ve “always wanted”, if they buy their product and shave using their grooming products.

CSP 3 : Score

Textual Analysis : In this advertisement, there is a man on top of a form of platform who is being praised by five different women, who have been sexualised to be a submissive of the dominant signifier.

Semiotic Analysis : The dominant signifier is represented by a masculine figure, in the centre and the peak point in the advert. Anchorage is shown in this image through the strap line “Get what you’ve always wanted”, this corresponds with the women praising the man. Furthermore, this advertisement for hair cream is a reactionary view, due to this point in time where women were seen as being a necessity to a mans lifestyle.

Representational Analysis : The representational idea of different social groups in this photograph, is the idea that men are the dominant gender and women follow / are commanded by masculinity. As well, the idea of this product advertisement is to encourage men to purchase the product for the opportunity to have a swarm of women admiring them.

Narrative : The narrative being told is this product ‘Score Liquid Hair Groom’, whereby a man didn’t use ‘Score Liquid Hair Groom’ and was left behind in society, women didn’t find him visual appealing until he used this product that makes his hair less grease, giving him everything he’s ever wanted, admiration of white slim women. He soon gets carried to his desires, pleasantry exercises. The advertisement is set in the climax of the narrative.

Audience : The advert is manipulated to be desired as men wouldn’t be able to resist the sexualised appearance of the females in this advert, giving a sense of what the males can potential ‘get’, these persuasive techniques of temptation of women gives men the curiosity of buying the product. The audiences opinion of this advert has changed due to the change in society and the way society views ideas. Back when this advert was made, it was deemed normal for women to show skin and be the less dominant gender, and black men and women to not be in advertisement, however over the last few years, the change in society, diversity and the popular ideas have changed the way products are advertised. This is due to the recognition and understanding of sexism, racism and homophobia.

CSP 4: Maybelline

After decades of limiting makeup ads to women, beauty brands are finally getting the hint that makeup isn’t just for girls; it’s for guys too.

For this specific campaign, Manny’s encouraging everyone, no matter their gender, to “lash like a boss.” While the text-speak might come off a little cheese for some, the underlying message isn’t lost. Man or woman, makeup is for you.

Techniques

The use of a wand sound effect when the case is opened would make the consumer think that the contents of the case, in this case the mascara, has magical properties

Throughout the entire advert the product is portrayed as a wand which further refers to the possible magical properties of the product

The transition from the grey and dull room to the sparkling gold room gives the idea to the audience that the product is the defining factor that causes the transformation

MAYBELLINE Notes

This advert is very good in the sense that they’re advocating gender, sexuality, race and social class. For starters, they have 3 characters, two men and one female. The female is a person of colour (representation of race), the main male character is an openly gay white male (representation of sexuality) and the second male who is the ‘bell boy’ is also Caucasian, (this has representations of reversed gender stereotypes as usually adverts would cast a female to reinforce the Male Gaze, however, this advert’s main target are females and men who don’t identify as straight, so the male gaze wouldn’t even be an issue.

While it is amazing that there is Pride representation in this advertisement, I do feel as though they have over exaggerated the fact that he is gay. The fluidity of identity is great and many gay males who are interested in makeup are stereotypically seen as the way he has been portrayed, which is no problem, but the advert makes it seem more over the top and exaggerated than it needs to be. Almost like they are trying to show off that they are the first beauty company to include a gay male in their advert, instead of focusing on what they’re representing and what they’re selling.

By having the apartment/room in ‘New York’ it indicates that people with a higher social class are still legible to purchase the Mascara without feeling ashamed. The apartment/room has a window that you can see out of that shows the outside as a bit of a dump/not as cleaned up and gorgeous as it typically should be, which has representations of people with lower social classes are able to purchase the item too.

The is a hashtag in the bottom left corner during part of the video. This is a very good marketing move as people who see it will go on social media and use it, therefor, spreading it around and basically doing the promo for the company for free.

Pushing the frontiers further, a gay YouTube star has become the first male model for international cosmetic giant Maybelline.‘ Not only was this a huge step, but it was also international, meaning that people from all cultures, sexuality, gender, race and social class is available to view it.

Manny tweeted, “Can’t believe Maybelline posted me on Instagram. I think I’m the first boy they’ve ever posted! We’re breaking boundaries guys!”‘ This suggests that it is a major step in the right direction to some sort of equality.

“I’ve gone through all of it, I’ve literally heard every single name in the book be told to me,” he recalled.‘ Talking about homosexuality and homophobia, he speaks up about being called many inappropriate names. This advert allows him to feel like himself and keep confident, which is why the gender and sexuality representation is a major key as other males or people part of the LGBTQ+ Community can also feel themselves when they use the Maybelline Mascara (the product they are trying to sell)

audience theory notes

 ‘Hypodermic Needle’ Theory.

 Harold Lasswell, who developed the theoretical tool of ‘content analysis’ and in 1927 wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ Laswell believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1.

To illustrate his hypothesis, in 1948 he developed a linear model of communication one that breaks down the line of communication from point A to point B, in which the SENDER is transferring a MESSAGE, through a MEDIUM (eg Print, radio, TV, etc) that has a direct effect on the RECEIVER. 

Or to be correct: WHO, SAYS WHAT, THROUGH WHAT CHANNEL, TO WHOM, TO WHAT EFFECT.

This approach was later adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISE, ERROR, ENCODING and FEEDBACK.

In other words, there is the suggestion that the process of sending and receiving a message is NOT clear-cut, predictable or reliable and is dependent on a range of other factors that need to be taken into consideration. 

audience theory notes

  • Hypodermic model (passive consumption)- about changing behaviour
  •  Harold Lasswell wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1
  • People can modify the behaviour by convincing/ persuading them and basically lying eg telling sister copper coins are worth more than silver

Two step model of communication

  • adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISEERRORENCODING and FEEDBACK.
  • model proposes a clear, linear (and perhaps unaltered) connection between message sent > message received
  • McQuail, Blumler and Katz theoriesed personal needs and social needs
  • individuals sought particular pleasures, uses and gratifications from individual media texts

Score CSP

In this advert, you can see that there are 5 white women underneath a white male who seems to be held up by some sort of platform covered in a Cheeter print, suggesting that they’re in the jungle. The 5 women are almost draped over this man wearing little amounts of clothing, which appeals to men.

This advert is definitely reactionary as its target audience is males in their 30-50s who most likely want to appeal to women. With having these skinny women draped around him, it suggests that by using this product, women will automatically find you attractive. With having the women wearing provocative clothes, it just reinforces the target market as males will find these women attractive and think they have a chance to ‘win’ a similar looking women after using the product.

The man is also holding some sort of hunting gun, which proves my point further about him being above all people because he’s ‘really masculine’. This suggests that only men are allowed to go hunting and women can only throw themselves at ‘manly’ men instead of doing things for themselves.

The word ‘Masculine’ is actually used in the description of this advert in the phrase ‘Score’s famous masculine scent’. This indicates the fact that if you use the product, not only will you look good and appeal to women, you will also appear masculine AND smell masculine.

The description of the product is rather repetitive and poorly written. This may be repetitive to get their point across of how it’s all men want. By repeating the name of the product many times, it gets it into people’s heads and they will most likely buy it because they remember it more.

There is a clear narrative of being above people. Before he used the ‘Score’ product, he was just an average man with ‘greasy hair’ and then he used it and now he’s above all women with the ‘perfect’ hair. You can see that there are no People of Colour in this advert, which indicates that he is also above all people who aren’t white.

The strapline ‘Get what you’ve always wanted’ suggests that every man who sees this advert has ‘always wanted’ this product and that it is some sort of life saver. It doesn’t seem like a very good strapline that will encourage people to purchase the item, it seems rather dull and possibly narcissistic, assuming their hair product is what people have always wanted.

When looking at the Iconic sign (image) of the product, it reminds me of a bottle of super glue, which would be a negative effect on them as that is the last thing you would want to put on your hair. If they really wanted to embrace masculinity, they should have the hair product in a more manly, masculine bottle that boosts their confidence when buying it, instead of a small clear/transparent bottle as it looks like they’ve put little to no effort on the design.

Not only is there a lack of representation for People of Colour, but there is also a lack of representation of the lgbtq+ community. For example, they say that only men who want to be masculine and want to attract women can purchase and wear this product, when in reality, people with any gender and any sexuality can wear it too. If for example, a male doesn’t want to present himself as masculine, the advert almost shames him for not being a ‘real’ man.