An advertising agency is a company that solely works on promoting and marketing other businesses. The adverts are usually of an extremely high standard as it gives a different outlook on the business.
An ad agency is independent from the client and provides an outside point of view to the effort of selling the client's produc
At most companies, such as Nike, have their own in house advertising team. This consists of a team of people working for that company, creating thing such as posters, billboard advertisements, radio adverts etc. for the company.
Different advertising companies offer different services - preparation and placement, research services and production, a few; but they all have
the same purpose to sell your brand/product/company.Three major advertising companies are Saatchi and Saatchi. Saatchi and Saatchi have worked on adverts such as the T-Mobile advert, Head and Shoulders and Cadbury - to main just a few. Next there is Leo Burnett - they have worked on adverts with Nike, Samsung and fiat. Another is BBDO - they have worked with clients such as Gillette, Braun.
However, the adverts have to pass certain standards these are set by the ASA. The ASA (advertising standards authority) is an independent company set up in order to make sure adverts is suitable for promotional uses and suitable for their time slots. It is supported by the committee of advertising practice (CAP) together they offer a set of codes, to which the adverts must meet, in order to protect the viewer/customer.
In 2005, two adverts were band by the ASA. The adverts - one 60 seconds long and one 30 seconds long - featured famous rapper 50 cent. Sat in a darkened room, the advert sounded sirens, gunshots and a rather disturbing question of, 'whom are you going to massacre next?’ the answer was a laugh. Some viewers complained as it promoted gun crime and contributed to the raising gun crime in certain parts of Britain. The rest said that it was influencing the minds of young people in order to make them think that gun crime is 'cool'.
The ASA said: 'The advertisements were
in breach of CAP (broadcast) TV Advertising standards Code Rules 6.1 (offense), 6.2 (violence and cruelty) and 7.3.1 (mental harm - children) and shoul
d not be shown again'
The advert was looked by the BACC and they claimed it had been a difficult decision to give the all clear to the advert. They added, it didn't promote gun crime, more the opposite; since 50 cent overcame the accusations that he was involved with gun crime. The advertiser retorted claiming it conveyed a message of right of freedom and individuality. Also, they didn't make any emotional pain, the message was just merely meant to be;’ Gun crime isn't good nor does anything good come from it'. The advertiser took the complaints and acted up on them. Shortly after they decided not to broadcast the advert anymore.
Another advert to be in trouble with the ASA is the Levi's advert. This advert could have been seen as offensive, as it could be seen as too sexual. Most parents would not want their child to turn on the TV and see a man stripping and think that this was normal.
The adverts were quite controversial buts that what made people talk about them - this is how they becomes such a success, although they were made in different time periods.
Throughout both adverts, the creators have used a range of lines of appeal. In the Reebok advert one of the few lines of appeal is rich aspiration life style this is because 50 cent, the star vehicle, is rich and therefore lives a rich lifestyle that people would want to aspire to.
The Levi's advert conveys self-importance and pride. This line of appeal works because the man, by stripping in the launderette, shows that he has a lot of self-confidence and by buying Levi's we too will gain great self-confidence.
It is clear that in both adverts factors of persuasion have been used. In the Reebok advert, the creators have used many different factors of persuasion such as star power - this makes the viewer feel that if they wear Reebok, they will be just like 50 cent, who lots of young people aspire to. In the Levi's advert, reward power has been used as if you buy Levi's you gain immense self-confidence.
The primary target audience for the Reebok advert is young people. This is due to the use of the star vehicle that is 50 cent - who appeals to young people because of his hip-hop genre of music. It would also be more aimed at males because of the sports wear range being advertised. However, in the Levi's advert the advert is promoting jeans therefore it has a wider target audience. Taking into consideration the music choice, a classic soul song and its location of setting in a launderette - where mainly adults go; it seems to be aimed at slightly older people - such as older teenagers and young 20's. Also, the attractive male model would appeal to men and women as men would aspire to be him and women would be attracted to him.
At the start of the Reebok advert there is an establishing shot -this gives the viewer an idea of where 50 cent was brought up and how he has come out a successful man. Also, it shows trainers over a wire at the top of the shot - the trainers are a signifier that, in American culture, connotes death. The rest of the shots are medium shots, this is to make the viewer think that he his superior and we should look up to him as a powerful man due to his rough bringing up and turning it around to create a successful career and luxurious life style. The advert has a high level of cultural verisimilitude as it lives up to the stereotype of an American 'Ghetto': the music, disused
warehouse, run down area is all signifiers that support the idea of cultural verisimilitude. In the Levi's advert, at the beginning, a close up shot of the car this is a signifier and connotes America in the 1980's therefore it sets the era and location. Also a lot of long shots are used. This is so the main focus is on the product - jeans, also, it shows off the model's body - this would attract men and women as the men would think he looks good and would aspire to be like him; the women would be attracted to him and would want a man to wear them. A close up is used when the man is taking the jeans off; this could be used to show the quality of the jeans, this could be seen as protractile or to show just how good you would look in these jeans and the confidence that you will gain. At the end a long shot shows a row of people, dressed, with him in the middle this makes him stand out and emphasizes the confidence gained from wearing Levi's.
There is a main music bed in both adverts, these help to add to the atmosphere.
In the Reebok advert, the music bed is a steady beat that is commonly associated with the hip-hop scene. On top of the beat a variety of audio signifiers have been used. This includes a gunshot which is a signifier and connotes that 50 cent was shot but survived. Also, there is tap dripping this is a signifier and could connote the dripping blood of 50 cent when he was shot. By using such audio signifiers this adds to the sinister theme of the advert. In the Levi's advert, there are no sound effects - it’s all about the song. The song is a classic fast paced song which starts with a cool baseline at the beginning and builds up to emphasize when he is taking his clothes off. The song fits the advert, as it is cool and soulful just like the product being advertised.
A voice over was used in the Reebok advert, it is 50 cents voice which is deep; this is a signifier and connotes an enigma. A news reporters voice can be heard towards the end asking the question, 'whom are you going to massacre next'. This adds emphasis to how famous he is as he gets interview by paparazzi. However, in the Levi's advert no voice over is used.
In the Reebok advert 50 cent is in lose sport type clothing this is a signifier
and connotes that Reebok is good enough for him so we think it must be a good brand. It could also connote his background and current job as a hip-hop artist these sort of clothes fit in with hip-hop culture. In the levis advert the male model is wearing Levi’s and a plain top; this is a signifier and connotes that by wearing a plain top all the attention will be on the jeans (the product). The model also looks cool, confident and comfy in him; this makes us want to be like him or attracted to him.
In both the adverts males are used. This is because, in the Reebok advert 50 cent is part of the hip hop genre - more likely to be an all male category - therefore this would promote the sportswear line to people who aspire to be like him. In the Levi’s advert, the male model's looks and confidence when wearing the jeans is very apparent. This would appeal to men as they would buy the jeans in order to feel like him: it would also appeal to women as they would be attracted to him and want their partner to look as good as he does and would buy the jeans.
Stereotypes are used in all adverts. In the Reebok advert 50 cent is seen as a hero due to the low camera angles making him look superior and his cool
and calm but striking presence in the advert. On the other hand, in the Levi’s advert the male model is seen asan urban man and an erotic male, this is due to him living in a city and walking in to a shop in the middle of a bust street. The erotic male is proven when he starts stripping and stands in front of everyone in his boxers.
In the Levi’s advert it contains cultural and historical codes such as; the solider, launderette and the car. These suggest that the advert was shot in between 1970 and 1980 during the Vietnam War and by the look of the car it is a clear give away. Cultural codes also run through the Reebok advert the shots taken on the streets and 50 cents clothes. These help the viewer understand what sort of genre of music he is, by the dirty 'ghetto' type neighborhood, the disused warehouse and the baggy clothing - it all reflect one music genre hip hop.
When putting the uses and gratification theory into the adverts only one or two of the uses could relate to each advert. In the Reebok advert personal relationships is relevant, as it would get people whom like that genre of music talking about the advert, therefore creating relationships about something in common. In the Levi’s advert it contains a level of diversion, it would distract people from their day-to-day routine and would offer a bit of escapism.
The adverts have a few things in common such as they both contain cultural codes and main characters. The purpose of the adverts were the same too, they were both created to sell a product however only the Levi’s one was successful. This was due to the male model and the way the advert attracts attention from both sexes and how people aspire to be him. The Reebok advert was banned due to being to violent, some of the messages in the advert were not suitable for younger viewers as they would believe that if they got shot 9 times they too would be a icon; this of course is ludicrous.
