Advert analysis

Advert Analysis

Definition and Benefits

0 An advertisement is a way to promote a band/artist. It can help to identify the brand and create an image for them.

0 It also reaches out to target audiences enticing them. It is also a good way to upsell by advertising new events or products that the band/artist may be involved with. This could create a chance for others to see the band/artist attracting a larger target audience.

Florence and the Machine Florence and the Machine is an indie/rock band. The advertisement is based around the main image. Due to the genre of her music, this type of advertisement would normally be featured in a music magazine such as NME or Kerrang, and would therefore appeal to both the target audience and other similarly based magazines. The main image can also be found on the album it is promoting. This helps the target audience to identify with the artist and album. By using the same image, Florence and the machine's image becomes assertive to the consumer who will become familiar with the album look and therefore they know what to expect from the Digipak.

The main image shows a mid-long shot of Florence welch, which the audience can recognise as the lead singer. The lighting is bright on her, which contrasts the dark setting and subsequently makes her the focal point of the image. She is wearing lungs around her neck to signify the voice of the band. Florence is represented as independent here as she is the main point of focus. Yet gentle which is emphasised by the natural background, light colours, and the loose curls in her hair with the simplicity of her make up. The main image itself is quite famine but with the darker background colour it brings forth a contrast that creates quite an eerie, sinister impression suggesting the target audience is not restricted to a particular gender or age and gives the advertisement quite an indie look.

The font used for the band name is a hand written font style which seems to be quite feminine, however the album name is a bold serif style which is more masculine. The font type is the beginning of a kind of brand identity as it is then seen again on the albums following the release of ‘Lungs’ this creates a consistency which would appeal to her target audience as it makes the band more easily recognised.

In addition the Mise en scene makes her appear gentle and exposed, for example her pose with her arms up and her head facing the side as if she is trying to hide presents innocence. The composition of this shot links strongly to the independent connotations, as she appears pure and reserved with her eyes shut- almost as if she is deep in thought.

The high contrast of the shot draws attention to her recognisable bold red hair, especially when compared to her pale skin, which adds strength to the image and makes her appear more striking to the target audience. The colour of her hair is complimented by her natural makeup, specifically her pink lipstick, a colour that stereotypically has connotations of femininity and innocence therefore making the image stronger.

Another conventional feature of this advertisement is the text that shows what popular songs feature on the Digipak “Kiss with a fist” and “dogs days are over are two well-known songs that have been in the charts, therefore this feature makes the Digipak more recognisable and therefore people will be more inclined to buy it.

Kings Of Leon The Band Nam is in a bold clear type font at the top of the page. The white lettering on the dark background ensures that it stands out and catches the eye of passer-by's. It also makes it easily identifiable for the target audience.

The image is very ambiguous and conforms with the indie/rock genre. It takes up three quarters of the page and is made up of four images resembled to create one face one for each band member. Its is a close up and within it is also a hidden image of an owl which relates to the album title “Only by the Night” as an owl is a nocturnal animal. It could further connote the bands lifestyle which is often associated with drinking and partying which is known to happen ‘at night’. The green tinge creates a night vision impression to the distinctive imagery. The image is the same as on the album, this helps their fans and target audience to identify it.

The advertisement does not give a lot of information other than that which would attract the audience. The Album and band name stands out as a header and a footer, they are laid out to reflect each other. The songs featured on the advert are included as they were three singles and therefore some of their most popular songs. This is used to attract their fans and entice them into buying the album. The QR code and the website also make it easier for the audience to buy the album and make them more inclined to.

The name of the band and album are the start of the brand image as the type font and the underscore between each word is unusual and fits with the unusual nature of the of the main image. It is used throughout a number of their advertisements and products.

The green sepia imagery highlights the dark tones and shading making the main image stand out as the main feature. The dark colours link with the band genre. The release date is written is red to stand out. This is a common colour for the rock genre as it connotate’s anger, rebellion and promiscuity.

Through representations of gender there is a definite target audience, and the song titles would suggest an age range of around 16+ plus

Foo Fighters The tittle has a very simple bold type font which stands out against the metallic background. However there seems to be lightning running through the title which implies strength and power, this carries through to the second line of the title beneath the logo. “Greatest Hits” is a technique often used to appeal to the audience as it establishes there success creating the impression that it is something worth buying. The advert is not used to promote the band and introduce it to potential fans, as it is so simple and only recognisable to those who have heard of the band, it is used to make their fans aware that one of their favourite artists are releasing a “Greatest Hits” album.

There are three main colours used through this advert; red, black and grey. These three colours create a strong contrast which means that that the features they highlight, such as the logo or the information, will stand out from the background. The colour red is often associated with danger, violence, and sex which is a theme that the Foo Fighters have often tried to portray throughout their work. The grey background with the studs gives the idea it is metal. This fits well with the theme as metal is considered cold and harsh following the bands brand image.

A typical convention of an album advertisement is the main which is usually an image of the band/artist to promote them. However the Foo Fighters main image is their logo in the centre of the advertisement. This is as equally well recognised as the band members themselves if not more so. This can be interpreted as a sign of success on the bands part as the band are confident that their audience will recognise the logo and that will be enough to persuade them to buy the album. This is likely to attract the attention of their audience as it is an unusual technique.

The bottom of the advert has a reversed background as it is now white writing on a black background. This is where the main information such as release date, the album availability, and any features are highlighted. Which is another convention typical of advertisements. The advert gives little away about the album which can be a technique to attract the audience in as it makes them want to buy it as it makes them want more. The songs named on the advert have already been released the purpose of it is not to advertise them but rather to use them to attract the audience as they have been voted as some of their most popular work. The have however also included one new song to further engross their fans.