Question 2: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=redBBVDFNXs

Final Magazine Article

Final Radio Trailerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsnXpEZ1zMI

Final Documentary

We attempted to create a brand identity in our documentary, magazine article, radio trailer and magazine article. We did this through keeping consistency through; colour scheme; tone; McDonalds theme theme; On-screen presenter as the face of the brand; the montage clip; the exploration into the salt contents in McDonalds. We did all this by keeping the target audience consistent, and making every aspect of brand identity relevant to them.

We used Jake, the on-screen presenter to create a sense of brand identity, as we made him the face of the brand. This was used to give the target audience an actual person to relate to rather than a faceless voice over. Jake is also the same age as the target audience, making him easier to relate to.

As you can see here, Jake is a recurring face in both the documentary and the magazine article. His voice is also the voice over for the radio trailer.

How Effective?

I think that the use of the on-screen presenter to create a brand identity is really successful in our pieces. It also promotes the documentary as friendly and inviting to a young audience.

Would you change anything?

One thing I would perhaps change now that I have reviewed all of the project, is the further use of Jake as a friendly face. We could have improved this by having Jake introduce himself by name in both the documentary and radio trailer. This would be especially important in the radio trailer as you don’t see Jake’s face, therefore not promoting the ‘friendly face’ aspect to the ‘face of the brand’.

On our magazine cover we tried to have a red, black and grey colour scheme, to fit in with the consistent McDonalds theme. In our documentary we had purple titles for professional interviews to match the theme of The Sixth Form College, Solihull Logo.

How Effective?

Individually, I feel that both of the pieces (documentary and magazine article) are successful. But, as linking pieces as part of a brand identity, I don’t feel like they were as effective.

Would you change anything?

Yes, I would change the colour scheme’s to match, therefore creating a more consistent brand identity. I also feel like this could be carried through the documentary by having further pieces of animation revolving around a red colour scheme to match the article.

We attempted to have a light-hearted and informal tone to our documentary, magazine article and radio trailer.

How Effective?

I feel that the light-hearted tone is successful and effective in our documentary, magazine article and radio trailer and helps a younger audience engage with some serious undertones.

Would you change anything?

The only thing I would change is perhaps adding more aspects of informal tone to the radio trailer, as it doesn’t have as many platforms to engage with (such as images) and therefore the tone would have to be far more obvious for an audience to pick up on it.

How Effective?

McDonalds is a prominent aspect of our documentary. We used this as it is one of the most well know, world renowned fast food restaurants, which people know is bad for you, but just love to eat at. Our group thought that the evidence would be more hard hitting if it was from somewhere where so many frequent. We made this part of brand identity by carrying it all the way through the three products as McDonalds is a well recognised company and therefore one of the main appeals and hooks of our documentary.

Would you change anything?

The only thing I would add onto the documentary is perhaps and establishing shot of a McDonalds, to emphasise the focus of the documentary.

How Effective?I feel that our radio trailer was fairly effective in promoting our documentary. In my opinion the opening montage catches young peoples attention, through the shocking comments quoted, and therefore hints toward the shocking truths revealed in the documentary. I also feel that the fact that Jake, the on screen presenter, speaking in it was important to keep the theme and promote the radio trailer as a friendly, yet shocking, exploration of young people’s health and body image.

Would you change anything?Something I would change to help the promotion of our documentary more prominent within the radio trailer is that; although I feel it does work, the opening could have made a stronger statement, such as having Jake, the on screen presenter, introducing himself or a shocking humorous comment. I feel that this would have enhanced the promotion of the documentary by making it more clear who the target audience was and the funny, informality of the documentary, giving the instant impression that it would be an enjoyable documentary to watch.

How Effective?

I do feel that our magazine article promoted our documentary well, as it was informal and chatty, as well as having facts and information with it. It presented our documentary in a positive light by creating a good balance between informality and serious matters such as with the quote ‘many students under the legal age do drink (shocker eh?)’ and the box at the top of the page illustrating nutritional values.

Would you change anything?

One thing I would change, having reviewed our magazine article in some depth is perhaps that the presenter Jake could have written it from his perspective. I feel this would have enhanced the brand identity as well as promoting our documentary. I would have strengthened the promotion by engaging younger readers by having a younger writer/presenter.