Where is the print ads displayed?

This is my 15th post, I would like to discuss about the place/media that the print ads displayed. It does matter, as it will reveal the age and race of target audience the adverts really emphasize on, and likewise, the gender. To understand the lifestyle of each particular group of people in order to achieve an effective interaction with them. I will be doing analysis based on the print ads I have published in the previous post. 
*I am here to apologize that those photos I took are a bit lousy, please be forgiven. :)

Even though it is a same brand, the meaning of adverts try to convey will be different due to their place of display. These are the example:

Sinchew daily 

The target audience of Sinchew is loyal readers. How do I know? Usually, I have breakfast with my family on Sunday morning, I realize that most uncles will take a SinChew and have their breakfast in 茶餐室，Chinese restaurant. Undoubtedly, it is veritable spiritual food to them.

New Strait Time

No big difference with the sinchew, but the symbolic role of stewardess is different. For more details, please refer back to my post 'Target Audience Interpretation'.

This print ads is from Malay newspaper which I found in a forum.(http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-1224855-p-2.html)

This is the print ads I shoot from Berita Harian.

Both of them are actually promoting the flight to Indonesia, but you will realize the big difference between Malay newspaper and Chinese & English newspaper. Spot that? Where is the stewardess? 

Singapore ads (SGD)

Malaysia ads (RM)

These two valuable flight promotion print ads I found from internet. I believe that the upper one is the actual image of the print ads. The bottom one is in Malay version, I think the criteria of adverting the print ads is more loose compared to the print ads in newspaper. In this caseThe question comes in my mind, why is the Red Cross logo appears on the kissing part? Also, the whole figure of the couple is cropped out into half body in Malaysia ads. In Islamic culture, I know intimacy is forbidden in public. Considering about the cultural background of Malaysia, adverts are still constrained regarding to the regulation.

The last print ads I am not going to say too much. I mentioned several times about that. This is a very controversial, this is the reason it is hardly found from printed media. It will be banned by Malaysia for sure due to the 'sexual' issue is indirectly conveyed. 

To recapitulate, same brands, yet different print ads are published through different media. This shows how the place of display has relation to the print ads. By the way, I will show more different kind of medias in the following blog. 

Resources:

Lim, K(2010) Fly AirAsiaX To Paris From Just SGD 224. Available at: 

 http://bestvacationdealstoday.com/fly-airasiax-to-paris-from-just-sgd-224/ [Accessed: 16th July, 2013].

Sandilands, B (2012) Air Asia Sexist Ads Website, and a few Doubts as to Whether There is More to It Than It Says. Available at: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/planetalking/2012/02/05/air-asia-sexist-ads-website-and-a-few-doubts-as-to-whether-there-is-more-to-it-than-it-says/ [Accessed: 6th August, 2013]. 

Zahar, M.A. (2012) Available at: http://sasaranfkpm.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/adakah-lucah-itu-menguntungkan/marhanah-abu-zahar/ [Accessed: 16th July, 2013].

Additional (forum/blog):
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=429431&page=108
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/archive/index.php/t-1224855-p-2.html

Target Audience Interpretation (AirAsia)

This post is a sequel of 'I am an Ad?!'. I will be talking about the target audience of AirAsia specifically. As I said, the gender, race and age are the range of consideration for designing an ads. Before that, I think it is important to explain the 'codes', Those indexical, connotative and symbolic meaning is called 'codes' by Stuart Hall (1980). In other words, the definition of 'code' is a set of conventionalized ways of making meaning that are specific to particular group of people.

                                           

Stuart Hall

For example, AirAsia, the photography of stewardess which is applied in the print ads must be encoded as such the advert to be able to transfer those signifier from the stewardess to the airline. Therefore, crucially, the advert must be able to know and apply those code which is held by the particular group of consumers, target audience. Well, all people regardless to age and gender can be the passengers of AirAsia, but who is the main target audience AirAsia likes to communicate with? This is the crucial factor (target audience) which can make the adverts conceive of an Unique Selling Point (USP). Based on the particular group of people, the advert can use their language to communicate with them.

In term of gender, I think the potential target audience group is male. Of course, it does have exception depend on the the consideration of race and age. As the print ad I have showed before, figure of stewardess is often putted to use in AirAsia's print ad. The same denotation can be connotated in certain meanings. I will be analysing the same print ads again, but this time I have had tutorial section with my lecturer, Daniel. :D

Denotation 1: The stewardess

Connotation 1: Mother

Myth: The ideology of mother, I will derive an example from a forum. (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080707154432AAOEj1y) When people call you Mother Teresa, they are implying that you are a person that give much of their time and resources even though you are poor in material wealth. It means mother is a role who will spend most of her time on you, the degree of importance to you is extremely high. Just as what the stewardess does, you are always my priority.

Denotation 2: The male passenger

Connotation 2: Son

Denotation 3: The red bracket

Connotation 3: Caring and Warmth

Overall, AirAsia treats people like their beloved one, it shows its womanly concern for you. Also, people nowadays are too busy working, and thus lack of chance to get together with parents and family. AirAsia play a symbolic role as your mother and give you the maternal love which I think the greatest love in thia world. So, maternal love is the selling point in this print ads. <3

                                                        

Figure A

Denotation 1: Stewardess

Connotation 1: Model

Myth: The first impression comes to my mind is F1 lady (look at the Figure A). Probably, the gesture she does, holding a board. Model means a person employed to display merchandise. This is the definition of model, or else you can go Google image there and type ‘model', there is thousand photographs of figure and portrait with golden mean proportion. Desirable, isn't it? I asked myself an question, why model? In my words, people is more interested on the model, instead of the merchandise sometimes, especially GUYS. Such as those car exhibition, what is the most impressive thing to look at? Exactly, the pretty model. 

Denotation 2: Board

Connotation 2: Promotion

In this case, it is merely a sales promotion by using the stewardess as the main object. Who is the target audience again? Men~

Denotation 1: Stewardess

Connotation 1a: Female servant (maid)

Connotation 1b: Imperial concubine

Denotation 2: Man

Connotation 2a: Emperor

Connotation 2b: Nurdy guy

Denotation 3: Malaysia Food

Connotation 3: Spicy, hot and delicious

              

This myth of those signs in this print ads I will conclude overally. This print ads is actually utilizing the ideology of harem. Look at the Fiat print ads above, you will realize the similarity between them, indeed they look alike! The male passenger is connotated a superior status in this case. You, the passenger will be serve like this. Additionally, the Malaysia food is not only the symbolic sign to show the identity of Malaysia, but also the stewardess.   

In conclusion, the overall target audience is men, although the 2nd print ads is advertised without any other man. 

Resources:
Rose, G (2007) Visual Methodologies: An introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials, 2nd edition, Great Britain: MPG Books Group.

The Free Dictionary (n.d.) Model. Available at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/model [Accessed: 6th August, 2013]. 

I am an AD?!

Human being is the decoder of advertisement, we read them and interpret them in our own meaning. Have you ever realize that you are part of the ads? It sounds weird, isn't it? I gonna talk about some theory so that it can be proved.

Williamson (1978) claims:

1. The viewer creates the meaning of a product by making links between signs.
2. The viewer gives meaning to him or herself from the product. (encode)
3. The viewers become created by the ad

This is the process of how advertisement incorporates people in to its signifying world. All signs depend for their signifying process on the existence of specific, concrete receivers, people for whom and in whose systems of belief, they have a meaning (Williamson 1978:40) This is the reason that every time advertiser/designer have to strongly concern about the target audience,  such as gender, age and race. They want to create an ads which can be encoded them so that it can make senses. 

For example,

 

Okay, look at this image. In my interpretation, he is a rock guitarist. He has his unique personality. Perhaps this kind of guy can attract opposite sex easily due to their guitar skill or the cool appearance. Cool right?

How about the interpretation of a grandma? Grandma: Why the girls nowadays look like a guy? (designed dialog) LOL! 

During the signifying process, perhaps during grandma's young age, cool guys must gel their hair orderly with a line of demarcation. I combed that kind of hairstyle when I was kid, my parents think that it is cool propably. Haha!

Besides that, I will show another 5 ways which adverts pull viewers into their signifying effects:

• the spatial organization
• visual absences- fill in the blank by viewers.
• written text- it draws people in easily.
• visual puns- no words is needed, yet the ads can use the visual to shout on you, "HEY YOU!"
• calligraphy- think of Coca Cola, all curly typeface you might think of it as well.

So, now you believe you are an ad as well? Have a nice day :)

Resources:

Rose, G (2007) Visual Methodologies: An introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials, 2nd edition, Great Britain: MPG Books Group.

Williamson, J (2005) Decoding Advertisement: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising, Great Britain and United States: Marion Boyars Publishers LTD.

Word Play in Advertising

As I have mentioned in the previous blog, the components of text and images in advertisement. How do the advertisements attract the viewers? No doubt the image plays a significant role to catch people's attention instantly, but text is also indispensable. It can help people to identify the product and remember it. It can also make a normal image become more out of ordinary.


                                           

                                               

See? Get what I mean now? How powerful is TESCO print ads in this case, the words make the normal products that can be seen in everywhere distinct from the others.


                                                                    

                                                   

                     
                             
This is the another case study. The Economist print ads is the most impressive print ads I have ever seen. It is mere copywriting with striking red color, yet no image. It does communicate with the viewers efficiently.

In this post, I would like to share a very interesting infography about the word play in advertising that I found two months ago (Sorry for my forgettery). All these techniques can be seen in most print ads nowadays, it is magical enough to convince you buying the product.




Now, I gonna show some examples. Let's check it out!

The Endorsement

I am not going to explain too much, I hope you know 'Linsanity'

The Unfinished Claim

Can you see the word "Less" three times? Less than what? Obviously, it is competing with its competitors.

The Rhetorical Question

Try to ask yourself, the point is inside the question. 

The "Water is Wet" Claim

You can see three times "Great" again in this print ads. It is not competing with the others. Why is it great? It is because it is just great. Get what I mean? It doesn't explain the greatness of the thing specifically.

The Weasel Claim

The brand itself makes the product different, but it is actually nothing different. It modifies the square into diamond shape ONLY.

 The Compliment Claim 

You will feel motivated for sure when you look at this print ads.

The Scientific Claim

These two print ads are advertised by Science World. As you can see, there are scientific proof and specific numbers.

 The Vague Claim

From my understanding, BlackBerry is particularly designed for business use. In this ads, the brand is personalized and showing its importance in business people's life. 

The "We're Unique" Claim

Doctors are its users as well, strongly recommended! LOL! I feel that this ads is unique,yet quite ironical~

Resources:

Best Copywriting Ads (2011) Tesco & The Economist. Available at: http://bestcopyads.wordpress.com/ [Accessed: 5th August, 2013].

Linguarama (n.d.) The Language of Advertising. Available at: http://www.linguarama.com/ps/marketing-themed-english/the-language-of-advertising.htm [Accessed: 29th August 2013].

Todd (2011) Wordplay: The Language of Advertising. Available at: http://blog.buysellads.com/2011/wordplay-the-language-of-advertising/ [Accessed: 29th August, 2013].

I MAP (theory of semiotic)

This is the mind map I did a month ago. In the book 'Visual Methodologies', it has deep analysis about advertising language, the study of semiology as well. Therefore, I noted down down some interesting sections which can be discussed and drew out a rough mind map.

Mind Map

Reference: Rose, G. 2007. Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials. 2nd ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Hey, Sexy Ladies~

This post will back to airline. I would like to refer back to the older post which is talking about the agenda of AirAsia female flight attendant's uniform. I found an article, Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, member of parliament of United National Organisation (UMNO) critiqued on AirAsia uniform is too sexy. He said that it does not reflect Malaysia identity. 

Print ad of MAS airline

According to the dress code guidelines were imposed on airline, what kind of uniform is up to snuff? This is the question I asked myself. Lets take a look at uniform of other airlines. Before that, I need to know the competitors of AirAsia in airline industry. Undoubtedly, MAS is the main competitor of AirAsia, even though the target audience is not exactly the same. AirAsia is a budget airline which is reasonable to different class of people. Some packages is low-cost, yet high class. Comparing to AirAsia, MAS is more bias toward rich people, as it mostly supplies business class to passenger so that they can have a luxury compartment in journey. At this moment, I would not go further in term of target audience. I will analyse it attentively in the following post. Hope that you can excuse me! :D

MAS uniform design 

AirAsia uniform design

From MAS airline uniform can be seen that it contains the Malay cultural costume, batik. The greenish blue is sort of cool feeling, it is actually consistent color with MAS logo. As Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz, member of parliament of United National Organisation (UMNO) mentioned about the national identity, I have an understanding toward the criterion now. Regarding to AirAsia, the uniform is fashionable, it comprise the element of 'western dressing trend'. However, the bone of discontention seemms to be that the red uniforms comprise tight skirts that end slightly above the knee, and likewise, contoured jackets over white blouses. This is a typical dressing style to most office girls nowadays. But, many of AirAsia cabin crew whom are Muslim Malays. Try to imagine that this issue is happening in Kota Bharu as I have mentioned before, AirAsia will need to face the disastrous fine just for the uniform. :O

Besides that, I found out that AirAsia is chosen as Top 10 Sexiest Flight Attendant Uniforms. (http://www.travelsexlife.com/top-10-sexiest-flight-attendnt-uniforms/) So, the sexiness of AirAsia uniform is acknowledge internationally. Unavoidably, this will become a very controversial agenda in Malaysia, a Muslim majority country.  

Photography of MAS cabin crew

       

Photography of AirAsia cabin crew

Aside from the uniform, the pose and gesture is also one of the sign of human representation to show the sexiness. Comparing group photos of cabin crew from both airlines, we can see that MAS stewards and stewardesses have consistent gesture and orderly line up , it shows the professional and trustworthy service will be given by the cabin crew. In the contrary, AirAsia's stewardesses give me an impression of coquettish feeling. The pose the stewardesses do is somewhat like one of the hot poses that girls like to do on facebook which is called "angled-knee trick". (check out more at this website: http://www.brobible.com/life/article/the-15-most-common-ways-girls-try-to-look-hotter-on-facebook) The point on the sexiness and spicy scale skyrocket for showing some skin. 

Resources:
http://investvine.com/airasia-crew-uniforms-too-sexy-for-authorities/
http://www.travelsexlife.com/top-10-sexiest-flight-attendnt-uniforms/
http://www.brobible.com/life/article/the-15-most-common-ways-girls-try-to-look-hotter-on-facebook