OMO advert CSP blog tasks

                                        

1) This advert was produced in 1955.

2) In the 1950s, women were presented as housewives, or the keeper of the household/carer of the family; who were fully dependent on their husbands. They were portrayed to be inferior or have a less important status as opposed to men, and in most adverts they were seen to be wearing an excessive amount of make-up (perhaps implying that their appearance is the only focus and that they are expected to always look presentable) and fulfilling domestic duties like cooking for their family or cleaning the house. They were also predominantly shown in adverts such as cleaning products, cooking brands or others based towards men which featured women solely to make them seem like the man's property or look almost incapable of doing usual everyday activities on their own.

3) An example of a verbal code shown on this advert includes the heading at the top placed in the center, which states 'OMO makes whites Bright!'. This promotes the advert by eloquently indicating that the product not only whitens clothes, but instead leaves them looking bright and even cleaner than before. This also suggests that the product is a must-have and persuades people (typically women) to purchase it, further reinforcing the demeaning stereotype that it's a women's job to clean up after her family. The typography is almost comic-like, which again promotes the advert as they were hugely popular during the 1950s.

4) The woman in the advert is seen wearing an apron-like dress, with other clothing items thrown over her shoulder. This emphasises the expected role of a women in the 1950s, which was to take care of cleaning clothes for the rest of the family. She is also portrayed to be wearing an extravagant amount of make-up, despite the fact that she is only shown to be doing a usual chore like washing clothes. This can be deemed as stereotypical towards women given the fact that she has to wear a lot of make-up, including a very deep red lipstick, although she is only performing a casual task; perhaps further enhancing the certain idea that women are supposed to look orderly at all times. The placement of the women is showing her hanging clothes up on a washing line whilst making a face at the camera. This is again yet another largely-thought stereotype towards women that it is her duty to be doing all the household chores which shows just how normalised it was in society during that time.

5) The pack shot of the product shown at the bottom right of the advert is perhaps there to show the audience, which is specifically targeted at women, what the packaging of the product looks like in an attempt to possibly emphasise the idea that it is also a women's job to buy the groceries and basic household necessities.

6) The colours displayed throughout the advert - red, white and blue - might be to portray the colours of the British 'Union Jack' flag as this advert was released not too long after the end of World War II. Britain is a very nationalistic and patriotic nation, and so they represented themselves and their triumph almost everywhere.

7) The anchorage text includes the fact that "millions of women" approve of the product, which further encourages the rest of the female audience to purchase it as it was what they were expected to do and it's what every other woman would do at the time; and so not fulfilling those expectations would be to discard the role they were given. However, it could also be seen in a positive light, as the text seems comical and humorous which plays it off as a witty remark - this is also another way in which the producers had hoped to persuade others to buy their product.

8) Women are constantly represented as devoted wives and mothers, as portrayed by the woman in the advert. They are shown to be dedicated to their supposed duties and always taking on the role of cleaning up after their family, again reinforcing the alleged stereotype that it is their job to always be washing up after others. It also supports the idea that women are incapable of taking on other traditional jobs which are reputedly only for men, and that their role is to only support the well-being of their family.

9) The preferred reading of this advert is that women should perhaps adopt the role of which they were given, to be a housewife and support her husband and family. The producers' intended message to the 1955 audience was to encourage the normalised idea that it should be a women's role to clean for her family, which is why the advert is distinctively targeted towards them.

10) The oppositional reading of this advert is that it is stereotypical and blatant misogyny, especially from a modern audience, where now women are valued more and became less inferior to the opposite gender. A modern audience may take this entirely differently to what the producers of the original 1955 advert had originally intended, as now not only is it normalised for women to be having generally 'manly' jobs, but men are now seen to be taking on household and domestic duties as well; which is entirely different to how society was like over 60 years ago.

Grade 8/9 extension questions

1) Within the last 60 years, there have been significant changes as to how women are presented through adverts. For example, several decades ago, women were represented to be the sole carers of the family, and faithful wives who's duty it was to cook and clean for her husband and children. Nowadays, women are presented in less of a stereotypical way, as not every advert featuring them is to do with cleaning products or cooking brands as opposed to 1950s/1960s adverts, and they are instead shown to be performing actions such as martial arts and sports - both of which would be absolutely abnormal for a woman to be seen doing over 60 years ago. The changes are shown clearly through the examples below:

2) The aftermath of World War II is reflected in the OMO advert through the signature colours of the British 'Union Jack' flag - red, blue and white - which were used to emphasise Britain's victory in the war. Adverts in the 1950s very strongly tried to reinforce the original stereotype of women as housewives and mothers because during the war, as the men were drafted into the army and fought for their country, women began taking on their old jobs in order to help aid the country. This changed the ways society saw women, and so following the war, the old stereotypes were pushed back onto them in an effort to restore the masculinity and superiority complex of the men in order to draw the attention back onto them.

3) I agree with the approach to ban sexist and gender-stereotypical roles in adverts as by doing so, it helps create a sense of equality between both genders rather than making one seem more dominant than the other. Also, certain stereotypes such as women being the carer of the household and men being the main provider for the family, were severely offensive towards both genders; and created an even bigger gender gap between both men and women. By banning these harmful adverts, it helps to further reinforce non-discriminative views and make a fairer world.

Gender representation in advertising

1)

2)

3) In the 1950s/1960s adverts, women are portrayed to be cleaning, cooking or looking after their husband and/or family. This supports the certain stereotype that they are only good for being a housewife; and that their only role is to be a mother and look after their home and family. Also, some of the adverts convey hugely stereotypical messages, for example: "She'll be happier with a hoover". This implies that women are not only labelled as housewives, but that is what their whole personality and being is made out to be. Another way in which women are shown in the 1950s/1960s adverts are with a man, however they are depicted to seem inferior or of less value than men, who are clearly the dominant figure within every advert featuring both a man and a women. This is shown in the example: "Blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere". This slogan indicates that women have to depend on a man completely and are incapable of relying on themselves; it also expresses the idea that men have "control" over a women and what she does, again presented by the phrase 'she'll follow you anywhere'. Furthermore, this advert suggests that back then women were always seen as subservient and fully lenient on men, in some cases they were also sexualised or portrayed in a way which made them seem as more like objects, rather than actual real people.

4) In the post-2000s adverts, women are represented through advertising in a better light compared to the 1950s/1960s adverts. However, in some cases they are still objectified in a way, or conveyed as society's "beauty standards" in which are believed to be how a women should look or present herself. Some of these beauty standards include being slim or well-defined, lighter hair (e.g. blonde), blue eyes and more. These are displayed through many women's adverts, for example the Burger King advert (included in Q2). In this advert, the women is shown to be a thin and blonde with white skin which again links back to society's expectations of a women's appearance. She is also shown wearing an excessive amount of make-up, including a very deep shade of red lipstick which could be seen as a "sexual" colour. Additionally, it suggests that the focus of women in these adverts is solely based on their appearances rather than adding a more meaningful message to them, as they are also portrayed to be wearing overly revealing clothes in most of them. This could come across as very stereotypical towards women, indicating that though they are not always portrayed to be "housewives or mothers" as opposed to the 1950s/1960s adverts, not as much has changed in terms of how their appearances are presented throughout more recent adverts.

5) Over the last 60 years, representations of gender have changed in a number of ways post-2000 compared to the 1950s and 1960s. For example, in the 1950s/1960s, women were always portrayed in a hugely stereotypical way; either cleaning, cooking or looking after their husband/family - they were implied to be inferior and fully dependent on their husband. However, in post-2000 adverts, many of the roles were reversed - men are now also seen to be cooking or taking care of their family whilst women are seen to be working or doing things that they wouldn't have been able to do beforehand, one of them being martial arts (shown in the third advert in Q2). Overall, the portrayal of both genders within more recent adverts has changed significantly compared to adverts from 60 years ago, with most of the changes being in very positive ways.

Advertising: Key Conventions

1) There are pictures of the product (Skittles) shaped to be a rainbow to show the audience what kind of fun and pleasant product it is. This is both eye-catching and captivating as the broad range of colours is the first thing you notice when looking at the advert; the variety of different kinds of bright colours may imply that this product is targeted towards younger children. The anchorage text which states "Bite Size Candies" may stand out to the audience, as they are quick and easy to have, and things served in small or 'bite-sized' portions are generally thought to be more rewarding. The logo is huge and centred in the pack shot in the middle so that it the brand name is clear and stands out to the audience. The word "skittles" is derived from the Old English word, 'sceoten', meaning "to shoot". This could perhaps imply that the product 'shoots' an abundance of flavours in one's mouth, giving them a thrilling experience. The background is portrayed to be a blue sky, filled with clouds. This contrasts with the shape made out of many tiny Skittles, creating an illusion as if it were a real-life rainbow in the audiences' mind. Vibrant colours like these connote to happiness, excitement, fun and positivity, which is a common motif emphasised on the advert. The slogan "TASTE THE RAINBOW" is written directly in the middle of the image; the noun "rainbow" indicates that rainbows and vivid colours are an ongoing theme within this advert, and the verb "taste" makes the audience feel as if they could really almost taste the plethora of hues displayed on it. This really communicates the message that the producers are trying to give out to the audience; that this is an entertaining and amusing product that is a must try. The colour scheme predominantly includes a huge myriad of polychromatic shades, which again further highlights the key buoyant message of the advert - in order to make people feel captivated and want to buy it.

2) The USP (unique selling point) for this Skittles advert is the idea that it is mainly meant towards kids or young children. This is comprehensible because of the large range of colours depicted across the advert, with the main theme being revolved around rainbows. This theme connotes to things such as "a sign of good luck" or "good fortune", suggesting that this product is something everyone must try and something that everyone will like, or benefit from. Another creative interpretation of this advert is that the product 'Skittles' itself is the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow; which are thought to bring happiness and wealth to those who come across it, which catches the attention of consumers.

Extension:

1) A clear brand identity

e.g. Apple, as it is obvious and definitive to the audience. The USP is that it is a well-known logo which is clear to those around the world, and everyone would know or has seen it.

2) A shocking or controversial idea

e.g. Burger King, as it shows an unappetizing burger, in a way to promote their own. The USP is that they use real and rich ingredients in their own food rather than artificial preservatives which is pleasing to the consumers.

3) An emotional connection to audience

e.g. Heinz, as it is perceived to be a funny and humorous advert, however audiences can connect or relate to it emotionally as well. The USP for this is the fact that it revolves around affection and harmony, which is heartfelt towards consumers and make them feel more passionate about buying it due to the theme of family, especially to those who are a part of or want a big family.

4) An innovative or 'different', subversive concept

e.g. McDonald's, as the famous 'M' icon is shaped to look like eyes. The USP for this advert is that the left 'M' is illustrated to look tired or wearied, however the right 'M' looks wide-eyed and energetic with coffee beans inside it. This implies to the consumer that McDonald's coffee can make anyone perk up quickly and effectively, encouraging them to buy the product.

5) A foreign advert that you can understand despite the language barrier

e.g. Coca Cola, as it is a product that is familiar to people around the world, despite the language barrier on the advert since not everybody can read or understand that specific language. The USP is that it is a intimate product which is known to all no matter what language it is depicted in.

Film Industry: Final Index

My Film Industry Final Index:

1) Film Industry: Marketing - Marvel Cinematic Universe

2) Film Industry: Black Widow

3) Film Industry: I, Daniel Blake

I, Daniel Blake: blog tasks

1) Independent cinema is very different to Hollywood blockbusters in the way that they have a much smaller budget and are often financially supported by public service broadcasters, film institutions and charity funding. In most cases, they are also distributed by smaller companies and the directors and producers have more creative input, with the fact that they are solely made from their own visions and not from studio bosses.

2) I, Daniel Blake is about a 59-year-old man named Daniel Blake, who worked as a joiner for most of his life in north-east England and requires help from the State for the first time ever after undergoing a fatal illness. He comes across a woman called Katie who is a single mother to two young children, Daisy and Dylan. They live in a one-roomed homeless hostel in London with the only way out being to accept a flat that is 300 miles away. Daniel then starts to fight for his dignity and leads a one-man crusade for kindness that will help change the lives of struggling mother Katie and her two children. It is a drama which gives off a strong political message about Britain in an age of government austerity.

3) The director of I, Daniel Blake was Ken Loach, who specializes in a social realism style. This was important as he is a director with no desire to achieve success in Hollywood, and instead strives to tell stories which represents the reality of the ordinary working class and the social hardships they may face - such as: unemployment, poverty and addiction. His films also consist of political themes. Instead of attaining stardom in Hollywood or create films for fame or money, his goal is to educate others on the social issues many people have to face.

4) I, Daniel Blake was promoted through a number of ways. One of these methods were with free (or 'pay what you can') screenings and talks about the movie across the UK in order to build local enthusiasm for the film's message. Also, the film was premiered not in London, but in Newcastle - which is where the film was set. They did this so that they could gain support from the locals. 'I, Daniel Blake' was projected onto the Houses of Parliament (this tactic is called 'guerrilla marketing') and in other cities to obtain public attention. Ken Loach appeared on BBC Question Time to talk on issues which gave the film extra credibility.

5) One of the strategies used to market the film was guerrilla marketing. This was done by using an unusual way to promote the film, by projecting the title onto the Houses of Parliament, in order to acquire attention from the public and get more people talking about the movie.

6) The production budget of I, Daniel Blake is difficult to establish exactly, however it was said to have been a 'modest amount', even for a Ken Loach film. Although, the amount is estimated to have been at least around £2 million (compared to Black Widow, which cost $200 million to produce). I, Daniel Blake was exhibited in 24 counties, performing very well in Europe and other smaller countries. It grossed £11 million at the box office and received a large amount of positive reviews from critics.

7) Compared to a huge Hollywood blockbuster like Black Widow, which cost $200 million to produce and acquired $379.8 million at the box office, an independent film like I, Daniel Blake performed well seeing as it is a much smaller film in comparison to the largely known movie Black Widow, which is part of an even much larger franchise. Indie films such as I, Daniel Blake can compete with bigger films by bringing in a local audience rather than a world-wide audience, in order to make sure the message of the film goes through.

8) In my opinion, I, Daniel Blake was a success seeing as it is an independent film however it grossed as much as £11 million. This was also five times more than their production budget. I, Daniel Blake was also awarded the Palme D'or from the Cannes Film Festival, won other awards and gained positive audience reviews. It also managed to raise awareness and spread a very important message which needed to be heard.