Unit 30 Assignment 1

Who regulates advertisements? 

Advertising in the United Kingdom are regulated by the ASA (advertising standards authority) The ASA ensures that advertising in all media is legal,decent,honest and truthful. To the benefit of consumers,business and society. To prevent any problems, the ASA has a number of advertising codes to abide by in order to deliver a successful advertisement. For example, here are 3 advertising codes.

- Alcohol (Social responsibility rules to protect under 18's)

- Motoring (Social responsibility for motor vehicles)

- Harm and offence (To ensure ad's do not cause harm or offence)

Examples of banned/most offensive/complained about advertisements in the UK.

-  Volkswagen ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-nh_9alaco
This advertisement caused controversy over the suicide bomber character used. The character and props were said to be offensive causing viewers to complain about the ad as the UK has always been strict on terrorism.

- Ford ka ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4_SNdsGcTA
This advertisement was also banned due to the pigeon being flung from a car bonnet. The video shows the death of the pigeon with feathers flying off the animal causing animal rights activists across the UK to complain leading to the advertisement never being released.

- Banned condom ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nojWJ6-XmeQ
This ad caused a lot of controversy as the message behind the video was claiming if you don't use protection you end up with bad behaved children. The ad also gave the wrong impression of what protection is actually used for.

- Let there be beer ad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te4HGeYQ7M0
This ad was banned in the UK because viewers took from the video that alcohol can make people overcome nervousness and stress related problems,linking to social issues.  The characters seemed calm and confident after consuming a glass of beer.

Who are Thinkbox and what do they do?

Thinkbox is the UK's leading marketing body for television, the marketing community helps advertisers get the best out of today's TV. Also helping customers reach their marketing objectives by equipping people with the knowledge and necessary skills to take advantage of all that TV has to offer. Thinbox also explains innovative and affordable solutions for marketing companies.

What did the Thinkbox research tell us about audiences and tv?

Through research, thinkbox has found there are 3 types of distinct TV viewing.

- Our time (shared viewing,social occasion,early peaks and weekends)

- In between time (often when doing other activities,between sets,weekday daytimes)

- My time (treat viewing, often alone, mainly women, lunchtimes and late peak)

The research also explained how engagement with an audience is vital. As there are different levels of engagement and the higher level of engagement the better marketing opportunity. The lowest level of engagement is 'neutral' where as the highest is 'strong engagement' although the most frequent level of engagement seen in the common audience is at a medium level. The research also shows us the importance of this. As an audience may pause deep conversation or activities, even if there back is towards the screen. Music is also very important during advertisements, as this may give the audience a cue to sing along or remember a certain iconic tune/melody. This links into the importance of emotion in audiences and tv. Through research, thinkbox has found advertisements that use nostalgia,humour,excitement or personal identification to trigger positive engagement has been found to do significantly well and received positive feedback. 

This also links into moods triggered while watching TV. Which can also incite engagement. For example an advertisement may trigger certain moods (to entertain you,to keep you informed,help relax,create excitement, feel sympathetic etc) These form of purposes have been found to enhance the engagement with TV and the audience.

Research was carried out by placing camera's in 22 houses and recording reactions to advertisements.
3,000 people were also surveyed and asked what they watch (generalised data)
Thinkbox carried out lab research were people were invited in to watch certain advertisements and discussed them afterwards (direct responses)
Recording these reactions and having discussions give genuine opinions which make the data easy to review and potentially accurate depending on circumstances.

What are advertising rate cards?

Advertising rate cards are the average prices of advertising on television, although there is no definitive cost due to the number of variables. There are small sets of example costs for popular shows and stations. Therefore you can find out how much it costs to advertise to highly engaged audiences. Here are some example's of advertising rate cards below.

It will cost advertisers to £200,000 per 30 seconds to place their advertisement inbetween the X Factor.

Advantages of using Thinkbox 

- Easier and less time consuming for customers
- Thinkbox researches the best time and opportunity's to place an advertisement on television.
- The customer can get the most out of their advertisement

BARB - Broadcasters Audience Research Board/what do they do

BARB is the organisation that compiles audience measurement and television ratings in the united kingdom.  Barb continously develop new ways of measuring what you and the rest of the UK are watching. BARB viewing data gives broadcasters,advertisers and other interested parties a minute by minute breakdown of viewing at regional and national levels.

How are they useful?

By breaking down what the UK is watching, BARB can identify what audiences like and enjoy through the amount of people watching them. This way customers can find out how to target such audiences and which techniques work best etc.

5 adverts with different characteristics/techniques/audiences

Wispa hot chocolate ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8wcWT7XpUk

This advert used lifestyle characteristics, as you can see the main character is in a luxurious house wearing a silk dressing gown. His house is a mansion with a pool etc. This is used to attract audiences to the lifestyle shown in the video. To promote the product. At first, the message is covert. This is used to keep the audience interested by adding catchy music to let to audience remember the brand. The advertisement is also surreal in ways as the character has a 'foam' beard and hair. This humourous style is used to interest the audience and keep them entertained until the end of the video where the product is revealed. This advertisement will attract a young audience. These comical techniques attract this audience. 

Guiness Beer Ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99jwSGM-UkY

The form used in this advertisement is narrative. We can see this as there is a narrator following a storyline shown on the screen. The message in the video is also hidden until the end. We know this as no product or brand is shown throughout the video until the ending clip. The music used in the video may also trigger an emotional response in the audience. Leaving them intrigued about the narrative and purpose behind the video. The narrative follows a cloud throughout a city committing good deeds. As the video closes the message is revealed and so is the brand. Guiness then claims its product 'is made of different' This advertisement will attract an older audience due to the alcohol brand. Although before this brand is shown. Any audience may be attracted. The video has been edited in a way to make it seem interesting and mellow. Also, there isn't much sound. Adding a sense of clarity to the floating cloud. This advert differs from the wispa ad. As this is more serious and tranquil where the wispa advert is right in your face and comical.

Pepsi ad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwp-aPjvm7M

This advert used lifestyle characteristics. Showing a large quantity of people clearly enjoying themselves in a holiday resort where the sun is shining. This first of all attracts the audience to the lifestyle, therefore Pepsi is marketing this. The narrative symbolizes this positive lifestyle. The product is revealed in the beginning of the video showing what the advertisement is selling. This will also provide the audience with an emotional response, leaving them wanting a similar lifestyle to what is shown in the advertisement. As Pepsi symbolizes this, audiences may be persuaded to go out and buy pepsi. This technique works as it is straight to the point as it advertises the product in a positive manner. The audience will also remember Pepsi as a brand and relate it to the good lifestyle shown. This advertisement differs to the ones above as the product is revealed straight away and cuts to the point instantly while also adding an interesting narrative. Another marketing technique is hidden (covert) in the narrative. The characters leave the private party to join the 'Pepsi party' this symbolizes that Pepsi is superior over other soft drinks.

Range Rover ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t2_FXmHoIc

This advertisement also uses lifestyle characteristics, but in a different style. For example this advertisement targets a different audience to the Pepsi ad. The target audience for this would be upper class or people with alot of money and strive towards/have a 'posh' lifestyle. This is proven by the main characters clothing as he is wearing a suit and driving a smart car. There is a covert marketing technique here. As if the character symbolizes Range Rover as a brand. For example smart,professional and well respected. This point is also proving with the sound used in the video. The backtrack is a tranquil soundtrack which also fits the lifestyle Range Rover are advertising. You can see the product straight away therefore showing there is an overt message. The editing of the video has also give the advertisement some class backing up the target audience. There narrative entails the main character pulling up next to a man in an old rangerover outside a large mansion. This may symbolize the superiority of the new range rover over anything else. The motto was 'a whole new generation' this may be symbolized as he enters the mansion as the other man leaves. This may leave an impressionable emotional response on the audience persuading them to obtain the lifestyle advertised. This is a good marketing technique and is also similar to the one's above. Is also different as the target audience and lifestyle differs. Another part of the narrative also shows the character in the car overcoming an obstacle in the road by driving off road. This may also advertise the 'no limit' features the car has and once again the superiority. This leaves the audience intrigued and impressed, leaving them in desire of such a lifestyle.

 Subway Ad - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYrOJGQQqc0

Here the form used is narrative, as you can see the message is covert at first and the brand is not revealed. The narrative shows a man who cannot function at early times in the morning which leaves interest in the audience to why and how this is. The brand is then revealed at the end of the clip showing that Subway can fix this problem. Therefore Subway is promoting their brand by showing the character more alert and smarter dressed at earlier times in the morning. Like the other advertisements the brand is being marketed in a positive light. Advertising the positive affects of buying the product. This is also a lifestyle marketing technique. Showing the difference before and after a subway. Showing the character walking in a scuba diving costume before subway and afterwards in a suit looking smart and on time for work. This technique symbolizes the lifestyle that comes with buying the product. By doing this they may persuade the audience to purchase from subway more due to the lifestyle aspect. The advertisement was also slightly comical which kept the audience interested and intrigued until the message was delivered towards the end of the advertisement. The sound alongside the video clip fit well with what was going on. Emphasising the fact the character was dazed and confused in the mornings before he tried subway. This marketing technique is good to keep the audience focused until the final message is delivered to the audience promoting their product. This is similar to the advertisements above but also different as the message is at first covert.