Advertising Research: Part 1
During the second week of the course, we were assigned to create an advertisement of our own choice. I decided that I would focus more on advertising a product rather than a service as I will be following product design next year. Before I started working on my own project, I decided to take a look at two different poster examples so I can analyse them in detail and look at the factors that I want to include in my own project. I will be looking out for things such as font, colours, how they portray their product, what they include in the advertisement and comment on each of these separately.
The first design I looked at was of a coca cola can. They wanted to promote their new can design. They used the lines in their logo and incorporated them to design a giraffe in order to show that the can created is taller than the previous one. Relating the design of a can to a tall animal is a smart way to make the viewers link one another, making the product very memorable. Additionally, coca cola is known for their fire red colour, which seems to be displayed throughout their advertisement as it is a way for people to recognise the designs more easily and keep the brand identity consistent. Regarding graphology, the word ‘long’ is in bold so it can stand out from the rest of the words and people can focus on that one, and link it with the giraffe. This is one of my favourite advertisements as it is simple and effective.
The second design I looked at is for Ketchup by Heinz. The first thing I noticed in this picture was the bright colours and the lighting of the picture. The lighting comes from a certain direction and we can also spot that a small rainbow is created in the left corner. We tend to associate rainbows with something happy and people also say that there’s a pot of gold at the end of each rainbow. In this case the tomato sauce is at the end of the rainbow which can be used to symbolize it with the pot of gold to further showcase the quality of the product. The can has fresh tomatoes inside and is surrounded by fresh tomatoes and fields that they grow them in. The slogan ‘grown, not made’ further suggests that the meaning they are trying to convey is that you get organic stuff from them with amazing quality. Colours included such as blue, green and red enhance the image and make it look more happy and pleasant.
My next research was regarding fonts. Therefore, I decided to
research different brands and comment on their fonts. My research was based
around 2 well known brands that have completely different design fonts.
The first brand I looked at was ‘Zara’ which uses the font ‘Linotype Didot Pro Bold’.
This font is very elegant and suggests luxury items. The design is very
delicate which can be linked to the clothes they are made. I really like the
design of this logo as it simple and very aesthetically pleasing. Each letter
is spread apart and capitalized. People tend to write in capitals when they
want to emphasize something as it indicates a typographical tone of voice.
Therefore, ZARA might be written in all capitals to captivate your attention.
The second brand I looked at was ‘Starbucks’ which uses the
font ‘Freight Sans’. This font is the complete opposite of what ‘ZARA’s font looks
like. The letters are bold, which may suggest willingness, confidence and
courage. However, I personally am not a fan of the font used as it is
bulky and doesn’t make me feel the urge to purchase something from them, in
contrast with ZARA.
After researching the font aspect, I wanted to
also take a closer look at slogans as I would be creating one for my own project. I wanted to see how slogans are linked to the products promoted.
When I think about slogans, the first that
comes to mind is Nike’s ‘Just Do It’. It is simple, memorable and conveys a
good message to their followers. They encourage them do stop overthinking and
just go for it which is a great way to make a memorable slogan. Personally I love
this slogan as there is a really good message behind it.
Nike Slogan, 'Just Do It'.
Another brand I researched was McDonald's with their iconic ‘I’m
lovin’ it’ slogan. They used the ‘it’ to imply that their food is so good
that every time you hear that phrase you would crave it. This is another
example of how slogans can be used as part of the identity and they even incorporated
this slogan into a jingle which is very unforgettable and catchy.
McDonald's Slogan
For my own project, I want to include a slogan related with the product and make it short and memorable. The two examples above show how a short, three-word phrase can make up a really iconic slogan for the brand.
The last thing I researched before I started my in-depth analysis were the colours and what each colour can represent according to science. According to a source, the 6 colours that boost sales are red, blue, green, purple, black and orange. I was surprised that yellow wasn’t included in the top 6 but apparently yellow can be tiring to the eye if it isn’t used correctly.
I researched the colours individually and found out that red can be associated with power, passion, energy and dedication. Blue can be associated with serenity, stability and inspiration. Orange can be associated with enthusiasm, creativity and success. Green represents good luck, health and tranquillity. Purple can be linked with creativity and imagination, wealth and luxury. Lastly, black can be associated with sophistication and elegancy. Looking at how much a colour can affect the brand or the number of consumers attracted, it really made me even more cautious when creating my own advertisement. Sticking to a colour that is empowering will be very beneficial for the brands image and the sales of the product.
The next part of my research will be dedicated to the specific
design that I want to create.
References:
Links used for the images:
https://advertisingrow.com/advertising/print/print-advertising-coca-cola-new-long-can-giraffe-ad/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/388505905344980180/
https://1000logos.net/zara-logo/
https://hyperpix.net/fonts/starbucks-font/
https://www.thedrum.com/news/2013/07/18/just-do-it-drum-celebrates-25-years-nikes-famous-slogan
Links used for the colour psychology:
Smash Magazine (2010) Colour theory for designers, Part: 1 The meaning of colour. Available at: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/ (Accessed: 08/12/2020)
The daily Egg (2020) 6 colours that are proven to boost sales. Available at: https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/colors-proven-to-boost-sales/#:~:text=It%20makes%20good%20conversion%20elements,can%20see%20blue%20and%20yellow (Accessed: 08/12/2020)
Good initial research - well done - instead of adding the url as click here - you can just add text to display when you make the link and the text will be the link under your image
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