ADVERTISING: Week 01
29th March 2016 (Week 1)
Reflection
Experience
Gabriella Godeliva Adytanthio (0324170)
Advertising Principles & Practice
Introduction/Project 1/Idea Generation
Lecture
Bernbach’s 10 Principles of Advertising
Bernbach’s 10 Principles of Advertising
At
the beginning of the class, Mr. Vinod asked us about what comes to our mind
when we hear the word ‘advertising’ and we then shared our thoughts to him.
After that he explained to us about the etymology or the origin of the word
itself, followed by different definitions of advertising. Although each definition
is worded differently, they have a keyword that links all of them: paid/at a
price, a product/service/idea, communicate/persuade, etc. I understood
advertising as a tool that seeks to make people aware or create a certain image
for a product, service, or organization at a certain price. We were then
introduced to Bernbach’s 10 basic principles of advertising. After the lecture, we answered 3 questions on TIMeS regarding the principles.
Outcomes of the lecture that I understood:
- The origin and multiple definitions of the word ‘advertising’
- Advertising is a tool of marketing which is a tool of business
- The 10 principles of advertising according to Bernbach
- Why do people need to advertise
- Twisted headlines straight visuals or vice versa is a good way to advertise
- The brief for Project 1
Sketching: Creative Idea Generation
Mr.
Vinod started out by asking us about the SMP of our product for Project 1,
which was briefed to us in the previous class. The reason why he asked if we
remember the SMP or not is that in order to generate creative ideas, we have to
engage to the problem as often as possible. You can’t come up with good ideas
if you don’t have a sound understanding of the product. We were then asked to
identify the keywords in the given SMP, which are ‘extremely thin’ and ‘sensitivity’.
The basic way to generate a creative idea is to find an unrelated subject that
metaphorically depicts the situation (in which the product is used).
From this lecture, I understood:
- The elements that make up an idea sketch
- The do’s and don’ts of making an idea sketch
- What makes an idea creative
- Our minds are lawyers
- The brief for idea sketching exercise
- Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf competition brief
Instructions
Project 1 Individual work (15%)
Project 1 Individual work (15%)
The brand: Playsafe Condoms
The product: Air Ultra Thin
SMP/USP: Extremely thin condom for extra sensitivity
Target Audience: Gen Y
The product: Air Ultra Thin
SMP/USP: Extremely thin condom for extra sensitivity
Target Audience: Gen Y
Description
This project
spans 8 weeks. The student is given a Brand and a USP/SMP (Unique Selling
Point/Single Minded Proposition) is identified. The student is to develop a
minimum of 10 idea sketches every week—the more the merrier. The focus of the
task is on the development of ideas—the Idea is king! Evaluate your ideas and
select only the best. The sketches must be clean, clear and concise. While
ideating you are only required to come up with the line and the visual—
remember the twisted headline straight visual or vice-versa formula.
Requirements
To develop a
minimum of 10 idea sketches every week, the student must first state the
USP/SMP, develop a Mind-Map and then develop idea sketches. This process is
repeated for all 4 weeks. The work is compiled chronologically in an A3 clear
sheet folder and documented on the students’ eportfolio (online journal).
Submission
- A3 Sketch papers, in an A3 Clear Sheet folder, documents chronologically. The works must be labelled and dated.
- E-portfolio posts for every week
Idea sketching exercise
- (in relation to Project 1) This exercise is to help you train and sharpen your creative ideation skills. Generate a minimum of 10 idea sketches a week that is approximately half of A5 in size (A6: 105 x 148mm)
- (in-class exercise) Mr. Vinod gave us an example case: a client runs a Japanese speaking center where people can learn how to speak Japanese. We were asked to spontaneously create two mind-maps, one for each keyword. After mind-mapping, we were asked to draw our idea sketch for the case on the whiteboard.
Research
Secondary research
Secondary research
What
I did so far is looking at condom advertisements that exist through the
internet. It may not be a condom with the same SMP as the product I’m working
on right now, but I’m trying to analyze how they construct the advertisements.
Most of the ads are built on innuendos—full-grown adults most likely will understand it.
 |
| Figure 1: Durex condom ad |
 |
| Figure 2: Condomi ultra thin condoms |
I
also did a mind-map on the keywords that I find important (so far I mind-mapped
‘condom’ and ‘thin’) and pour out whatever knowledge or information that I know
of on paper. Most of the mind-map branches are composed of visuals, as in how
would I interpret the shape of a condom in a different and less sexual way.
 |
| Figure 3: Mind-mapping |
 |
| Figure 4: Sketching |
Feedback
Specific Feedback:
Specific Feedback:
(Concerning the whiteboard idea sketches) The sketches I
made were still not simple enough to be understood in a glance, but the
lecturer said I’m already on the right track. So to improve my ideas I have to
approach it in a simpler way.
(Updated 5 April 2016) The lecturer commented that my blog is well-organized and that the contents are placed quite accurately in their own sections. I am thrilled, naturally, but I make sure that I am still seeking for areas to improve and not let my head hang above the clouds; the layout of my blog, for example, is not tactile enough in my opinion.
General Feedback:
(Updated 5 April 2016) The lecturer commented that my blog is well-organized and that the contents are placed quite accurately in their own sections. I am thrilled, naturally, but I make sure that I am still seeking for areas to improve and not let my head hang above the clouds; the layout of my blog, for example, is not tactile enough in my opinion.
General Feedback:
The quiet atmosphere of the class might not be
the most ideal environment to generate ideas—sometimes solitude and silence is
good, but it is better for us to share and discuss with our classmates about
ideas to come up with.
Reflection
Experience
The introduction class was quite overwhelming to
me, as we were suddenly exposed to so much information in a short amount of
time. I felt a bit concerned about my e-Portfolio at first, since I haven’t
done anything like it before (the journal I did for semester one mostly
consists of graphics/visuals along with my short analysis/opinions on it). I actually found the Bernbach’s 10 principles
quite interesting and it somehow kept me awake for the whole session. The Idea
Generation lecture, however, sort of further spiked my anxiety regarding Project
1.
Observation
After the whiteboard idea sketch exercise, I
feel that the sketches that I’ve made so far can be improved more in order to
make the audience understand it faster. I notice that I still lack organizing skills,
which is needed to assemble this e-Portfolio entry. I also notice that when we
answer questions after a lecture (TIMeS forum about Bernbach’s 10
Principles) it made me think a little bit deeper about the lecture that was
just given.
Findings
I
find it challenging to organize this e-Portfolio because I haven’t done this
sort of thing before. I feel that I can improve my organizing skills as I go
along writing entries for the rest of the semester—practice makes perfect. I also
need to organize my sketches instead of randomly placing them on the page.
As for my sketches, I tend to focus on complex visuals
that tend to be not really straight-forward. What I can do is find out the
simplest element (circle, line, etc.) that has to do with the keyword and
develop it into the idea.
 |
| Figure 5:
Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and Meaning in Advertising
by Judith Williamson |
My book for this week is Decoding Advertisements by Judith Williamson. I discovered through this book that there is also semiotics involved in advertisement—signifier, signified, sign. In the first chapter of the book, "A Currency of Signs", Williamson displays a variety of advertisements. The one that caught my eye was an ad for Chanel No. 5, which is a brand of perfume for women.
 |
Figure 6:
Catherine Deneuve for Chanel No. 5 (1979)
|
The reason why this advertisement caught my eye is
that despite being released 37 years ago, most perfume advertisements in this
time and age follow a similar ‘template’: a picture of a woman, most often a
female celebrity, and a perfume bottle. I never understood the connection
between the woman and the perfume—the only thing I can come up with is the
woman uses the perfume.
Williamson explains
that Catherine Deneuve’s face and the perfume bottle are not linked by any
narrative because there’s no need to link them together. What Chanel No.
5 wants is for Catherine Deneuve to be their ‘face’, in the author’s words: “So
what Catherine Deneuve’s face means to us in the world of magazines and films,
Chanel No. 5 seeks to mean and comes to mean in the world of consumer goods.”1
References
1 Williamson, J. (1978). Decoding advertisements: Ideology
and meaning in advertising. London: Boyars.
Picture credits
Figure 1 – Durex condom ad
http://adsoftheworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_retina/public/images/durex1.jpg?itok=zyTnbdNJ
Figure 2 – Condomi ultra thin condoms
http://www.anotherqueerjubu.com/another_queer_jewish_budd/images/2007/12/26/condomiultrathin.jpg
Figure 3 – Mind-mapping
Personal documentation
Figure 4 – Sketching
Personal documentation
Figure 1 – Durex condom ad
http://adsoftheworld.com/sites/default/files/styles/media_retina/public/images/durex1.jpg?itok=zyTnbdNJ
Figure 2 – Condomi ultra thin condoms
http://www.anotherqueerjubu.com/another_queer_jewish_budd/images/2007/12/26/condomiultrathin.jpg
Figure 3 – Mind-mapping
Personal documentation
Figure 4 – Sketching
Personal documentation
Figure 5 – Decoding Advertisements: Ideology and
Meaning by Judith Williamson
Figure 6 – Catherine Deneuve for Chanel No. 5 (1979)
