Advertisement Deconstruction – Print Ad
For the advertising deconstruction assignment, I focused on
a print ad. The product I selected was
the Fitbit Charge HR fitness band. I
found it very interesting to answer the questions contained in the four steps
of deconstruction. It is amazing how
much this process helps you to really evaluate and understand an ad – much more
than what I would originally considered at face value.
In considering the visual, images, people, lighting, words,
layout and other components of the ad, I can relate to the person, place,
concept, and product. It isn’t just
about what the ad is saying but also about what it isn’t saying – conclusions
it is leading you towards to make the product relevant to your own needs and
lifestyle in this case.
This ad was in a fitness magazine typically read by women.
The assumption is made that the ad, geared towards women, will be relevant to
that demographic since they are typically the ones reading the magazine.
This assignment also made me consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs theory. The ad I selected was a good example of marketing efforts
targeting the areas of need, especially in women in this case. According to
Maslow’s theory, these areas of need include “safety and security, love and
belongingness, self-esteem and finally self-actualization” (Thompson). It is natural to want to feel better, be
healthier, live longer and according to the ad, the product can help you
accomplish this goal.
I related my print ad to the concept of Given, addressed on
our reading. The layout of the ad
itself, delivered horizontally can be an example of Given. According to our text, “the elements placed
on the left are presented as Given, the elements placed on the right as New”
(Kress & Leeuwen, page 181). The
viewer will recognize and understand what a healthy, athletic woman represents
and the product called the Fitbit Charge HR is the new component which can help
you to achieve/accomplish this goal. The right side contains the image of the
product and the verbal text communicating its value and benefit to the
consumer.
Resources:
Kress, Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006). Reading
Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. New York: Routledge.
Thompson, M. Chron. Description of How Marketers Can Use
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/description-marketers-can-use-maslows-hierarchy-needs-39333.html.
Hi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteI found your choice of print ad very interesting as the fit bit is an item I have been considering purchasing for a while now or at least one of the older versions. I was curious if you thought the message created unrealistic expectations for people?
I liked how you were able to relate Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory to the print advertisement. I agree that the ad you selected addresses the areas of need "safety and security, love and belongingness, self-esteem, and finally self-actualization" (Thompson). A woman would most definitely be impressed with a product that meets all those needs, so they would stop and look at the ad as they are flipping through a magazine especially one geared towards women.
Thompson, M. Chron. Description of how marketers can use maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Retrieved March 8, 2015. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/description-marketers-can-use-maslows-hierarchy-needs-39333.html.
Hi Mandy - I definitely think that the message delivered in the print ad can offer unrealistic expectations for sure. Just purchasing the item will not achieve the results portrayed in the image. It is nothing more than a tool to help you get there. The ad itself doesn't make a promise that the consumer will get in better shape and healthier just from owning it - the ad leads the consumer to that decision on their own I think. On a personal note, i love my fitbit. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
ReplyDeleteI too, found the deconstruction process quite interesting. It's amazing to see your thoughts transform from start to finish. I began answering the questions for the assignment in a bulleted form before I began writing, and couldn't believe how easily ideas and words were coming to me. It isn't a very "tricky" process, just something we don't practice or pay attention to enough during the day to day hustle and bustle.
Hi Kelly - you are so right! I find myself considering many of these things when I look at magazine ads now. I try to find the hidden meaning :)
ReplyDeleteI never thought to consider things like the lighting and flow of an ad or "why" they chose certain people to represent a product. It is amazing what you can see and pick up on as part of the advertising campaign itself. I felt the same way when I started answering the questions. It all just made sense - their goals, my interpretations, etc. This was a very interesting activity for me!
Cathy
Really enjoyed reading the posting of Maslow's Theory. Very interesting article that I related to on multiple levels with regards to my own blog posting and the multiple heart-strings that so many ads pull on.
ReplyDeleteLoved this deconstruction assignment! Very creepy when you start to think about what ads are Really trying to do (sell a product) as opposed to what ads Should be doing (being socially, ethically responsible leaders in a community).
Sad…
Hi Josh - it really is crazy how many hidden messages exist in advertising. Really makes you think for sure! I wonder if there is any correlation to something like subliminal messages. Advertisers do play on the needs and wants of the consumer so I guess it isn't too hard for them to make a product relevant to a given demographic.
DeleteCathy
I like that you picked this product. I'm a former owner and lover of the fitbit. I lost mine about a month after receiving it as a gift. I agree with the hidden messages that exist in advertising. As we see the very fit woman on the left and how advertisers use slick images to convey their message. The very fit woman exercising, telling us if we use the fitbit we will become fit!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cheryl - I am always worried about losing mine as well - the band tends to come off somewhat easily!
DeleteCathy
Hi! Well it wasn't the ad that convinced me to buy a fitbit, but rather my body building 22 year old nephew! The one I bought took me some time to figure out how to make it work, synced with the computer and smartphone. Then I got hooked, had to wear it all the time, kept records of daily distance convered in steps (mine was an earlier version and didn't cover heart rate) and it also included sleep patterns. Anyway, it did bring me some sense of fitness achievement. But then my attitude has changed. I put this in the past, because a) the battery charging device stopped working well - I had to use a toothpick to make the connections work and b) the two straps that came with it broke and are not repairable. In the end, I feel like writing to the company and complaining! So my conclusion is that if you want to get fit, beware of pricey gadgets! And, even more scary, but not really highlighted in your review of the ad, is that fitbit now has all sorts of 'big data' on my lifestyle, since they keep all the records in a cloud. They send me messages regularly on my email telling me about my weekly results. Who knows what they will do with this information -- most likely figure out a way to sell me another product! Creepy!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good point - they do require a lot of information when you set the product up and I, too, receive those weekly progress emails. They have quite a bit of information available to them! What keeps me wearing mine is that I LOVE the sleep pattern tracker and the silent alarm. I really prefer waking up to that instead of the LOUD ring of an alarm clock. This is a much better option at 5am! LOL
DeleteCathy