DRAFT

 

Television Advert Analysis

What is the ad for / what is the message?

This ad is made to promote and market Guinness beer, which is an Irish dry stout that originated in 1759 in Dublin, Ireland. The message of this ad is that Guinness is a strong and adventurous beer, with the slim, strong looking protagonist who surfs courageously in the ocean. The ad also sends a message of comradery as there is various shots of all the surfers together mirroring that of drunk men on a Saturday night.

Who is the target audience?

The primary target audience for this product is middle aged men around the age of about 40. This is the main demographic of people in the UK who drink beer. This target audience is represented throughout the ad by the protagonists, who are all around that age. Also, throughout the ad it lacks modern or flashy imagery, that of which could possibly represent a younger demographic. The secondary target audience of the advert is younger men below the age of 40 who may also like to drink. Psychographics are represented as horses in the advert may reflect the men’s ambition for masculinity. The secondary psychographic is middle class old white men as the Guinness as the brand is exceptionally old, and the black and white grading of the advert may show this.

When was the advert aired, when would you expect it to be aired?

The advert was aired in 1999, March 17^th on channel 4, just before the new millennium. I would expect it to be aired sometime around 9pm, and garner a lot of viewers as channel 4 is a very popular mainstream channel.  And Guinness being being a very popular and massive brand, would utilise one of the most popular channels to advertise on. A 9pm advertising s;ot would be extremely expensive, however it would greatly boost Guiness's brand awareness and contribute to more potential sales.

What form does the ad take?

The ad is live action, this type of ad is commonplace for alcohol brands. Although the ad features some surreal aspects such as horses seamlessly gliding over water, it would be considered live action due to the protagonists all being human in human looking environments.

What style is the ad / what persuasion techniques are used?

The ad is styled as a surreal, ambiguous advertisement up to interpretation. The advert features men who appear very primal and simply motivated, this could be a direct address to the target audience,  insinuating that their masculinity will match the protagonists in the ad. Although i don't entirely believe that masculinity was a key theme Guinness was portraying, it is prevalent in a subconscious way. The actual liquid Guinness is being inadvertently shoved into the audience's mind throughout. This is by the froth on the waves and shore that is present in the whole advert, resembling the head of the pint. This is subconsciously persuading punters to buy Guinness as they are constantly being reminded of its appearance.

Does the ad follow AIDA, if so how?

The ad attracts consumer attention by the long pause at the beginning of the video. This pause symbolises the trademark feature of Guinness, which is the wait required before being able to drink the pint. By utilising this pause Guinness takes care of brand identity on top of capturing the viewer's attention. The ad attracts interest due to the immense surrealism of the ad, the exotic beach location and the fantasy elements such as the horses. The ad stimulates desire due to the tagline at the end of the ad 'here's to waiting' which encourages a sense of comradery as that is normally what people say to toast something. It also re-enforces the brand identity as you have to wait for the drink to set.  The ad promotes action as it is clearly a big production and has an intriguing catch line behind it.

Discuss the characteristics of products/services

The benefits of Guinness is that it apparently is packed with vitamins and is a good source of iron. It is known to be in the healthier side of beer choices. This gives it an edge over its competitors as they offer no health benefits.  Guinness's USP is that its one drink to rule them all. Guinness appeals to multiple lifestyles. A casual drink after work, party animals or even alcoholics, however the brand would never explicitly state this. Guinness's brand identity is the famous harp logo, dating back to 1862.

Who is responsible for regulating adverts in the UK?

The Advertising standards agency and the committees of advertising practice regulates adverts in the UK. In 2020 alone the ASA resolved over 30,000 cases. The ASA respond to feedback and complaints from businesses and organisations to take action and ban misleading and damaging adverts. The CAP work with companies to ensure the ads are safe and compliant with the ASA.

Analyse the codes and conventions of the adverts construction

The iconography of the advert is present as an alcohol advert is often adventurous and a little surreal, often with humour and narration. Many angles are in this ad, varying from low angles to high angles, allot of the time to represent power and control over the waves. Shot types such as low shot, high shot but mainly close and extreme close ups are used here. Often to show and depict what the characters are feeling. The camera movement is mostly still, with only a couple moving shots. The editing is very minimal, with cuts and no transitions. The lighting is very minimal, the whole advert is in black and white. The soundtrack is very epic and goes with the mood of masculinity and strength. There are lots of special effects such as the horses and surfers.