Analysis and Evaluation of Cosmetics Advertisement

This is the finished advertisement for the Cosmetics Unit of Media Studies, for the fragrance 'Wild'. In this unit students were asked to create their own advertisement for a fictional product using photo editing software and self-made pictures.
 

The original product was branded as 'Wilt', but was deemed possibly unappealing to the consumer. The name was switched to 'Wild' so as not to complicate the editing of the logo or lose the desired connotations of the product. I somewhat prefer the original logo due to how neatly it has been edited into the frame, but the altered version has a less distracting, more natural colouration to the mountainous backdrop.

Construction

  The shot I used was taken during a family holiday to Canada, on a deserted shoreline. I chose a spot not littered with dying jellyfish and captured a wilted piece of flora in the frame. After superimposing the model, the image becomes a long shot. The image itself is landscape and quite large; mountains and weather formations fade into the distance, at which point the water rests in a straight line. The rocky landscape across the body of water and the soggy sediment on the beach frame the action in the foreground. The angle is partially out to the left, the beach moving upward to the edge of the frame, where the figure has been placed. The background is moves out of focus gradually with distance, with the most crisp and clear object being the dandelion.

  Due to the open space of the shot location and lack of interference by industry in the area, the lighting is primarily natural. The light filters through the clouds on the horizon, lighting up the whole image with a mild glow. The fully natural yet partially obscured light mirrors the wilderness itself, untouched by humanity, but blocked out by his tall, clinical structures.

  The mise-en-scene has been constructed by adding small images to the photograph and changing brightness and saturation accordingly. The dandelion has been carefully desaturated, leaving it completely drained of life. The mountains are unaltered, save a slight correction on lighting to bring up the shapes. The connotations here are that nature is still separated from mankind, yet is slowly retreating to an early grave because of our interference. The figure is desaturated and placed as if walking along the beach; the figure is in touch with nature and their own natural beauty by using this product.

  The rule of thirds has been used to draw the eye to the figure, but the entire picture is designed to lead consumers through the desired spots. The figure is at the far left, followed by the logo and plant, then the product itself. This layout guides the consumer to the important product placements, but also follows the natural gradient of the beach. No cropping was used in the image, symbolising the detachment from human interference. The chosen name greatly reinforces the inclusion of nature in the product: the logo is framed by the dandelion, and is blurred as if standing out on the shoreline. The consumer of this product will feel natural and unhinged.

  The narrative of the advertisement is simple - a lone figure straddles the gloomy shoreline, looking for a way to escape city life. They look outward across the beach and water, and are moving in a walking motion along the driest walkway of the beach.

  The model is in a padded leather jacket and pair of loosely fitted jeans. They are very much protected from the wind and cold, yet still appear calm and casual in attire. No make-up was used in fear of straying from the initial purpose of highlighting natural beauty. The facial expression is calm and cool, the stresses of city life lifting from their shoulders, though it has been blurred greatly to fit in the distance. The model is in deep thought whilst looking out into the water, contemplating what he really wants from life. The hair may connote a rocker attitude or social group, but the blur on the figure lets the gender become undetermined. This product could appeal to both women and men, but a male audience would recieve the model far more positively. The figure may be too far away for sexual appeal or relation to one's self, but this distance serves to build upon the escapism of nature.

  As social groups go, a hard-working and industrial 'city folk' can be targeted as the product offers solace in nature. The model's denim and leather look may appeal to the teenage desire to be non-conformist. The bleakness of the background is contrastingly mature, and the age group can be widened by this, stretching from mid 20s to possibly early 30s.

Technologies

  The spontaneity of photography on a holiday only left a simple digital camera for use, but the limitations worked to my advantage. The camera solely focused on the dandelion, but there was originally no intention of using the photograph in work. Adobe Photoshop Elements was used in school to experiment with features and begin to edit in the bottle and figure, but Serif Photo Plus X2 was favoured due to its availability at home and past success with editing of text.

  The availability of editing software, blogging and cameras over the past few years has allowed the public to engage in the media with ease. Images and texts can now be published onto the Internet for all to see quickly and easily, when only decades before such a thing could only be accomplished from inside a major media institution. Our perception of texts has been changed dramatically, as we can now comment on, object to and add to (or even create) texts ourselves.

Target Audience

My target audience is the modern teenager and young adult, primarily situated in big cities. Our generation is extremely self-conscious. Young people become doubtful of their own image with the media displaying so many chiseled Action Man abs on bald bodies and backbreakingly large bosoms weighing paper-thin models down. Natural beauty should be something that is celebrated in society. My advertisement should ideally be shown in a public place such as a shopping mall, far from the nature it depicts.