NEA Initial Ideas: Issue 1

NEA Research

I intend to complete the magazine brief, with two health issues. 

1) For my first issue, I plan on creating a boxing/ combat sports issue with an action shot of a male with direct address to allow for audience engagement, and photographs involving ethnic minorities to ensure a wider representation of a multicultural society. 

Theory Research

 Richard Dyer: 

Stars in the media exist as a construction, referencing the stardom phenomena, where celebrity figures we engage with in the media are not the authentic version of the person in real life. Stars can be portrayed as three things: construction, following a carefully manufactured persona, a commodity, existing as an economic engine designed to make money, or an ideology, reinforcing values that the audiences can adopt. 

Lady Gaga born this way, as values of queer liberation and self-expression are evident. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw&list=RDwV1FrqwZyKw&start_radio=1

Andrew Goodwin:

Certain demands are outlined in order to produce a successful music video such as: genre and characteristics, lyrics and values, music and visuals, close-ups and motifs and intertextual references. Aligning with these conventions allows for a production that sells effectively and generates revenue. 

Taylor Swift love story relating to lyrics and visuals as it narrates the story of Romeo and Juliette. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E

History of Music Videos Infographic

 

The Big Issue

 

Super-curricular

 What if advertising was honest?

-advertising could be influencing incorrect behaviours

-encouraging a world of excessive consumerism 

-leads to overconsumption, environmental degradation, death and a shallow fixation on material possessions 

-nudging world towards ecological collapse 

-300 agencies and six major holding companies are currently serving fossil fuel clients 

'if you make these jeans your new bff, your old pair get a new home. Deal?'

-intense pressure on consumers to live lives they cannot afford 

-people consume things to showcase a desired image on social media 

The ideology of beauty:

This article proposes the idea that advertisers present beauty as something women must actively work towards, reflecting the fact that their value if often based on their physical appearance. This beauty ideal is often referred to as the male gaze, in line with Laura Mulvey's theory, as women are regarded on how they look, as oppose to their personalities and intellect by men. This leads to the sexualisation of women in the media, where they are positioned to please the audience instead of promote a product or a worthwhile idea. They are presented as passive objects as oppose to active individuals. Here, gender hierarchies are reinforced as women are expected to act accordingly to a mans desires, and codes of clothing echo this. For example, tight corsets represent a restricted femininity, highlighting hegemonic beauty standards within a patriarchal society. 

Shelter video:

I chose this Shelter video as it holds relevance currently, considering Christmas is a month away. It portrays the realities of homelessness at a time that is supposed to be joyous and communal, with shared holiday spirit and quality time with family and friends. Here, Rhys' could not previously partake in what Christmas is supposed to be all about  before Shelter, therefore as we experience our ideal holiday this year, his story can be remembered. This way,  we can express gratitude for our own fortunes and donate to the charity to aid those into these same experiences and joy. Ideas of altruism are promoted as audiences feel a duty to act unselfishly and donate to Shelter to benefit others who require the extra support. 

Bell Hooks:

From extra reading I learnt that bell hooks keeps her name uncapitalized to keep audience focus on her work and beliefs, as oppose to viewing her as a public figure. She places black femininity centre stage to draw attention to their forced silence during the black civil rights movement of the 1960s and alongside the feminist movement. Her theory of representation manipulation acts as an emancipatory call to action to communities of all colours and genders. This prompts media producers to fashion their products in ways that draw attention to social inequalities, and redirect these dismissals to celebrate social diversity, limiting the range of negative stereotypes that are aimed at black women. 

SHSG advert

 

In the process of making my SHSG advert, I learnt how to operate a DSLR camera, including how to zoom in and out, and use the correct focus for my desired image. 

In photoshop, I learnt how to input images into my advert by downloading them or dragging them onto my page. I was also able to input images from different websites, such as my school logo,  and remove the background for a seamless effect. I could create a border using different layers, and add text boxes, each of a different size or font. One image is cropped into an oval shape to add differentiation and dimension to my advert, alongside more information about the sixth form at SHSG to attract potential students. 

I used a colour scheme of green, yellow, red, black and white to represent the common colours of Southend High School for Girls, reinforcing the representation of the school itself. This, alongside the headteachers letter, personalises the advert and represents the school in a sophisticated, appropriate manner. 

Perfume advert

Perfume advert:

This image is an advertisement of the Zara perfume 'wonder rose', launched in 2016. It has remained a popular, well-loved product throughout the nine years it has been on the market, allowing for its recognisable branding. To reinforce this idea, there is a link to the Zara website in the top right-hand corner, promoting spread-ability. This also allows for the brands global reach, as everyone, regardless of their proximity to a physical location of Zara, can access the perfume and other products from the brand. In addition, this adds convenience to the product, as potential customers can purchase it online at any time. This reflects the target demographic of the product, women aged 30+, as they may not have time to visit the stores in person due to their work-life and potential familial responsibilities. The price line echoes this, as the perfume is not high-end, so is accessible to a working mother who has to provide for a family, as well as treat herself when possible. 

The advert follows a minimalistic colour scheme of black,  yellow and white, following the simplistic design of the perfume itself. The yellow flowers and copy connote happiness and a joyous atmosphere, suggesting customers will be satisfied with their product after purchase. This vibrant colour is contrasted with black, creating a sense of sophistication and maturity, reflecting the older target demographic of individuals who may not respond well to busy, overwhelming adverts.
The distinction between the two colours also allows the branding to stand out, particularly when positioned amongst the white background. The yellow and white flowers adhere to this colour scheme, and correlate to the scent of the perfume being 'rose', echoing the products fundamental selling points. 

The perfume takes central framing within the advert in order to focus audience's attention onto the product. This is likely to increase the likelihood of sales, as potential customers are made aware of the perfume available to them upon first glance. This follows the primacy and recency theory, where audiences are likely to remember the first and last thing they see on a media product. This positioning also allows the dominant image of the perfume to be the largest on the advert, reinforcing ideas of recognition and importance. 

The perfume itself is not full, as there is evident use of the product. This signifies to audiences that the perfume is well-loved, and you are sure to get good use out of the product. The liquid inside the bottle  therefore sits around the name of the perfume, underlining the word 'wonder' to draw attention to the perfume's scent, practically labelling it to suggest its significance and increase its desirability to potential customers. The perfume is well lit and creates a shadow, positioning the product in a metaphorical 'good light', convincing audiences this perfume will satisfy them exceptionally. 

The heading 'every flower blooms in its own time' echoes the perfumes scent, using flower imagery, linking the brand to its product. A serif font is used here, combined with its yellow colouring, to create a sense of light-heartedness. The tag lines 'bloom on our watch' and 'this is our time' work as slogans and link the audience to the brand with the collective pronoun 'our', constructing a para-social relationship. This allows the audience to feel as though they are welcomed by the brand, and feel part of the advertisement. There is an element of familiarity here, which could increase the perfume's sales as audience almost feel as though they owe it to the brand to purchase their products as Zara is referring to both themselves and their potential customers as one unit, and doesn't differentiate between the two.