- Advertising
- Psychology of advertising
- How advertisers were influenced but what was happening during the time in order to sell
- Possibly Americanisation?
From this I came up with the following working title:
How have advertisements been influenced by the significant changes which occurred in America during the 20th Century and how have they used them in order to sell to the public?
Using this as an over arching theme for the project I wanted to look into:
- how advertisers used current affairs of 20th century America (social and political) in order to sell to the public? So what were the key moments in history? WW1? WW2? 50s? Etc.
- What are the moral questions? Is it right or wrong? Is it exploitation
- Is there a link between what was happening in America in the 20th century and British advertising? Were they effected? Evidence to back this up?
- Cadbury as a case study - A iconic British company who has been there throughout all these significant changes. I felt Cadbury would be an appropriate company to case study as chocolate is seen as a luxury, not something you generally NEED to buy and therefore there would be more of a emphasis on advertising in order to persuade the consumer.
- How has the takeover of Kraft (an American Corp) in turn had a effect on an essentially British company? The controversy at the time? The change in advertising?
- How have American / British advertisers approached the social and political changes differently? Compare and contrast adverts
However, following a talk with Richard I realised that the timeframe in which I had decided to explore for my research project was pretty vast, one thing I didn't want for my research project was just a timeline of advertising with no really exploration or purpose. Therefore I decided to refine my question slightly to still cover the same area as the first but a more defined purpose.
How effectively have advertisers manipulated the emotions of the general public in order to sell?
I still plan to look into the same areas, with Cadbury as a case study however instead of separating the ads I wish to analyse in terms of when they will produce I will separate them in terms of what selling technique they have employed.
Questions I want to investigate:
- What psychological techniques do advertisers use?
- What are the common traits? What kind of language is used? What type of images? What type style?
- What are the most common selling techniques?
Method:
Find the key texts on the psychology of advertising
Read Books / journals
Listen to lectures / opinions
Find what the most common selling techniques in advertising
Apply these traits to a range of appropriate adverts to discover the traits
I believe this particular aspect of my research project is were the bulk of my reading will lie, I will need to read the key texts on the psychology of advertising and selling techniques in order to expand my knowledge on the subject to therefore apply to a range of adverts and analyse and in order to come up with my own personal opinion on the subject.
- What are the moral questions behind this?
- Is it wrong? Are we being exploited?
-Is it right? As a means of selling? Ends justify the means?
Method:
From knowledge of selling techniques, look at each individually? What are the pros and cons?
Gather research about what it was they were actually exploiting?
From this form my own opinions on whether it was in the best intentions or just to sell
Select a range of quotes from key texts which back up my opinions
This aspect of the research project is primarily based on my own personal opinions, although I will look at both sides of the argument by analysing the selling techniques identified for their pros and cons. I will use this information ultimately to identify key quotes which back up my opinions to give them justification.
- How are these techniques evidenced in advertisements?
- Why have the advertisers made the design decisions that they have? Why have they used that language?
- What's the evidence?
Method:
Select a range of advertisements (one from cadbury and a few others, focus on food/drink sector?) for each of the selling techniques identified
Use adverts to identify any traits that run throughout and justify the decisions the design has made by backing up with the historical context
This aspect will be based on how I have interpreted the research gathered so far (on selling techniques and the historical context) in order to identify decisions and form an analysis on why the advertiser has made the decisions they have.
- Do these techniques actually work?
- Are the techniques successful? Do they serve their purpose?
Method:
Research into the historical context of the adverts I have selected, what was happening at the time that the advertiser exploited in order to sell to the public
Research if it worked? What were the reactions to the adverts? if so, why did it work?
In my own opinion was the advert a success?
This aspect of the research project will be a culmination of all the research I have gathered and knowledge I have gained on the historical contexts and the selling techniques used by advisers in order to evaluate whether or not the techniques are successful.
Once I devised this 'check-list' of what I wanted to explore in order to ultimately answer my research project, the questions I needed to answer in order to achieve this and how I would go about answering them I was able to set myself some deadlines in order to manage my time effectively.
- Identify key texts
- Read books / journals / articles
- Define the most common selling techniques, what are they?
- Define their traits (using appropriate ads), common imagery, type, language etc.
- Start building essay structure - paragraphs or chapters
- Devise my stand point on the subject from the research gathered
- Write intro
DEADLINE : 7 / 11 / 14
- Pick appropriate adverts (one from Cadbury, few others from the food and drink sector) for each of the selling techniques I have previously identified
- Use knowledge of the identified traits to analyse why the advertiser had made the decisions they have, what is the historical context?
- Compare and contrast
DEADLINE: 21 / 11 / 14
- Analyse the historical contexts, if it worked, why?
- What was the reaction to the adverts?
- Do I think they work?
- Devise the pros and cons for each of the selling techniques
- What was it they were exploiting exactly? Historical context
- What do I think? Was it simple exploitation to sell or was it in the best intentions? Do the ends justify the means?
DEADLINE: 30 / 11 / 14
- A structure to my essay - A finished intro with my intention for the project, an idea of the paragraphs which I have begun to write up
- Initial designs for the practical ad campaign I will produce for Cadbury
- Mock-up Ads printed out for crit
- A consideration of where would be appropriate to distribute the ads
DEADLINE: 5 / 12/ 14
PRACTICAL
In order to meet the criteria of the module which asks for a synthesis between the practical and written elements of the COP module I have decided that my extend writing piece will act almost an extensive piece of research by or for Cadbury into different selling techniques and their pros and cons.
This will the act as the foundation for new advertising campaign by Cadbury. One of the selling techniques as identified in the essay will be incorporated into the designs for a new campaign which aims to restore faith in Cadbury as a iconic British company after the takeover by American corporation Kraft.
- Using the research collected so far decide on the most appropriate selling technique for the Cadbury adverts
- Devise a creative concept incorporating the traits of this selling technique for the design aesthetic of the ads, justify each design decision
DEADLINE: 7 / 11/ 14
- Start producing adverts
- Put consideration into print and screen based deliverables
DEADLINE: 5 / 12 / 14
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