HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIALBusiness Essentials (Unit 11)
Ms. Hawkins
Source: Understand Media (Santa Monica College, California State University)
http://www.understandmedia.com/media-theory/110-how-to-analyze-a-television-commercial
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Some Statistics... 98.1% of American
households have a television, while 99% of people in America can read.
This means that being able to read barely beats out having a television in your home.
Most of us were taught to read when we were very young, but did we ever learn how to watch television?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
What is a Commercial Ad? It is a span of television
programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product.
It is a selling tool and reflects the business needs of the corporations that pay for it.
Advertisements are also cultural indicators, though often distorted ones.
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) convey messages to promote the public good.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Why Commercials? They are the main ways for a
television station to make money—the station sells commercial time.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
How Do Commercials Impact Us? Buy things we don't need Vote a way we might not normally vote Desire a lifestyle that we wouldn't
necessarily agree with
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Why Analyze Commercials? So we don’t get snookered and WASTE
MONEY!!!.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
What is the product or service being sold? Can you easily figure out what the product is? Is there a product? What attributes and qualities of the product or
service is the commercial trying to sell?
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
Who is the company sponsoring the product or service being sold? Can you easily figure out who the sponsoring
company is? Is this a new product or service for this
company?
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
Who is this commercial aimed towards(target market)? Who is the sponsoring company trying to sell to? Consider demographic characteristics such as age,
gender, income, educational level, etc. What are some examples of target markets?
White women in their 30s (race and age) Divorced males (family status) Senior citizens (age) African-American teenagers (race and age)
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
What is the message of the commercial? What is the central idea that the creators of
the commercial want the target audience to believe?
Examples:
“This face cream will make you look younger and feel more attractive”
“If you shop at our supermarket you will save a lot of money”
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the commercial try to get your attention? What methods are the advertisers using to
make us interested? What Persuasive Methods are used
(see class handout)
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIALAnalysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the commercial try to get your attention? (continued)... Does it use flashy
graphicswith fast music?
Does it alter the waywe see the world, eitherthrough the useof specialeffects or through the storyline?
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the soundtrack play a role in your interpretation of the commercial? Is the music cheery, dreary, suspenseful, whimsical,
fun, or exciting? Does the music affect our perception of the mood? Is there a voice-over of someone telling us
something? Would our perception of the voice change if the
voice was of a different gender or race? Does the commercial jingle stick in your head?
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HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How do the actors playing the characters affect your interpretation of the commercial? Would your interpretation change if the characters
were of a different race or gender? What if the characters dressed differently or spoke
differently? How would that change your perception of the
character?
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