Week 2: Advertisements

Nike: I am the Bullet in the Chamber (Online)

I was really torn on the structure of this Nike ad. At first glance I thought that the poster was demonstrating the motif structure across a formal diagonal line.  However after a bit more consideration I felt that it was in fact utilizing a more informal structure. The placement of the runners’ arms, legs and hands poses no regularity or pattern.  In this particular poster, I think there was an emphasizes on the importance of composition in conveying a message; order and consistency help convince the viewer that Nike products can make you as fast as a bullet leaving a chamber.

The poster uses several different composition techniques. The contrast from the black background and the text immediately draws the viewers eyes to the opening statement or narrative of the poster, ‘I am the bullet in the chamber.’

The linear movement then directs the viewer’s eyes from the opening message towards the right of the poster as the runner takes his initial few strides in a race. The viewers eyes land perfectly at the end of the poster on the far right with the classic Nike slogan, “Just do It”. In addition to the flawless movement seen in this poster, Nike utilizes the repetition of the runner’s body to get their message across.

Creativity refers to a campaigns ability to suggest relevance with products, ingenuity, and appropriate consumer related appeal. The goal of Nike’s campaign is to enforce its brands caliber and simplicity amongst a market littered with products masked by a faced of prestige. I have always been a big fan of the narrative nature of Nike ads; this one was no exception.

 

Oreo (Online)

On Superbowl Sunday, just after the Beyoncé half time show, the New Orleans stadium lost power - Oreo quickly responded with this clever ad.  The online banner has an informal structure with no regularity to the placement of the objects. The simple layout uses a harsh contrast between white and black to emphasize the message “You can still dunk in the dark.” The visual contrast of tone from the darkness of the background, which gradually fades to white, directs the viewer’s eyes directly to the Oreo in the bottom left hand corner. The black and white context of the ad itself is indicative of the product, the Oreo cookie. Oreo is a timeless classic offer those of all ages a reliable consistent product which is transparent in the promotional message. With little movement, this ad is simple, direct and extremely clever.

Swing (Billboard):

This poster is for Ann Hamilton’s recent exhibition, “The Event of a Thread” at the Park Avenue Armory. The structure is informally balanced with no regularity or pattern to the placement of the figure in the ad. However there is a balanced and centered use of text in the bottom half of the ad. However, there is equal space between each line of the text at the bottom of the poster giving the ad frequency and repetition and ultimately making it easier for readers’ to digest the information. The image is asymmetrical and it is clear at first glance what the main figure of the advertisement is – the girl on the swing. The poster also uses a harsh contrast between white and black making it easier for viewers to quickly find the text and important exhibition details.  The white space is used to emphasize the child on the swing and ultimately convey to viewers what the exhibition is about.  

HBO Boardwalk Empire (Print)

The poster for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire uses a formal and symmetrical structure.  The dividing line between the left side and the right side of the ad creates a balance that allows viewers to concentrate on both Steve Buscemi’s eyes as well as the informational text at the bottom half of the poster. In fact, the first thing that caught my attention in this ad was Buscemi’s eye which straddles the dividing line. The contrasting tones between the darker colors are used subtly throughout the vertical poster. The dark background and contrasting whites of Buscemi’s eye immediately drew me in.  The various different font sizes allow for an easy digestion of the important details of the text in the poster.

Beyoncé (Billboard):

As pretty big Beyoncé fan, I was thrilled when I started seeing this add all over the city.  My initial reaction to the poster was that there seemed to be dividing line between the left side and the right side creating equal spaces on both sides. It uses a balanced composition with text on the left side and an image of Beyoncé’s face on the right; both groupings seem to be equal in size. The text, which is very important to the ad, utilizes different font sizes to reveal the show’s name and tag line, as well as where and when viewers can watch the program. The subtle visual contrast of grey and white tones evokes a soft and serene dream-up feeling – which relates to the documentary’s slogan “Life is but a Dream.” This ad is does not follow a linear narrative, but rather the viewers eyes are automatically drawn to her face and her name, which spans across four lines. The reader then has to look both above and bellow her name to find additional information.