The media that I would like to share are my comparative ads
from last week. The ads (which you can see below) were for Nissan and were
placed in Vibe magazine and Women’s Health. The
Pathfinder ad was the one placed in Vibe and the Sentra ad was the one placed
in Women’s Health.
My interpretation of the ads’ communications strategies is
that, despite similarities in look, they do indeed differ quite a bit in
content. The ad from Vibe features the
headline “Surpass the Joneses” while the Women’s
Health ad features headline “Expect More Than You Expect.”
These headlines are very interesting when you really think
about the demographics that they are focused on. Vibe’s audience is 18-35 in age, the majority are African American,
and 67% are male. This makes it intriguing that the ad focuses on portraying the
Pathfinder as a car that will “make your neighbors envious” (in particular, ‘the Joneses’ a family
that is generally considered to be an “upper class, white family”).
In contrast, the Women’s
Health ad focuses on telling its viewers how the Sentra will “surprise” them.
Since Women’s Health’s demographic is
mainly Caucasian women from the ages of 18-45, this seems to fall into line
with the common marketing strategies of telling women that they are “worth it” and “deserve more."
Another interesting note? In the Vibe ad the fine print doesn’t discuss anything about safety, but
the Women’s Health ad mentions “wear
your seatbelt and don’t drink and drive” which is a message that would resonate
more with women and moms who are health conscious.
So, in my opinion, the embedded messages (or latent
function) for the two magazines are:
Vibe: “Show
everyone that you’ve got it going on. And that you’re up to par; indeed better than them.”
Women’s Health:
“Treat yourself. Get more than you deserve or expect. Because you’re worth
it.”
These seem like well thought out ads for the audiences that
they are directed at. Do you agree?
As for interpreting the ads based on this week’s reading
(chapters 10-11), I would note that the imagery of the ads themselves portray
Nissan in a very specific (and mostly similar) light.
The bright white background of both ads evoke the feelings
of happiness and security. The scale of the items in the ads shows that the car
itself is the first thing people see and the most important/drawing part of the
ad. Plus, the lower angle of the camera shows that they want people to see the
cars as powerful and inspiring.
All in all, I would say the big differences in the ads come
in the form of content and the big similarities are in the style. So, both ads
send a strong brand image about Nissan as a whole (dependable, secure, will make you happy), while also marketing directly to the correct
audience.
What do you think? Looking forward to reading your thoughts!
PS. In case you can’t see them in the pictures, the ads’ full
content read as follows:
Pathfinder:
Surpass the Joneses.
Introducing the all-new 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, the next Gen
SUV your family will love and your neighbors will envy. It has a
class-exclusive Around View Monitor that uses four cameras to help you park,
and a tri-zone entertainment system that allows each person to watch or listen
to anything they want. Combine that with the Best-In-Class 26 MPG HWY and a
spacious cabin that comfortably seats seven, and you’ll have the sharpest ride
on the block. It’s our most innovative Pathfinder ever.
Nissan. Innovation
that excites.
Sentra:
Expect More Than You
Expect.
The All-New Sentra might surprise you. Because not only does
it have more front leg room and passenger volume than the Honda Civic and
Toyota Corolla, it also has first-class features like LED headlight accents,
Sport and Eco drive modes, and available Bose Premium Audio. From eye-opening
space to surprising features, Sentra defies all expectations. Learn more about
our most innovative Sentra ever at: Facebook.com/innovationforendurance.
Nissan. Innovation
that excites.
Emily Barlean
January 20, 2012
Emily,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As a Nissan owner myself, and currently in the market for a new Nissan, both ads would have attracted my attention right off the bat. As you stated, both ads have a similar look but the distinguishing characteristics are in the content. This allows for a somewhat uniformed look for Nissan advertisements across the map, but very different messaging depending on the target audience. Nissan has used this tactic for quite a while, and it seems to be working as Nissan's sales rarely suffer.
Great job, Emily on breaking down the language and providing analysis of the latent function. I agree with your assessment. At the forefront of both seems to be a pretty heavy handed play on insecurities in the headline.
ReplyDelete"Surpass the Joneses" takes "Keeping up with the Joneses" to the next level. The implication being that the viewers focus was previously on making sure they were "as good as" but really they need to shift their focus to "being better". Either way there is an automatic assumption that the viewer measures their value based largely on someone else and not themselves.
"Expect More Than You Expect" is a classic tactic to take with a female audience. The message being that you don't think enough of yourself but that you should and that product X will be able to give you what you deserve - even though you don't recognize that you deserve it.
In both cases each phrase reinforces the idea of reaching for "more" to what's better and "next". This supports their continued efforts to brand Nissan as "innovation that excites".
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ReplyDeleteGreat job!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting the color of the car that is used in each ad. The Pathfinder is dark blue/navy and evokes a sense of power and style, along with a bit of fantasy. This fits perfectly with the "Surpassing the Joneses" theme, by encouraging the reader that they can be more powerful and more stylish and plays on those fantasies.
The Sentra is red (or at least that is the color it appears in the photo). The red car evokes a positive, happy vibe. In addition, red cars tend to be associated with more adventurous drivers. I think the message in the Women's Health ad also communicates to women that they should "defy expectations" that others have of them... and maybe even be a little daring. The features of the Sentra listed in the Women's Health magazine, in particular the Sport drive mode and the Bose Premium Audio, are not features that would typically be associated with a female buyer. I think the ad goes beyond just communicating that the product will provide women with what they deserve and actually challenges women to give themselves more than what they deserve.