I have chosen to compare two GEICO print ads. One ad was published in the January 14 edition of Sports Illustrated and the other in the January/February edition of Food Network Magazine.
The below print advertisement was found in Sports Illustrated...
“It takes 4 quarters
to defeat your rival.”
“Fortunately, it only takes 15 minutes to see how much
you could SAVE WITH GEICO.”
“Whether you’re at the
game or at home, there’s 4 nail-biting quarters where you’re hoping the offense
and defense get it right. Fortunately, it only takes 15 minutes to get your
insurance right with GEICO. So no matter how the game goes, you’ll be the MVP
of Savings.”
"Get a free quote."
The following is the ad that was found in Food Network Magazine...
The text is as follows....
“Certain foods take
years to mature."
"Fortunately, it only takes 15 minutes to see how much you
could SAVE WITH GEICO.”
“Great cheeses. Fine
wines. Aged meats. Some things just take a long time until they become just
right. Fortunately, it only takes 15 minutes to get your insurance right with
GEICO. Because while some things get better with time, waiting to save money
isn’t one of them.”
"Get a free quote."
As evidenced in the above images, both advertisements have an almost identical layout and
arrangement of information. In both magazines the placement of the ad is in the
middle of the magazine and is a full-page ad on the right-side page. Both ads
have a very light, almost white background. In each ad the placement of the text within the page is identical and the placement of the single picture is very similar with the photo moved slightly to the right in the Food Network Magazine ad as opposed to the Sports Illustrated ad which is more centered.
In both ads the largest and most prominent object is the
picture referenced. In the Geico ad printed in Sports
Illustrated, the object pictured is a football; in Food Network Magazine, it is cheese. This photo draws the reader’s attention to
the page. It makes sense for football to be the focus of the ad placed in
Sports Illustrated, as the audience is most likely male and interested in sports. In
particular the ad ran in the January 14 edition, during NFL playoffs. The image of cheese, and the reference to fine
foods is fitting, for the Food Network Magazine since the readership is most
likely interested in cooking and food, and slightly older.
The GIECO campaign sends the message to the readers of both magazines that acquiring GIECO insurance is fast... "only takes 15 minutes..." and that the value of what you get in that 15 minutes is worth it (i.e. "...get your insurance right with GEICO...").
This message is consistent between both advertisements.
What differs between the two ads is the item to which securing GEICO insurance is compared. In the Sports Illustrated ad it is a game of football. The message maker is providing a sort of cost-benefit analysis in comparison to a game of football. In the Food Network Magazine the cost-benefit is compared to aged wine and cheese.
The word choice used in each ad is very specific. For the Sports Illustrated ad, the phrase “Defeat your rival”is used and evokes competition, for a readership that enjoys sports. For the Food Network Magazine, the phrase “Years
to mature” is used and evokes the feeling of refinement, for a slightly older readership that enjoys fine food.
Finally, I would like to compare the colors used in each ad.The color of the two tag lines differs in each ad. In the
Sports Illustrated advertisement, “It takes 4 quarters to defeat your rival,” and “Fortunately, it only takes 15 minutes to see how much you
could SAVE WITH GEICO” is printed in red. The visual reaction of the color red tends to
bring out a more energized, happy, energetic emotion.
In the Food Network magazine advertisement ,“Certain foods
take years to mature,” and “ Fortunately, it
only takes 15 minutes to see how much you could SAVE WITH GEICO” is printed in green. The visual reaction of
the color green tends to have a more calming, relaxed
In both ads all other text is printed in the same color
scheme, as is the Geico, bringing brand consistency to the message.
The comparison of these two GEICO ads is a perfect example of a consistent message being conveyed throughout a marketing campaign, with the message makers altering the way in which the message is communicated in order to drive home the message to specific audiences.
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteThese were 2 very great ads to analyze and you did an awesome job. At first glance, I didn’t even realize the difference in font colors. After reading your entire post and going back to look at both ads, I came to the conclusion that Geico's ad team obviously read our textbook (LOL). Although both ads appeal to 2 very distinct audiences, it is safe to say that Geico cornered both, appealing to not only sight but also to emotions
The one difference I noticed was the blue bar in the ad in the food magazine, it lists GEICO's insurance offerings, auto, home, renters, motorcycle, RV, boat, and PWC. The ad in SI has no such listing nor does it contain the small print portion regarding discounts/coverages. It could be possible that people that read the Food Network magazine are more accustomed to listing everything as in a recipe than sports fans who just want cheap insurance.
ReplyDeleteBrian - good eye!!! Actually, though, the Sports Illustrated ad does have the blue bar at the bottom of the ad. Apparently, I have poor photography skills and cut off that portion of the ad! Ooops!
ReplyDelete