Magazines, similar to newspapers, are a heavily used form of print media. Many brands and companies seek to have their products and services advertised in them. Examples of this can be found below in the five magazine advertisement I have reviewed. Magazines are available in many locations, and are even available online now making them very resourceful.
Magazine Ad #1- In the Air – https://aef.com/ad-campaigns/in-the-air-print/
- Award: Creative Campaign of the Year – Bronze Award | 3AF Award 2017
- Company: Advertising Agency: interTrend Communications| Toyota | 2017
In this print ad, Toyota is showcasing their 2017 model of the RAV-4 vehicle. The sleek features of the white colored vehicle stand out in contrast to the colorful background. The ad pays homage to the festival of colors and beginning of Spring. This is part of an attempt to push the campaign “let’s go places”. Encouraging customers to not only purchase the vehicle but to enjoy their travels while in it. The target market of the ad are those that are: Toyota owners/ fans, RAV-4 owners/fans, those that may be car searching or simply travel lovers. The ad is informing the audience of the newness of the particular car model and aims to ultimately achieve sales. According to the ad viewers would benefit from the: “sophisticated styling, high capacity cargo space, and standard Toyota safety sense as they follow wherever their passion leads them.
Magazine Ad #2- Ecovia: Stop the Violence: https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-print-ads/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
- Advertising Agency: Terremoto Propaganda, Curitiba, Brazil
- Award: Radio Mercury Awards, 2018
In this advertisement the viewer is forced to stop and take a double look at the content. The print advertisement was created by Terremoto, Brazil for Ecovia, focusing on the category of transport. The ad has a more serious tone as it tackles a serious message. By first viewing the title of the ad, I thought that perhaps the ad was focusing on domestic violence. Once I read the text “Stop the violence. Don’t text and drive” I understood the purpose. The ad uses animated drawings and the forceful action of a fist to face punch to convey the objective. This message is usually directed at young drivers, however the gentleman in the picture appears to be a little older. As such, the target market is anyone that is a driver, or owns a cell phone and could text while driving. The ad wants drivers to head the warning and stop texting while driving. Life is a reason, and a good reason that would lead viewers to buy in to the message of the ad.
Magazine Ad #3- Weight Watchers: https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-print-ads/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
- Advertising Agency: DraftFCB, Germany
This is probably one of the most minimal and direct ads I have ever seen. It is simple and straight to the point. Weight Watchers depicts the before and after effect of weight loss resulting from their program. The objective was to show viewers that by entering their program, it would result in them being a different person- especially in regards to their weight. This was cleverly depicted by showing the difference in the size of the doors indicating successful weight loss. It can be assumed that the ad is targeting individuals that seek to lose weight. As such, customers that seek to successfully and easily lose weight would be inclined to try the service.
Magazine Ad #4- Nivea Men: Because Life Makes Wrinkles: https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-print-ads/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
- Advertising Agency: Jung von Matt/Alster, Hamburg, Germany
In this advertisement Nivea uses humor to depict the wrinkles that men get from various life stressors. In the images we see the subject’s daughter, or children are one contributor. Another contributor is the stress that comes along with owning or building a home. The ad seeks to inform viewers of the effective moisturizing capabilities that are in the new Nivea men product and achieve sales. The ad is targeting men, especially those that may have stress wrinkles. Men who are struggling with finding an effective moisturizer or reducing stress wrinkles could benefit from the product and be inclined to try it.
Magazine Ad #5- Pepsi: We Wish You a Scary Halloween!: https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-print-ads/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
- Advertising Agency: Buzz in a Box, Brussels, Belgium
I found this advertisement very clever. In this Pepsi ad, they are using humor and poking fun at their rival company Coca-Cola by dressing up as the product for Halloween. The advertisement is trying to show how Pepsi is the better choice of drink. It is trying to appeal to Pepsi consumers and show Coca-Cola consumers that it is the better drink. The ad seeks to encourage viewers to purchase the drink, especially over the other brands.
Reference: Ecovia: Stop the Violence, Drive Safe. (2012, December 1). Retrieved from https://www.adsoftheworld.com/media/print/ecovia_stop_the_violence_drive_safe
Art is Life's Paintbrush 
I agree that the Weight Watchers ad was straightforward, and there isn’t any mistaking the target audience or value proposition. The Pepsi advertisement is striking because it also uses it’s most direct and threatening competitor’s logo alongside its own. It is also targeting people who enjoy the Halloween holiday and is most likely a seasonal advertisement. It would be interesting to see if they developed ads that played off of other prominent American holidays. The Nivea advertisement uses humor to illustrate the product’s value proposition, and the Ecovia ad does just the opposite. You analyzed a diverse set of ads and really made us as reviewers think about the multitude of strategies that marketing firms use to stand out.
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I very much enjoyed the selection of ads you chose and the corresponding breakdown of each one. My favorite is the Weight Watchers ad featuring the two doors. The simplicity and directness of the ad is brilliant as Weight Watchers is able to convey so much, so quickly. In my study of billboards, it was apparent that the most effective ads were bold yet simple as they had to appeal to a viewer passing by at 60+ mph. What I’ve come to realize is that premise holds true for most any type of ads. Consumers are bombarded with advertising and much of it can become white noise. The ads that can cut through that noise often do so with simplicity.
Thanks for your work!
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It is amazing that Pepsi is taking Coke head on in their advertisement. Most ads will be subtle about their competition. That is not the case in this ad. It uses humor in the process. The “stop the violence” ad makes a very serious point. Someone that texts and drives might not stop to think about how their actions may potentially effect another person. In this ad, it demonstrates that texting and driving could impact someone’s life in the way that a punch to the face could have. Visually, all of the ads you selected will attract interest and allow the viewer to draw the conclusion of the objective of the ad.
Best regards,
Milke
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Shayna,
Great selection of magazine ads! The Rav4 ad had great vibrant colors that demonstrated contrast with the white Rav4 vehicle. The company even demonstrated people standing outside of the vehicle celebrating much like a 4k color run where everyone participates with various colors throughout the run. The vehicle does make a great statement that relates to traveling and having fun along the way. Toyota did an excellent job meeting the objectives of making the vehicle stand out and seem fun. I found the Weight Watchers ad of interest as well, like you said Weight Watchers made a bold and simple statement about weight loss when finishing the program. I enjoyed looking at the magazine ads and reading your analysis for each ad.
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Shayna,
I must say, you have good taste in ads. This is quite an interesting mix that got the readers curious. I reviewed the Toyota on another blog so it won’t be fair to you to repeat the same information, so I will skip it for now. I agree with my fellow reviewers above on the violence ad; it is truly thought-provoking. Not only does the texting and driving hurt the others, but it also hurts you (the driver) as well, even more. This can be seen from the two side by side images.
The WeightWatchers ad is pretty simple and portrays their value proposition well. It is meant for people that are obese and need help losing weight. The much narrower exit door indicates that the results are guaranteed.
The Pepsi ad is humorous but with deep meaning behind it. Given that it is released during Haloween, it is meant to “trick” the Coca Cola drinkers that it is as good (if not better) as its competitor and “treat” them to a refreshing tasty drink.
Keep up the good work,
Best regards,
-Semir
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Shayna,
I have noticed today that I enjoy the wittier ads that use images instead of words to convey the message. The two that you presented that I enjoyed where the Weight Watchers and the Nivea Men. I have never used either products/services, but I found their ads something that I could think about longer than a glance. The Nivea uses some digitally fabricated images to narrate the concept that the stresses of normal life manifest on the men’s foreheads. I agree with your point about how the ad “informs viewers of the effective moisturizing”, as a man I don’t give any thought to moisturizer. I have kids so I know that stressor, therefore I find the ad quite relatable. The ad for Weight Watchers made me do a double-take. I misread the ad and didn’t put the enter and exit correctly and was thinking that they both said to enter. It made me think that they were targeting anyone who wanted to lose some weight. After reading your comment I then understood the ad which made it wittier. I think you analyzed all the ads in a way that I understood the context a little better. Thank you for your insight.
Dustin
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Shay,
I believe that magazine ads, to my notice, have the most visually appealing attributes to them. While it may be a standing picture, it does not have the audio representation to lean upon. The ads that you chose are no different, all succeeding in amazing visual representation. Your analysis of each ad brought a level of understanding to some I had not noticed from first glance.
-Colin Croat
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Hello Shyna,
Interesting choice of magazine ad, my favorite is the weight watcher ad, i find the ad quite explanatory, a specific example for one picture says all. Your review on these ads is quite interesting. Nice work!
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The Pepsi ad is funny and bold. I haven’t seen many competitors push each other like Coke and Pepsi do. They are both iconic brands and I see that they have a power struggle it seems. I know when I showed this particular ad to my mom she claimed it was classless so maybe the ad is too bold for some? What are your thoughts? Is having a bold ad that attacks a competitor more harmful to their reputation?
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I certainly found the Ecovia ad to be rhetorically potent. I think it is interesting how you initially got a sense that it was about domestic violence, as I believe this illustrates the effectiveness of the visual rhetoric. The goal is to equate texting and driving with willful acts of violence, and I absolutely think the ad manages to achieve this objective. Hopefully the ad compels people to think beyond their own reckless whims and consider how such ill-advised actions can potentially shatter the lives of so many others.
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I also agree that I thought the ad stop the violence was about stopping domestic violence initially. When you point out that “This message is usually directed at young drivers, however the gentleman in the picture appears to be a little older. ” and that changed your idea of the target market I looked again at the picture. The people causing the violence by texting and driving would be the ones doing the hitting so you can only see their arm (which still looks manly). Regardless though I totally agree that the target is anyone with a cellphone and a car though. Good group of ads and enjoyed reading your analysis
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