Introduction
Advertisements are forms of promotional strategies that organizations apply to enhance awareness for their products. These advertisements usually aim to make the target customers respond through purchase and continued support for the product. Just like the other three marketing mix elements (product, price and place), the strategies designed to enhance promotional efforts differ. Their effect, likewise, depend on how the important elements of an advertisement are chosen, created, and applied. In this regard, the current paper aims to present an analysis of a print advertisement, particularly that of Old Spice, and argue that it failed to create the needed response from its target audience; which is for customers to try and purchase the product and to invite repeat purchase through the effective application of elements contained therein.
Description of the Advertisement
The advertisement showed a partially hidden body of a man with no shirt and where the center point was the man’s left underarm. A visual image of a mini-tropical island seems to have emerged from it. The setting is in the bathroom, as evidenced from the blue tiled wall at the background. The text contains the message which states that: “what father nature uses when mother nature is out of town at another one of her conferences” typed in all capital letters, bold and color white. At the lower right portion of the print ad, the viewer sees four actual images of the product in different varieties: ‘Old Spice.com’ shown also in white scripted font and on top of the four products, these texts appear: ‘FIJI WHERE FRESHNESS SMELLS FROM” in different fonts, sizes and in the same color white. The word ‘FIJI’ has a shadowy effect with a slightly green background. The four product varieties are: FIJI in white font at the center with green lined background; to its right is DENALI in white font with deep orange background; to its immediate left is CYPRUS, also in white font with sky blue background; and finally, on its farther left portion is partially hidden MATTERHORN, also in white font with dark blue background.
The target audience for the product is dominantly male, as shown from the male body in the print ad; and from the slogan or message that was written. The face of the model for the advertisement was not shown since the focus was on the underarm where the product was mainly intended to be applied. Seeking a famous celebrity or person to promote this ad could be a little bit uneasy given that the aim was to promote using the product in the underarms which does not necessarily need prominent characters or features of the model.
Elements Used in the Advertisement
After evaluating the elements used in the advertisement, one recognized that there were mixes of visuals and texts, with well selected colors. Due to the light blue background from the wall of the bathroom, the partially hidden image of the left body of the model required that the face should not be shown, so that the focus of the viewers would be to the underarm – which the product, an anti-perspirant deodorant, specifically aims to be applied. Thus, the visual representation of a mini-tropical island on top of the underarm was catchy or effective in calling the attention of the audience.
Likewise, the use of fonts in white was also appropriate to indicate characteristics such as cleanliness and freshness. The appropriate font sizes were also correct to allow the target audience to read and visualize the words and messages without having to strain the eyes. However, for the fonts in the product themselves, it could be evaluated that the audience need to be familiar with the product to visualize what the labels show. When compared to the whole print ad, the product labels were too small that viewers who would like to find out what is says need to magnify the product through the zoom option to be able to determine the labels.
Assessment of Effectiveness
The product advertisement could be assessed in terms of its ability to effectively achieve its intended goal. Of course, one of the main goals is to invite the target customers to try and purchase the product and for current customers to repeat purchasing. For a viewer who does not know anything of the product, the initial reaction that could be expected upon seeing the print ad was amusement. Then, the consumer could be confused after reading the message or the slogan since the real message was somewhat not clear. Reading the first few words could be understandable: ‘what father nature uses” – could mean the product that men usually use to protect them from nasty body odor. However, readers could find it confusing to interpret: “when mother nature is out of town at another one of her conferences”. This statement could get different interpretations from the viewers; ranging from ‘who is this mother nature that the advertisement is talking about?’ and ‘why should she be out of town in a conference?’ Is this proof of a person who happens to be the companion or partner of the traditional male in any interpersonal relationship?
Likewise, another controversial concern is the vertical position of the mini-tropical island on top of the underarm. It could have been a matter of concern for the advertisement designer given that the male should definitely be standing; and so naturally, there is no other option for the visual representation of the mini-tropical island than to be vertical. However, did the designer of the ad think of putting the model in a position where he could be lying in one side (the right side) so that his left underarm could effectively put the visual image of the mini-tropical island in a horizontal position? Through this approach, the viewers would better appreciate the image of the mini-tropical island since it would be seen in its natural horizontal position.
Thus, overall, one could conclude that this particular print ad failed to result in the needed response from its target audience due to sending a confusing message and the awkward position of the visual representation of a mini-tropical island that seemed to be on top of the underarm.
Conclusion
The advertisement analysis of a print ad of Old Spice for different product varieties of its anti-perspirant and deodorant failed to successfully achieve the fundamental goal of the advertiser; which is to convince consumers to try and purchase the product and to invite repeat purchase through the effective application of elements contained therein. One could assume that Old Spice customers who had been loyal product purchasers could still continue purchasing the product for its strengths, advantages and product features as well as proven benefits generated from it. This means that this advertisement would not, in any way, prevent or increase intentions for purchase using only the elements (visual, text, colors, choice of fonts’ sizes and style) that were included in the print ad. The awkward positioning of the focal visual representation, together with a confusing message, contributed to the perceived unsuccessful results that the Old Spice print ad relayed.
