Finished Product:Front Page

Finished Product:Inside Page

Finished Product: Poster

Ancillary Task: Radio Advert Research

Unfortunately, during my research into my second ancillary task, i found it extremely difficult to find example of radio adverts advertising newspapers. Therefore i decided to listen to radio stations such as Capital Fm, Radio 1 and Heart FM to get a general overview of the typical conventions included in a traditional radio advert. After doing so i looked into analysing some radio adverts in depth, to do this i went onto a website known as 'Radioville.' Radioville are a UK based company who receive briefs and demands from clients then look into scripting, casting, recording and editing radio adverts to fit the clients own needs. The company's experience into making adverts plus the many awards that they have achieved in doing so makes their adverts a perfect template to base my radio advert research on in order to help make my own radio advert successful.
http://www.radioville.co.uk/

Nationwide Advert
The first advert by Radioville that i decided to look into is a Nationwide advert. The advert consists of a male character having a conversation with a another male mortgage handler. Throughout this conversation, the mortgage handler (male 1) is questioning the other character (male 2) as to why he wants to have things such as 'flexible mortgages' and 'over payments,' stuff that is offered from Nationwide but obviously not offered by male 1 and the company that he is representing. The comparison of the two company helps emphasise what Nationwide has to offer compared to other companies which shows Nationwide's own competitive advantage. The repetition of the phrase 'why would you wanna do that?' said by male 1 helps give the advert its own sense off rhythm and this, combined with the humorous take towards the end of the conversation when male 2 repeats the phrase could make the advert more catchy and easy to remember which would further promote Nationwide. The inclusion of the female voice introduced towards the end of the advert acts as a narrator explaining what nationwide has to offer to make it clearer to the listener what the company has to offer to ensure that the listener is fully aware and avoids any confusion. The use of both male and female characters help ensure that the advert doesnt appear too feminine or too masculine which allows the advert to appear to both genders. The neutral accents also allows the advert to appear neutral itself and not limited to any region and the lack of background noise allows the words to stand out and appear bold which further minimises any distraction or confusion. Overall, i feel that this advert works well to inform the listener about what the company has to offer without appearing too biased or limited.

Yorkie muffin
The second advert by Radioville which i chose to analyse was the one advertising a 'Yorkie Muffin.' The advert consists of an everyday conversions between two brothers. You can immediately hear the background noise of cars driving past which makes the advert appear very casual and down to earth, which works effectively for advertising a muffin as a muffin has very little status or importance. This idea is immediately implied when brother 1 begins speaking informing his brother that he bought him a paper an 'just' and Yorkie muffin. This dismissive attitude towards the muffin is almost immediately questioned when brother 2 overreacts to receiving the muffin claiming that 'it's love.' Prior to this, brother 2 leaps into a detailed description of the muffin which helps promote the muffin as it informs the listener as the what the muffin consists of. The humour included in the advert through the overreaction of brother 2 and the reaction brother 1 helps give the advert a sense of comedy which would make the advert more entertaining and easier to remember. Similarly to the Nationwide advert, the advert also consists of a narrative character following the brothers conversation which directly informs the listener about the muffins contents and mentions the slogan. However, unlike the Nationwide advert, this narrative voice is a male voice. The use of three males in the advert portray a very masculine impression of the muffin which links in well with Yorkies original slogan 'Not for Girls.' This clever play on male characters helps imply this idea despite the muffin having a completely different slogan of its own. This slogan: 'classic muffins with a big heart' could also be portrayed with the emotional reaction from brother 2 and ensures that the whole advert links together effectively. Overall, i feel that this advert works very effectively as it works on promoting the muffin itself as well as playing on the brands slogan and the muffins own slogan. The slight background noise and humorous characters helps promote a relaxed, down to earth atmosphere which would help the listener appear comfortable listening to it which would further promote the brand.

Digital Radio

The third advert i chose to research was an advert into Digital Radios. Similarly to the two previous adverts that i have research, this advert also consists of a small scenario in which a women seeks a sales assistants help when trying to pick a digital radio. Yet the sales assistant doesnt appear to know what a digital radio is and begins trying to sell an analogue radio. The woman appears to respond by listing the traditional conventions of a digital radio which helps inform the listener as to what a digital radio is and what it can offer. The comparison of the digital radio to the analogue radio which the sale assistant is trying to promote helps emphasise the qualities and conventions that the digital radio has to offer and allows it to appear superior to the analogue radio and the other things that the sale assistant is trying to offer. This superiority promotes the idea of radio being impressive which could persuade readers to buy one. Also like the previously mentioned adverts, this advert also consists of a narrative character which gives the listener further information about the digital radio to further persuade the listener to buy one. Unlike the Yorkie Muffin advert, this advert consists of mixed genders and neutral accents which ensures that the advert doesn't appear too limited to one gender or region. The comedy provided through the sales assistants desperation to impress the woman with her analogue radio helps ensure that the advert appears memorable to the listener and the inclusion of such an everyday situation such as going to the shops helps the listener identify with the situation so that they can apply themselves to it. Overall, i feel that the advert works effectively as it doesn't appear limited to any gender or region and the use of comedy combined with such an everyday situation helps ensure that the reader can fully identify with it and feel involved which could further promote the product.

Lexus
The final radio avert that i decided to look into and analyse was one adverting the new Lexus Hybrid Vehicles. This advert is very different to the other adverts which i have chosen to research. The advert consists of a male voice over classical music giving a detailed description of the vehicle and its new properties and features. Although the use of a single male voice throughout the advert could make the advert much more masculine therefore less likely to appeal to females, i feel that the use of a male voice works effectively in this advert. This is because the product being advertised (car) is a much more stereotypically masculine product therefore the use of a male voice will directly target a male audience as they will be able to relate to the advert effectively. The use of classical music behind the voice over appears to have a calming effect on the listener which would make them feel much more at ease when listening to the advert. The use of listing the properties and giving a description of the new vehicle works well as it directly informs the listener about what the advert is advert and leaves nothing to the unknown so the customer feels confident about what they are buying. Throughout the whole advert, the advert focuses on advertising how the engine can switch during driving. Yet as well as just simply telling the listener about how the engine switches, the advert always uses a clever technique of switching its narrators half way through the advert yet so discreetly that it becomes unnoticable. This is then clarified by the narrator when he states 'did you notice that im not the same person speaking at the beginning of this advert?' This helps reflect the properties of the product being advertised as well as creating a clever, catchy aspect of the advert to help make it much more memorable to the listener. Overall, i feel that this advert works very effectively as it focuses on targeting its audience directly with the use of a male narrator, directly informing the audience about what the product has to offer as well as combining this with catchy, clever aspects such as the switch of the narrators.

Ancillary task research: News of the World poster analysis

    The image above shows an annotated poster advertising the News Of The World. At first glance, the reader is automatically drawn to the large pentagon shape with the words 'the big stories start here' inside. The use of the bold red colour scheme ensures that the shapes are bright and stand out from the background. The scheme also links into the papers actual colour scheme which links the advert directly to the paper ensuring that the viewer can easily detect what the poster is advertising. Also the use of the arrow shape at the bottom of the box plays on the content of the slogan by pointing to the newspapers logo implying that 'the big stories start here' (i.e at the news of the world).
    The slogan itself is short and snappy, it includes capitalisation to ensure that its eye catching. The use of alliteration also works well within the slogan as it makes the slogan flow more effectively and allows the reader to remember it easily.
    The inclusion of the newspapers logo helps ensure that the viewer fully understands what the poster is advertising. The logo appears to be bevelled and embossed which allows the logo to appear 3D on the page to which allows the image to stand out against the bold, busy background.
    The background to this advert appears to be a collage of different newspapers which makes it very clear to the viewer what the poster is advertising. Yet the background could be interpreted as too busy which could cause the background to be too overpowering for the images layered on top. However, the slightly faded background and bold use of shapes and colour ensure that the whole poster is balanced out effectively. Also the use of the newspaper background allows the headlines to be visible to the reader. This could be an interesting way to give the reader an insight as to what stories are included inside the paper by just showing them the headlines.
    Overall, this poster is my favourite out of the posters that i have research. I find the inclusion of the newspaper very interesting and different and i like the way its almost immediately detectable what the poster is advertising. I find the way that the give readers an insight into the papers content particularly interesting as its unique and not too obvious or forceful. The use of bold red colour scheme links into the papers colour scheme effectively and ensures that the poster stands out well.

Ancillary task research: Shropshire Star poster analysis

The image above shows a billboard poster advert for The Shropshire Star. The advert at first glance appears very simple with the use of a simple grey black and white colour scheme and a slight gradient for the background which allows the main images and text to stand out effectively without the whole advert appearing overpowering. Unlike the London Paper, the main images on the advert are both newspapers which ensures that the advert makes it clear what its advertising.
   However, the main image includes an image of a distorted paper in the shape of a paper aeroplane. This   could create connotations that the newspaper is different and unique due to its distorted form. This helps convey to the reader that the newspaper is individual which could persuade them to buy the paper. The small inclusion of colour on the image ensures that the image stands out effectively, especially against the simple background. Also, the inclusion of the papers logo on the actual image showing the papers name works well as the reader can almost instantly detect what specific paper the poster is advertising. As well as the large image of the paper, the poster also includes a smaller image of the newspaper in its actual form which directly shows the reader what the poster is advertising.
   Such a small use of colour on the paper helps ensures that the poster isn't too overpowering. Also, the black/white/grey colour scheme may have been used to convey that black/white nature of a newspaper which would further convey to the reader what the poster is advertising.
   Beneath the image of the distorted paper, the advert lists what the paper contains which helps gives a reader an inside as to whats included inside the paper which allows the to decide whether or not the paper appeals to them. The poster also tells the reader where they can access the stories as well as advertising technological convergence which ensures that the poster targets different types of audiences.
   Overall, i find that this poster works effectively as the poster is easy to view and you can almost instantly recognise what the poster is advertising. The simplicity of the advert helps convey the simple black/white, straight to the point nature of a newspaper which also helps directly show the reader what is being advertised without appearing too overpowering.
  
  

Ancillary task research: London Paper poster analysis

    The image above shows an annotated poster advertising a local london paper. From a first glance, you can automatically detect the black and purple colour scheme indicated through the use of a bold image and coloured text. This works well as it links into the papers actual colour scheme which ensures that the reader knows what the advert is advertising.
    The use of a slight gradient for the background of the poster ensures that the images and colours stand out effectively without the background appearing too boring or too dull. The poster also includes a large bold image showing a hand holding lots of different objects and people. This image works well with the catchy slogan 'grab all the best bits of london' and helps ensure that the whole advert links together effectively. Also, the inclusion of different objects and people helps give an insight as to what the paper contains. For example, an image of a guitar may have been used to show the reader that the paper covers information about music. This helps give the reader an idea as to whats included inside the paper and attempts to trigger their interest with the use of images. Also, the images of people may be trying to portray the papers target audience to the reader so that they can detect whether or not the paper appeals to them.The bold colours used in the image link in with the colour scheme effectively as well as ensuring that the image stands out against the background.
    An interesting feature included on the poster is the fact that the papers logo and name is located in the bottom right hand corner in a much smaller font than the slogan. This may have been done to ensure that the papers name was the last thing the viewer looks at which would increase the likelihood of the papers name sticking inside the viewers mind. However, the use of such a small font may cause the viewer to overlook the name and therefore not know what the paper is advertising.
    Overall, i find this poster works effectively as the use of the purple colour scheme ensures that the whole advert is linked together and the use of the papers actual colour scheme helps show the reader knows what the poster is advertising. Also, the clever inclusion of the feature of changing the colour of the last word in the sentence also helps show the reader what the poster is advertising as a similar feature is also include in the name of the paper. I also like the inclusion of a large image to balance out the use of text and ensure that the poster maintains interest.