The Function of the “Celebrity” in Advertisements Brittany Du Pont

Thesis The promotional advertisements depicting celebrities through the use of “real” (paparazzi) photos and everyday life constructs the interests of the modern day mom. -this is an advertisement for an upcoming film through the us of depicting a celebrities everyday life.

Method Throughout Ok!, People, and Life & Style magazine I look at the pictures conveying “celebrity” life stories and analyze both ad and text on how they often promote upcoming albums, television shows, or movies. Questions: How often was sex appeal a factor? What percent of pictures were taken in “everyday” life? Were children present or family values? What is the girl to guy ratio in the advertisements? Mixed Race? Whether the ads relate to moms, teens, or both. If a celebrity is depicted is their a story? Does this story have a shock appeal? Violence? Serious? Humorous? Broader Types of Advertisements: Beauty, Fashion, Film, Television, Food, Health, Home Products, Travel, Weight loss, Electronics, Books, and Organizations.

Evidence All Advertisements in Broad Categories Types of Ads People Magazine Life & Style Magazine Ok! Magazine Fashion 7.0% 7.5% 8.0% Beauty 10.5% 37.7% 11.3% Movies 19.3% 9.4% 6.4% Health 12.3% 3.2% Food 22.8% 0.0% Electronics 1.7% Television 28.3% 53.0% Travel 1.8% Home Products 5.3% 1.9% 1.6% Music 3.5% 5.6% 4.8% Book Organization Weightloss 6.5%   This graph conveys the most popular types of advertisements found in these three magazines; People: Food/Movies; Life & Style: Beauty/Television; Ok!: Television/Beauty.

Evidence Cont. People: Signifiers of a higher class reader, focuses health and less about beauty , has a larger variety of ads such as the addition of travel, electronics, etc. Also directed to an older audience, has numerous health ads at 12.3%. The only magazine to have at least one advertisement for only men; also the only magazine to have advertisements for kids (really moms buying for kids). Ok!: Focuses on Reality T.V and promotes through gossip. Is made up basically of television advertisements and some beauty ads. Differs from the others as it does not focus on health but rather weight loss, yet very little ads with food in it. The majority of the time more men than women in advertisements if in a group setting. Life & Style: More family oriented, celebrities with children. Also many ads depicts fear of losing children, shock factor for “reality” television ads. Very few men at all depicted in this magazine. More focused on beauty ads and fashion rather than health or food.