Implicit vs. Explicit Messages & Advertising Strategies

Understanding Advertisements Advertising Strategy Used? Implicit Message? Explicit Message? Purpose of the Advertisement? -> Target Audience? -> How do you know? What catches your attention in the ad? How effectively do the text and image work together?

Implicit Message Dictionary.com defines the word implicit as: Implied or understood though not directly expressed.

Implicit Message What is the implied message with this ad? Why might some people be angry about this?

Implicit Message Even in the year 2014, some people are under the assumption that it is a woman’s role in life to clean and take care of the household. While it’s true that some women are still stay-at-home mothers, where it is their job to take care of the house and children, today, more than ever before, mothers and women are staying in the work force, even while they’re raising families. The stereotypical “housewife” is slowly going away in Canada. Therefore, some people find it rather offensive that the majority of cooking and cleaning product advertisements all contain women using these products.

Implicit Message This is an example of implicit advertising as it implies a rivalry between the mentioned car manufacturers (Subaru, BMW and Audi). The advertisement congratulates and shoots down the efforts of the other car manufacturers in one sentence, which could be considered as being quite patronising and again demonstrates the rivalry.

Implicit Message This is another example of implicit advertising which again implies a rivalry between two more car manufacturers, BMW and Jaguar. This advertisement uses no written communications whatsoever, just two car bonnets facing off to each other, like a head to head, showing more of the BMW making its presence more prominent implying it’s the more powerful car.

Explicit Message Dictionary.com defines the word explicit as: fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied; explicit instructions; explicit language. clearly developed or formulated: explicit knowledge; explicit belief. When you deconstruct an advertisement (or similar media text) you are using reading and thinking strategies to understand the messages. Some messages are very obvious (in your face!) and have what we call explicit messages.

Explicit Message Here are some example of an explicit message:

Explicit Message

Implicit vs. Explicit Messages When you deconstruct advertising some messages are less obvious because the producers of the media text have provided only clues. Take a look at the following media text. It’s a poster produced jointly by the government of British Columbia, the Lung Association and the Ministry of Health.

Implicit Message What are the explicit messages contained in this media text? What are the implicit messages contained in this media text? What questions did you ask yourself as you viewed this poster? In your opinion, how effective were the producers in communicating their message?

Advertising Strategies Advertising Techniques( 5:35) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdLsQcYyAcc

Verbal Manipulators 1. Testimonial Using a person (usually famous) to vouch for a product Makes the product seem more valuable Example: “Hello. I’m Jessica Simpson, and when I want clear skin, I use Proactiv Solution.”

Verbal Manipulators 2. Transfer Encourages you to change brands by introducing a new product that’s better than the competition. Example: “Motrin. The new #1 headache medicine with 30g of chlorophyll hydroxate.”

Verbal Manipulators 3. Plain Folk Used to appeal to “everyday” people Example: “Use Bounce dryer sheets. It will remind you of the way mom used to do your laundry.”

Verbal Manipulators 4. Band Wagon Encourages you to buy their product based on the fact that other people have. Example: “Rogers Wireless. Have you joined yet?”

Verbal Manipulators 5. Snob appeal Encourages you to buy the product based on the fact that rich/upper class people do so. Example: “She lives in L.A. and spends her summers in Vegas. She wears DaLuLu perfume.”

Verbal Manipulators 6. Facts and figures Encourages you to buy the product by appealing to your want for scientific proof Example: “Crest whitening strips will make your teeth 5x whiter in 3 days.”

Verbal Manipulators 7. Hidden Fears & Emotional Appeal Plays on people’s fears to encourage them to purchase their product. Example: “Don’t lose friends. Use “Smell-Great” deodorant.”

Verbal Manipulators 8. Repetition By repeating a word/idea, advertisers hope to get your attention in hopes that you will purchase their products (infomercials are the worst for this). Example: “Nature – Glow. The only natural shampoo with nature’s pure ingredients to bring out the natural glow of your hair.”

Verbal Manipulators 9. Magic Ingredients Encourages you to buy based on the idea that you won’t be able to find another product containing the same ingredients. Example: “Drink Eau-Boire water. The only water with H2O and Vitamin B3.”

Verbal Manipulators 10. Weasel Words Encourages you to buy the product by enticing you with words like “new & improved”, “better than ever.” Example: “New Listerine mouth wash will give you minty fresh breath.”

Verbal Manipulators 11. Scarcity Technique to suggest there is a limited time or number involved in purchasing the product. Example: “Act now … first 20 callers will pay only $19.99.”

Identify the Advertising Strategy In small groups, using the internet and magazines provided, find an example ad for each of the 11 advertising strategies we have just learned about. Mark any ads you find that have gender stereotyping Share your findings with the rest of the class