Conceptual Elaboration

Conceptual Relating to mental concepts Elaboration Thorough development with care and detail

How does it work? Some ads and magazine covers require the brain to work a little bit to make abstract associations in order to figure out the message. This brain work is called “conceptual elaboration.”

Ads requiring conceptual elaboration: Are not effective for every product/service/audience Can be “risky” because they require an audience to stop and think. Can be effective for the same reason: mysterious images can grab attention and encourage the viewer to continue thinking about the brand or idea. Typically target college-educated audiences, though audiences of all education levels are becoming more media savvy and are being targeted with this technique (e.g., GEICO ads).

Benefits Such images require the viewer to continue to think about the image rather than merely glancing at it and forgetting.. Readers might even share these images with their friends. They may even go viral.

Drawbacks If the image is too difficult to figure out, the reader could miss the message entirely.

Drawbacks The image can be so stirring that we remember it but forget what it’s advertising.

Drawbacks The message can be confusing, and this confusion then becomes associated with the product and company, Body copy: “It’s what’s inside that counts, even for your engine.” What’s troubling about the message here?

Types of Compositions Eliciting Conceptual Elaboration

Creative Visual Only

Creative Type Only

Creative Visual and Text (Needed Together for message to be understood)

Illustrative ads like this one do not require conceptual elaboration. While this is an engaging image and probably an effective ad, it is not an example of an ad that requires conceptual elaboration. The audience does not have to do any brainwork to make connections. Instead, the image literally illustrates the headline. f you want to inspire conceptual elaboration, your text and image should not “explain” one another.

What to Avoid: Anything cliché (left) unless you have an unexpected twist Anything you’ve seen before Anything obvious

Techniques for Eliciting Conceptual Elaboration (You can also combine techniques.)

Unusual Combinations of Images

Exaggeration (most common)

Omission and Suggestion

Reversal

Paradox

Play with Scale

“Alternative Uses”: Use something in a way that wasn’t intended.

Absurd/Surreal/Bizarre

Tell a visual story.

Twist on a cultural icon, story, or meme NIVEA SUN self tan spray

Create an unusual metaphor or analogy.

Play with “metonymy.” Definition: the substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant, for example suit for business executive, or the track for horse racing. “The pen is mightier than the sword” is metonymy (pen represents writing; sword represents force). A metonymy is similar to a metaphor, but metonymy is related to what it represents instead of literally unrelated.

Play with metonymy.

The Economist Magazine Covers Choose a cover and identify the technique. Can you find a metaphor? Metonymy? Reversal? Play with scale? Alternative Use? Paradox? Surprising combination of objects?

Intro to Assignment Ad choice can be a good option for people who have taken COM 383. Magazine cover recommended for others. Remember: Ads promote benefits of products/services (unless they’re scare tactics). Focus on the product or service’s competitive difference.

Group Work Decide on whether you want to use this exercise to brainstorm Economist covers or ads. Get together with other classmates of similar interest. Search for news stories that could be of interest to readers of The Economist or products/services that could be of interest to you for an ad. Brainstorm many ideas for headlines and visuals that would elicit “conceptual elaboration.” You will share your ideas with the class.