advert analysis 3 - Moleskine planners

I was really interested in the aesthetics of this advert - the use of colour and sound, and the way it has been put together so seamlessly, i am also very interested in the approach to animation, that seems to use stop motion, although some elements must have been later added, in the same style, to look like it has been all completed by hand.






basic analysis -

- the advert opens with a hand coming in from the left, holding the new Moleskine product, this is immediately establishing the product with the audience

- short clips of different coloured versions of the product are edited together, it is deliberately jumpy, and is backed up with a jumpy soundtrack that fits with the color, each different coloured journal has been given a personality, according to the person who may own it, so there is a non diegetic score that fits the personality. The score therefore jumps between different genre' of music along with the change in colour.

- The advert is very bright, with over exaggerated background colours that mirror the colours of the journals, this is to emphasize one of the main selling points, that the come in a range of colours to suit different personalities.

- the camera remains static in most of the advert, but zooms in and out of the book, so the viewer can see inside and outside

- stop motion animation has been used to show the books opening, and a small scene being played out, these also fit the book's suggested personality, and are mirrored by the sountrack

- the pace of the sound and editing, change witht he personalities too

- the use of sound is the most important thing in the advert, the way it is edited together and supports the action

- the advert ends with the company name and logo

• What exactly is being advertised?

The new Moleskin journal a smaller version in more colours

• Where and when did the ad appear?

These advert are fairly niche, so rather than appearing on mainstream TV channels, they were featured on much more niche channels to better target their smaller audience.  It first appeared mid 2010.

• Why might it have appeared there and then rather than elsewhere?

They will have had a smaller advertising budget, being a smaller independent company, so will struggle to afford mass market advertising on expensive channels, they will also be looking to target their audience correctly, so will choose channels where they can expect to see viewers that fit their target audience. This is directing the advert at the viewers properly.

• What appears to be the intended audience?

The ad's are aimed at a slightly niche audience, fairly wealthy, young adults and middle aged proffessionals, people with little time and a busy schedule, however they have aimed the advert and the product at everyone within this market segment, men and women, older and younger, as they have created a product to suit individual personalities, as is shown by the different animation in each coloured journal, showing how they could be used to suit dsifferent lifestyles. So whilst the advert isnt aimed at a mass audience, it is showing how the product could fit people in many different walks of life.

• What suggests this?

The product itself has a fairly expensive brand name, and the activities featured in the advert, shopping, ladies nights, city trips, sailing, arent cheap activities and are associated with wealthier people.

• In what ways does it utilize features of the particular medium used (poster, television, film, radio or magazine)?

It utilizes the relationship between sound and image that you get with TV adverts, as opposed to magazine or radio, as the advert wouldnt work without the sound, or the images, they help one another to portray the message, whereas TV adverts can often be more liek radio ad's with images and footage just to back up the point. They have also made use of the time they can have on TV, it is a minute long, and would suffer if ti were shorter.

• What graphic mode(s) is/are used (e.g. still photography, drawing, animation, live action)?

The advert is entirely shot using stop motion animation, the books were the real Moleskine product, they then printed sheets to mimic the real pages, and cut each individual shape out on over 300 sheets, then shot it by placing a sheet in the middle of the book, taking a photo, and then putting the next one in. This required absolute precision with the shapes, so they were the same on eahc page - extremely difficult to do.

• Where is it set in space and time? 

This is unclear and not key to the narrative, it is in the present, and probably shot in a studio.

What key objects are featured? The books are the main objects, the advert is highlighting the range of colours the new journals come in, so each colour is featured. The hand is key as it gives the viewer a scale to see the size of the journals which is another important feature, as they are smaller than a packet of tissues.
• What part is played by words (choice of words, typography/voiceover)?

There is no voiceover, the advert has been left deliberately void of any words or text, so the viewer focuses on the animation and the mood created by the music, also the diary entries, as these are all working together, any voiceover would have ruined the mood. It is unusual for a TV advert to have no dialogue however, and could means some viewers lose interest fairly quickly.

• What part is played by the use of sound and/or light?

Sound is one of the most important things in the advert, with it constantly changing between different genre's of music, the pace changes, and so does the mood with each music change. This is fitting to the different personality of the book. The changing moods is key to the advert as it keeps it interesting, with no dialogue or voiceover,  a soundtrack ro score running through the whole advert would make ti seem long and tedious, the constant change of the score keeps it quick and interesting, and should keep the viewer interested.

• What key inferences must the viewers/readers/listeners make to make sense of the ad? 

It is not neccesary for the viewer to understand the ad, but previous knowledge of the Moleskine company and their product will change the way the ad is viewed, for example someone who has many Moleskine notepads and is familiar with the brand will understand its upmarket approach.

• What intertextual references can you discern (to other ads, to other genres, to other people etc.)? 

- The ad is very similar to other ads by Moleskine in that they all use stop motion and show the books/jounrals being used and comign to life. This is also an approach used by other advertisers and filmmakers before, such as the JP Morgan and Chase advert, made before Moleskines, that features the same sort of paper pop up book idea.

- The jingling of the music as the next colour book is picked, reminds me of an fruit machine, where the different books are shown popping in and out and then one is finally landed on, and opened. this is a reference to something that everyone will be familiar with.

• With what is the product associated?

The product is associated predominantly with the brand, which is expensive and high quality.

• What use is made of humour, and to what effect?

There is little humour in the advert, except some fo the animations are fairly comical, such as the ladies night drinks animation. It is not an advert aimed to be perticularly humerous or witty, but light hearted and comical.

• What do you regard as the most likely preferred interpretation offered in the ad? 

The ad is showing the ways the journal could be used by bringing the diary entries to life through stop motion animation, there is little narrative to their isnt much scope for interpretation within the text.