Timed Writing Exam practice for Advertising LO Analysis

Timed Writing / Exam practice for Advertising LO : Analysis of Advertising in timed conditions

Reflection Let’s start by looking at your books - I have marked them. It’s pleasing that you have all done both essays and there were some really good notes. Using the ‘Assessment Feedback Grids’ in your folders , fill in the first 2 rows. Look at my comments (if you can’t read them, let me know !). What especially will you try and make better today ?

What makes a good A level Media essay on Advertising? 1. You will have a maximum of 25 mins to write this essay in the exam so you will do well to write more than 600 words – so it has to be focussed. • Read the exemplar essay. I know it’s on magazines but at the moment there are no exemplar essays on Advertising. The comment from the examiner is cautious, this summer this sort of essay would have got an A/B grade. • It’s an essay on a Big Issue front cover and the use of intertextuality – the front cover is on the next slide. • Write down 3 things you think the essay does well.

My Tips on writing an exam essay 1. Break the question down – be clear on what is being asked. 2. Make notes (you have 10 mins for this in the exam – create a plan - group the notes). 3. Have a (brief) intro that lays out your viewpoint. 4. Use topic sentences. 5. Paragraphs follow a PEE structure – (Point/Evidence/Explain) or even PEEL (Point/Evidence/Explain/LINK to theory or other adverts) 6. Use terminology – show you’re a Media STUDENT 7. Don’t worry about a conclusion – you may not have time for this anyway

Quick test on ‘Links’ • • • Sum up Stuart Hall’s idea in a sentence ? What does Roland Barthes call myths ? Who are most fragrance ads aimed at ? Who are most Charity ads aimed at ? Is the Old Spice advert typical ? Why ? Is the Luzocade advert typical ? Why ?

REMEMBER TO COVER AS MANY OF THESE POINTS AS APPROPRIATE Image Analysis • • Shot Type (CU, MS, LS) Angle (Low, High, Straight) Mis-en-scene Depth of Field Realistic or artificial looking? Single image or collage? Soft or hard focus? Direct or indirect mode of address? Plus. . . • Colour palette • Imagery / References (including ‘pack shot’) • Lighting – low key? Harsh? Soft? Coloured? Natural? • Text choices: fonts, colours, size, angle, position, slogan • Representation: what is the representation and how does the advertiser tell the audience what type of person this is? Are you able you to make a guess about the who the audience is? Think about the effect of all these codes on the audience

Let’s do a practice with this advert – comment on the Representation

You have 35 mins (in the final exam you will have 25 mins) - You have 2 ads to choose from – in the real exam you will only have 1 advert - One is a fragrance advert and the other an advert for an energy drink - The Question is “How is Representation being used to promote/ sell the product in the advert” - You should be thinking about the representation and how it is constructed through the different technical codes. You could add a reference to Stuart Hall and his theory of representation

WOW and NOW Please add a Wow and Now comment. You could think about : • use of terminology • is there enough denotation • clear explanation of meaning • does the essay present a well reasoned explanation of the advert • are audience segments/ groups identified