'Woman' magazine- Creme Puff advert analysis

Crème Puff by Max Factor advert analysis

Layout and design:

The magazine advert uses a storyboard style set of pictures to present the product. At the top of the page there is three smaller images, in the middle there us the main, central image. At the bottom of the advert there is text and an image of the product. The story board style shows intertextuality as it represents how the advert would appear in a television advert. The text is placed at the bottom of the advert to keep the reader’s attention on the images above which represent the uses of the products and the benefits of using it. The largest image of the woman smiling and the man approaching her is placed in the centre of the advert to show its importance in representing the product. It highlights that the product makes women happy whilst also attracting men which appealed highly to women during the 1960s.

Central image:

The central image is of a woman wearing formal clothing applying the crème puff. Behind her is a man, also in formal clothing approaching her. Both the man and women in the advert are white and appear to be middle class. This links to the bell hooks theory as there is no diversity in who in presented in the advert. During the 1960s white, middle class people would have been seen as the highest in society, using them in the advert reinforces this as it shows the reader that this is the ‘best’ you can be and reiterates to society that white, middle class people are superior over other ethnicities and classes. In the image the man is wearing a suit which represents his importance and once again links to the time period where men were seen as more important than women, this links to the Roland Barthes semantic theory as the suit represents power and dominance. This is further shown in the advert by the man approaching the woman suggesting her as vulnerable and weaker. The woman is dressed sensibly and practically with is atypical compared to modern adverts. Liesbet Van Zoonen’s theory cannot be applied here as the woman is not presented as a sexual object, however, the way the advert present the makeup product as enticing the man could suggest her only responsibility is to attract men, implying that the product makes her a sexual object for men. Both the man and the woman in the advert are not celebrities, this is atypical for modern magazines where celebrities are usually used to reach a different audience. However, having the characters as non-celebrities allows the reader to identify with them and picture them in their shoes, which further encourages them to buy the product.

Typography and graphics:

The text at the bottom of the advert is clear and uses a simple font, this allows it to be easy to read. The main and largest piece of text is the name of the product to create a clear identity surrounding the product and to make it obvious to the reader what the product is. The use of the simple font could represent the simplicity of the product to apply and the speed it can be applied it, this is further supported with the quote “Frantically rushing to meet that exciting someone?” The second largest piece of text that stands out clearly on the advert is the quote “Beauty at a moment’s notice” which further implies the speed and simplicity in applying the product. The word “beauty” suggests that women will only be beautiful if they apply makeup, this further links to the society during the 1960s where women were constantly expected to look good to find a husband. This, once again, links to the Liestbet Van Zoonen theory.

 Print technical codes:

The camera shot appears to be at a slight low angle, this is used to portray status and superiority. This conveys the importance of the characters in the advert. One interpretation of this is that they are important as they are using Crème Puff which is more superior over other products. Another interpretation is that the advert is conveying that the characters are more superior over other ethnicities and classes as they are white. This links to the bell hook’s theory and the lack of representation and diversity in the advert. Through the storyboard effect of the advert we can see the man approach closer to the camera. This links to the tracking of a camera but in this case the man is moving, not the camera. This allows the audience to further see him emotion and reaction to the woman using the product, as her gets closer to the camera his smile intensifies, presenting his joy that the woman is using the product. This portrays to the audience that all men will react in this way if they use the product. The central image uses a medium shot to present the product and the reaction of the characters. The medium shot allows the audience to see the characters clothing which represents their importance. It also allows us to view their relationship, showing their ‘bond’ now that he knows she uses Crème Puff.

Language and mode of address:

At the bottom of the advert there is a section of text that describes the product. Firstly, the text uses a lexical field of ‘soft’ words to present the product. For example the words “soft”, “puff”, “pastel” and “velvety”. This conveys the gentleness of the product, further implying the vulnerability of women and their weakness compared to men. This links to the idea that women can use this product to attract men, conveying that they need a man to take care of them. Moreover, the advert also uses rhetorical questions to engage the audience. For example “Frantically rushing to meet that exciting someone?” The use of a rhetorical question creates a personal connection between the advert and the product, further enticing them to buy it. The use of this rhetorical question also presents the product as quick and easy to use. In addition, the advert also features the repetition of an ellipsis. For example “Beauty at a moment’s notice…” and “Simply ideal for touch-ups…” The use of the ellipsis allows the text to feel like a conversation between the advert and the reader which further adds to the personal connection which is being created throughout the text. These two quotes also further show the speed of the product. It is clear that Max Factor want to portray the main feature of the advert that it is quick and smile to use, discussing how women can use it on the go. This suggests that women are busy and have places to be, this would entice the female audience who are used to advert which tell them to stay in the kitchen. This links to the Women right’s movement at the time where women had begun to go to University and get jobs, they have realised the discrimination in the way they were treated and began to campaign against it. This advert subtly implies that women are busy and have places to go, which contrasts with previous interpretations that the advert was conveying that women only do anything for men. However, this is still presented suggesting that women are busy, but they are busy as they are running off to a date. For example “Dashing out on an important date?” This links once again, to the original portrayal of the advert which was conveying the belief that everything women do is to impress men. The advert subtly tries to convince women of their importance while still presenting the superiority of men.