6. Research into existing TV Commercials (Other Genres)

I decided to research adverts which are not in the food delivery genre, because they are successful in areas which I may attempt to incorporate into my own adverts.  I made a second Youtube playlist for adverts that inspired me, as they had elements such as 'dark humour' and other elements which I wish to tap into.

Skittles: Midas Touch:

The Skittles advert is appealing due to it's comedic techniques.  It appears to be humorous because it shows the misfortune of somebody else but to an extreme proportion, making it entertaining to watch.  This is known as 'dark humour'.  This reinforces the 'fun' and 'silly' brand identity that Skittles holds.  The advert is also tactical with its methods of product placement and branding.  It shows the product first hand  and outside of the package; although the concept is funny, it is informative to customers as it shows them exactly what they wish to purchase.  However, this humour is still within the guidelines of the ASA code as it does not capture the 'disturbing' images that the man talks about.  The humour is used lightly, as it does not correspond to reality, making it safe for broadcasting
Skittles: Midas Touch also has a slightly skewed representation of youth, particularly of the 16-25 age range who enjoy the product (they feature in the advert).  It represents them as oblivious to the 'challenges of everyday life' that the main character experiences, yet seemingly aware of the brand, Skittles.  On the whole, the advert represents the target audience to be already fond of the brand which is being advertised and new to the exciting and hyperbolic world of Skittles.  

Purplebricks:

The Purplebricks advert also plays on the same comedic technique of the Skittles advert, but also plays on the idea of feeling misery or 'commissery' for paying commission from an estate agent.  This is done similarly across the range of adverts; it becomes humorous when the character in 'misery' becomes extremely angry as a result.  The Purplebricks adverts play on exaggeration to inform the audience on their companies main unique selling point.  The Purplebricks adverts, including the 'Cake Face' advert is set in a family-friendly setting, showing that the company intends to appeal to existing, middle-aged homeowners.  This intended target audience is also reflected in the choice of actors.

OnePlus 5: The perfect phone for students:

The OnePlus 5 advert is a strong example of conveying it's target audience, through depicting and dissecting the parts of the typical 'student lifestyle'.  The representation of students is strong in the sense that it shows that they are attached and dependant on their smartphones, therefore making the product more relevant to them.  The advert stresses that the OnePlus 5 is essential, due to the fact that it can keep up with the irregular ways of student life, by showing all the scenarios that the product can be used in.  The student lifestyle is also portrayed through the use of setting; student accommodation and a university campus is where the majority of the advert is set, reinforcing who is being targeted in their advertising and who they are trying to sell the product to.


Overall, finding these adverts have been inspirational as I have learnt how humour and product placement can be used strategically to appeal to the audience.  As I proceed to the next part of the project, I will consider using both of these adverts as reference material for the humour in my own adverts.