20. Closing post

Dear Examiner,

Thank you for taking the time to go through and review my work.  My AS NEA is now complete and you can find all my work under the label "AS Research and Planning".  I hope you enjoy looking through the blog!

Thanks,

Jamal

Candidate 3161

THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED

19. My finished adverts

These are both of my complete 30 second TV adverts for YourFood.  I truly enjoyed the process, especially during filming.  I quite am pleased with the results and I hope you enjoy them as well!

YourFood Advert 1

YourFood Advert 2

18. Target audience feedback

I made sure that I conducted a focus group, consisting of members of the target audience so I could receive their opinions on my food delivery advert.  This would work as an indication as to whether I was successful in making an advert that was appealing to the 16-25 year olds.

VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUP FEEDBACK:

Aisha: Understood what the stories were all about and the fact that it had to do with food delivery.  She also understood the humour, especially at the end of the advert.  However, she was annoyed by the music and the TV sounds in the first advert.  She suggested that there would be greater  clarity between the social groups, possible by using a female character for example, on top of the ethnic mix.

Dylan: Found the adverts clear in portraying a food delivery service.  He also understood the humour behind both adverts, especially during the ending scene and the "what" back and forth scene.  He understood the benefits of YourFood very well.  Overall, he found the advert 'quick and straight to the point.'  However, he mentioned that it would be even better if the simplicity of ordering food from the service was shown.

Tasnim: Understood the adverts were about food delivery and found the stories clear to understand.  Found the interactions with the three boys quite funny, particularly in the second advert.  She said that the humour was quite relatable, such as when all three friends were hungry, but only one was willing to admit it.  She suggested it would be more informative if their was clarification as to how the app worked and even how it differentiated itself from other food delivery services out there.

Adam:  Really enjoyed the second advert; he thought most of the flaws came from the first advert.  He found that the TV scene was quite confusing and didn't relate the sounds to the TV.  He found the first advert quite rushed in its pace so he advised the concluding part of the advert was made more clear, as it would be easier to understand.

From gathering opinions from my target audience, I have learnt where the weaknesses in my advert lie and what would have to be improved to make it more appealing to the target audience.  I now have a greater idea of what the target audience would have wanted in a food delivery service advert.

17. My adverts review

Having and adverts review was helpful because it gave me insight as to what I needed to change, prior to making the final edit.  It was better for a group of people in my class as well as my teachers to review my advert, rather than just myself, because it would be highly likely that I would miss key weaknesses in my edit.

Review Advert 1:

Review Advert 2:

Mrs Blackborow (Teacher):  We spoke about how there should be a change in the sound mix slightly.  The dialogue should be louder and the diagetic movie sound should be lowered.

Sam (Media Technician):  Mentioned that I needed to change a lot of the grading using the Three Wheel Colour Corrector for the second half of the first advert mostly as it was either graded using RGB Curves or not graded correctly.  There was a lot of over-exposure which required fixing throughout with Procamp and the Three Wheel Colour Corrector.

Students:  Suggested that the bag drop at the end should be implied and that the shot of the reaction should be longer in order to capture the mood.  They also said that the over-exposure should be adjusted as it was too bright when viewing it.

Overall, I was satisfied with the criticism that I received and took it on board to make my final edit.  This was helpful for targeting the smaller areas which I was oblivious to.  This would give me the oppurtunity to make changes for my final edit.

16. My rough cuts

I made a rough edition of my two adverts so I could see what the developed narrative would look like.  This meant that the final actors as well as the final locations would be used to make this advert.  Both adverts were edited using Adobe Premiere Pro, unlike the test shoot, so I could gain a better understanding of the software and how perfecting my advert would factor into it later in the process.  The advert was filmed with actual Canon video cameras as well as the equipment in my assigned list, which was to ensure that the quality would be as high as possible.

Rough Cut Advert 1

Rough Cut Advert 2

From filming and editing both adverts, I have been made more aware of timing and the pace of which my adverts need to convey the message of the food delivery service.  My adverts were either cut short, as the story was too long or ran past the 30-second limit by a second, which would not meet the conditions of the brief.  I will need to re-storyboard my narrative for the final time to make sure that it stays in the limits of 30 seconds provided on television.  It will also be necessary that I reshoot many of the shots, as a result of the continuity errors which were primarily in the first advert.  However, I will be able to use some of the stronger elements of this advert, such as the up-tilt mid-shot at the table in advert 2 and put them into the next when I edit my final version.

15. Shoot-board

I made a series of shoot-boards, so that I would be more organised when filming.  This was in my kit bag to refer to when I needed it.  The shoot-boards demonstrated the order I was going to film my shots and I planned this so that the shoot would be as efficient as possible.  The shoot-board was almost a combination of the timeplan, storyboard and timeline that I could refer to whenever in doubt.

Advert 1:

Advert 2:





























After the first weekend of reshooting, I decided to change some of my shot types and some of the angles, so I had to change the order that I would be shooting in.  Ultimately, this meant that I had to change my shootboard for the new and improved shots:

Making the shootboards made my project easier, as it acted as guidance when shooting.  These made shooting better because they helped me target the specific areas that needed work before editing after the reshoot.  My shots should now be at the quality I want and now can be edited together.

14. My kit list

Having the camera kit was important as it gave me access to film my adverts to the standard that I wanted.  The kit list was necessary for keeping organised when moving between locations, which was beneficial as it meant that filming would be more efficient and more productive.

The kit included:

Canon LEGRIA HF G26 (Video Camera) x1
Canon LEGRIA HF G26 Battery x2
Canon LEGRIA HF G26 Charger x1
Shotgun Microphone x1
SD Card x3 (1 per group member)
Tripod x1
Tripod shoe x1
Clapperboard x1
Clapperboard Wipe x1
Clapperboard Pen x 1
Kit checklist x1
Shootboard x6 (two per group member for both shoots).

Kit release document

I also signed a kit release document stating that I will be responsible when handling and travelling with the camera for both shoots.
On top of this, it showed in writing that I had carried out kit training (prior to signing the document.)  Training to use the kit was very crucial for increasing the efficiency of the production process and would mitigate the chances of me (or anybody who trained) from damaging the equipment.

The day of kit release was also very organised; I was able to collect the camera kit at the end of the school day (3:45pm) and check to see if it was in good condition or if anything was missing.  The kit release made the process a lot smoother, as I could be certain that everything was in place and ready to begin the production process as soon as possible.



Overall, the kit release process was beneficial because it increased my awareness on how to handle the camera kit when filming and streamlined the actual filming process. The process gave me the tools I needed to produce the adverts that I wanted.

13. Time-plan, crew and cast list

I decided to make a timeplan so I would know where and where I would need to be for the two weekend shoots.  This was made with the intention of making the production process smoother and more efficient as it gave us goals and limits to work against.

I made a crew and cast list so I would know what everybody would be doing or acting as in the course of my shoots.  It was made with the intention of generally increasing my organisation for the project, as I was aware of what my actors and crew had to do.

The same was done with my voice-actress, which came with a short voice-over script:

Making the timeplan and the lists were important for streamlining the production process, as I was more aware of what everybody had to do.  Making the project more organised just meant that I could film and direct more easily.                                               

12. Location reccie, risk assessment and location permissions

I performed a location reccie, so I would know the set which I would be dealing with.  This would help me think ahead of the shoot, as I would be more aware or where good shots would come from, where there could be potential technical errors concerning lighting for example and where I would move the camera.

MY LOCATION RECCIES:

Location 1: Sitting Room, My house:


This is where the first advert will take place.  All three characters will be sat down on the sofa facing the television.

The 'idea' moment will also occur on the same sofa between the other two characters.

The main character will walk through the door frame towards the end.

Location 2: My Bedroom, My house:

This is where the second advert will all take place.  The main character will be sat at a seat closest to the door and the other two will sit opposite him.

The main character will come through the door frame towards the end of the advert.

MY RISK ASSESSMENT:

I also created a risk assessment to go with the locations that I was working in.  I evaluated the risks and came up with solutions for them to mitigate the or prevent any chances of harm.

Location 1:

• Risk: The area is not too spacious
• Solution: Guide actors when walking on the set, so they do not trip up on any objects.  Take care and be cautious when moving the camera.

• Risk: There are 2 sets of stairs in order to get to the sitting room.
• Solution: Move carefully with the kit up the stairs.  Make sure none of the tripod legs are sticking out as they may scrape the walls and damage the tripod legs.

Location 2:

• Risk: The area is not too spacious; more compact than Location 1.
• Solution: Guide actors when walking on the set, so they do not trip up on any objects.  Take care and be cautious when moving the camera.

• Risk: There are possible obstacles in the corridor before reaching the doorframe.
• Solution:  Dress the set by moving them out of the walkway, prior to the actors arrival to reduce accidents.  This will also be beneficial for the mise-en-scene.

Non-location-specific risks:

• Risk: The kit has the potential to be lost, or stolen when travelling on public transport.
• Solution:  Travel with a member or members of the crew, so they can observe what is going on while you take care of the kit.

• Risk: Travelling by foot with the kit can cause it damage.
• Solution:  Make sure the kit is held properly; hold the tripod upright and wear the camera bag on your back, with the straps tightened reasonably so it does not drop unexpectedly.  Also, do not run with the kit, as it may hit those around you and surrounding objects.

MY LOCATION PERMISSIONS:

I was provided a signature by one of my parents allowing me to film in the house over the two weekends: 

Overall, doing the reccie, receiving permission and creating a risk assessment have made me more prepared for the two weekend shoots, as I know what it is that I will need to adapt on set.  This will make the overall production process more efficient overall and reduce the chance of risks arising while filming my project.

11. My Practice shoot / edit

By performing a test shoot, I was able to determine what were the successes and failures in my narratives, as well as become more familiar with the locations which I was going to use.  Using the location gave me insight on what could possibly hinder or make filming more challenging, for example the uneven lighting patterns in the first advert.  

The test adverts were filmed using my phone and edited on a mobile editing app, in order to grasp a basic understanding of the flow of the advert as well as the where most of my attention would need to go for filming my rough and final adverts. 

Test Advert 1

Test Advert 2

Carrying out the test shoot made me aware of the smaller flaws in my narrative such as lacking indication of a movie night in the first advert or the fact that the first advert is in the same location as the first.  I need to also pay more attention on the title card, as the picture of my phone did not have anything on it but a black screen.  The practice shoot and edit were beneficial, because they have given me a clearer idea on how I will modify my storyboard for the next filming sessions in the production process.

10. My Advert Storyboards

I made storyboards to give me a visual representation of my advert and how it would flow together.  It was made with the intention of gaining a greater sense for the structure of the adverts as well as choose what shot types, angles, movement, etcetera that I wanted.


Advert 1 Storyboard:

Advert 2 Storyboard:

I also made another two sets of storyboards, showing the changes to the story after the reshoot.  I wanted to gain another visual representation of my new advert, after changing the shots that didn't work so well in from the first shoot:

Making the storyboard has been beneficial for understanding how my advert all needs to work together visually.  I now need to bring this to life during the production phase and use my storyboard to create a shootboard for the days of filming.

9. My Advert Timelines

I made advert timelines in order to plan out how the advert would take place on a structural level.  The timeline made me think about how I would put my ideas into action within the 30 second slot.
Making the timelines were very useful for planning out the order of my shots and firm understanding of what would occur when it would occur.

Advert 1 Timeline:

Advert 2 Timeline:

The timelines were strong in letting me create a structure for the adverts and made my ideas fit together into one, connected piece.  Next, I would move on to the storyboard to provide a visual representation of the advert, in order to plan my shot types.

8. My Initial Proposal

I made an initial proposal to create a basic outline for idea for my two food delivery service adverts.  A proposal would give me a structure to work on and develop when moving forward and would eventually become a fluid 30 second advert.

I drafted out my proposal in note form by literally writing what came to my head initially, and then extracted the parts that were interesting or that I thought had potential to form an advert.  I slightly broke down what would happen in the advert in short sentences so I could understand whether the advert would flow and if it fit the brief.  I made reference to the brief constantly when developing my ideas and the ones that did not fit were discarded.  The ideas that I came up with and developed used the brief as a reference point alongside adverts in the food delivery genre and outside it that I researched.

• Advert 1:  This advert will have three teenagers watching a film; this choice of actors is with the intention of appealing to the youthful, 16-25 year old target audience, which the brief specifies.  Two out of  the three friends will not be bothered to go and get food so the third grudgingly ends up going to get some from a store.  The other friends have a quicker idea of ordering from YourFood due to the variety and that they can buy snack food from across the borough.  This will be expressed through one or two lines of  dialogue and will tie my advert back to the concept of regionality that the brief mentions.  The defined regions will be within London.  This will also be made clear within the small text of the promotional shot.  The teenager who went out will catch them in the middle of eating.   The advert will have genre hybridity with the Purplebricks housing adverts in the way that characters become frustrated when they find out about the easier method.  The reaction shot is similar to the Crunchy Nut cereal adverts in the way that they are caught eating.  The 'dark humour' found in these adverts keep the advert youthful, as the age cohort will be able to understand and relate to it.  

• Advert 2:  The advert will also have three teenagers, but this time will be playing video games, as many 16-25 year olds do during their free time.  I will have three actors of varying ethnicities in order to widen my appeal to the mass market within my target audience.  Having three actors is also important for portraying the social interactions that my target audience usually have, making it more relatable to them and will make them interested in the YourFood brand.  The main character's friends imply that they do not want to buy food so he grudgingly goes to get it himself.  The teenagers think of the quicker idea of ordering from YourFood, on the premise that they can order food from all over the borough.  This will be in the form of dialogue and is important for ensuring that my advert meets the requirements of the brief in terms of regionality. The defined geographical region will also be made clear within the small text of the promotional shot. They will eventually be caught by their friend, in the middle of eating.  The advert will have genre hybridity with the Purplebricks 'commisery' adverts in the way that characters become frustrated when they find out about the easier method.  This is also intertextual to the gaming scenes in The Big Bang Theory, in the way which they play so intensely and quietly.  The 'reaction shot' will be similar to the Crunchy Nut cereal adverts in the way that they are in shock  when they have been found out for eating in secret.  

Making an initial proposal has helped me shape my ideas and make a first step towards making a complete plot for my advert.  I will progress my developing the idea and putting in the form of a timeline and storyboard to gain a greater idea of what the advert should look like.

Advert 1 Proposal

Advert 2 Proposal

7.Research into other TV Commercials in other forms (Billboard, Print, etc.)

I looked at how advertising was done in other forms outside of TV advertising.  When advertising in these forms is done, it is to extend the message promoted in a TV advert.
I made a moodboard consisting of various print adverts and analysed how they present food.  This is important as I may be able to take inspiration from these and present them in a similar fashion, as a result of their success.

The majority of my research was sourced from:

• ubereats.com
• deliveroo.co.uk
• The official Google Images links from the company to the images.

Deliveroo Print Advertising:

Deliveroo presents the food that they deliver to more extravagant and bold in choice, with the use of the slogan 'Eat More Amazing' for anchorage.  The photography is also done quite close to the food to ensure that it it looks appealing for those looking or passing by it.  The images are highly saturated to bring out the individual colours of each ingredient.  On top of this, further anchorage is done with the use of the turquoise background, the signature colour for Deliveroo.  Overall the advert emphasises why somebody should purchase from Deliveroo: they have a wide amount of choice and all of the dishes they deliver are tasty and unique.

Uber Eats also takes a similar approach to Deliveroo, but takes it a step further in this billboard for example, as it fuses elements of mobile technology with the service, anchoring the meaning of it being a food delivery service.  Similarly to Deliveroo, the use of green relates back to the main colour of the logo.  As members of the public usually pass billboards at high speeds, the message is brief and simple, but summarises what Uber Eats is all about; the people of Glasgow can deliver their favourite take-aways from their phone via Uber Eats.


Social Media Advertising:

Takeaway food delivery services also have a heavy presence online via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.  They often have paid spots for promoting the service to the users.  Uber Eats also serves as an example for this, posting attractive plates of food from the various restaurants which they deliver.  The advert shown simply shows that you can get noodle dishes (and that dish in particular) courtesy of Uber Eats.

Researching billboards and print adverts has helped me understand how the competitors in the food delivery service industry present food.  Also. I have learnt how they attempt to sell both their service and the food, with anchorage techniques from slogans and images such as smartphones.

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.

5. Research into existing TV Commercials for take-away food delivery services

I researched food delivery services so that I would know what was conventional between them as well as how they got their message across.  I would need this information so I can get the message of the food delivery service in the 30 second slot as well as the many existing and successful adverts out there.

I did my research primarily on Youtube.  I created a playlist made up of 37 adverts to aid my analysis, many of these are food delivery service adverts.  Firstly, I looked at a variety of food delivery adverts in order to understand what was conventional when advertising food delivery.  The adverts I looked at were:

• Deliveroo | Eat more amazing
• The New UberEats is here
• Magic is Real | Just Eat
• It's your time for Takeaway.com
• DoorDash: "Get the Door"
• Manband | Just Eat
• Grubhub | Everywhere
• Grubhub | Behind Every Order

From these adverts I determined what was conventional between them.  Most of them:

• feature some reference to an app or digital technology to order the food (eg. DoorDash "Get the Door" and Magic is Real).
• feature food that is received by the customer, whether it is packaged or being actively consumed by the customer (eg. Grubhub | Behind Every Order and  It's your time for Takeaway.com).
• have consistent branding throughout advert, for example, the logo features on delivery bikes, shop windows or bags.  The branding may be of the companies who are subscribed to the service (eg. Magic is Real).
• feature a delivery person representing the company and delivering food.  The chef or the restaurant of origin may also feature in the advert if necessary (eg. It's your time for Takeaway.com).
• usually contain some element of humour, to keep the brand fun and make the advert interesting to watch.  

After this, I thought it would be necessary to do some more focused research on individual food delivery adverts and how they conveyed their service in different areas:

It's your time for Takeaway.com:

 'It's your time for Takeaway.com' uses a variety of locations such as in the home, at work (and even in the bathtub) to convey the fact that takeaway is a part of normal, 'everyday' culture.  It shows that the brand is universal in the sense that there are so many opportunities to have a takeaway, whether that is alone or with friends.  The advert also draws upon the common conventions of food delivery adverts, such as including some form of way to order from the service; in this case it's the website URL in the corner for the entirety of the advert.  It also features a delivery person representing the service, working as a way of displaying the company as personal and devoted to delivering the best food.  These conventions link quite strongly with the branding and product placement.  The product (the variety of colourful take-away foods) is accompanied with by the brand logos on the boxes (for example).  This is also used to reinforce the message that Takeaway.com delivers the best food from the best restaurants where you live.  The advert is in a montage style as is edited intentionally to feel fast-paced, possibly to show the spontaneity of the service.  There are mostly mid-shots and close-ups in the advert; mid-shots to capture the interaction between groups when consuming the food and close-ups of the product(s) itself.  The advert is also edited with on-screen text such as 'Your Time' and 'On Time'.  These are used to promote the fast and flexible nature of Takeaway.com as a company.  However, the advert is rather skewed when it comes to representation, as it only represents nuclear families and heterosexual relationships.  The advert creates a 'feel good' tone, showing the 'joy' or pleasures of takeaway in any situation.  This fits with the mostly non-diagetic sound-mix consisting mostly of the positive, upbeat soundtrack, anchoring the positivity behind the service.

The New UberEats is here:

 The advert opens with a montage of establishing shots alongside on-screen text stating that Uber Eats is in 'Manchester' now.  This is a method of portraying the conventional element of regionality that the company uses to sell food.  The delivery shot is also conventional as well as  showing the app being used to browse and select what they want to order.  Unlike other food delivery adverts, it takes technology to another level by incorporating the use of social media, making it relatable to the younger target audience who use services such as Instagram.  The advert is strong on promoting the variety within Manchester and on the Uber Eats app.  It features the dishes from restaurants such as  Barburrito, Northern Soul and Archie's.  Uber Eats also promote themselves in the advert which is displayed on their packaging and uniform, to reiterate that Uber Eats is the company that delivers the amazing foods from the restaurants shown throughout the advert.  With the variety of restaurants, it creates a strong representation of the many ethnic groups displayed in the advert such as Mexicans.  This also creates a strong representation for Manchester, as it appears as multicultural, which Uber Eats has 'facilitated'.  The advert is quite intertextual to film trailers, in the sense that it acts as a trailer for Manchester and and what it has to offer.  This can arguably be considered to have genre hybridity with the tourist genre of advertising.

Grubhub | Everywhere:

The Grubhub advert is set in a variety of locations (a restaurant, a local neighbourhood, doors of houses, etc.); therefore it is edited in a montage style to capture the variety of people and personalities which the delivery person encounters.  People of varying ethnicities, genders and age groups all feature in the montage, indicating that Grubhub has a mass market appeal, in the sense that they reach out to anybody that wish to purchase food from their favourite restaurants.  This message is reinforced with the title 'Everywhere' (which is also anchored in the on-screen text towards the end) which shows that Grubhub is willing to serve customers literally everywhere who want to order food through them.   The theme of variety is also portrayed with the lighting; low-key, darker lighting for the restaurant and crossroad scene and ambient lighting when in the neighbourhood.  The advert is accompanied with an upbeat soundtrack of upbeat non-diagetic music and diagetic sound effects which relate to the overall theme, such as the doorbells ringing.  Only these feature as it relates it and anchors the advert back to the delivery process and service which is being advertised.

Deliveroo: Eat more amazing:

'Deliveroo: Eat more amazing' draws on the conventions of take-away food delivery advertising, while simultaneously subverting the genre by emphasising the presence of food using hyper-realism.  Like most adverts in the genre, the advert displays the food which has been delivered and the restaurants which are available for delivery, such as Wagamama, Yo Sushi! and Zizzi.  Branding for Deliveroo is also spread out through the advert; it can be seen on billboards, street art and the bus stop poster.  The branding is also found at the end, similarly to most adverts in the genre, with the various restaurants, available app stores for downloading the app and the brand name with the logo.  The advert steps away from the conventional techniques by using the hyper-real floating food to imitate or represent the delivery service, implying that the service is almost 'larger than life'.  This message is reinforced with the use of the song 'All I Have To Do Is Dream' (1958) by the Everly Brothers, as it shows how hyperbolic the world can be.  Unlike the majority of the adverts that use close ups for the food, long-shots are used mostly and even a point-of-view shot is used to capture the absurdity of  floating food.  This all relates back to the idea that Deliveroo is a unique brand which differentiates itself from its various competitors.

From researching TV commercials from the take-away food delivery genre, I have learnt not only what the conventions are, but how they are used and subverted by the companies in the food delivery industry to create fun and purposeful adverts that make people deliver from the service.  From this research, I now know what conventions I will be required to draw on and I have an idea for what it is I can do to deviate from the standard take-away food delivery advert to make my advert unique.

4. The Target Audience (16-25 year olds)

The target audience needed to be researched in order for me to understand who I was advertising to.  My advert will need to appeal to a wide range of the target audience and relate to their daily activities and lifestyles.

The majority of my research was sourced from:

• uktribes.com
• The McDonald's Lunchtime Topline Report (August 2018)
• The Food Summary March 2017

I decided to research the mainstream audiences and their general lifestyle, as I will be attempting to target the mass market and not a niche audience among 16-25 year olds.

The mainstream audience:

• follow the 'stick to what's safe' mentality or the 'status quo', meaning that they partake in 'normal' activities for their age group such as going on nights out and socializing. 
• are usually busy with work activities outside of education.  This is usually to make money to fund their education or fund fun, social experiences.
• enjoy relaxation and look for escapism in activities such as playing video games, watching films and going out with friends when not busy with work.  This is even more important to them after stressful periods such as exams or group projects.

After this, I researched more into their food preferences and what they value in a services that sells or delivers food.

16-25 year olds were surveyed on what was most important for them when it came to making a decision on what to purchase and eat for lunch.  The top 3 were taste, value and convenience, which implies what it is they look for when it comes to food on the whole.
This age group also consider fast food the tastiest as well as the most convenient.  However, as people's awareness of their health has increased in recent years particularly among the young, most indulge in fast food once in a while.

There is also a consensus from 16-25 year olds that quick, cheap and easy options are very important and consider factors such as the time taken to prepare the food, the queue or waiting time, etc.  This is the reason why they are big consumers of Greggs, Subway and McDonalds for example.  They also enjoy meal deals from supermarkets since they meet the criteria of quick, cheap and easy food.

Finally, food is used as a social device among 16-25 year olds.  This is done with foods such as pizza because their are discounts available and the food as well as the cost is easy to share among friends.

Researching the target audience has been very useful for understanding what the youth (who I am targeting) like and what they value most.  The idea of sharing food can definitely be incorporated into my advert as well as some of the activities which they take part in, so it can show that the service is tailored for their needs.  I have learnt that portraying the food delivery service as quick and easy will be essential for the success of the adverts.

3. The ASA BCAP Code

I decided to research the ASA code in order to understand what it is I need to comply with when broadcasting on TV.  I must make sure that I adhere to all the rules which are required for adverts in general, in addition to the rules of food adverts, so my advert would be allowed to air on television.

The majority of my research was sourced from:
asa.org.uk
youtube.com (for videos or news on banned advertisements)

• ASA is the Advertising Standards Authority that operates in the UK to regulate advertising standards across forms of media such as TV and Radio.
• BCAP is the Broadcasting Committee of Advertising Practice is the regulatory body for advertisements which are broadcasted.  The code consists of 32 rules which much be adhered to for the advert to be considered 'suitable' for broadcasting.

I looked at some of the first rules that I needed to pay attention to, which were more general such as:

• there should be no attempts to mislead the audience; this includes omitting information, being ambiguous about information, intentionally hiding information or displaying it in an 'unitelligable' way.
• the advert must have some indicator of an identity, whether that's displaying a trading name, company name or the traders involved.
• adverts should not be based on subjective claims or opinions.
• content such as pornography, prostitution, guns and offensive weapons and the promotion of tobacco adverts are all prohibited from broadcasting.

An advert that challenged the ASA code would be the 'Dead Father' McDondald's advert, as it involved traumatic events which is against the broadcasting code.  As a result, it was banned from airing on television.

For my adverts specifically, I needed to look into regulations regarding food and how it should or should not be advertised.  The most significant regulations included:

• poor nutritional habits should not be encouraged.
• the advert must not include comparisons or criticisms against fresh fruit or fresh vegetables, as this demotes the average healthy diet which should be encouraged.
• the excessive consumption of food should not be displayed.
• health claims of the food being advertised must supported by documented evidence.
• health claims also should not insight fear in the audience; claims should not threaten or force the audience to consume the food product for the sake of their health.

In the food category, a Heinz Baked Beans advert was banned in February this year because it implied that Heinz Baked Beans had an equal nutritional value to a protein shake.

This was also done on the radio with Costa Coffee who criticised an avocado breakfast due to the "frustration and unpredictability" involved and suggest that their egg rolls or muffins are better.

Looking at the ASA code and BCAP code has been essential in developing my understanding of how I need to present the narrative of my advert, so it is appropriate for airing on television.  I need to ensure that in my advert I am not comparing fresh fruit and vegetables to the food of the delivery service, similarly to Costa or Heinz as this appears to be a common flaw within food adverts in the food industry.  I will make sure that I am aware of all the rules that apply to my advert, before I start filming.

2. Channel 4

It was essential to do research on Channel 4 to grasp an understanding of where my advert will be aired and what it is made up of.  Researching the channel was crucial for understanding the tone they present and how my advertisement can tap into it.  Researching the timetable will give me an idea of which slots I should place my advert.

The majority of my researched was sourced from:

• Channel 4 Annual Report 2017
• channel4.com
• ofcom.org.uk

Channel 4 is a parent company, meaning that they own many subsidiaries such as E4, Film4 and 4Music.  The subsidiaries accompany more 'niche' groups among the youth  They are also a Public Service Broadcaster which makes them a statutory corporation and are therefore owned by the government.

I did some greater background research to know about who I was working with:

• Channel 4 Television Corporation is owned by the Public Corporation of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
• regulated by Ofcom, by establishing their broadcasting code upon them.  Channel 4 pays a fee to them.
• in cooperation with the Broadcasting Audience Research Board (BARB).  BARB show Channel 4's ratings for the programs which they air.
• have no in-house productions.  They commission independent production companies to make programs for their channel.  This with the intention of supporting the broadcasting industry in the UK.
• Channel 4 makes income through a 'Robin Hood System'.  This means that they fund loss making programs such as the Channel 4 News with high profit-making programs like The Great British Bake Off for example.

As a Public Service Broadcaster, Channel 4  has a Public Service Remit which they need to uphold.  Channel 4 aims to be "innovative", "experimental" and "distinctive" in their work as well as entertain, inform and educate their audience. This is agreed by the Houses of Parliament and exists in law.  The remit ensures that  perceptions and stereotypes are challenged in shows such as The Last Leg and Embarrassing Bodies.  The remit also makes sure that minority and 'alternative' groups are not marginalised in their programming.

The channel schedule from 7pm-9pm on weekdays is as shown:

As a result I will be airing my first advert in the first advertisement break in The Channel 4 News.  This is because there will still be viewers watching from after Hollyoaks after 7pm, as they are staying on the channel in order to watch The Great British Bake Off, assuming they are loyal to Channel 4.  The viewers of Hollyoaks are directly in my target audience of 16-24 year olds.  The second advert will be aired after The Great British Bake Off before 9pm.  This is partially because the there is an exceptionally high amount of viewers who watch the show in my target market (more than two times more 16-25 year olds than the average show).  This is also because many members of my target audience will watch Gogglebox which airs afterwards.

Channel 4 has a high amount of youth programming, which overlaps with their ABC1, 16-34 year old target audience.  The TV channel is the home of US comedy sitcoms such as The Big Bang Theory and 3rd Rock from the Sun which appeal to the upper end of my target audience of 20-25.  Furthermore, they air shows that appeal to my entire target audience as Hollyoaks.

Researching Channel 4 was really important because it gave me greater background knowledge on how they operate, provided me an idea of where the available slots are to air my advert.  I will take greater consideration of Channel 4 when I am constructing my narrative, so it fits in with the ethos and tone they have set on TV.