Blog 8 - Sources of information in media

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• ·      You can find information about TV rating of any channel from the BARB website. Websites contains the information about the different programs and which one is doing the best. This is useful because it give the audience a chance to see which TV programs are in right now. Also it gives the BARB a good name.

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• ·      A programme profiles is another way of measuring a particular program. Advertisement business would find it useful because they would know what types of programmes they would need to advertise to get batter audience.

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• ·      A rate card is the cost to put a slot in for a business advert while the programme is on a break. Advertisement business would find this useful because they would be able to put out on the days they choose.

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• ·      For advertisement business they can find information about how much views the channel is getting. This is useful because then the business can find out which channel is getting the best view’s than put their adverts on them.

Blog 7 - Audience Information

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• Advertisers have to study audience because they are main concept throughout media studies. Studying audience gives business and advertisers good directions of how to persuade the audience to buy their product or services. Advertisement have media text for the audience some media text works some don’t’ work, studying why audience will give a better audience of what type of text not to uses for a certain products or services.

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• ·     Audience are divide in to groups depending on them, they are put into category such as standard occupational Classification, Psychographics, Gem demographics, Age and Gender. Audience have been put into these categories because they meet the sanders of the category. They have been dividing because having too many people in a group could be lead to advertiser making wrong adverts.

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• ·      It is useful for advertisers to identify certain section of the audience, in particular age, gender, income, etc. because measuring the audience will give the advertiser a better understanding of what to advertises to certain people, and what type of adverts audience will watch and not watch.
• ·      Psychographics is the study of Value, Attitude and Interests, advertiser study this because they want to know what the audience will watch form this category.
• ·       Geodemographices is the study of the two simple principles, so the study is based on that people who live in the same neighbourhood similarly watch the same TV show or averts and some neighbourhood are categorised in terms of the characteristic of the population.

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• ·      Information about the audience such as what they watch, income age, gender, etc. is gathered by the agency BARB. The BARB select sample of the population and monitor their viewing and listing habits over the space of 7 days. The gathered date is then extrapolated o cover the whole percentage of the audience.
• ·      The BARB stands for Broadcasters’ Audiences Research Board, it was set up in 1981 and BBC, Bosky ITV, Channel 4, Channel, 5 and the IPS, owned it. Reason for being set up is because it is to provide the industry standard televises audience measurement service for broadcasters and the advertising industry.
• ·      An audience measurement panel is a box records exactly what programmes that people watching. One person who has the panel represents one million people. The advantage of this is that it saves a lot of money so you don’t have to pay one million people. The disadvantage is that the other million populating may not like what that one person is watching, so it is not really getting the audience views.

Blog 6 - Method of Research

In this task I will be explain the importance’s to conduct research before I start planning a new advertising campaign. I will be explaining what it is meant by, Primary research, and Secondary, quantitative research and qualitative research.  Also I will explain why business needs to conduct research what stages of audience research are. In the process I will have to talk about market research and why advertising business conduct production research.  At the end I have to write my own question for Kwiki and I have to interview a least one person to gain qualitative audience research.

Primary Research

A primary research is a document or physical object, which was written or created during the time under study. Primary research is new data carried out to answer specific issues or question or is information which the user has found themselves for example Sainsbury could run a survey which could go on for days to find out how many people buy fruit, it primary research because they are doing it themselves. 

There are many types of primary research for example observation. This means watching people and how they behaviour. For example watching how they behaviour in a supermarket. The advantages of this is that it is accurate because first-hand how people. The disadvantage of this would be it would be time consuming watching people behaviour and it would cost a lot to the business.

The next method is surveys. A survey is a way of asking the public how they think of a particular product or service. This can be done face to face, letters, emails and phones. Surveys can give limited information especially it’s done over the post. However an advantage is that you can find lots of relevant information when done face to face.

The next method is experiments. This involves the business changing something about their products. For example Cadburys changes their normal plane chocolate and add in new flavours. This is because the business wanted to see if customers would watch their adverts. The business tasted it by shipping it to a certain store, to see if customers would buy it. The advantage of experiments would be that, it creates a wider audience, adds new taste to the products, and brings in customers. The disadvantage would be that customers could not like it, west of money and time for the business.

Second research

A secondary research interprets and analyses primary sources. Secondary research is information other people have created which in most cases will be from the internet or off another company or is information previously researched for other purpose and publicly available which is the same thing as is said before. Also secondary information includes published research reports in a library or surveys from the Internet.

The first method would EPOS (Electronic Point of Sales). The EPOS record sales made through scanning barcodes. Also it records stock coming in to the business. For example Boots records the number of sales made in a given period. One advantage of EPOS is that it allows the business to identify what is selling well so the business can order more of these products. The disadvantage of EPOS is that that all sales are recorded electronically, so there is risk of a data crash.

Quantitative

Quantitative data deals with numbers and data that can be measured like, temperature, height, area, speed, weight, volume, time, Length, humidity, ages, cost, members, sound levels, etc. The advantage of this is that you can have a relatively large sample – a large quantity of data. The disadvantage is that it is hard to design a questionnaire that finds out exactly what you want.

Qualitative

Qualitative research is that information is in provides depth and detail: looks deeper than analysing ranks and counts by recording attitudes, feelings and behaviours. Also looks at Colours, textures, smells, tastes, appearance, beauty, etc. 

A focus group is a group of customer brought in to the business, for developers to ask, discuss and observe their behaviour around their new or old adverts. For example Nike would bring in loyal customers to discuss their new products in the adverts, and observe their attitude to the advert, ask them how they feel about it. The advantage of the focus group is that first hand data is gathered.  Specific business customer’s opinion is obtained. The disadvantage of this is that it is time consuming, because they have to find customers that are willing to participate. Employees then of the business would have to spend time asking questions about the product, which the information has to be brought together and analysed.

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Advertising agency’s will conduct audience research because they want to know how the audience feel about the advert, so if they are not happy with it the research that the business does will help the audience because the advertising business will not make that same type of advert again. The most common method of audience research for advertising agencies is surveys, this is because Surveys can give limited information especially it’s done over the post. Also surveys can find lots of relevant information when done face to face. But advertising agency do this because they want to know what their target audience want to see, so they but the product.

There are 5 stages of audience, Target audience, plan, research, analyse, apply. So Target audience is a business market viewer. Plan is the aim and objective, which a business tries’ to achieve. This is an important part of the stage because it allows the business to understand what they have to do next, rather of them thinking or remembering a good idea and forgetting it. Also allows them to ask them self-questions like, who are they? Or what they uses the product for? Research is the information a business try’s to get by using different types of methods. Analyse is when a business observers the research that they get from their scours.

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• ·      Advertising company’s conduct research to get information about their audience reactions of their adverts, what their competitors are adverts views are and how the advertising market has changed so they can apply that change to the way the business runs.

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• ·      Advertising business do product research because the audience research goes well and the market analysis is favourable a media company might decide to launch a new product in that market.

Blog 5 - Regulation of Advertisements

In this task I will be explain the regulation of television advert and what is the role and purpose of ASA/Ofcom. Including which areas of advertising are a particular a concern for ASA. Also I will have to explain the two questions that the ASA asks for a particular advert and explain what decision that the ASA make on advertisements that are appropriate. Furthermore I have to explain the ASA intervention change on tobacco adverts. At the end I have to choose three controversial advertisements that I think raise a range of important issues and have to explain in detail, what the issues are, what the ASA said about it, what is my opinion on the issues and I have to choose advertisement that raise different issues such as, sexualisation of women; promotion of unhealthy food: providing misleading information and the manipulation of children.

Importance of regulation of television advert:

Advertising is a very important in world; it helps the companies, charities and governments with advertising information to the audience. In the UK overall business, charities and the government spent 16bn on advertising in 2011. Advertising is used to help promote and stimulate competition, draw attention to product or services, tells the audience how much things cost, keeps consumers up to date with new development, it make use aware of the new brands, helps create new jobs for the economy. Currently there 20,000 jobs in the advertising industry. Advertising helps change society’s behaviour and some advertisement can be funny and entertaining.

The first is a code of conduct to which advertising agencies or marketing departments must abide in terms of the laws and rules defining the ways in which product can be advertised in a particular places. Naturally, this means a general code of morals with single sectors relating to the advertising of specific products, such as food and beverage and cosmetics. Regulation is very important that this information is accurate, and doesn’t mislead, and can be trusted by the consumers who see or hear. And if there is an advertisement without consent from planning authority is a criminal offence liable to a fine of £2500 per offence.

Role and Purpose of ASA/Ofcom

The Office of communication or frequently acknowledged as Ofcom, is the government approved regulatory and competition authority for broadcasting, telecommunications, mobiles, postal services and  the airwaves over which wireless devices operate industries of the United Kingdom.  Ofcom have made sure that the citizens of the UK gets the finest from their communication services and are sheltered from cons and sharp practices, while ensuring that rivalry can bloom.  The Ofcom unit functions under a number of Acts of Parliament, which include the particular, the communications Act 2003. Ofcom acts within the powers and duties set for it under the guidance of parliament in legislation. The communications Act says that Ofcom’s main duty is to further the benefits of citizens and of consumers, where appropriate by promoting competition. Meeting this duty is at the heart of everything that Ofcom does.

The Advertising Standards Authority or better known as the ASA, is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. They apply the advertising codes, which are written by the committees of advertising practice. They work includes acting on complaints and proactively inspection the media to take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements. The ASA started 50 years ago and its main purpose is to ensure that advertising in all forms of media – from newspapers, magazines and billboards through to television, radio and the internet – is legal, decent honest and truthful. If an advert fails those tests, then the advertising is either amended or withdrawn. The ASA fully covers publish and non-publish advertisement such as magazines, newspapers, radio, TV, Television shopping channels, posters, Cinema, Direct mail meaning advertisement sent through the post, leaflets, brochures, commercial emails and mobile messages and sales promotions such as special offers and price draws. But there are some advertising methods that ASA does not cover such as sponsorship of events or TV programmes, packaging, shop windows, telephone calls, private classified ads etc.

Concern’s about advertising for ASA

The ASA advertising code has a detailed guidelines on certain types of advert and carefully check that it will not cause injury or be aggressive to the audience. Adverts that contain: Alcohol, Gambling, Food and soft drinks, Health and beauty products and Tobacco need to be regulated carefully. Also there are code rules that relate to, Harms and offence, Environment claims, Racism, children and advertising and scheduling ads as appropriate times. If any these types of code rules are in advert then the ASA must look at these adverts very carefully and make a decision if or not they are accurate, inaccurate or misleading and if or not is causes offence and harm to the audience. The ASA have to make sure that the adverts are appropriate and not offensive, because if the audience viewed the advert, then they could complain about the advert which the ASA takes very seriously. Even one complaint can make the advert to be taken from the audience’s eyes. The ASA handled 31,458 complaints, about 22,397 different advert, Around 4,591 ads had to be either charged or withdrawn because of the number of complaints.

How ASA decides whether an advertisement is appropriate?

In advertising they may be inappropriate and appropriate adverts, the ASA job is to make sure that the adverts are appropriate for the audience to see. The ASA judge the adverts by using the UK advertising codes. The advertising codes are written by the advertising industry through the, Committee of Advertising Practice and the, Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice or both better known as CAP and BCAP. The members of these committees are drawn from the main industry bodies representing advertisers, agencies and media owners. Advertisement are decided If there are appropriate and inappropriate by the ASA Council if the ads have breached the advertising codes. Around 2/3 of the ASA council members are independent of the advertising industry and the leftover members have a professional background in the media sectors.

ASA investigation in tobacco advertisements

Smoking has always been a problem for ASA, advertising it has a bad effect on the audience. In 1930 Craven A realised an advert on their smoking products, which contained an attracting lady at that time. They used an attracting lady as they main persuasion to buy the cigarettes, this creates lot of problems because it is showing the audience unhealthy and dangers products that could kill us. In the 1965 cigarette advertising was band on television because of the advertisement of tobacco, if the cigarette businesses to advertising tobacco, they would be allowed to continue advertising cigarette. By 2003 tobacco advertising and promotion act 2002 had arrived, it prohibited the advertising and promotion of tobacco products. Even today electric cigarettes have been banded because of the increase of using electric cigarette in schools. Around 300 complaints about the e cigarette.

There was a recent advert that was taking in by the ASA eyes. The advert was about Kazam mobile phone. 


The advertisement started off with the shot of the back of a woman wearing just her underwear, she was shown walking around a house. Then advert cut to a scene where she ran her finger down her cleavage, bit her lip then moved her hand over her hip and thigh. She picked up and put on a pair of jeans and the camera showed her buttoning them up. The ad then cut to a close-up of her bottom. The issue was that it got eight complainants challenged whether the ad was offensive because it was overtly sexual and objectified women, and because the content bore no relationship to the advertised product. The ASA noted that much of the ad focused entirely on the actor in her underwear, including scenes that featured several close-up shots that lingered over her breasts, buttocks and lips, which we considered were sexually suggestive. So the action taken was that the ad could not be broadcast again in its current form and the ASA told Kazam to ensure future ads did not cause offence by objectifying women again in there other adverts to come.

Blog 4

Sainsbury’s Christmas

This commercial is about how Christmas can bring people together even in wars. The advert does not try to convince the audience to buy products or services from Sainsbury’s but wants to introduce the enjoyment of Christmas. The advertisement is a standalone ad about, two army’s the British and the Nazi soldiers coming together in one special day, putting their difference side to enjoy Christmas. The shooting of the advert is amazing. Without saying a word, the new cast takes a surprising display of passionate emotion within a few shots minutes. The simple story, constructed around the near-mysteries Christmas truce between the trenches of 1914, has just the right blend of tragedy and sadness to bring a tear to the most hard core audience. It shows enemies on the Western Front, separated by a snow filed, on no man’s land, singing “Silent Night” in two languages throughout a brief break in the massacre. Then, using their jumpers as goalposts, British and German soldiers slowly and anxiously appears from their gutters for handshakes and a game of football.The advert is an intertextuality ad because it uses creative words at the end of the advert which brings the audience together, “Christmas is for shearing”. These world are powerful because it bonds everyone together in a special day. But as Sainsbury’s is a business they intended to get something out of the advert. They will get a good brand image because of the advert, this helps Sainsbury’s because the audience will see the business as an amazing, inspiring and true to British business. Also Sainsbury’s are selling the blue chocolate bar around the UK. Doesn’t matter how beautiful the advert is, Sainsbury’s will also want to make money out of it. Sainsbury’s uses the audience emotion from the advert to make them feel happy and that tingling feeling from the inside, this would course the audience to buy the chocolate to respect the true event that happened. Sainsbury’s has partnered with Royal British legion and all the profit made by the blue chocolate goes to the Royal British legion. The target market of this advert would be the general public, it was not aimed a piratical group of age or gender but in this case it would be aimed at people who believe and celebrate Christmas. Sainsbury’s used happiness as a key element for the advert being that good. Happiness in the ad made the audience feel happy and give them a smile about the truce between the two army on that special. The advert used different types of shots to capture the true happiness and joy. Shots like: long shot, medium shot, wide shot, close up, sky line shot, eye line match, match on action. When making the advert it would have taken lots of shots to capture the true beaut in that event.  Every camera angle or positioning in the advert was done correctly and beautifully. Adding that the lighting in every shot was done great, it was clear see every aspect in the ad.  The sound used in the advert was smoothing, it was made so the audience would feel something from the inside. In my opinion the advert was done so elegantly and astonishing it reached out to me unlike other Christmas ads. Every moment in the advert is tearfully that it reminds us that even in the most brutalist and deathly times, one day can bring back all out humanity. The main point of the advert is Christmas is for shearing but there where bigger points than that. The advert really showed meaning of life, how we should also be happy and be thankful for what we have. But it also showed the audience sadness at the end when we see both army going back to their positions when there was gun shots. Overall the advert was successful because of the general history that people didn't know about. The story was very touching which made the advert a success.