2. Existing adverts/campaigns I have researched and how these have influenced my ideas.

In order to begin this project, I needed to make sure I had a broad and extensive knowledge of not only deodorant adverts, but the industry as a whole. As I have chosen the TV brief, I looked to youtube and my own television for research about existing and past methods of advertising personal hygiene products.

To do this I made a youtube playlist which you can find here : https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5UO3CTp4f0lfGZeJLS6Qqtm1tzOveJva
However, I have selected the most useful and inspirational videos below and how I have responded to them.

Freederm Skincare 2011

What I really like about this advert is that it clearly identifies and plays to the appeal of its target market - youth. It uses a diverse set of teens with differing skincare problems to advertise its entire range. The music is really catchy and uses the "freederm" product name, leaving the audience with the product stuck in their head. It also uses product demonstration and the fast paced editing. In my advert it would be interesting to look up songs with wave in the title or lyrics that could result in the same effect. A similar target audience demographic of unisex young adults can also show me how casually an audience accepts a unisex product if the advert does this unapologeticlly.

Some song ideas - 

Mr Probz - Waves (robin schulz remix)

Owl City - Tidal Wave

Blondie - The tide is high

Tina Turner - Proud Mary (lyrics "rollin on the river")

Bobby Darin - Beyond the sea

Secret Deodorant - Ladies' room #stresstest

What I learnt from this advert is that you can create a clear backstory and character in less than 30 seconds. I also like the whole concept for this ad campaign- the idea of a stress test. All the 30 second ads in this series show women bending gender stereotypes (proposing to a man, asking for a rise etc.) I particularly like this one as I am going to use a storyline similar, about a transgender person nervous about going out. It's difficult to hear but when she decides to come out of the toilets the other women in the bathroom say they like her dress, I thought this was a good use of diegetic sound, not usually seen in deodorant adverts to send a positive message.

Axe - One is the loneliest number

This advert for Axe was really satisfying to watch as the mise en scene constantly changed, transporting the viewer through history and creating empathy for the audience as we root for the boy and girl. Similarly to the freederm advert, the lack of diegetic sound really worked in leaving the song stuck in your head and making it memorable.

Dove

What I really like here is the celebration of women. The use of voiceover and rhetorical questions allow the advert to clearly tell you all the benefits of the product. It also clearly shows the target market, depicting females getting ready and going jogging. I like the use of the "beauty meets strength" idea as its unique selling point, bridging the gap between the cosmetic and the necessary in the personal hygiene industry.

CK2

Although this is a perfume advert, it is a unisex one, and I think Calvin Klein, being the first to pioneer unisex fragrances is a useful resource to see how to market them. The themes of inclusivity and being anything you want to be are what I want to replicate in my advert. I also like the cinematography and fast paced editing, so that this not only sells the product, but looks like a high fashion "film" advert.

Nivea Men - Stress Protect deodorant

I like the use of surrealism in this advert, and it clearly gives an aspirational feel for men to the deodorant. It uses comedy and drama so is a good example of genre hybridity and the action movie style intertextuality that I would want to spring from in my advert. There are the obvious elements of masculinity, doing tasks associated with gender and "saving the day" and playing the "coolest dad" role. It was also a good example of how much of a story can be fit into 30 seconds with the right editing and shots.