3.What I have learnt about the codes and conventions of TV adverts and how I intend to demonstrate this knowledge and understanding in my production in order to communicate meaning successfully.

When making an advert its important to understand the language used, specifically in personal hygiene/deodorant products. There are typical codes and conventions that can be seen across lots of these kinds of adverts, used to persuade people to buy a product. Its important that I try and replicate some of these in my advert, as they will allow the audience to respond to my advert and also the codes and conventions are clearly tried and tested theories that will undoubtedly enhance my advert. I have come up with a list of the main ones and evidenced them and then I will decide how to respond in my adverts.

• Pack shot

Most deodorant ads have the final shot of the product itself, which can showcase the entire range or interesting packing. It usually places the product in the final third of the shot and angles it slightly higher, to remind you of the angle you would see the deodorant at if it was on a shelf or dressing table. This also means the audience leave with a memory of the product and what it looks like, as it’s the last thing they see. This is necessary as most deodorant ads depict a story so don’t obviously display the product, just the effects of it. This is usually accompanied by the product slogan in large text, as a device to summarise the whole deodorant.

• Usage shot

There is no fixed point for this shoot as it depends on the story of the advert. It usually depicts the central character using the product. The setting is typically a bathroom to give the sense of a long-lasting effect – they are using it in the morning to aid them throughout the day.

It’s interesting to note that men are usually shirtless in these shots, whereas women and depicted in vest tops. Both allowing their bare armpits to be clearly visible. These are usually mid shots so that the full torso is displayed. The characters also look down at their armpits as they spray/ roll on.

• Reaction shot

This typically comes after the usage shot, or after the benefits of the product have been described. It shows the character “go getting”, or seizing the day and tasks ahead of them – displaying the usefulness of the deodorant. This attempts to be as aspirational as possible to get a response from the audience. Often there is a clear definition between the before and after shot, via music, pace or lighting to convey the instant effects, usually involves someone putting there arm up and showing us they have no sweat there

Before

After

• Mise en scene – minimal and light

Light colours and bright lights are used to represent the ideas of freshness and cleanliness we want to associate with personal hygiene products. Mostly daytime settings are used also, unless the deodorant is trying to portray the long lasting effect, at which point there is usually a shift into night time to portray the passing of time related to the long lasting effects of the product.

• Stereotyping characters

Deodorant ads have a central character, in order to coherently depict a lifestyle. Depending on the gender of the product, this is either male or female. The adverts typically feature an ensemble cast, depicting “society” and therefore giving the idea of societies approval, a clear audience aspiration, when we see the character interacting after they’ve used the deodorant. Ideas about lifestyle are depicted using traditional gender stereotypes. Men use deodorant for sport and work whereas women are often depicted handling children or working around the house. The recent "this girl can..." campaign and many other female deodorant brands have recently been targeting this disparity but showing women doing sport and being more active in their ads.

• Genre/Genre hybridity

There are many different genres that are used in advertising. For example surrealist, most notably the Cadbury's chocolate adverts, depicting everyday people doing odd things. This can also be used in deodorant ads, such as lynx, where women are depicted in large numbers acting unrealistically to a man using the deodorant. This kind of genre is usually used in male branded products to display the aspirations associated with there gender. Another thing I could use would be genre hybridity - blending themes and elements from two or more genres. This could also help me include some intertextuality, by including typical conventions of other media products to give the audience a clear recognition of the kind of advertising I am trying to convey. Most deodorant ads are done in a realist style, depicting the everyday setting with an attractive person, enhanced by the deodorant to give the audience a more realistic and seemingly achievable aspiration.

• Voiceover and music

Most deodorant ads don't feature speech from the characters but instead a voiceover. This is usually a male voice for men's ads and a woman for female ads. In my ad I hope to respond to the unisex style by narrating my tagline in two halfs, one said by a male and one by a female.

Instead of speech, these adverts use upbeat music. This illustrates the idea of fast paced lifestyles, happy or contented moods and also makes the adverts more memorable. For example the lynx advert uses the song "One is the loneliest number" to in reference to the story of there advert in which a lonely single guy falls in love and becomes "two" after using lynx.

• Graphics

Usually large font, clear to read. Often in white/blue in addition to usage of light colours to show freshness and cleanliness. These come hand in hand with the pack shot at the end of the advert and are not used during it.