Advertising: Introduction to Advertising

1) How does the Marmite Gene Project advert use narrative? Apply some narrative theories here.

In the Marmite Gene Project advert we see the use of a multi-strand narrative as we see different families from different backgrounds each opening their results to find out whether they are a marmite lover or hater. We can also apply Todorov's Equilibrium theory to this advert as the advert starts off normally with each family eating their breakfast until the results come and everyone finds out if they are a lover or hater which then disrupts the equilibrium and causes a disequilibrium. We could also apply Levi-Strauss Binary Opposition theory as we see the conflict between the lovers of Marmite and Haters of Marmite unfold which causes arguments, anger, sadness. 

2) What persuasive techniques are used by the Marmite advert?

The Marmite advert uses emotional appeal, a slogan and repetition. 

3) Focusing specifically on the Media Magazine article, what does John Berger suggest about advertising in ‘Ways of Seeing’?

John Berger in 'Ways of Seeing' suggested that advertising seeks to make us dissatisfied with our present selves and promotes the idea that we can buy our way to a better life. As well as the fact that 'All publicity works on anxiety', advertising offers us an improved version of ourselves, whether we are male or female. 

4) What is it psychologists refer to as referencing? Which persuasive techniques could you link this idea to?

Referencing is when we refer subconsciously or knowingly to lifestyles represented to us that we find attractive. We then create a vision of ourselves living an idealised lifestyle and then behave in ways that help us to realise this vision. We can link this idea to the persuasive technique of Bandwagon as if we see other people using this product and seeing how people's lives have been improved it will intrigue and persuade an audience to purchase this product as we are creating a vision of us already using the product and relating to the other people who have purchased it. 

5) How has Marmite marketing used intertextuality? Which of the persuasive techniques we’ve learned can this be linked to?

Marmite marketing used intertextuality through their ads featuring childhood classic television programmes such as featuring a character called Zippy from a show 'Rainbow' as well as featuring the cartoon character Paddington bear. These ads featuring these childhood characters allowed for Marmite's audience to experience a nostalgic feeling whilst watching their ads. We can link this to the persuasive technique of Emotional Appeal as certain ads featuring childhood characters allows the audience to relive their childhood memories and bring nostalgia for them which definitely brings some emotion to the audience.  

6) What is the difference between popular culture and high culture? How does Marmite play on this?

Popular culture is a set of practices and beliefs that are dominant in a society at a given point in time such as music, TV shows, sports, fashion, paintings. High culture is the set of cultural products held in the highest esteem by a culture such as theatre, certain writing, architecture, soap operas. Marmite plays on this as it uses high culture (royal family, The Queen) and promotes their Marmite in a comic way by replacing the crown for breadsticks and the lion and unicorn for the Queen's corgi dogs which then references popular culture as it takes a comic approach to their advertising that is made to provide humour for their audiences. 

7) Why does Marmite position the audience as ‘enlightened, superior, knowing insiders’?

Marmite positions the audience as 'enlightened, superior, knowing insiders' as postmodern audiences know they are being manipulated by marketing as well as they are aware they are aware that they're being exploited however are also prepared to play the game, they understand the joke and they themselves become promotional agents of the products through word of mouth recommendations. 

8) What examples does the writer provide of why Marmite advertising is a good example of postmodernism?

Hyperreality is seen as a condition in which reality and fiction are seamlessly blended together so that there is no clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins. Postmodern advertising plays with this notion, too. The #Marmiteneglect campaign is rooted in the ‘reality’ that jars of Marmite often remain unused in the backs of cupboards (as identified by consumer data from market research). This ‘real-life concern’ is then positioned within a narrative of social neglect, and exploits the conventions of misery-memoirs, as read in ‘true stories’ such as A Child Called It. Postmodern advertising, like the postmodern humour of programmes like Life Is Short, may transgress boundaries of taste in order to make audiences question notions of what is real and of value in society.