Research Portfolio (U20: P1, M1 U24: P1)
Research Portfolio (U20: P1, M1 U24: P1)
Learning Outcome 1 (U20): Know how existing advertising campaigns embed advertisements across a range of media products
Learning Outcome 1 (U24): Understand the products that are produced within and across media industries
Spotify - ‘Only You’
Only You is a Spotify campaign which was completed with an interactive in-app experience with personalised playlists which celebrated each individual users musical interests. The interactive app experience would include an audio ‘birth chart’ as well as a ‘dream dinner party’ where users can choose 3 of their most listened to artists they would invite to a meal and Spotify would create personalised mixes to set each mood.
Alongside this Only You presentation, Spotify also added a ‘blend’ option in which two Spotify users can blend and merge their musical tastes into one playlist.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of this campaign according to Spotify was to allow people to discover more about their own music taste and listening habits, as well as connecting with those around them through music and to encourage people to venture outside the comfort of their own playlists and be inspired by the music tastes of their friends and family.
As well as this, the campaign was released around the end of the year, this also built anticipation and talk around Spotifys annual Spotify Wrapped feature.
Target Audience
The app as a whole is mostly popular with those of the younger demographic. Over 50% of all Spotify users are under the age of 35 (26% of them being under 24 years old). However whilst young people may be using this app the most, over 19% of Spotify users are over 55 years old.
With this being said, this campaign includes an audio ‘birth chart’ which links in with star signs which is typically more popular with younger, teenage audiences compared to the older audience on Spotify. As well as this, the interactive feature for the ‘dream dinner party’ seems to be aimed more at their younger target audience as well as older audiences may not be as interested in features such as those.
Primary target audience would include those of the younger demographic (the 26% under 24 as well as some above). Whilst the app as a whole may be more inclusive of all genders, the brith chart may be targeted towards more of a female audience as they are the gender who are typically more interested in star-signs and astrology. Whilst this campaign may be slightly catered towards women, it doesn’t exclude any race, age, ethnicity or class, The only you features could be accessed from any account type including free, so therefore it didn’t exclude any class.
The secondary target audience for this feature would be anyone else who uses the app of any gender, race, age, culture and ethnicity. Whilst the new feature may contain themes that mass audiences may not have interest in, users may still interact with the features as they are presented on the screen you see as you open the app, and people generally enjoy seeing stats about the music they listen to.
Key Messages
The key message put across by Spotify’s Only You campaign was to celebrate the uniqueness of each Spotify user and highlight the diversity of users across the globe. This also encouraged people to share their music tastes and open their mind to other artists and genres.
Spotifys USP with this campaign was that they are able to provide users with accurate stats catered to them on the artists and songs they listen to. This was done by presenting the statement ‘Only You…’ along with accurate stats about how many times users listened to a certain song from certain artist. As well as this, they present users with a custom ‘Birth chart’ based of the artists users listened to at certain times.
As Spotify has been doing an annual Spotify wrapped event since 2016 including accurate listening stats for each individual user, Spotify stays as a reliable source for users when finding out about their listening habits.
Approach
One of Spotify’s approach when it came to the Only You campaign was by using celebrity endorsement in their billboard advertisements. In each of their billboards they had a different singer, with statistics around one of their popular songs. By using popular singers on Spotify, you’re likely to attract the fans of said artists attention to the feature. So therefore by Spotify using a variety of big artists, they’re likely to attract wider audiences as ore often than not, people listen to those artists songs.
Furthermore, Spotify has very abstract and bright designs across all their advertisements. This consistent look across the board makes their ads very easy to distinguish as their own. So by once again using their distinguishable design, their target audience (Spotify uses) immediately know its their advertisement.
Representation
During the Only You campaign, Spotify made sure to represent numerous artists each of different genders and race/ethnic backgrounds and even sexualities. Spotify aired 3 different video advertisements for their Only You campaign featuring the artists: Harry Styles, SZA and Lil Nas X, SZA and Lil Nas X being black artists and Lil Was X being part of the LGBTQ+ community. The billboard advertisements also made sure to include artists from various backgrounds by using SZA again and also Lady Gaga. By using a mix of races and sexualities for their advertisements, Spotify is providing diversity which will help in widening target audiences.
Throughout this campaign, Spotify did not contribute to the use of any racial stereotypes, however some may argue that homophobic stereotypes may have been played into during one of the video advertisements seen on youtube. As this video is featuring the singer Lil Nas X who is a part of the LGBT+ community, Sotify decided to feature someone who is also part of the LGBT+ community in the advertisement. However people argue that the flamboyant costume design and make up can play into the stereotype that those part of the community dress quite femininely which is not the case.
Campaign Logistics
Spotify uploaded the majority of their advertisements on YouTube, so by doing this they ensured that the adverts would reach their target audience as the demographic that the campaign was aimed towards would use YouTube whether it be for music videos or any other entertainment aspect. As well as YouTube, Spotify also advertised on bus stops. People of Spotifys target audience would most likely regularly use bus stops to commute to school or work as a lot of people within their target demographic may not be able to drive yet.
As well as this, Spotify released this campaign around September-October time, just before their popular, annual Spotify wrapped event. By releasing this campaign before their popular event, Spotify are able to build their brand through creating excitement around their app which simultaneously heightens excitement around their wrapped event which ultimately will draw users to their app.
Choice of Media
The aim of Spotifys YouTube advertisements was to market their new app feature to their target audience. This was done as the majority of teens and young adults who Spotify are trying to reach, most likely use YouTube on a daily basis for either education, work or enjoyment purposes. As well as this, by putting the advertisement on YouTube, it allows for easy sharing as people can easily copy the link and send to family and friends who may also be within the target demographic, so it helps Spotify spread the word around.
YouTube advertising - As users of Spotify enjoy music, these users will also most likely use YouTube to watch artists music videos, interviews, concerts etc. Through advertising on YouTube videos such as those listed, Spotify are able to get news about their new app features through to their target audience. They also created different variations of the advertisement featuring different artists in order to attract larger audiences depending on what heir favourite music genre is.
Billboard advertising - By advertising on billboards, Spotify is able to reach a wide target audience of people that their Instagram or YouTube adverts can. Billboards are seen by mass amounts of people daily, so depending on where this billboards are placed, it can affect the type of people who see the advertisement, and if those people are influenced by what they see. During the campaign, Spotify had lots of poster advertisements in places such as the London underground. Advertising this campaign in places such as the underground would prove extremely effective, as typically on the commute to/from work on the underground people would listen to music (typically on Spotify). So therefore they would be informing their target audience of the new features.
Instagram advertising - Spotify advertised this new campaign on their Instagram profile. Avid users of Spotify and music enthusiasts will most likely follow Spotify on Instagram to keep up to date with their favourite artists, as well and events happening on the app. By Spotify advertising one of the video advertisements on their page, users of Spotify which follow their account will be alerted of the new features being presented on their app.
Call to Action
Spotify’s call to action was to gather attention the the new interactive experience on the app, as well as to advertise the new features that the app is implementing permanently due to an update. By creating a limited time interactive experience, it attracts people to the app to take part before its over, and as people will be on the app, they will also have their attention down to the new update features such as song lyrics.
Legal and Ethical issues
Whilst Spotify is encouraging people to listen to more music in order to get more accurate results in their Only You interactive experience, the artists themselves don’t get valid amounts of money per stream. Currently, artists on platforms such as Spotify only get paid £0.004 per stream.
“The problem is that Spotify don’t treat music as its product - they are selling advertising, not music” - See Clarke (Sonstream’s founder)
Rather than this being a legal breach, it’s more of an ethical breach as artists aren’t getting paid as much per stream as users thought they would. With artists getting paid less than 1p for each stream of their song, smaller artists who aren’t getting anymore than 100,000 streams, aren’t getting paid liveable wages. However this could turn into a legal issue if smaller artists aren’t getting paid at least minimum wage for their songs being streamed as music making is technically their job, and how they need to make a living.
Regulatory Bodies
The Copyright Royalty board is responsible for the regulation of Mechanical rights for streaming services. Songs played on Spotify require a mechanical license and public performance license (PPL)
Just eat - Did somebody say Just Eat
Just Eat’s Did somebody say just eat campaign celebrates peoples joy when hearing the doorbell ring when the takeaway is delivered. The campaign creative focuses on the joy of ordering take out food instead of focusing on the convenience of it.
This campaign included celebrity endorsement with Snoop Dogg adding his own twist to the Just Eat jingle alongside a music video like advertisement for the campaign.
Aims and Objectives
Just Eats aim of this campaign was to capture the joy which can be created upon ordering takeaway food. It also contributed to celebrating how Just Eat not just delivers food, but delight to the people who order form them when their favourite takeaway arrives. Just Eat stated this feeling could be delivered anywhere in the world.
Target Audience
As the campaign features the artist Snoop Dogg who gained popularity in the 90s, the campaigns target audience would cater towards an older audience, who would of enjoyed his songs during that time. Therefore, Just Eat has stated that their target audience age is around mid-twenties to mid-forty year olds.
The primary target audience of this campaign would be those on the older spectrum of the target audience as they are the people Snoop Dogg caters more towards. Mid-thirty year olds to Mid-forty year olds may have children at home who may suggest getting take out every once in a while to their parents. Also, these older ages are more likely to be watching TV as those of younger audiences may be watching content on platforms such as Netflix and YouTube.
The secondary target audience of this campaign would be those on the younger side of the spectrum, the mid-twenties to mid-thirties. These ages are more likely to be living alone or with partners so therefore have more disposable income to use on things such as takeout. These ages may also have some sort of influence from Snoop Dogg.
Key Messages
They key messages behind Just Eat’s campaign, is that the process of ordering take out, down to the doorbell ringing when it's being delivered brings joy to those ordering. The Snoop Dogg ads pivot the focus on how convenient takeout it, and focuses on the pleasure it can bring instead.
Just Eat’s unique selling point is that they are the leading online food distribution. They also link customers and restaurants to 24 different countries through its food ordering restaurant.
Approach
In order to gain mass attention for this campaign, Just Eat used celebrity endorsement in order to gain attention for their campaign. They used Snoop Dogg, who is one of the most influential rappers of arguably all time. By using him in their advertisements they gained a mass audience of people who like Snoop Dogg.
Furthermore, Just Eat allowed Snoop Dogg to add his own style to their jingle in which he will sing in their visual audio video advertisements for their campaign. The Just Eat jingle alone is very catchy, so with Snoop Dogg adding his own beat and style to it, it became even more memorable.
Representation
In this advertising campaign, as Snoop Dogg is used, there is representation of the African American race. There is also a mix of genders in the video advertisement so there is no ethical issues around sexism in the campaign, and as well as including women, the women in the video don’t seem to be sexualised in any way or put into any stereotypes.
However as Snoop Dogg's video contains people of only African American decent, it could potentially be seen as lacking diversity due to the lack of difference races. As well as this, Snoop Dogg is well knows for his role in the hip-hop and rap genre, so by only having African Americas involved in the music video, it may strengthen the stereotype that people of that race always like, or have ties with that music genre.
Campaign Logistics
The first Snoop Dogg fronted ‘Did somebody say Just Eat’ advertisement for the campaign was launched in May of 2020 and continued to run for 18 months. The timing of this campaign was significant as it was during the first lock down when going out was restricted. This was a perfect time to release this campaign in terms of gaining sales for this sector, as many people would order takeaway as they weren’t allowed out to go to restaurants. The campaign continues for another 18 months in which the UK was in and out of lockdowns and various restrictions which keeps people interested in the adverts, and increases the chances of people buying takeout.
As well as his, by having the main advertisements of the campaign broadcasted on TV, they were able to get more views and interactions. This is because during lock down, not many people were going out, so therefore spending a lot of time at home and more specifically watching TV. So by just distributing their biggest video advertisements for their campaign on TV at this time of the year, attention for their product would almost be certain.
Choice of Media
For the Did Somebody say Just Eat campaign, TV advertising was the most utilised choice of media. This could be due to the fact that when this campaign was put out, the UK was in lockdown meaning that no one was going out as much for things like billboard advertisements to have as much of an effect.
However, despite this, Just Eat still implemented billboard and poster advertisements within the 18 month period that their campaign was being carried out as lockdown restrictions were eased.
Poster advertisement - Posters like there were implemented around several locations, but more notably underground stations. As lockdown restrictions eased more people were having to commute back and forth from work, typically using the underground system. By placing posters advertising their takeaway service to those commuting home, Just Eat would attract more audiences and many people are on their way home to eat dinner, so by these posters being placed at various train stations on the way home, people may use their product to order their dinner for that night.
Instagram advertisement - As lock down had many people at home, people would typically use social media platforms as a source of entertainment. So thereby by posting numerous advertisements to their social media channels for their campaign, they would grab the attention of those audiences they’re targeting, in hopes that they take action on their advertisements, and order from their food ordering app.
YouTube advertisements - Much like social media, during lock down people flocked to YouTube for both entertainment as well as educational content, so once again by advertising on a platform such as YouTube yours going to be able to reach a much wider audience of people even outside your target audience. People typically watch multiple YouTube videos a day, so by advertising a catchy jingle on a platform which individuals use several times a day would make sure that the Just Eat brand sticks with people and means they would be more likely to take action on those advertisements.
Call to Action
Just eats call to action with this campaign was to increase sales of their takeaway service during the lockdown months. By creating a catchy jingle, and have it sung by Snoop Dogg and having a video advertisement play on TV during a time where most people were stuck inside not doing much, they are able to gather a lot of attention for their brand. Also by launching this campaign during this lockdown period, they’re likely to gain more sales, as people aren’t allowed to eat in restaurants so they would buy takeaway food from their favourite restaurants.
Legal and Ethical
Ethical issues can arise with delivery services based on how high the takeaway service charges for their commission rates, and if food is made more expensive with the fixed admin fees implemented. However, with Just Eat, their commission rates are on the low side of the spectrum, charging just 14% along side a fixed admin fee of just 50p.
Just Eat also follows legal guidelines such as not employing anyone under the age of 16 for their delivery services.
Regulatory Bodies
Just Eats advertisements have to follow a set of Ofcom rules in order to not be pulled. Advertisements have to be truthful, you cat lie to consumers about the products you’re trying to sell or you run into the legal issue of false advertisement. As the Did Somebody say Just Eat advertisement was not pulled from TV, they did not breach any of the rules stated by Ofcom.
M1(U20):Evaluate Different cross media advertising campaigns for consistency of message
A consistent factor in Spotify Only You’s advertisements would be Spotifys iconic, bright and geometric graphic design choices. Each of the advertisements whether it be their social media, billboard or poster, they feature a picture of the artist being talked about in the ad along with an abstract and bright design framing them. By using this consistent artistic style, viewers of the advertisements are instantly able to recognise them as Spotify’s.
Another consistency within the campaign advertisements is the use of specific statistics about artists music and their fans tendencies (relevant to the time the advertisements were made). In each of the advertisements, there are quantitative stats about various things such as the number of streams certain songs have, playlist tendencies of artists fans and many more specific statements.
A consistency throughout their campaign advertisements on all platforms, is that there is always a popular artist on Spotify being featured. Instead of just telling you the new features of the app update, they include streaming statistics of popular artists.
Strengths of this campaign would be implementing interactive features onto the app as well as the Only You presentation, such as the listening birth chart and the ‘Dream dinner party’. By including these interactive experiences, users will take to the Spotify app in order to take part. On-top of those interactive activities, advertising these features on YouTube and on Posters in underground stations was another huge strength of the campaign.
Advertising on YouTube video such as music videos and artist interviews is a great strength as the people watching those videos will be the target audience that Spotify are trying to reach with their campaign.
Poster advertisements in the underground is another advertising strength as whilst travelling, maybe to and from work, people commonly listen to music on the Spotify app. SO by advertising in places like these, you’re reaching your target audience directly.
The delivery of the message was done through a mix of digital and traditional methods of advertising. Spotify used YouTube and Instagram advertisements along side poster and billboard adverts. This is effective in terms of delivering the message of their campaign as it reaches their target audience, and even wider audiences directly. Many people use social media platforms such as Instagram and YouTube so by delivering the message on platforms such as these, they can reach audiences beyond their target audience.
Likewise, by using poster advertisements in places such as underground train stations, the message is able to be delivered to the target audience directly. This is because typically when travelling, people listen to music, typically on Spotify. This means using print advertising was extremely effecting in delivering the message of the campaign.
Their delivery of the message was extremely effective as people could tell that each advertisement on platforms such as instagram and youtube were a part of the same campaign as the traditional advertisements due to the design aspects of each advertisement. As Spotify were consistent through their use of geometric and colourful design elements, each advertisements was able to be recognised as part of the same campaign.
A consistency present in Just Eat’s Did somebody say Just Eat campaign, is that Snoop Dogg is present in all digital and traditional campaign advertisements.
Just Eats digital advertisements mostly consisted of clips from Snoop Dogg's video advertisement posted on several platforms such as Just Eat's Instagram and Youtube pages. Each of these clips included Snoop Dogg’s version of Just Eats jingle in order to make the brand stick in peoples minds.
Furthermore, a consistency in the campaigns traditional advertisement methods such as the posters and billboards included having the campaigns and brands logo featured somewhere on the design. By making sure these logos are in each advertisement, they are to ensure the brand name and the campaign stick in peoples memories. Traditional advertisement designs are also consistently on a red background, which could help viewers recognise it as a just eat advertisement.
A further consistency throughout all platforms that this campaign advertised on is the use of the slogan whether it be through text or audio. During video advertisements, Just Eats slogan ‘Did somebody say Just Eat?” is sung (and in the Snoop Dogg advertisements case, rapped) and its a prominent aspect of all the advertisements. By having this line sung, it gets stuck in viewers heads and therefore creates a more memorable brand. Moreover, in their traditional and non-video advertisements, their slogan is in big lettering across the centre of the advert. By having the slogan big and centred, its what peoples eyes typically see first meaning that people are again, more likely to catch onto the slogan and therefore create a more memorable brand for Just Eat.
An advertising stretch of this campaign would be making a strong, memorable Tv and social media advertisement. By getting Snoop Dogg to make his own version of the catchy Just Eat jingle along with music video like visuals, it creates a quite memorable image for the brand that sticks in peoples minds.
As well as this, broadcasting it on places such as TV and social media during a time the country was in lock down with various restrictions was a huge strength. As people were limited on what they can do, people spent a lot of time inside, which led to an increased usage of TV and social media for entertainment. So therefore by advertising the campaign on platforms which people were using more than usual at the time gathered a larger audience for a product which was especially popular due to not being able to go out, was a huge strength for the campaign.
Much like the Spotify only you campaign, the message of Just Eat’s Did somebody say Just Eat campaign was delivered through a mix of traditional and digital advertisement techniques. By sending the message out on digital platforms such as TV and social media, Just Eat were effective in reaching their target audience, and even beyond their target audience. People were stuck inside due to lock down so people consumed a lot more digital media than usual meaning the message of the campaign was delivered to much wider audiences. As well as this, takeaway services were used a lot more due to the fact that people weren’t allowed out so there was no better time for Just Eat deliver the message about their takeaway service.
In addition to digital methods, Just Eat used traditional methods of advertising as well. Just Eat implemented posted and billboard advertisements in places such as train stations. Train stations are a great location for Just Eat’s message to be delivered as when people are commuting back from work, they can see the posters plastered at train stations on the way home, and take action on the information they have seen. As people commute back from work typically in the evening, what they’re going to have for dinner might be on their mind, so by delivering the message of their takeaway service to people like that, is going to be extremely effective as they’re advertising directly to their target audience.
What are the different media products within the advertising industry?
- Billboards
- Posters
- Leaflets
- Bus stops
- Train stations
- Radio ads
- Pop-up ads
- Television
- Social media posts (Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter)
- YouTube ads
- Email advertisements
- Internet banner ads
- Newspaper advertisements
- Magazine advertisements
How products are adapted across media platforms - Spotify Only You
In the Only You campaign, advertisements are adapted and changed for each media platform and advertising technique. For example, for the campaigns video advertisements, they posted the same video on both their YouTube and Instagram. However, the cropping and framing of this video had to be adapted per platform as Instagram only takes square photos/videos, whilst YouTube has a much wider resolution.
How do institutions create brands across different media products and platforms - Spotify Only You
Spotify use quite bright colours, along with geometric, abstract shapes in their advertisements of their products across their social media pages and traditional methods of advertising. By using these consistent stylistic choices in both their traditional advertisements such as billboards, as well as their social media posts, audiences are able to remember them as Spotifys therefore creating a brand for themselves in terms of design work.
As well as keeping the designs of their advertisements similar in terms of colour schemes and graphic design choices, Spotify also have posts on their social media sites which have the same design, yet a different artist is features. For example, above there are two of these posts shown. Spotify make a brand for themselves and their social media platforms by featuring posts such as TTH (Todays Top Hits) with pictures of different artists, and their hashtag #SpotifyEQUAL.
How do they engage different audiences - Spotify Only You
Spotify is able to engage different audiences through advertising their campaign using a variety of different advertisement techniques. By using a wide variety of advertising techniques such as traditional and digital, they are able to spread the message of their campaign to wider audiences.
Spotifys advertising on their social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, would be effective in reaching the audience that perhaps already uses their app. This is because anyone who doesn’t use the Spotify app, would most likely not follow their socials. However, those who do follow Spotify on their social media pages have the ability to share their posts with other who may or may not follow Spotify themselves. Overall, by advertising their campaign on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram will reach audiences that already use the app, and more specifically their teen/young adult audience as they’re the people who use those social media platforms most.
However, by using traditional advertising methods such as billboards and posters in places such as train stations and bus stops, Spotify are able to spread their message to much larger audiences. As these advertisements are in public areas used by a lot of people, chances are, not everyone that sees the advertising campaign are going to already be users of the Spotify app. Many people see billboards in places such as train stations, bus stops and the roads everyday during their commute to and from work, meaning that those outside Spotifys primary (and secondary) target audiences can become engaged with Spotify's campaign.
How products are adapted across media platforms - Just Eat Did somebody say Just Eat
Whilst the main advertisement for Jut Eat’s campaign was a video advertisement distributed on TV and platforms such as YouTube, Just Eat implemented traditional advertisements for their campaign as well. Video advertisements can’t be easily turned into a traditional advert so Just Eat had to adapt and create new designs for their posters and billboards.
For their posters, Just Eat created a simple a4 sized poster which still included Snoop Dogg and their slogan ‘Did somebody say Just Eat’ along with their brand logo. This was Just Eats way of adapting their campaign advertisements in order to fit more traditional techniques.
How do institutions create brands across different media products and platforms - Just Eat Did somebody say Just Eat
Just Eat created a logo for their Did somebody say Just Eat which featured the colours of the rainbow almost jumping out at the audience with the slogan on the end of it. They also have their own distinct font, which audiences can always remember upon seeing an advertisement and directly link it to the Just Eat brand.
As well as this, on their Instagram page, a common theme amongst their posts are a distinct orange background with some type of food infant of it. By having a consistent theme on their socials, Just Eat are able to build a brand around themselves as people would recognise that shade of orange with their advertising style.
How do they engage different audiences - Just Eat Did somebody say Just Eat
A big part of Just Eats camping was they TV advertisement including Snoop Dogg singing his version of their Did somebody say Just Eat jingle. By distributing this advertisement on a platform such as TV in which many wide audiences use, Just Eat are able to engage with a much wider audience than just their primary and secondary target audience. This concept is the same with their more traditional advertisements such as their billboards and posters. Many people from different demographics are going to see billboards and posters on a daily basis whether it’s from driving past, or from travelling on the train. So this means that Just Eats campaign in reaching audiences beyond their target audiences.
Lastly, by advertising on social media, Just Eat are able to target their younger target audience, and even teens. Social Medias such as Twitter and Instagram are heavily used by the younger population, specifically teens and young adults. So therefore by using social media platforms such as those listen, Just Eat were able to engage those of a younger demographic with their advertising campaign.
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