1. Doc Marten Advert Evaluation
by Paige Ward
I had to research about different techniques which are used within adverts
some of these are Emotion, Benefit, Dramatic Conflict, Sex and etc… I found 5
different adverts which were examples of 5 different techniques the
techniques I chosen were exaggeration, emotion, sex, dramatic conflict and
demographic positioning. I had to watch the adverts and research about the
Narrative, so what the story of the ad was, the characters, settings and
conflicts. I also had to look at the different camera shots which they use in the
advert, think about who the target audience would be and why. Once I finished
researching about the different techniques I started researching about advertising
structures, I researched about the forms in which the advert takes for example
realist narrative, Anti- realist narrative, Animation, Documentary, Talking heads
and etc… I also researched the styles of adverts for example humorous, Surreal,
Dramatic and etc…Once I finished my research on different adverts and their
techniques I started researching about the audiences and researched
about Quantitative and Qualitative research. I also researched about
audience classification this included Audience profiling for example
higher management, Middle Management and etc… I also had to
research about psychographics and the groups for example
mainstreamers, aspirers, succeeders, resigned, explorers, reformer and
struggler. This was all the research which I did.
Once I finished all the research I had to start thinking about what
product I wanted to advertise, I started with the ideas of shoes and told
Harry what I wanted to advertise. We spoke about what sort of shoes I
could advertise and what sort of things I could include within my advert
and what sort of things I need to think about for example the audience
would want to see the shoes so make it obvious what the adverts
actually about and try to show the benefits. I then decided I was going to advertise Doc Martens
because I own a variety of pairs and it would be fairly easier since I had the product which I was
going to advertise. I had to do some research on Doc Marten boots and look at previous adverts
and their wasn’t many I found around 3 different previous adverts. I looked at how they were
edited and how they shown the Doc Martens with certain camera angles and listened to what
sorts of sounds that get play in the background. I used two completely different Doc Marten
adverts which were made in around the 80’s and shown how they were different and what ideas I
got from each of them.
When I finished looking at previous adverts I made a mind map of ideas on mind genius, I included
how I would brand the shoes in my advert, previous adverts which I looked at, how I was going to
mention places where the audience can buy Doc Marten boots from, target
audience, who would be in the advert, destination and why, how I was going to
2. include different colours and patterns to show how they’ve changed over the years and etc… Once
I finished my mind map I pitched it to Harry and he videoed it, I spoke about what I was promoting
in my advert and a brief explanation on how I’m going to advertise them. I then had to write my
advert synopsis and I had to relate it to my pitch and keep it around the same,
after this I had a brief idea of what I was actually doing so I put my storyboard
into Adobe Illustrator and typed in what was going to happen because this
would be easier to understand and it would fit better. Once I wrote down
exactly what was happening in my storyboard I printed them out and drawn
what was happening to make it easier to understand.
When I finished my storyboard I had an idea of what I was filming, who, my
destination and etc… So I booked the equipment which I needed and started to
fill in the tables which Harry gave us for example the production plan, which
included the production equipment required, crewing requirements, Actors,
Transport, Props/scenery and Post-Production requirements. I also had to
produce my shooting schedule this helped me during filming with knowing what
I had to film. I used this as a check list when filming so I knew where I was while
I was filming. Then I had to fill in my risk assessment on everywhere
I’m filming, this also included certain contacts in case of
emergencies. Once I finished all my pre-production and production I
printed the documents off which I needed during filming for example
my storyboard so I knew what I had to film and go off. I booked a
camera for over the weekend.
I went into town and spent majority of the day filming I wasn’t 100% sure on what exactly I was
going to do and didn’t use my storyboard to film. I used two different Doc Martens and three
different models in town which I was filming. When I finished filming in town I filmed four different
Doc Martens in Eccles on a field I kept the background for each exactly the same because I wanted
to switch a second from each at the start and end of my advert to show the product. I like certain
parts of my advert for example when Stacey and Beth are skipping down the street, I like how it
starts of a close-up of the doc martens then zooms out to them skipping. I also like the start when
the doc martens switch for a second from each it works well with how fast they switch. Even
though I like majority parts of my advert I had some parts where I filmed indoors and when I
added them into my advert after the footage which was shot in Manchester I didn’t think it looked
right or went well going straight from outdoors to indoors. I tried the footage at different parts of
my advert but I still didn’t like it so I just deleted it and didn’t use the footage which was shot
indoors. Overall I like my edit especially the footage where they’re skipping and I think it goes well
with the song which I have chosen to use.
In the past when I have filmed I’ve always had someone to do it with and filming the advert was
the first time which I’ve filmed on my own and planned everything out by myself. Even though I
found this easier because there were no disagreements on which ideas were getting used and etc…
I think it would have been easier doing it with someone else to get some extra ideas, I found
filming the footage to the advert easy because I had an idea on what I wanted to do and I had a
variety of different Doc Martens which helped. When it came to putting all the footage together I
didn’t find it as easier as actually filming the footage because I didn’t know how to start it and I
3. didn’t like how certain parts looked with how I planned to do it on my storyboard so I changed my
ideas and I kept my advert simple. It’s mainly people walking around and the camera focuses on
the shoes more than anything else, I think it works well because it was a wet day it shows how the
Doc Martens are water proof and who I used as models don’t seem to care about the weather
during filming.
If I were to do my advert again I think I would plan it a little better and be more organised when it
came to the planning. I’d also shoot more footage than I did because by the end I was running out
of footage and had to make part of my advert a little longer and add the logo for a little longer
towards the end to make up the 30 seconds. I also think I could have shown different day-to-day
life happening for example instead of just walking down the road but also shown them with
different people for example friends, family or work colleagues. Even though I wanted to shoot
when it was rainy I think I should have thought about the wind because in some of the footage it
was obvious how windy it was with the camera and it isn’t the best quality.
Overall I think my advert promotes Doc Martens well because it shows a variety of advantages of
having them for example they’re water proof, comfy and come in a variety of different colours and
patterns. I also think I’ve shown they can go with a variety of different clothes for example
dresses, shorts, all in ones and etc…