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Tutorial six
Analysis of advertisement - the world as a mosaic
In today’s culture, a person’s nationality is crucial to their very identity. The country in which we are born is responsible for many of our beliefs and customs - when I travel to other parts of the world, I become even more flagrantly English as I try to adjust to a different language and way of life. It is not, therefore, surprising that nation-specific advertising will try to connect with the self-identification of their readers. A method of communication to which a person can relate because of some aspect of their own life is bound to be the most effective. Britain, historically, is renowned for stately homes - it is one of our relative strengths (along with, perhaps, sport, literature and education). This advertisement is clearly making use of this tradition - playing to people’s sense of national pride in order to gain their attention and potentially their custom.
The main image is of a large, grand manor house, seen through trees and across a lawn. The grounds reflect another symbol of Englishness: attractive landscaped gardens. Interestingly, the page is laid out in blue and white - this is possibly coincidental, but lends the advert a patriotic aspect nonetheless. The estate agent, Comer Homes, also appears only to be displaying properties situated only in London, our ‘glorious capital’. When viewed collectively, these features make the advert a uniquely British one. It is not glaringly so, but perhaps designed to appeal on a subconscious level - hence the subtlety. I compared it with advertisements for homes in countries such as Spain, and noticed that the focus was different - the selling point was the exotic, the new - employing phrases like ‘wild living’ or ‘peace and tranquility’. The strategy there is presumably to convince buyers they need a change in their lifestyle, i.e. to move to a new country for a new experience. In anthropological terms, this indicates the disparity between the ‘self’ and ‘other’ - the ‘home’ nation and the ‘foreign’ nation. Countries are strictly categorised, with Britain being the normal, the essential - its stereotypical traits are exaggerated for effect (albeit not conspicuously). In Spanish, Japanese or American newspapers, Britain is probably awarded a role as an outsider, with the respective home country being presented as the natural. There is frequently cultural overlap - e.g. British society becoming increasingly americanised, as the public begin to accept and desire evolution in popular culture. But, clear distinctions remain, suggesting that the cultural mosaic theme is still ever-prominent in society today.
Analysis of advertisement - the world as a mosaic
In today’s culture, a person’s nationality is crucial to their very identity. The country in which we are born is responsible for many of our beliefs and customs - when I travel to other parts of the world, I become even more flagrantly English as I try to adjust to a different language and way of life. It is not, therefore, surprising that nation-specific advertising will try to connect with the self-identification of their readers. A method of communication to which a person can relate because of some aspect of their own life is bound to be the most effective. Britain, historically, is renowned for stately homes - it is one of our relative strengths (along with, perhaps, sport, literature and education). This advertisement is clearly making use of this tradition - playing to people’s sense of national pride in order to gain their attention and potentially their custom.
The main image is of a large, grand manor house, seen through trees and across a lawn. The grounds reflect another symbol of Englishness: attractive landscaped gardens. Interestingly, the page is laid out in blue and white - this is possibly coincidental, but lends the advert a patriotic aspect nonetheless. The estate agent, Comer Homes, also appears only to be displaying properties situated only in London, our ‘glorious capital’. When viewed collectively, these features make the advert a uniquely British one. It is not glaringly so, but perhaps designed to appeal on a subconscious level - hence the subtlety. I compared it with advertisements for homes in countries such as Spain, and noticed that the focus was different - the selling point was the exotic, the new - employing phrases like ‘wild living’ or ‘peace and tranquility’. The strategy there is presumably to convince buyers they need a change in their lifestyle, i.e. to move to a new country for a new experience. In anthropological terms, this indicates the disparity between the ‘self’ and ‘other’ - the ‘home’ nation and the ‘foreign’ nation. Countries are strictly categorised, with Britain being the normal, the essential - its stereotypical traits are exaggerated for effect (albeit not conspicuously). In Spanish, Japanese or American newspapers, Britain is probably awarded a role as an outsider, with the respective home country being presented as the natural. There is frequently cultural overlap - e.g. British society becoming increasingly americanised, as the public begin to accept and desire evolution in popular culture. But, clear distinctions remain, suggesting that the cultural mosaic theme is still ever-prominent in society today.