IMAGE ANALYSIS
PROMPT A: IMAGE ANALYSIS: Although we look at print advertisements every day, we often do not consider the ways in which they affect us. Visual images in ads can influence and persuade us, so it is important to evaluate them critically to understand their meanings. Good image analysis involves examination of the components of an image to gain an understanding of the whole.
Select an advertisement image to analyze. The advertisement you choose should be a single image directed towards a specific audience. To identify the intended audience, think about the members of the potential audience for the advertisement that you have chosen. Who are they? Ads for a beauty product, for example, may be aimed at young girls; ads for a deodorant might target men; a diaper ad is likely intended for new parents; ads for cruise trips might be aimed at retirees. You can use any academically-appropriate advertisement to complete this assignment, as long as its intended audience is clearly identified.
Your thesis must inform the reader of your topic and purpose. Because you are writing in the informative mode, use objective language and a neutral point of view.
Draft an analytical essay that examines the audience, context, and purpose of the advertising image you’ve chosen. Read the article by Jenna Pack titled "Breaking Down an Image" found in the "Model Informative Essays" tutorial for ideas about how to write an image analysis. Your analysis should lead to a conclusion about the ad’s effectiveness, based on examination of its components. Include the image with your draft.
Sample Solution
The advertisement I have chosen for analysis is the one entitled “Hair Dazzle” from a hair care brand. This ad targets young women in their late teens and twenties, as it advertises new haircare products to achieve glamorous looks. The ad features a woman with long, glossy black hair illuminated with glittering stars, which symbolize transformation and glamour.
The context of this advertisement is that it was created for an audience of young women who want to make bold fashion statements, express themselves through hairstyles, and stand out from the crowd. The message being communicated is that these products will help them achieve those goals. It also implies that looking beautiful will give them confidence and power—a common theme in advertising directed at young women.
This ad makes effective use of color—the background is a deep blue-black hue while the starry accents are bright white and silver—as well as composition: the model sits in the center of the image surrounded by empty space, making her appear larger than life. Additionally, there are no other objects or people visible in this image; all attention is focused on her face and hair alone. All these elements work together to create an awe-inspiring atmosphere where viewers feel inspired to try out different looks using these products.
The purpose of this advertisement is to entice its target audience towards buying these products by showing how they can transform their look into something dazzlingly unique–something that expresses their individual style without compromising quality or convenience. The tagline “Transform your look instantly” works perfectly for this goal because it emphasizes how simple it can be to switch up one’s everyday look with little effort needed from consumers themselves beyond purchasing these items from stores or online retailers.
Overall, this advertising image effectively communicates its intended message by combining attractive visuals with a clear purpose: encouraging potential customers to purchase Hair Dazzle products so they can experience instant transformation into something more eye-catching and memorable than what they would otherwise be able to attain on their own without such help. It has successfully achieved its aim of capturing the attention of its target audience through its utilization of vibrant colors combined with captivating imagery which conveys both glamour and power — qualities desirable amongst today's youth culture—and an inspirational slogan urging them towards self-expression via physical appearance enhancements achievable through haircare product purchases .