Language & Advertisement Session #4: Advertising Processes

Summary

This lecture explores the strategies used by major e-commerce brands to attract customers through print advertising. It highlights four key elements: direct gaze, symbolism, salience, and color. The instructor examines banners from platforms like Blibli, Bukalapak, Shopee, and Tokopedia, demonstrating how facial expressions, focal points, thematic colors, and symbolic imagery influence consumer attention and perception. Examples illustrate how colors convey emotions, packages symbolize offers, and prominent visuals guide viewers toward key messages. The session emphasizes how thoughtful design choices in advertising effectively engage customers and encourage interaction with products and promotions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Direct gaze in advertisements involves a close-up face that attracts the viewer’s attention by making the subject seem life-like.
• 😀 Smiling faces in ads are essential for conveying happiness and positivity, making the product seem more appealing.
• 😀 Symbolism is used in ads to represent the product or message, like the use of boxes to symbolize bonuses or packages.
• 😀 Color plays a significant role in ads. For example, blue symbolizes loyalty and trust, while red conveys energy and urgency.
• 😀 Salience refers to the focal point of the ad, like cashback offers, which direct the viewer's attention to the main message.
• 😀 In advertising, repetition of terms like 'Buka' in Bukalapak creates salience, helping reinforce key messages.
• 😀 E-commerce brands often use specific color schemes to represent their identity, such as red for Bukalapak and orange for Shopee.
• 😀 The use of vectors (arrows or lines) in ads can guide the viewer’s eye toward the main message or product.
• 😀 Silence in an ad refers to the absence of distraction, allowing the viewer to focus on the key elements like the product or message.
• 😀 The theme color of an app or e-commerce platform (like green for Tokopedia) reflects its values or focus, such as renewal or freshness.

Q & A

What are the four key elements discussed in the lecture on printing advertising processes?

The four key elements are Direct Gaze, Symbolism, Salience/Silence, and Color. These elements are used by advertisers to attract and guide customers’ attention.

What is the purpose of 'Direct Gaze' in advertising?

Direct Gaze involves having a subject look directly at the viewer to create a lifelike, engaging appearance. It makes ads more personal and attention-grabbing.

How is 'Symbolism' used in e-commerce advertising according to the lecture?

Symbolism uses objects or visuals to represent products or benefits. For example, Blibli.com uses boxes to symbolize bonuses, while Bukalapak uses items like laptops and guitars to represent products for sale.

What does 'Salience' or 'Silence' refer to in advertising?

Salience, also referred to as Silence in the lecture, is the focal point of an ad that guides viewers to the most important message, such as a highlighted cashback offer or bold text.

How does color influence the effectiveness of advertisements?

Color conveys emotion, brand identity, and product qualities. For instance, Blibli.com uses blue to signify loyalty, Bukalapak uses red for energy, Shopee uses orange for positivity, and Tokopedia uses green to symbolize renewal.

Give an example of how Blibli.com uses facial expressions in advertising.

Blibli.com uses a large smiling face in its banner to convey happiness, making the ad more appealing and engaging to viewers.

What role do repeated terms or brand names play in advertising as discussed?

Repetition, such as Bukalapak repeating 'Buka', enhances salience by drawing attention to the brand name, making it more memorable for the viewer.

How does Shopee use 'Vector' in its banners?

Shopee uses vectors to guide the viewer's reading path across the ad, ensuring the audience notices key details like folders, promotions, or featured products.

Why is the use of pastel colors important in Tokopedia’s ads?

Pastel colors in Tokopedia ads convey calmness while maintaining a sense of power and renewal, aligning with the brand’s theme of updating or refreshing its application.

What overall strategy do these e-commerce brands use to attract customers?

They combine direct gaze, symbolism, salience, and color to create visually engaging, emotionally appealing ads that quickly communicate offers, brand identity, and product information.

How does the lecture suggest advertisers should handle facial expressions in ads?

Advertisers should always show happy or positive expressions, as these emotions attract customers and enhance the appeal of the ad.

What does the term 'package' symbolize in the context of advertising during the pandemic?

The term 'package' or 'packet' symbolizes delivery and convenience in e-commerce, highlighting the importance of receiving goods safely at home, which became prominent during and after the pandemic.