Help?

My english professor assigned an explanatory essay thats worth 15% of my grade. I had to pick an advertisement, i chose maybelline,and write 1000+ words about its words, images, and hidden messages. Can anyone tell me if it's A material, or if my spelling/ wording/ grammar is correct?



Maybe It’s Maybelline, or Maybe It’s Just Advertising



Each and every day millions of advertisements are displayed on television commercials, billboards on highways, newspapers, and even in magazines. It is almost impossible to go throughout the day without seeing an advertisement somewhere, or hearing one on the radio. One study reports that during an average day a single person is exposed to over five hundred advertising claims of various types. (McClintock). The ways that people view products is greatly varied upon the types of advertising the company uses. Many advertisements use different techniques and appeals to create a desire for the product. The Maybelline advertisement in the October issue of Seventeen magazine creates a desire for its product through the use of words, images, and hidden messages.

First of all, the Maybelline advertisement uses words to make their product more desirable . One of the words that was used in this advertisement was the word “glam”. The word glam, which is short for glamourous, is usually associated with people of high status or celebrities. According to author Jib Fowles this advertising appeal is the need for prominence. Fowles describes the need for prominence as “ ... the need to be admired and respected, to enjoy prestige and high social status.” Another word that stands out in this advertisement is “falsies”. According to Maria Motolese, a 17 year old high school student “ This makes me think of fake eye lashes, it makes me think I’m going to look like I have long fake eyelashes if I use this product. ” There is also a phrase that Maybelline likes to use in their advertisements, “Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline.” This is an advertising technique called glittering generalities. “ ...advertisers surround their products with attractive- and slippery- words and phrases. They use vague terms that are difficult to define and that may have different meanings to different people...” (McClintock). This Maybelline advertisement uses many words and phrases to make their product more desirable.

Along with the use of words this advertisement also uses images to make their product desirable. Maybelline used a young beautiful model to advertise for this product. The use of having a single person in an advertisement is an advertising appeal called the need for autonomy. The need for autonomy is having an “ I can do it all by myself ” attitude. In the background of this advertisement there is also a picture of New York City. New York City is associated with being high status, which is an advertising technique called transfer. “In transfer, advertisers try to improve the image of a product by associating it with a symbol most people respect.... the advertisers hope that the prestige attached to the symbol will carry over to the product” (McClintock). Another way this advertisement uses images is with the use of vibrant colors. This advertisement uses the colors blue and purple to draw attention to the product. “ Purple is the symbol of royalty and wealth” (Psychology of Color, The). According to Amanda Harris, an 18 year old college student, “ the colors used in this advertisement really make me want to try the product; the colors are so bright and really grabbed my attention, especially on the dark background which really make the other colors in it stand out.” There is also a blue box around the women’s face. The color blue symbolizes trustworthiness, dependableness, and commitment. As you can see, this advertisement uses many different images to make the product seem more desirable.

Most importantly, this advertisement uses hidden messages to create a desire for the product. According to Motolese and Harris, neither of them knew what a hidden message really was. According to Motolese “ I don’t really know what a hidden message is. Could a hidden message be the tiny print on the bottom of the advertisement? ” Many people do not know what a hidden message exactly is but there are plenty of examples in this advertisement, and in every advertisement. This advertisement claims that the product will give the user “ 300% more visible lashes from corner to corner. ” Which leaves some people who see this advertisement with one question, 300% more lashes than what? Is this advertisement trying to say 300% more visible lashes than if they use any mascara at all or if they use other brands of mascara? According to Harris “ I’m assuming that they mean 300% more visible lashes than any other mascara brand on the market.” But on the other hand Motolese claims “ I think they mean 300% more visible lashes than not using any mascara at all ” This advertisement isn’t exactly clear as to what it means when it says 300% more visible lashes corner to corner. This may leave some people who view this advertisement with the wrong impression of the product. This advertising technique called card stacking.

In conclusion, there are many different advertising techniques and appeals that advertisers use to make their product seem more desirable, like card stacking, the use of glittering generalities, and the need for autonomy to name a few. The Maybelline advertisement in the October issue of Seventeen magazine creates a desire for its product through the use of words, images, and hidden messages.