Questionnaire Results

The questionnaire we handed out to people gave us a real indication on where to take our ideas about making a hot chocolate advert. We received many different words to describe a luxurious hot chocolate, but the one we thought stood out the most was 'Indulgence', which was a possible choice for our brand name. When we asked about what the selection of people would include in a hot chocolate advert, the minority of people came back with the words 'comforting and warm'. From these results, we have established that the ideas we came up from in the beginning were similar against what people wanted to see from a hot chocolate advert, hence we wanted to convey a very relaxed atmosphere and scenario. This is what we felt appealed most in a hot chocolate television advert.

Research Questionnaire

As part of our market research, we decided to do some primary research by coming up with a few appropriate questions that we could use in a simple questionnaire. Being able to recognize some opinions from a variety of people is important, as it shows that market research is a valuable part of information before any brand/organisation begins to develop its product and its advertisement campaign.

1. Use an adjective to describe drinking a hot chocolate drink?

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2. How many times a week do you consume a hot chocolate drink?

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3. What do you enjoy about drinking a hot chocolate?

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4. If we were to create an advert for a hot chocolate drink, what in your opinion should we include?

___________________________________________________________

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5. What do you look for in a luxurious hot chocolate brand?

___________________________________________________________

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Case Study of Top Advertisement Agency

London Creative

The following companies have been clients of London Creative in the past:

• Avis
• Bacardi
• Barratt Homes
• British Gas
• Cash Converters
• EasyJet
• First Direct
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Iceland
• Kcom PLC
• Lexmark
• Monarch
• Optimum Films
• Paramount Pictures
• Shell
• Sony Ericsson
• Thompson Local
• White Eagle Plc

Their Services

They love working with companies large and small to examine their business and provide solutions that create extraordinary results. The thrill of providing bespoke solutions to difficult problems - and the excitement and passion of working with a business and creating strategic creative models that make it work even better.

"If you want to create more enquiries, create efficiency or create amazing results - we believe that you deserve the very best"

What do you get?

A company with a proven track record of digital promotion and direct response advertising solutions.

A promise that they will create significant return on investment for you, and focus on:

1. Strategic thinking that improves your bottom line
2. Expert digital promotion and advertising
3. Massive efficiency
4. Expertise in multiple media disciplines
5. Capable and award winning interactive project management
6. Direct response driven creative
7. A small, highly trained team of seniors all with award winning expertise in their field
8. Experience of a wide range of markets and sectors.

www.londoncreative.com

ASA Action

Each year, the UK public sees many millions of ads, direct marketing and digital communications about products, services, charities, causes and awareness campaigns. The vast majority of these are responsible and comply with the existing advertising rules.

Last year we received just over 26,000 complaints and assessed thoroughly every one of those concerns, investigating the ads that seemed to breach the rules.

As a result, nearly 2,500 ads were changed or withdrawn in 2008, thanks to a range of effective sanctions at our disposal and the cooperation of advertisers who respect our decisions

Adjudications

ASA adjudications provide important guidance to advertisers on how the Advertising Codes are to be interpreted. They act as a transparent record of our policy for consumers, media, government, industry and society at large on what is and isn’t acceptable in advertising.

Sanctions

The vast majority of advertisers and broadcasters comply with ASA rulings; however, for the small minority who don’t, there are consequences.

The main aim of the system is to help ensure compliance with the Advertising Codes, rather than punish advertisers. However, some of the sanctions at our disposal can be detrimental to those advertisers who choose to not comply.

One of the most persuasive is bad publicity – an advertiser’s reputation can be badly damaged if it is seen to be flouting the rules designed to protect consumers.

Non-broadcast

The majority of sanctions for non-broadcast advertising are co-ordinated through CAP, whose members are trade associations representing advertisers, agencies and media. There are several CAP sanctions, which can be employed in different circumstances:

Ad Alerts - CAP can issue alerts to its members, including the media, advising them to withhold services such as access to advertising space.

Withdrawal of trading privileges - CAP members can revoke, withdraw or temporarily withhold recognition and trading privileges. For example, the Royal Mail can withdraw its bulk mail discount, which can make running direct marketing campaigns prohibitively expensive.

Pre-vetting - Persistent or serious offenders can be required to have their marketing material vetted before publication. For example, CAP’s poster industry members can invoke mandatory pre-vetting for advertisers who have broken the CAP Code on grounds of taste and decency or social responsibility – the pre-vetting can last for two years.

Sanctions in the digital space - In addition to the above-mentioned options CAP has further sanctions that can be invoked to help ensure marketers’ claims on their own websites, or in other non-paid-for space under their control, comply with the Codes.

Broadcast

For broadcast advertisements, the responsibility to withdraw, change or reschedule a commercial lies with the broadcasters.

Broadcasters are obliged by a condition of their broadcast licences to enforce ASA rulings. If they persistently run ads that breach the Codes, broadcasters risk being referred by the ASA to Ofcom, which can impose fines and even withdraw their licence to broadcast.

Although the obligation to comply with the Codes rests with the broadcaster, advertisers also suffer consequences if their broadcast ads breach the Codes.

They might, for example, face bad publicity generated by an upheld complaint to the ASA. Advertisers might also have wasted hundreds of thousands of pounds making the banned advertisement in the first place and lost the revenue that it might have generated. And because broadcasters cannot show ads that breach the Codes, advertisers might lose prime advertising slots in which a banned ad has been booked to appear.

Finally, any advertisements that break the Codes are disqualified from industry awards, denying advertisers and the agencies that created the ads the opportunity to showcase their work.

Regulations Research

It is important to understand and research what is regulated, how, why and what. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) go to great lengths and care to efficiently regulate thousands of adverts that are produced every year.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the self-regulatory organisation (SRO) of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation.

The strength of the self-regulatory system lies in both the independence of the ASA and the support and commitment of the advertising industry, through the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), to maintaining the high standards laid down in the Advertising Codes, which are designed to protect consumers and create a level playing field for advertisers.

Every week, the ASA’s decisions send out clear signals about what is and is not acceptable in advertising across a wide range of sectors. As a result of their work - and the UK industry’s commitment to advertising responsibly - the vast majority of ads that they see are legal, decent, honest and truthful.

Today, the UK advertising regulatory system is a mixture of:

self-regulation for non-broadcast advertising and co-regulation for broadcast advertising.

• Magazine and newspaper advertisements

• Radio and TV commercials (not programmes or programme sponsorship)

• Television Shopping Channels

• Posters on legitimate poster sites (not fly posters)

• Leaflets and brochures

• Cinema commercials

• Direct mail (advertising sent through the post and addressed to you personally)

• Door drops and circulars (advertising posted through the letter box without your name on)

• Advertisements on the Internet, including banner and display ads and paid-for (sponsored) search

• Marketing communications on companies’ own websites and in other, non-paid-for space under their own control

• Commercial e-mail and SMS text message ads

• Ads on CD ROMs, DVD and video, and faxes

• We regulate sales promotions, such as special offers, prize draws and competitions wherever they appear.

History of Ad Regulations

1961 onwards - Protecting consumers, testing claims

When commercial TV started broadcasting in 1955, the advertisements were controlled by legislation. This was the first time that advertisements – and the claims they made - were subject to any form of formal regulation. When commercial radio was launched in 1973, they too were subject to statutory control.In 1961, the Advertising Association, following discussions with other industry associations, agreed that it was important that advertisements were welcomed and trusted by consumers in non-broadcast media too.

In 1962, CAP established the ASA as the independent adjudicator under the newly created Code. The Authority was set up to supervise the working of the new self-regulatory system in the public interest.

1974 onwards - Introduction of the levy

In 1973, the Minister for Consumer Protection, Shirley Williams, criticised the system for not being well-known enough.

In response, the industry set up the Advertising Standards Board of Finance (Asbof) in 1974 to provide sufficient and secure funding for the system through a levy of 0.1% on advertising space costs.

Because the ASA is not responsible for collecting the levy itself, its independence is assured. The levy also provides enough funding for the ASA to promote itself to the public.

1988 onwards - Legal backstop

In 1988, the introduction of the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations provided the ASA with legal backing from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). These regulations enabled the ASA, for the first time, to refer advertisers who made persistent misleading claims and refused to co-operate with the self-regulatory system to the OFT for legal action.

The ASA still has the ability to refer advertisers to the OFT for unfair or misleading advertising, but today we would refer under theConsumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, which replaced the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988.

2004 onwards - Becoming the one-stop shop

In 2004, after more than forty years of successful self-regulation of non-broadcast ads, the ASA/CAP system assumed responsibility for TV and radio ads.

The newly-formed communications regulator, Ofcom, took the decision, in a move supported by Parliament, to contract-out responsibility for broadcast (TV and radio) advertising to the ASA system in a co-regulatory partnership. The co-regulatory agreement created for the first time in the UK a single regulator for advertising – a one-stop shop for advertising complaints.

To create the one-stop shop, broadcast equivalents of the non-broadcast institutions (ASA/ CAP/ Asbof) were established. A new industry committee, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice, was created to write and maintain the Broadcast Advertising Codes. The Broadcast Advertising Standards Board of Finance (Basbof) was established to collect the 0.1% levy on broadcast advertising space costs and an ASA (Broadcast) was launched to administer the Codes.

Although there are various constituent parts, the system runs as a single advertising regulator. This is particularly important for members of the public who want a complaints system that’s easy to navigate.

From under 100 complaints in its first year of operation, the ASA now receives around 26,000 complaints a year. This is mainly due to the fact that the one-stop shop ASA is well known; has a much broader remit and it is easier to complain.

2010 onwards - What next for advertising self-regulation?

Over the years, the advertising self-regulatory system has responded to changes in society and media. The system is continuing to develop based on the enduring principles that ads should not mislead, harm or offend.

A major challenge for the system is to maintain standards in fast-developing new media as effectively as in established media.

Video-on-demand

In December 2009, following the UK government’s decision that new rules relating to video-on-demand (VOD) services should be delivered under a co-regulatory framework, the ASA entered into a co-regulatory partnership with Ofcom to regulate advertisements accompanying VOD services. With the rise of VOD consumers are able to watch programmes at a time of their own choosing, and it was necessary that these new services be subject to the same standards as ‘linear’ programming on TV.

In May 2010 the ASA upheld its first complaint about an ad accompanying VOD content, judging that the ad in question had not been appropriately targeted around a suitable programme.

As with broadcast advertising, broadcasters who continually air ads that break the Codes can be referred to Ofcom, which has the power to fine them or even revoke their license.

Digital Media

In 1995 the self-regulation of the internet began as the ASA’s remit was extended to cover advertisements in ‘non-broadcast electronic media’, predominantly in ‘paid-for space’ such as banner and display ads and paid-for (sponsored) search.

Such has been the growth in online content and usage that in 2007 the Internet became the second most complained about medium behind television - drawing approximately three thousand complaints per year - and has remained so ever since. However, nearly two-thirds of these complaints fell outside of the ASA’s remit as they related to claims made on companies’ own websites.

To address this regulatory gap and to broaden the existing protections for consumers and children online, Industry recommended that the ASA extend its remit in digital media to cover marketing communications on companies’ own websites.

In September 2010 the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), the body responsible for writing the CAP Code, responded to this formal request by announcing the extension of the ASA’s online remit to cover advertisers own marketing communications on their own websites and in other non-paid-for space under their control, such as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Journalistic and editorial content and material related to causes and ideas - except those that are direct solicitations of donations for fund-raising - are excluded from the remit.

The extended remit came into force on 1 March 2011, following a six month period of grace to allow the ASA and CAP to conduct training work to raise awareness and educate business on the requirements of the CAP Code.

Source: http://www.asa.org.uk

Forms & Conventions

To help me develop and produce my advert, I will first need to research the forms and conventions into what makes a good advert. It is important to fully grasp the forms and conventions, which initially are followed by most globally successful advertising firms/businesses. For me to be able to recognise the most valuable forms and conventions I will be able to use it as a aid in which I can produce an effective advert using my full initiative.

Forms and Conventions:

Using a celebrity to sell the product... (Calvin Klein, Pepsi)

Being unusual (Cadburys gorilla advert)

Brand name continuously advertised over and over again

Using a popular song to sell the product...e.g.. Boots "Hear come the girls"

Is memorable and easily recalled.

Catch tag lines e.g.. Haribo "Kids and grown ups love them too"

Provide information quickly and sufficiently.

Shot styles....close up on face of persons face, shows expression e.g. Many charities use this to create guilt and sympathy.

Calls the viewer to action.

Creating an episode e.g. BT adverts did this automatically... you relate this to the product and create a connection to the family or people in it.

Style e.g. Carlsberg "You know who your friends are"

Connect with the audience.

All of the things you see in an advert are influenced by what the public/target market want; for example cadburys realised that the public wanted something a little more unusual and something they can remember It may not necessarily relate to the product. But it gets word of mouth going "Did you see that new cadburys advert ?" and you instantly remember it.

These are the forms and conventions that companies are looking at to sell their product.

What makes a good TV Advert?

One way to make a good television advert is to use people in the commercial. By using people in the advert the viewer gets a more reality feel to it. It gets the viewer to create an understanding with the advert and appeals to them more. This is why when we create our advert we want to use a human to create that bond.

Planning - One of the main aspects of creating a good television advert is to plan out what you are going to do first. If you plan out exactly what you are going to do you will then realise any mistakes or misunderstandings that might happen. If you were not to plan your television advert before you did it then straight away you will be able to see the chaos and confusion when watching it.

Scenery/Setting - Another big part of making sure you make a good television advert is to choose the background and setting wisely. This is because if you can crack the setting of a TV advert the rest will be a lot easier. An example of this would be the recent advert for the audi R8 advert which uses a white background so you will focus only on the car. This is very clever marketing.

Sound - This is a main feature in a television advert as it provides it with appeal and draws the audience into buying the product being advertised. And this is the only reason we make television adverts. By using the right sound (just like settings) the rest will flow and make the advert more appealing.

Television Advertisement Analysis

Horlicks 'Made for Evenings' Advert (UK)

Watching this advert, It shows a clear idea of what Horlicks are trying to promote through this advert and their drink. When watching it for the first time, as a viewer it was affective as the idea of consuming the drink after a long day at work shows what their product is trying to express, 'a relaxing, soothing drink'.

The advert consists of various quick cuts and editing, switching between different people in different locations. The narrator speaks over the quick close up shots to help the viewer establish what the advert is about.

The horlicks advert begins with various people making coffee in the morning before work. There are close up shots between these quick cuts of the coffee and the process in making it. As the advert continues the narrator speaks over sections on the clips in which the people are seen to be making coffee or tea. This helps the audience to recognise the other two main hot drinks that are regularly consumed within an average persons day. The ending of the advert helps to bring together the other elements of the advert, in which it show's a woman coming home from a busy day at work, putting up her feet and making her self a Horlicks. Narrator then begins to say that 'Horlicks is the only drink that makes sense in the evenings' as which this presents what Horlicks is trying to promote to their market as an evening drink.

Overall I feel that this Horlicks advert its relatively effective in which the quick close-up cuts and precise angles in-fluctuate the audience into the purchase of this product. As research into a variety of hot drink adverts, we found this overall useful and helped us to establish some of the conventions into hot drinks advertisement.

Options Hot Chocolate Advert (USA)

In my view I feel this advert is an effective one because it is one of those few adverts that you remember for a long time. It is based on a speed dating format in which a young to middle aged lady meets men who have the characteristics (and the attire) of the different flavors that options produce. She speaks to each one of them as they give a little description of themselves. In the end she falls for the mint chocolate flavor as they start franticly kissing in the middle of the scene.

They also advertise in the advert that the options hot chocolate is also only 40 calories. This is a good input because when you think of hot chocolate you always think it is going to be high in calories. The surprising thing in this however is that the 40 calories is in small writing in the corner of the screen. This might have something to do with American advertisement because in British adverts one of the main selling points is that its low in calories.

The end scene in the advert shows all the different flavors of hot chocolate lined up facing the camera with the caption 'Options There's One That's You' showing at the bottom of the screen. I feel that this is a good caption as it shows all the flavors that they make and the brand name all in one shot.

The only disadvantage that I can see from this advert is that when the speed dating format is in place the other flavors of hot chocolate are shown to be almost weird and disappointing. This does not seem like a good way of showing the other products. however the caption at the end of the advert does counter balance this.

Overall i feel that this advert is an effective example as it keeps the audience entertained, constantly reminds you of what the product is that they are advertising. These are the main selling points when it comes to a successful television advert.

What market should we focus on?

When deciding to do a TV advert we were not exactly sure which market we wanted to focus on. We decided after much consideration that the most suited market for us would be the food and drink.

As we thought that this would suit us most we then had to decide on which area in food and drink we should use our knowledge on. Then after searching on a video site Youtube, looking at different ideas we decided the one that suited our ideas the most was to do a hot chocolate advert. We chose this because the ideas we had and wanted to convey on our television advert would work the best with a hot drink. The ideas we had were to use an upmarket standard of advert that oozes class and safistication.

The next step was to create a questionnaire and interview on our ideas and see what the general public and people inside the industry think.