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COMM 2411 (Communication and Social Relations) – Assessment Task 3 Draft
Discipline: Advertising
Kit Harvey (s3285863), Chris Soderstrom (s3233655), Timothy Cheok (s3176484)
and Winnie Loo (s 3266349)
Thursday (9.30-11.30am Tute).
Attention: Matthew Loads.
Artefact One: “Neighbours” tour offer window advertisement:
This is a window advertisement located on Flinders Street close to the corner of
Spencer Street, its message is communicated using chalk on a blackboard. This
implies that it may be communicating a limited time offer. In Ad Worlds, Myers
adopts the definition of advertising used by Guy Cook: “the promotion of good or
services for sale through impersonal media” (Cook, 1992, see Myers, 1999). This
artefact, as a sandwich board in a window, fits well within this definition because
promotion by this means requires no social interaction.
In Advertising in America, Ulanoff reveals that the first ever advertising was done
“out-of-doors” via media including posters, billboards and outdoor displays – outdoor
media. The fold-out, standing blackboard/sandwich board is one of the simplest types
of outdoor display still commonly used today – typically seen on footpaths. The
Bunyip Tours advertisement is one of the aforementioned fold-out blackboards,
however it is not positioned on the footpath and instead sits in a sparse and somewhat
gloomy window display. This is possibly due to council regulations that do not permit
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the blackboard to be located on the footpath near a busy corner with lots of pedestrian
traffic.
Myers states that outdoor media advertisements are designed to have “visual impact”
to make them memorable and enticing to potential customers (Myers, 1999). Bunyip
Tours have used several different colours of chalk and also included craft stars and
their own business logo in an attempt to make the advertisement as eye-catching as
possible when viewed from the street. However, unless a passer by stopped to read
the Bunyip Tours Blackboard, they are unlikely to take in much information from it.
It is also unlikely that the sign will be visible to people on the opposite side of
Flinders Street due to distance and traffic in between. These flaws reflect Myers‟
beliefs that signboards are usually only “seen briefly”, and often “…from a distance”.
The word “FREE” appears in very large block letters to give it emphasis, while all
other text on the blackboard is written in comparatively smaller size. The word
„FREE‟ acts as a communication „code‟. It infers value to people that view the
advertisement. This can, in turn, have a positive affect for Bunyip Tours as the
advertiser, as it acts as point of enticement, encouraging people to make use of their
tour service. In Persuasion in Advertising, O‟Shaughnessy and O‟Shaughnessy
concern themselves with the content of advertisements and the psychological
concepts applied by advertisers to achieve effective persuasion. They describe the
“principle of reciprocity” (O‟Shaughnessy and O‟Shaughnessy, 2004), a notion that
can be described using the common saying: “You scratch my back and I‟ll scratch
yours” - an extra incentive is offered to customers to purchase goods or utilise
services. Bunyip Tours offer customers a “FREE Neighbours Tour or Night” when
two full day tours are purchased, as a bonus for customers.
Ulanoff outlines that a distinguishing feature of outdoor advertising is that “it is seen
by the observer on foot, or, at greater speed, in a vehicle”(Ulanoff, 1979). The tour
office where this advertisement is located is in close proximity to back-packers‟
hostels. Bunyip Tours are counting on passers by noticing the sign, particularly those
that are tourists. This particular “Neighbours” Tour is likely to be attractive to
Melbourne‟s visitors, some of whom will be staying in the nearby hostels. Neighbours
itself is a long running, quintessentially Melbourne TV institution that is famously
broadcasted in England and other countries. The TV show is a unique aspect of
Melbourne that many tourists will be hoping to learn more about.
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Artefact Two: Royal Exhibition Building brochure:
The Royal Exhibition Building brochure is a valuable artefact for illustrating ways
that advertisers can engage their audiences. The building is shown as a place of
importance through the use of the colour purple in the brochure. This observation
links to Medieval Europe, where blue dyes were rare and expensive; only the wealthy
or aristocracy could afford them. The piece is a testimony to the building's importance
in Australia's identity throughout history. Also, the structure is illustrated as a
showpiece for all times through its representation in the artefact's images. One
particular image shows the Royal Exhibition Building lit-up at nighttime with
Melbourne's skyline visible in the background. Advertisers assert that the building is,
and always will be, the showpiece and soul of urban Melbourne.
The large dome of the Exhibition Building is strikingly similar to others in the world.
Riddett, an architectural historian, says the building's architect, Joseph Reed, drew on
parameters of Filippo Brunelleschi's great exemplar at Florence Cathedral and the
Crystal Palace in London (Riddett, 2000). This emphasises the notion that Melbourne
is a world city; it shares connectivity with other cities in the world. The Royal
Exhibition Building isn't the only Melbourne structure sharing similarities with
buildings around the world. Other examples include: Princess Bridge and Blackfriars
Bridge, London; Russell Street Police Station and the Empire State Building, New
York; the SBS Building, Federation Square and Berlin's Jewish War Museum.
The building is promoted as nationally significant in the brochure, noted as the
location of Australia's first Federal Parliament in 1901. Emphasis is placed on the
event to promote it as not only a defining moment in Melbourne's history, but
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Australia's (Lennon, 2006). Federation aside, the Royal Exhibition Building has been
the scene of several other defining moments in the nation's history: it was used as a
fever hospital in 1919 to cope with the deadly influenza virus; housed a collection of
war memorabilia after the First World War; it was used for temporary troop
accommodation in 1940; and it was a major migrant reception centre from 1949 to
1962. The building's importance was verified when it was heritage listed in 2004,
becoming Australia's first man-made structure to acquire such recognition. From an
advertising perspective, the listing bolsters promoters' claims of the building's
significance and ensures it will be maintained in the future.
The building is a reminder of the Exhibition movement of the late 19th century. It was
conceived in the tradition of large, open-plan exhibition buildings typical of the
international exhibition movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
It remains one of the few intact examples of its kind in the world. In the brochure, the
building is advertised as a place where people can step back in time and imagine the
city over a century ago. The gold rush helped fund lavish celebrations putting
Australia on the map - particularly with the Victorian Exhibition of 1861, which
served as a preliminary exhibition for a London one in 1862. It was a scene of
limitless possibilities, lavish and decadent celebrations. Contrary to common beliefs,
the Exhibitions of 1880 and 1888 were enormous financial failures (Morrison, 1995),
though, their worth in heightening Victoria's status as a part of Britain's ever-
expanding global empire is undeniable.
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Artefact Three: Green Day graffiti advertisement:
The American rock band Green Day is well known internationally. They have won
countless awards and many of their albums have hit „Platinum‟ status. When they first
announced their 2009 Australian tour it is not surprising that fans were excited. This
artefact is a graffiti artwork showing the cover art from their latest album, „21st
Century Breakdown‟. This may show the passion that one street artist has for the
band. However, with street art now being used for other reasons than to just
communicate the ideas of the artist, the question is: is this the work of a fan or an
advertiser?
The fast pace of modern life affects the way people consume advertising. People have
less time to sit in front of their television sets and watch advertisements, or they
simply skip ads using new TV technologies, such as „Tivo‟. These pressures have
forced advertisers to find new advertising media, such as creative outdoor advertising.
In his book Advertising, MacRury contends that outdoor advertising often gains a
larger audience that first assumed. Those that catch only a glimpse of an
advertisement can often absorb the message unconsciously (MacRury, 2009).
Therefore, graffiti advertisements like those used by Green Day, can gain significant
„bonus‟ exposure, which advertisers now believe they can count on.
Today, many see graffiti as an act of vandalism on private or public property,
however there are people who think otherwise. Christine Dew, in her book
Uncommissioned art: The A-Z of Australian Graffiti‟, states that a mixture of art and
culture in one place helps the city to stay lively (Dew, 2007). It can be argued that
such art is the act of an artist who wants to „speak out‟ and be „heard‟ through their
artistic impressions. A city that is clean and free of any form of street art may be
perceived as being plain and boring. The presence of graffiti art in a city can make it
appear vibrant and attractive. Viewing the famous street and laneway graffiti in
Melbourne is a popular tourist activity.
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A shift has occurred in recent years. Graffiti artists no longer use their artworks just to
communicate their own opinions and ideas. Some artists favour a more „profit
minded‟ approach – people now not only commission graffiti art for private
enjoyment, but also for use as an effective advertising medium. In Heitor Alvelos‟
book, Cultural Criminology Unleashed, (Alvelos, 2004) he describes the impact
graffiti art has had on advertising companies, many of which see such art as a
potential medium for advertising their client‟s messages.
Popular music acts such as Daft Punk, Robert Miles and Massive Attack have also
used graffiti as a form of advertising their new releases. These advertisements have
ranged from a simple image, to a lyric and, like Green Day, the front cover of a
recently released album. This form of advertising depends on a target audience
deciphering the meaning of the message. Fans are very likely to know when a piece of
art is being used to promote their favourite artist‟s music. However, to those that
remain unsure about the message and its purpose, graffiti advertising may appear no
different to the everyday pieces.
A city with empty spaces can draw attention to the litany of infamous „tags‟ common
in many urban environments. Tags are the often illegible, „messy‟ marks left by those
in a hurry to avoid being caught desecrating another‟s property. These empty spaces
are being used, more and more, as locations for graffiti promotion.
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Artefact Four: Moomba Festival balloon advertisement:
This artefact is a balloon advertisement promoting the 2010 Moomba Festival, which
was held between the 5th
and 8th
of March this year. Many replications of the artefact
were distributed to spectators at the Moomba Festival Parade, which is held annually
from 11am on the Victorian Labour Day public holiday. The Moomba Festival, also
known as the Melbourne Moomba Waterfest, is one of Melbourne‟s many well-
known and heavily advertised festivals. The festival, originally dubbed the
“Melbourne Autumn Festival” by the Melbourne City Council, was officially founded
in 1955. A host of events take place during the Moomba festival, the most popular
being the aforementioned Parade, which consists mostly of themed floats traveling
down Swanston Street.
This advertisement, uses large font printed on brightly coloured balloons, which were
handed to spectators at the Moomba Festival Parade to promote the festival and to
inform those who had not yet heard about it. In Semiotics of the media: state of the
art, projects and perspectives, Rozik asserts that pictorial advertising is a form of
iconic communication, because most products and their qualities are embodied by
easily recognizable printed images, printed labels included (Rozik, 1997). He reveals
that most advertisers believe pictorial advertising is more effective and persuasive
than verbal advertising, as one is more able to recall pictures or designs in the mind,
than words.
The colour, design and font of an advertisement play important roles in conveying a
message to a designated audience. The “Moomba Festival” font and the placement of
words depicted on the balloon are the standard font and design used in every
advertisement about the Moomba Festival across different forms of visual media.
Beasley and Danesi state that creating an image for a product is like giving it a
character and personality so that consumers can differentiate it from the others
(Beasley and Danesi, 2002). In this case, a similar logo was used so that consumers
and tourists could differentiate the festival from the various other festivals that
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Melbourne stages, such as the Melbourne Comedy Festival, which also has its own
unique logo.
Events like the Moomba Festival aid in branding the city of Melbourne – an example
of place branding, which, according to Donald and Gammack, is a „rational and
emotional engagement with place, aesthetics and everyday life‟ (Donald &Gammack,
2007). The functions of place branding have evolved from being used only to fuel a
city‟s tourism industry to brand evolution in a nation state. Donald and Gammack also
state that brand image is moulded not just by „marketing programs that make strong,
positive and memorable associations‟, but also via word of mouth and by
identification with particular events, people, or places. Because Moomba is an annual
festival, it has come to form part of Melbourne‟s brand image, helping to boost
Melbourne‟s reputation as “The Event City” – one of the main ways the city is
advertised to the rest of the world.
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References:
1. Ulanoff, S.M PhD 1979, “Outdoor Advertising” (pp. 378-394) from Advertising in
America: An Introduction to Persuasive Communication, Hastings House Publishers,
New York, USA.
2. Myers, G 1999, “What do ads do?” (pp. 3-16), “The Media Mix” (pp. 75-94) and
“Glossary of Keywords” (pp. 216) from Ad Worlds: Brands, Media, Audiences,
Arnold Publishers, London, UK simultaneously with Oxford University Press, New
York, USA.
3. O‟Shaughnessy, J and O‟Shaughnessy, N.J 2004, “What Facilitates Persuasion and
What Inhibits It?” (pp. 1-25) and “Persuasive Advertising Appeals, 1” (pp. 55-93)
from Persuasion in Advertising, Routledge, London, UK simultaneously with
Routledge, New York, USA.
4. Riddett, R (2000). Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building – A case for World
Heritage Significance. Historical Environment, v.14 No. 5, pp. 75-78
5. Morrison, I (1995). The Accompaniments of European Civilisation: Melbourne
Exhibitions 1854-1888. La Trobe Library Journal, v.14, No. 56 pp. 6-11.
6. Lennon, J (2006) Gothic silence or postmodern deconstruction? Presenting the
values based stories of heritage of national significance. Historic environment, Vol.
19, No. 2
7. MacRury, I 2009, „Chapter 3: Marketing, media and communication‟, Advertising,
Routledge, Great Britain, pp.104-105.
8. Alvelos, H 2004, „Chapter 15: The desert of imagination in the city of signs:
cultural implications of sponsored transgression and branded graffiti‟, in Ferrell J,
Hayward K, Morrison W & Presdee, M (eds.), Cultural Criminology Unleashed, 1st
edition, The GlassHouse Press, United Kingdom, pp. 181-191, retrieved on 18 April
2010,
<http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=MkcaQb_8dJUC&oi=fnd&pg=P
A181&dq=graffiti+as+advertisement&ots=1Y863xAVL1&sig=6Z-
qbYxdX8DCo_E1U-
EVNFF5veY#v=onepage&q=graffiti%20as%20advertisement&f=false>
9. Dew, C 2007, „C=City‟, Uncommissioned art: an A-Z of Australian graffiti, The
Mengunyah Press, Australia, pp. 43-50.
10. Beasley, R & Danesi, M 2002, “Positioning and image-creation” (pp. 11-13) from
Persuasive signs: the semiotics of advertising, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin,
Germany
11. Donald, S & Gammack, J 2007, “Branding the City” (pp. 45-61) from Tourism
and the branded city: film and identity on the Pacific Rim, Aldershot, England;
Burlington
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12. Rozik, E 1997, “Pictorial metaphor in commercial advertising” (pp. 159-174)
from Semiotics of the media: state of the art, projects, and perspectives, Walter de
Gruyter & Co, Berlin, Germany
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COMM2411 – Communication and Social Relations
Assessment Task#3, Semester 1, 2010
Map of Revisions
GROUP NAMES & STUDENT NUMBERS:
1. Kit Harvey (s3285863) 2. Chris Soderstrom (s3233655)
3. Timothy Cheok Vee Ming (s3176484) 4. Winnie Loo (s3266349)
Referee Comments
KEY TUTOR FEEDBACK (on WRITTEN
ASSESSMENT TASK #1)
RESPONSE/ACTION
Artefact#1
Descriptions and references worked
well.
The authority of references should have
been more explicitly discussed.
Artefact#2
Expand on finer details of the Royal
Exhibition Building brochure itself.
Be more specific in presentation of
larger arguments.
Artefact#3
Stewart 2008 reference is not scholarly
Artefact#4
Good artefact descriptions. Strong
discussion of object, but references
(Alomes 1985, Arcodia & Whitford
2007 & Moomba Festival 2010) do not
relate to correct field of study.
Kept all references and built upon
descriptions.
Authority of references was considered to
be unnecessary information for the third
assessment task due to word limit.
Deeper analysis of brochure‟s colour
(purple) and images from advertising
perspective; heightens interest and
intrigue surrounding the building by
suggesting its importance.
Provided closer detailing of ideas
presented in the brochure, also
supporting reference information, and
their intended effect on the reader.
Replaced Stewart with MacRury (2009),
which is geared more towards outdoor
advertising.
Replaced these references with Beasley
& Danesi 2002, Donald & Gammack
2007 and Rozik 1997.
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KEY VERBAL FEEDBACK FROM TUTOR
(IN CLASS WORKSHOP AND/OR
PRESENTATION)
Everyone:
Combine references at the end, rather
than at the end of each piece.
Refrain from explaining the context of
referenced information.
Artefact#1
Add a little more communications
theory.
Artefact#2
Work on providing a more level tone
throughout artefact descriptions.
Artefact#3
Tone of the draft was a bit different
Artefact#4
Need to relate second scholarly
reference more effectively to the
artefact.
Combined the 12 references at the end of
the document.
Avoided contextual information in 500
word pieces.
Added a sentence addressing how the
word “FREE” acts as a communication
code.
Through editing of all artefact
descriptions, the final result is more
cohesive.
Adjusted and edited the tone of
description.
Altered a few sentences to include
second scholarly reference.
PEER FEEDBACK
Artefact#1
Add a bit more communications theory
regarding „principle of reciprocity‟
(similar to tutor feedback).
Discussed the role of the word „FREE‟ as
a code.
Artefact#2
Instead of just stating elements and ideas
present in the brochure, explore the
intended affects on the audience.
What events throughout history support
the idea of the building‟s significance?
Explored ideas from brochure and
explained them from an audience
perspective.
Used evidence from the references to
support the significance of the building in
the nation's identity.
Artefact#3
Suggestions to change my artefact as it
did not reflect strongly on advertising.
Changed artefact to one that displays
graffiti advertising more explicitly.