Key concepets of adverts - Narrative

Just as narrative theories apply to films and TV shows, they also apply to adverts. TV advertiser's main goal is to convince consumers to buy products and in doing so they create stories surrounding them.

The structure of the narrative is a reference to the ways the story is told. There are lots of different ways of telling stories and therefore many different narrative structures can be used.

Linear or sequential narrative structures  are the most simple. We are presented with a version of the events as they happened with the beginning, middle and the end in the 'correct' order. Like Soap operas taht give us an endless linear narrative.

Non linear or non-sequential narrative structures  therefore refer to productions where the story is presented in any other fashion. They may occur when we see the same events from a number of points of view, or where the ending is shown and the advertiser decides to tell us the story of how we got to that destination.
Flashbacks  are a form of non sequential narrative that involve details of the past being revealed before us on the screen.

Realist or anti realist narratives can also be discussed. Obviously, a realist narrative will draw its power from the portrayal of actual possible events. An anti realist narrative will have the freedom to indulge in the inclusion of aliens, vampires and all kinds of CGI.

Endings are also an important part of narrative structure and warrant much analysis. They can be open, where we are left with a sense that the story is unfinished or may continue after the section of the narrative we have seen. Alternatively, they are closed and present a definite end to the story being told.

The narrative of my chocolate bar adverts will present the viewer with the idea that the confectionary item is desirable and also brings something different into their life.

Propp and Todorov's theories can be applied to adverts as well. Will I give the role of a hero to a character? Will the advert show a disruption and resolution? Will the narrative be goal-orientated or just a journey? These are the ideas I could incorporate in my advert in ultimaletely the narrative that reflects the sweetness of the honey inside of the bar the best will be chosen.

Textual analysis of ebay stop-motion viral advert

This advert has used over 1000 photos and put them together smoothly through the editing. It appears that quite a few of the photos may have been manipulated on a photo editing software which improves the overall quality of the stop-motion movement. Even though the photos are shown in a smooth sequence the audience can notice  most cuts to the next image; for this video, the stop-start movement adds to the quirky inventiveness of the advert. The appeal of stop-motion is the focus on fantasy rather than reality so, with the picture by picture movement,  a tennis ball can appear to come out of a page. Since the photos are edited to seem animated the creator can have a lot more happen than if they were filming  which gives the video a sense of  being a cartoon in real life. The stop-motion movement is interesting and creative with what is done with it.

The only sound in the advert is the non-diegetic music. It is whimsical and has a steady rhythm which compliments the different items in the advert as well as the movement. The acoustic guitar suggests a mellow mood and the voice of the female singer has a soft tone and a high pitch thus  giveing the advert a playful and fun undertone. The song isn't very complex which is in cooperation with the simplicity of the white colour.

 There is not as much emphasis on the camera angle and framing since each of the pictures make a continuous sequence of different photo shots. However, when a shirt seems to be pulled out of the page there is a fast zoom out so the whole shirt can be seen as well as the table being worked on and the sheet of paper made to look like the ebay website. This angle highlights the almost instant delivery aspect of the website since the shirt just pops out of the page and the quickness of the zoom-out tells the audience that the delivery service is very quick. The continuous aerial shot of the page shows the whole drawn and animated website indicating that the website is accessible and easy to use.

A lot of colour is displayed by the props in contrast to the simplicity of the white paper backgrond. This is let's the audience know that the website is very straightforward and that you can bring colour to your life by buying items online easily and having them delivered quickly but also being able to sell items easily as shown by the small house sinking into the page. The movement of the drawings on the page are fluid and yet messy at times  which makes it appealing to watch and directs the user to expect the website to be innovative like the advert.


The slogan 'shopping worth talking about' hints at the idea of spreading the word p others about the website to get the viewer to promote the website themselves since the website's creative and innovative functions are meant to be 'worth' visiting and speaking about. This has seemed to be successful as the advert went viral on the internet.

This advert is effective because overall because of the creative stop-motion and use of pros going in and out of the page as well as the hand drawn website. This makes the user feel as if it is so responsive and simple to use that they could have designed the website themselves.