This document outlines 12 types of advertising identified by Donald Gunn: 1) Demo, 2) Show the problem, 3) Symbolize the problem, 4) Contrast with competition, 5) Exemplary story, 6) Benefit causes story, 7) Presenter testimonial, 8) Ongoing character/celebrities, 9) Show benefit through symbol/exaggeration, 10) Associated user imagery, 11) Unique personality property, 12) Parody or borrowed format. Each type is defined and an example advertisement is described to illustrate how it fits that type of advertising.

1. Donald Gunn’s 12 types
of advertising
Unit 15: Advertising Production
Learning Aim A
Omar Rasoul

2. Type one: Demo
• This is a visual demonstration of a
products capabilities and shows benefit
of the product.
• In this Cillit Bang advert we can see type
one in the scenes where we see the
product being sprayed to clean certain
stains and the demonstration when the
coin is put in the solution.

3. Type two: Show the problem
• In this type of advert you first, make it
clear that somethings not right in the
consumers life and you show this. It isn’t
enough to imply that there is a problem
the advert has to make it manifest and
make it clear. Then the advert almost
invariably introduces the solution which is
the product being sold.
• In this Dettol advert the problem is shown
through the stains and also when it zooms
into the stains to show the bacteria.

4. Type three: Symbolise the problem
• This format is similar to the previous type,
but this time you employ a “symbol,
analogy, or exaggerated graphic” to
represent the problem, therefore the
advert doesn’t show the real problem or
need to as it instead shows an
exaggeration of the problem or a symbol
meant to represent the need or problem.
• In the case of this advert the graphic/
symbol is seen when the camera zooms
into the stain and we can see the graphic
of the bacteria in a molecular form.

5. Type four: Contrast with competition
• In this type, the spotlight is on the
claim that your product is superior to
those of your competitors.
• In this case we can see that this print
advert for Fairy compares one
container of their brand has the same
worth and effectiveness of two no
name brand containers.

6. Type five: Exemplary story “Show the actual
benefit”
• These adverts create a narrative that helps give
the audience an image or visualisation of the
product’s benefits. In Donald Gunn’s own words,
the key is to create “a situation where you’d use
(the product) and be very glad for it.
• In this advert for ‘Ariel stain remover’ the
narrative created is that a stain occurs on a
family day out where the sheets they are sitting
on are stained and then the product is used to
remove the statin, and in this sense we are
shown a scenario where people would benefit
from the product and be glad they used it.

7. Type six: Benefit causes story
• These adverts use the benefit that the
story causes to tell a story that is usually
quite exaggerated. These adverts focus
less on the use of the product typically,
the advert doesn’t advertise the product
until the very end, setting it up as the
answer to why something is the way it is in
the story.
• In the case of this advert the benefit is
that the deodorant makes the man look
more cool and composed and this causes
the story because before hand he was
acting in a way that could be seen as
foolish.

8. Type seven: Presenter testimonial “tell it”
• This can take the form of a “real
person” testimonial, or it might be a
classic talking-head advert.
• This advert showcases this type
through the presenter who is walking
the audience through the product and
things like what its features are.

9. Type eight: Ongoing character & celebrities
• The viewer may remember the advert
just fine and yet forget which brand it
was for. The use of a recurring character
or celebrity, can help a brands identity
into the viewers brain.
• In the case of the adverts for ‘Old Spice’
the actor Terry Crews is a recurring
character in these adverts and what this
does is not only does it make the ads
more memorable but it also creates a
sense of continuity between them and
helps the viewer subliminally link the
actor with the brand.

10. Type nine: Show benefit through a symbol,
analogy, or exaggerated graphic
• Like the fifth type of advert, this type shows
the benefit, however this time, the advert
shows the benefit through a symbol or
exaggeration.
• In this advert the benefit of the product is
shown through an exaggerated graphic and a
symbol. The symbol is seen when she takes out
the strepsil and it transforms in to a first aid
kit with the plus symbol on it and then back
again, this links it to hospitals and the idea
that it is supposed to aid the person. The
exaggerated graphic is shown through the
cactus which disappears when the strepsisls
package is but next to it this shows that the
product will make your sore throat or
discomfort which is signified through the cactus
disappear.

11. Type ten: Associated user imagery
• Here, the advertiser showcases the
type of people it hopes you’ll
associate with the product. Often
these people will be hip, funny, or
good-looking people. But sometimes
the associated users are goofy or
geeky – it depends on the target
market.
• In the case of this advert a man is
shown and this associates the
product with the man making it clear
that it is a men’s product, in this
case a men’s hygiene product.

12. Type eleven: Unique personality property
• These spots highlight something
indigenous to the product that will
make it stand out. It could be the
country of origin (a sports car boasting
about German engineering) or a special
feature (product is water proof).
• In this advert the unique trait of the
product that is highlighted is that it is
able to be taken outside the house and
still play console level games, this is
shown through the scenes where we
see the product being used on the
plane and outside.

13. Type twelve: Parody or borrowed format
• This is when an advert parodies or
references a film or television property
linked to pop culture in order to advertise
the product in a way that would make it
engaging and enjoyable for people to
watch.
• This advert applies this format through the
numerous references and at parts parodies
of scenes from Back to the future to
create comedy and advertise the product.
In this advert this is shown when the
Toyota company man recreates the scene
from the first film when Doc Brown builds
a diorama in order to explain the situation
to Marty, in this advert he does this to
explain the product to them. Other things
such as the company man reciting lines
from the film is supposed to be comedic
for the audience.