The document discusses how the media producer's products use, develop, and challenge conventions of real media. Their two main products were perfume advertisements for men and women. Their ancillary texts were a radio ad and TV sponsorship. For the advertisements, they used realistic forms but challenged conventions by not using celebrity endorsement. They developed dramatic styles by not including a stereotypical romance. They challenged theories like Richard Dyer's by creating escapism through sound rather than just visuals. Representations of the male actor followed conventions but were influenced by a Gucci ad. The radio ad developed conventions through descriptive language informed by their market research. The TV sponsorship similarly developed conventions seen in other sponsorships through its presentation of the brand

1. Q1: IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR
MEDIA PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP,
OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS?
Sofia Mazmanidou

2. What is Advertising?
Advertising is the process of promoting business products, services and information to an audience.
This is a form of communication between the manufacturer and the consumer. These
advertisements are paid for and huge agencies make a vast amount of profit by creating these
adverts and then distributing them in many forms. These forms vary from print media such as
newspapers, leaflets, posters to adverts on the TV, radio, and on the web. It has become an
economic force to everyone as it benefits both the manufacturer and the consumer. As well as that,
advertisement are part of our urban landscape as they are such a big factor in the business and
media industry. This is because by advertising a product it constructs and creates a image for the
audience which lures them in whether it is just their time or actually making them buy it.
The aim of my portfolio was to create two main products and two ancillary texts. My two pain
products were perfume advertisements for him and her, and my ancillary texts were a radio advert
and TV Sponsorship. My research and planning was significantly important as I had to include
conventions which would be best suited for my target audience. Across my research, I also came
across theorist which I knew would beneficial during my production. Theorists such as Barthes,
Richard Dyer, Bandura, Hall and many more enhanced my knowledge and allowed me to put their
theories into use.

3. Advert Influences
Specific existing perfume adverts were a significant inspiration for my own production as it guided me
when I was lacking creativity and ideas. It was not only useful within technical elements of the advert but
also macro concepts such as themes and messages which they transmitted.
Content and Visual Style Artist Representation Structure and further Representation

4. Does my media product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
Form: I have used a realistic form to show how good the product that I am
advertising is. This creates a sense of realism as well as reality through the
narrative. I have developed and challenged the realistic form by not using celebrity
endorsement and using a typical male.
Styles: I have used a dramatic style advert, as my male actor is confident and is
seen as dramatic. This is evident through the facial expressions and the body
language. I have developed this, by not including a female actress who falls in love
with the male actor as this is stereotypical and is always expected in a perfume
advert.
Theory: I have used yet challenged Richard Dyer’s Utopian solution within my
advert as I tried to create escapism for my target audience through the use of
sound.
Character representation: I have used the conventions of real media products as I
portrayed my male actor as ‘sexy’ through the use of costumes. This was heavily
influenced by a Gucci advert, thus the representation of my male actor.

5. Cinematography
After researching and analysing many different perfume adverts, the
Gucci – Envy for Men advert was the one that inspired me the most
during my production. The simple cinematography of consistent close
ups and mid shots not only emphasised on the male actors physical
appearance but also allowed the target audience to create meanings
through the camera work.
I have used and challenged the conventions of the Gucci advert by
adapting it to my own ideas. For example, the close ups of the actors
facial expression was used in order to have an effect on the females
despite being a product for males. The facial expressions connote
masculinity in which aspirers and mainstreamers would look up to and
possibly imitate.

6. In both adverts, a direct mode address is used to create masculinity this
is shown through the serious facial expression.
Gents Perfume Advert for him Gucci Envy for him

7. Sound
Choosing a sound was a difficult process as I believe the use of sound
creates a significant difference to the overall advert. I have used an
instrumental non copyright sound called “The Jazz Piano”. The reason
for this choice is because, I believe that it worked well with my
cinematography, mise en scene, as well as my form and style. Jazz
music is mostly popular within the male target audience therefore
works well with my male actor and the representation of him.

8. Mise En Scene
Mise en Scene refers to everything that could be seen within the shot. There are 5 elements which are
included within the mise en scene, these are: Costume hair & make up, setting, iconography, lighting, colour,
body language and facial expressions.
• Costume, Hair & Make Up create a whole new character as it gives them characteristics which allows the
target audience to refer from and make assumptions.
• Setting is the location in which the scene takes places. Within my adverts, I have chosen to film both in real
life settings as well as using a Green screen. This created a different experience to me yet ultimately allowed
me to create something I did not think was possible.
• Iconography is the significant object which is used within the scene to create a reaction from the audience.
In my advert it was the perfume bottle.
• Lighting conveys the characters characteristics by portraying them in either a light or dark way. This creates a
mood within the advert and allows the audience to make assumptions about the production and the
meanings it offers.
• Body language and Facial Expressions are extremely important during the production of my advert as I
believe it allows the target audience to understand more and relate to the actor.
I believe I have used, developed and challenged mise en scene conventions throughout my production.

9. Mise En Scene: Costume, Hair & Make-Up
When researching existing male perfume adverts, costume, hair and
make-up remains the same throughout. There is either no make up at
all or minimal make up on the male actors. This could possibly
represent the ideology of make-up being feminine and as they are
perfumes for men they do not want to cause controversy. Further to
this, hair also remains very similar amongst many male adverts. I had
chosen to use these similar mise en scene conventions of male
adverts in order to not confuse my target audience. The sleek back
hair is neat and looked after which may imply on the fact that males
like to look good especially successful men. As my slogan for my
advert was “Gents- All A Man Is”, through the mise en scene, I am
using yet challenging men who do not look like the typical male in an
advert to wonder “What makes a man a Gent?”

10. Mise En Scene: Setting
Setting is very important when trying to convey a specific
message to your target audience. In my advert, I have chosen
to use the setting of a high class professional room. The
reason for this CGI setting was to support the idea of the
“successful” man I was portraying through my slogan. I
challenged the conventional sexy advert being in a low key
setting by creating a bright room despite the dark décor. In
the Gucci advert, the setting is unclear due to the lighting, I
wanted to develop this by challenging that sexiness is created
only in a dark room.

11. Mise En Scene: Iconography
Commonly, most adverts I had analysed did not portray their
iconography as clear as I believe they should have. Throughout my
advert, I ensured to not confuse my target audience with what
isn’t the main product thus I used the constant shots and editing
techniques to keep the perfume bottle the main priority within
the advert. I had chosen to develop this in comparison to other
existing products in order to not put the viewers/audiences off a
specific advert due to confusion.

12. Mise En Scene: Lighting
I challenged the conventional sexy advert being in a low key
setting by creating a bright room despite the dark décor. In the
Gucci advert, the setting is unclear due to the lighting, I wanted
to develop this by challenging the ideology that sexiness is
created only in a dark room. Also, by working with high key
lighting, it is clearer to the audience what message needs to be
conveyed, therefore low key may have caused problems.

13. Mise En Scene: Body language & Facial
Expression
Body language and facial expressions play a significant role in
advertising. I used the conventional ideas of having my actor with a
open posture. The reason for this is because it implies confidence
and strength. As evident from both of the snip shots of the posture
of my actor, his body language and facial expression presents him
as fearless and powerful thus connoting and hinting at the
masculinity that this perfume provides any man with.

14. Theorists
• Richard Dyer – Utopian Solutions
• Adorno – Popular Culture
• Barthes – Semiotics

15. Do my ancillary texts, use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
The two ancillary texts which were created alongside my main products
were:
• Radio advert
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PC5XIqQP0c
• TV Sponsorship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgJswntlCoA

16. Radio Advert
I found that Radio adverts were harder to create especially when there is only
much you can give to your target audience through words. Through my thorough
research, in my primary research results, I gave an open question to find out what
they look for in a perfume. Through my results, I used similar adjectives to explain
the perfumes scent. I had used my primary research results as help yet developed
them through sound effects and soundtracks from existing adverts. Similarly, the
Nina Ricci perfume advert, chose to describe the perfume to the weather, I also
used this as I believe it enhanced the listeners senses by allowing them to imagine
and give them a sense of escapism through the descriptive language of nature.
(Richard Dyer- Utopian solutions)

17. TV Sponsorship
After looking at existing TV Sponsorships, I found that many TV Sponsorships did
not last too long therefore I challenged the convention time length by creating a 31
second sponsorship. I chose to sponsor the show Love Island as it is about beauty,
love, self appearance which my product (perfume) is related to. The Superdrug TV
Sponsorship was what influenced me thus I chose to use, challenge and develop
some of their ideas. I chose to use the slide in bar which introduces the sponsor,
but I developed it by locating it at the top of the page. The reason for this is
because, I believe that it is easier for the audience to see the products and
therefore be aware of the brand. I also chose to use different shot angles and to
not blur my couple to create a clearer advert.

18. Conclusion
Overall, throughout my production I have used, developed and
challenged existing products. This has been achieved in many ways,
either through cinematography, mise en scene, editing or other micro
elements within my work. This was all useful due to my thorough
research and planning on perfume advertisements which had given me
the confidence to challenge existing ideas.