The Guardian Three Little Pigs TV Advert Analysis

Structure	Tick Box
Linear
Non-Linear
Realist Narrative
Anti-realist narrative
Animation
Documentary
Talking Heads
Stand alone
Series
Style
Humour
Surreal
Dramatic
Parody
Codes and conventions
Camera
Lighting
Sound
Editing
Graphics
Special Effects
Techniques (of persuasion)
Hidden messages
Overt messages
Emotional response or association:
Solution to a problem
Fear
Concern
Social Position ‘Keeping up with the Jones’
Self-perception
Celebrity Endorsement
Statistics
Hard Sell
Repetition

Describe and explain the structures of the advert

I've chosen a linear structure for this advert because the story has a narrative and runs smoothly throughout the short clip. I've also used the realist narrative structure because the advert is showcasing what Guardian as a national newspaper brand. The newspaper company is set in a real life situation of what open journalism can give you, making it more believable to the viewer. However to make the advert more interesting the main characters of the advert where dressed in three pigs and the wolf heads. This adds a little anti-realist image to the advert. It's highly unlikely that you will find victims, criminals and normal everyday people wearing stuffed animal heads in public no matter the situation.

The sound of the advert mainly consists of real life actions that happen in the the video. People's voices can also be heard talking over each other, during the scenes where the public express their views. The lighting throughout the advert is dark. This reflects the story that the they are representing. The event isn't a joyful one, rather it's about the murder of a wolf and conspiring to commit insurance fraud. The colours have to be grey and dull to show the grim story that the advert is about.

Summary of Advert 

(Sorry for my lengthy description)
In the beginning of the advert it shows a cauldron placed on a fire with smoke coming out, it starts to shake and water flows out, its indicated that there is an object inside it to cause the shake. It then moves on to a software where they are editing the newspaper article of 'Big Bad Wolf boiled alive'. The image of the house involved in the incident is then zoomed in to show the real life situation. Police men, heavily clad in protective gears, holding a laser gun, run up to the house shouting 'little pig, little pig, little pig' (I couldn't hear the last bit properly) but they break into the house by kicking the front door down. The pig terrified, tried to look for where to run but the police men caught him. A woman narrator talks over the scene saying that the third little pig is taken into custody and that the spotlight is being shone again on homeowners right to protect their property. This voice over is said while in another scene, a woman watches the video of the woman narrator reporting about the event. The woman then comments below the guardian website saying that it isn't right, the three little pigs where the victims. Different people from around the world also express their views using social networking sites like twitter and youtube, whilst on their phones laptop or telephone. In the last scene, the three little pigs where taken out of the police wan while a police chief officer addresses the public, stating the pigs crime. The pigs have confessed to conspiring to commit insurance fraud framing the wolf (who was then discovered to have asthma, making it unlikely for him to blow the three houses down) in an attempt to cover their tracks. Their motive was financial as they struggled to keep up with their mortgage payments. The three little pigs where then taken into court. People have again used social networking sites to express their views on mortgage payments, many of them have said how behind the are to pay of their debts, someone else says that he lost everything while another says that they can empathize with the pigs. In the final scene there is a protest between police men and the public who proclaim outrage on the unfairness of the recent situation. The riot scene is captured and put online and on the news, (we see this through an iPad) and people texting and reading from all around the world. It then shows the Guardian logo and has a caption of 'get the whole picture' before it moves on the the lower case g written above web, print, tablet and mobile (all the devices where you can receive news on the go.   

Main message of the advert

Viewers that saw the advert where attracted to the three little pigs, an unusual choice of story line to use for a big newspaper brand. However the three little pigs and wolf story of the houses works well with the present much talked about topic of mortgage payments. The advert shows the Guardian's open journalism, showing the different ways we might cover the story of the 'Three Little Pigs' in print and online, headlined in the papers front page through social media discussions.

Target Audience

The Guardian newspaper is aimed at middle aged people in the upper/middle class demographic and to those who are working up to reach those classes. These people are often educated or know/are interested in the subject matters on areas like politics, culture and finance. I often think that the newspaper is targeted more towards the male gender however they have created a fashion section online and in print that will interest the female gender. They are know reaching out to a wider target audience.

Identify and explain the characteristics of the product or service

Benefits offered:
The main benefits offered in the product is that it is a high quality and well researched newspaper brand. Readers are guarantied to find a true story, not gossip or rumors. You can also become a journalist yourself by the usage of open journalism using social media like twitter, the guardian website and youtube to express your views. Its assessable to view news stories on the mobile, in print, laptop and a tablet PC.

Advantages over other similar products (unique selling points):
The advantages that the phone has over other similar products is that unlike many newspapers, it is the second most popular newspaper website behind The Daily Mail's Mail Online. Many newspapers might produce similar news, but the Guardian is known for writing their article in more detail, so that the reader will understand the subject matter much better. Also while most newspapers are secretive about their news front cover content before its released, The Guardian now publish their news online daily, encouraging both the public and experts to get in touch with their journalists if they have something to contribute, advise or have their say on current matters.

Lifestyle Appeal:
The Guardian is was the UK's first newspaper brand to be released in the berliner paper format 315mm x 470mm (12.4 in x 18.5) its narrower ans shorter than a broad sheet. It is printed in full colour. Their main font redesigned and released on the 9th September 2005, has a typography of the slab serif (also called Egyptian serif). It consists of thick, block-like serifs.

Brand Identity:
The brand identity of the newspaper brand is that it known worldwide as a high quality, leading UK newspaper full of detailed and well researched news stories of national and international news affairs.