Advertisement Analysis

Advertisement Analysis
Bring the Heat
The idea of improving the smell, or odor, of any human has been around since the beginning of civilization. With the perfume industry having such longevity one can surmise that not smelling offensive is a social norm, and even a social need. However, though it could be argued by some as a need the perfume industry is just that, an industry in itself. Like most industries in our world, perfume is not exempt from using advertisements to sell their products. For example, in this advertisement, Beyoncé, a popular hip-hop singer, is posing in a provocative red satin dress with the word "HEAT" written above her head. This ad is attempting to persuade people to buy the perfume known as Heat. By creating a red color scheme and by using Beyoncé as a celebrity endorser the ad shows emotion and authority of what exactly the purpose is of the ad.
One thing this ad doesn't lack is the color red; the vibrant tones of red cover the page, sending an obvious message of sex appeal. With a product name of Heat, the advertisers made a relevant decision in painting the ad with red hues. Not only does it serve to make the ad stand out among the white pages of any magazine where it can be found, it also reinforces the brand name of Heat. Consistently throughout our lives we have come to know that red means hot. Being that hot is just an extension of heat one can see how the color scheme reinforces the name of the product, Heat. Not only would a person remember the iconic image of Beyoncé, but also with having solidarity between the product name and the color scheme, one may be more likely to recall the product's name.
While the color helps with brand name recognition it also sends a message. Red is one of the most compelling colors in nature in that it's a bold color that draws your eye to it instantaneously. In correlation to the ad, the mission of the advertisers is successful in the fact that the eye is immediately drawn in to the ad itself. Once the eye has been caught and interest has peaked, the color red proceeds to send out messages of passion, love, desire, and even romance. Passion plays a crucial role in that the ad's main attempt to promote the sexiness of the product. Passion is often tied hand in hand to sex appeal and throughout our culture today. Take Valentine's Day for example. Everything in correlation to February 14th is colored in red hues or variants of red, as the colors seem to make people recall thoughts of love, desire and romance, all notions that a fragrance, such as Heat, can certainly be associated with. Playing into social norms the product also promotes the concept of sin by using the color red, as red is thought to be dangerous just as a sin can perhaps be. Danger and sin are seen as desirable qualities and are promoted in American lives and pop culture. By using the previously mentioned symbolism of the color red the advertisers draw out the emotional response that those symbols create. The symbolism of the color red, plays into how those symbols are emotionally desirable to the target audience and effectively markets the product.
While the color red works for an emotional attachment to the product, including how Beyoncé as the central figure works to attain authority and power over the entire ad. Beyoncé is a celebrity who is known around the world for being a multitalented individual who has fame, power, influence, and desirability. To some women she is the epitome of success and she emits sensuality as well as strength. Choosing Beyoncé as a model for this ad was a fantastic choice for the advertisers. Not only does she have qualities that many women seek to attain but she is also seen as a trust worthy individual. This trust stems from her career in the entertainment industry as well as her consistency to perform at a level of excellence. The level of performance can be seen in her numerous awards she has obtained from her career alone. In society Beyoncé is perceived by some to be a strong sensual performer, this ad takes the trust of Beyoncé and links that trust and desirability to the perfume. By selecting Beyoncé to endorse Heat the ad takes advantage of that trust. Consumers look at Beyoncé in the ad and project all trust they have in her, and into the product, because if some consumers discover that if Beyoncé uses the product then it must be a trustworthy product. The perfume in turn then carries the connotation of Beyoncé and all notions that are associated with her.
The perfume industry is one of many options, thus making advertisers work dutifully to entice a consumer to purchase their particular fragrance. In this ad the involvement of emotion and logic work hand-in-hand in attempt to be seen as the most desirable product on the market. By using the color red and the symbolism that it holds, as well as the notable figure of Beyoncé Knowles, the ad emits a sense of sexiness and excellence.