Central Message
With the help of the advertising agency Ogilvy, Perrier got an opportunity to present one of the best ads of the year (“Perrier Prints: Melting” par. 1). They created a range of different prints that are united by the idea of extreme heat. The people look so that no questions occur – they are thirsty and do need at least one drop of cold water. Each person is trying to reach or open a bottle of Perrier, the only object on all prints that remains adamant. The contrast in textures makes the viewers think that the bottle is very cold; otherwise, it would be melting too. Thus, it can be realized that the main message of the ad is that Perrier is the best refreshing drink, it is the refreshment itself. It is the only thing that can make people feel relief and let them escape from such nasty weather. Perrier is the source of life, as without it everything melts and dies.
Target Audience
The Perrier prints are created to attract the attention of the general public. Some of the target audiences can be seen in the very ads. It is thought to appeal to the drivers who spend long hours in their cars. Being in the stuffy interior, they have no access to cold water and fresh air, as it is too hot outside. It can also save people who are taking a tan, surfing or just came to spend some time with friends. It is also good for party-goers who like to dance. Moreover, Perrier is targeted at sportsmen the company is even said to be the partner of the Roland Garros Tournament (“Perrier” par. 5). On this basis, we can claim that the main population includes people who are about 20-30 years old. Men and women depicted on the prints look handsome and beautiful. They are posed and dressed to attract the representatives of the opposite sex, which underlines the influence of sexuality on people’s decisions regarding purchases (Page 90). Moreover, individuals who are concerned about the condition of the planet tend to choose this water, as Perrier’s bottles are 100% recyclable (“Perrier” par. 4).
Needs
It is not surprising that the ads depict hot summer weather. They were shown to the audience in June when the temperature was rather high, and many people sought refreshment. Seeing the prints, many people become attracted by the bright and surrealistic pictures, which makes them consider the ads for a moment. They perceive the message of the ads and understand that this drink is the thing they looked for. The need for the models becomes the need of the general public. Today many people tend to reduce wasting, so the changes that made the bottle recyclable meet the needs of these people. Perrier is mineral water, which proves that it is not dangerous for health. It is also known worldwide, which presupposes that lots of people chose it even though they had an opportunity to have other drinks. The wish of people to be up-to-date and to follow the innovations is taken into consideration by the company. Moreover, water is among the basic needs of people, which makes it even more valuable. Perrier is natural water, so it is good for those who have problems with stomachs.
Motivations
Looking at the prints, people become motivated to buy the product even if they do not realize this. The first thing in these posters that is likely to attract the general public is the focus on the bottle and person. The models are placed in the center of the posters, which makes people evaluate them at first. Males and females look exhausted but attractive in this state. The beauty of their bodies is underlined so it is not surprising that the representatives of the opposite sex will be willing to look at the pictures for a while. They will notice the will of the model to reach the bottle and their outstretched hand, which tends to grasp Perrier. All these processes are happening very quickly so that the individual does not realize that one is already affected.
The colors also should be taken into consideration as they have a great role in these ads (Williamson 26). Even though all pictures are not black and white but colored, the majority of the colors are rather pale, as if they faded in the sun. Still, the bottle of Perrier is bright. Its green color resembles the grass and the trees, which are associated with something wet and cool. Yellowish colors on the background are warm and transfer the viewers to the hot deserts. This contrast makes Perrier even more attractive.
Attitudes
People differ in their attitudes towards the ads, but Perrier’s one tends to make people feel positive about it. The majority of the general public realizes that the ads are not the best sources of authoritative information about the product. However, they believe that it is a great tool that can help them to keep up-to-date and provide the data about the products they would like to have (Mehta 69). In this way, Perrier allowed them to find out about this water exactly in the time when it is needed. People who belong to the population depicted on the prints are likely to associate themselves with the models and treat these ads positively. Many may be attracted by the models and wish to become participants of the depicted events. The presence of such details as a dog is likely to make children and people who like animals feel sympathy and tenderness, which also makes them positively approached and willing to buy this product.
Practices of the Target Audience
There is no doubt that Perrier’s ads work and make people buy their water. Starting with the second half of the 19th century Perrier entered the market and today it is sold worldwide (“Perrier” par. 2). The representatives of the target audience are satisfied with the product, which can be seen in their comments and by the fact that it is related to sports. Being placed near the Roland Garros Tournament’s ads, Perrier attracts the attention of a much wider population (Eagle, Morey, and Dahl 238). The company gains an opportunity to be recognized by people of different ages and nations who are attracted by sports. Yong people give preference to Perrier because it is a well-known brand, which is associated with elegance as well as with the fun, which is shown in their ads.
Effectiveness
These prints are effective because of the emphasis on particular things and the influence they have on people who even do not realize it. Looking at the melting objects, people start to feel this terrible heat themselves. They already have such experience, so the prints just recall these memories and make individuals personally involved in the depicted event. The models represent people from different communities who have different tastes and interests. That is why there are more chances that people will be attracted. If the company had only one variant of the ad, the one with a sportsman, for example, it would fail to affect the majority of people from other populations. The influence of colors, the way the models look and the position of other objects also make the viewers want to get to know what is so peculiar in this water and what makes it different. Appealing to the previous experience, fun and interests are the key instruments that make the general public try Perrier (Hatzithomas, Zotos and Boutsouki 62).
Social and Cultural Implications of the Ads
These ads made Perrier visible to the general public in the hottest season, which allowed the company to enhance its reputation. Still, they also made people more materialistic, as their attention is brought to the fact that everything can be dealt with by dint of the material world (Petrovici et al. 545). It makes people refer to artificial needs because they already have access to water. In this way, they are manipulated and made to think that they need something more. All these are targeted at ordinary people who tend to yield to ads easily (Sagarin et al. 532). However, the ads also make people interested in sports, which is of advantage.
Comments
The majority of the objects on the prints are melting, which resembles the painting of Dali. That is why people who are involved in arts are likely to be attracted by the ads also. On the contrary, those who have never heard about Dali may enhance their knowledge.
Works Cited
Eagle, Lynne, Yvette Morey, and Stephan Dahl. Subtle Sophistry or Savvy Strategy: Ethical and Effectiveness Issues Regarding Product Placements in Mass Media. Advances in Advertising Research 3.1 (2012): 237-247. Print.
Hatzithomas, Leonidas, Yorgos Zotos, and Christina Boutsouki. Humor and Cultural Values in Print Advertising: A Cross-Cultural Study. International Marketing Review 28.1 (2011): 57-80. Print.
Mehta, Abhilasha. Advertising Attitudes and Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of Advertising Research 33.3 (2000): 67-72.
Page, Janis. “Myth and Photography in Advertising: A Semiotic Analysis.” Visual Communication Quarterly 13.2 (2006): 90-109. Print.
Perrier n.d. Web.
Perrier Prints: Melting 2013. Web.
Petrovici, Dan, Svetlana Marinova, Marin Marinov and Nick Lee. Personal Uses and Perceived Social and Economic Effects of Advertising in Bulgaria and Romania. International Marketing Review 24.5 (2007): 539-562. Print.
Sagarin, Brad, Robert Cialdini, William Rice and Sherman Serna. Dispelling the Illusion of Invulnerability: The Motivations and Mechanisms of Resistance to Persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 83.3 (2002): 526-541. Print.
Williamson, Judith. A Currency of Signs. Advertising &Society Review 1.1 (2000): 20-39. Print.