Analysis of Newspaper Advertisement

07/10/10

The second advertisement that I am analysing is for the launch of a new period drama called Downton Abbey on ITV1. The advert appeared in the News of the World newspaper.
The advertisement itself covers a double-page spread of the newspaper and is dominated by the image of a photograph in a broken frame.
The clothing makes it clear that it is a period drama, and the broken picture frame along with the 'A House Divided' slogan/tagline suggests conflict possibly within a family, giving a potential audience an idea of what the drama's plot will be.
There is little information included in this advertisement, unlike the pets at home advertisement which included details of products and special offers. There is some factual information included however, for example the time and the name of the channel on which it will be broadcast. The ITV1 logo again provides brand recognition and conforms to the codes and conventions of a newspaper advertisement.
The colours in the photograph are vibrant and stand out against the dull background of the picture frame and table. In reality, a photograph from the period would not be in colour, but the strong colours in this advert perhaps connote vibrancy and liveliness in the past, or at least in the series. They also serve to make the image stand out.
The advertisement is mainly image-dominated and I prefer this as it is not as busy as the pets at home advertisement which had a great deal of information. I think the convention of including factual information is important to newspaper advertisements, but that too much information is maybe not as affective as keeping the advert more simple. I think that maybe I would keep my advertisement quite simplistic while still including information/details.