NW Ad Analysis

Posted by Nick

'Favourite Worst Nightmare' by the Arctic Monkeys

The genre of the album and artist are apparent in the advertisement for the Arctic Monkeys 2007 album through a variety of different connotations and denotations. The commercial has a tall penguin-like animal on the left hand side, drawn in a ‘childish’ fashion, being very simple, with two block colours (black and white), with a very uncomplicated shape. All these details of the animal connote that the album is ‘back to basics’, using simple techniques to create a new and exciting sound (highlighted through the colourful background, the pink jagged outline of the animal giving the poster an energetic feel). The ‘Indie’ look of the advert is obvious through these artistic devices, being postmodern and artistic, as well as using typography which is very striking whilst also being ‘childish’ as well, not using a standard format, instead the letters all combining together, slotting with the next.

The rule of thirds is used on the poster, with the eye following the reading pattern from right to left, first of all reading the artist and then the album name (the most important piece of information), and then following onto the tall animal on the far left of the poster, (connoting a new and postmodern album), the reader first discovering the relevant information about the band, and then finding the genre through the connotations of the artwork. There is a leading line flowing from the top left of the advert and leading to underline the album name and artist, and as the reader follows this line they are drawn to all the relevant pieces of information on the page. The colour of the poster is very prominent, using pink, blue and yellow, colours that together would not normally match, but thus conveying to the reader that the album is a combination of a number of different musical styles. The texture of the poster is soft, with the promoters choosing to use large block shapes for the drawing and the typography, as well as only four colours for the entire spread, and thus there are no connotations of a rough and rugged album, simply a stylish and sleek album. The pink outline to the animal on the left gives the idea that it is 3D, striking out from the page and grabbing the reader’s attention. Analysing the mise-en-scene, we can see how the promoters have included all the relevant information about the band, letting the reader know when the album is out and who it is by, and from the artwork and typography the reader, in either an ambient or focused viewing, can easily deduce what genre and feel the album will have.

The drawing on the left is an obvious signifier of the loud and vibrant tone of the album, whilst also drawing connotation about the band, the penguin, (found in the Arctic) bringing emphasis onto the bands name the ‘Arctic Monkeys’, as well as being similar to the graffiti art shown on the actual album cover, offering a visual link, the reader seeing the bright and bold colours and shapes of the poster and then recognising them immediately when they see the album cover. As well as being extremely striking and bold the graffiti art and the text could also be seen as rebellious, (emphasising the bands semi-mythological set of meanings), using colour and bold shapes to highlight their individuality.

Analysing the typography we can see how the promoters have chosen to use very few words, instead only offering snippets of information to entice the reader to look more closely at the album and potentially buy it. There are connotations of a dream like album with the use of the word ‘nightmare’, whilst the contradiction of the words ‘favourite’ and ‘worst’ gives the idea of a largely individual album with a variety of influences. All relevant information about the album is very direct, simply reading ‘the new album - out now’, (in lower case text in comparison to the striking album title and artists name), letting the colourful artwork speak for the music, allowing the reader to decide if they will or will not look at the album in closer detail simply through the artwork rather than information telling the reader directly what the album is about.

The poster is a pastiche, combining styles of the ‘childish’ drawings and shapes, filled with the bright colours and prominent typography used by graffiti artists around the world. This postmodern look of the advertisement means that the audience will recognise almost instantly that they are buying into the ‘new sound’ the band are making, the advertisement telling them that the music is lively and different to all mainstream music. There is reference to popular culture in the fact that the artwork is similar to that of many graffiti artists and thus associates with those who will potentially be interested in this artwork, predominantly the younger generation.

When focusing on the ‘Star’ analysis by Richard Dyer, we can see how the poster is rebellious as it does not conform to traditional conventions of ‘Indie’ posters (for example, many have pictures of the band members all playing their separate instruments), and it is clear how the group have become successful against the odds, as many people who buy the album will simply buy it for the sake of having the latest outlet from the band, the poster not offering much information about what music the band are now making, and thus not directly promoting them through use of ‘meat shots’. The band are in keeping with their meta-narrative, as again, they have chosen to use a postmodern look for their adverts, sticking to styles created by the band for their first album ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not’.

The poster would be consumed in a focused viewing, as many will not truly understand the band’s message about their album on first glances, as there are no pictures of the artist, simply the album title and band, along with information about the release date. Therefore the reader will see the advertisement, and due to its unusual graphics and shapes, will want to learn more about the music.