Curiosity as an Effective In-stream Advertising Appeal: Visual and Textual Study of Levi’s Circles Ad
Abstract
This paper discusses the appeal to curiosity that advertisers use attract viewers of online in-stream video ads and explores whether this appeal is effective from the visual and textual perspectives. In-stream videos are unique to online platforms such as YouTube, for which viewers are shown an interruptive ad before, during, or after their on-demand video. Using the case study of Levi’s “Circles” ad, which is one of the most-watched ads on YouTube in 2017, this paper examines the conceptual, interactive, and compositional meanings of visual elements of the ad drawing from the grammar of visual design—which are found to be adequately effective in using visual elements to appeal to viewers’ curiosity and enticing viewers to continue watching the ad until the end. The textual elements of ad is subsequently analysed using critical discourse analysis, which finds the message in the ad to support the three objectives of advertising: to provide information about or sell a product, to build or maintain a certain brand image, and to express social values or promote social change.
Keywords: advertising, in-stream, curiosity, visual grammar, critical discourse analysis
References
[1] Chou, H.Y. and Lien, N.H. (2014). Effects of SMS teaser ad on product curiosity. International Journal of Mobile Communication, 12 (4), 328-345.
[2] Clow, K.E. & Baack (2010). Integrated advertising promotion and marketing communication (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
[3] Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and power (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
[4] Fairclough, N. L. (1995). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language. Harlow, UK: Longman.
[5] Fazio, R. H., Herr, P. M., & Powell, M. C. (1992). On the development and strength of category-brand associations in memory: The case of mystery ads. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 1(1), 1-13.
[6] Guo, B., Shibayama, E., Sugimori, K., Yang, Y., Iida, K., & Ito, Y. Consumer intrusiveness of in-stream advertisements comparison of the relation of each variables. Oishi Seminar In-stream Ads Group. Retrieved from ibintercollege.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/01/meiji-oishi-in-stream-Ads.pdf.
[7] Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images: The grammar of visual design. London: Routledge.
[8] Kotler, P. & Armstrong, G. 2010. Principles of marketing. (13th ed.). New York: Pearson Education.
[9] Levi’s. (2017, August 18). Levi’s® ”Circles” commercial full [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgcgFP9nGqY.
[10] Loewenstein, G. (1994). The psychology of curiosity: a review and reinterpretation. Psychological Bulletin, 116(1), 75-98.
[11] Long, P. (2017, November 18). Identity and vinyl culture. University of Birmingham. Retrieved from https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/college/Identity-and-VinylCulture Programme.php.
[12] Nudd, T. (2017, December 6). The 10 most watched ads on YouTube in 2017. AdWeek. Retrieved from https://www.adweek.com/creativity/the-10-most-watchedads on-youtube-in-2017.
[13] Rosul, S. (2011). A critical discourse analysis of fairness-product advertisements for women and men [Thesis]. East West University. Retrieved from dspace.ewubd.edu/handle/123456789/128.
[14] Väre, S.E. (2014). Storytelling advertising: A visual marketing analysis. (Thesis) Hanken School of Economics. Retrieved from https://helda.helsinki.fi/dhanken/ bitstream/handle/10138/45105/vare.pdf.
[15] Victor, D. (2017, April 5). Pepsi pulls ad accused of trivializing black lives matter. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/business/ kendall-jenner-pepsi-ad.html.