LO1: Advertising Campaigns

 Advertising Campaigns:

• Sony PlayStation 5 - 14-40 both genders, ABC1 (primarily men)
• Hazbin Hotel TV Series 15-25, ABC1/C2DE (Men and Women)
• Cyberpunk 2077 - 18-30, both genders ABC1 (primarily men)
• Nando's "This Must be the Place"  - 16-22, both genders ABC1

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk used it's developer's (CD Project Red) success and beneficial reputation from their previous award winning game: The Witcher 3, to start their marketing campaign for Cyberpunk 2077. Cyberpunk has a similar target audience to The Witcher of 18+ men and women. Both genders appealed to via the game's custom character creation where you can play as either gender; with high levels of representation of gender and ethnicity in the game's characters (shown in trailers such as the story trailer) to further appeal to a wider audience. Examples of these would be Jackie Welles as a male of Latin American descent, representing Latin American culture or Panam for female representation of Native American descent. Characters like Panam or Judy (displayed throughout the story trailer) challenging female stereotypes in action settings therefore, furthering the game's demographic to female audiences and benefiting it's reputation.

The key message of the campaign is to sell Cyberpunk 2077 as a video game and by proxy, support CDPR's other games in the process. This is furthered by the creation of an animated series streamed on Netflix called 'Cyberpunk Edgerunners' as a spin-off which released after the game. This is via cross-media ownership. The aim of this spin-off is to encourage people to buy and play Cyberpunk 2077. Alternatively those who are fans of the game will watch the series due to the brand. In addition to this, the game partnered with the actor Keanu Reeves to promote the game; gaining a wider audience of Keanu Reeves fans in the form of below the line advertisement. This also proving Branston Stafford's theory that industries use branding to sell their products, this seen in Keanu Reeves as fans of his will be interested in Cyberpunk 2077.

CDPR debut'd Cyberpunk in a teaser trailer to make people aware of the game's existence on YouTube  to reach as wide an audience as possible with a social media site that audiences can use to share the trailer to their friends with. The game's target demographic also being prevalent users of YouTube. The game generated hype by drip feeding the audience new snippets of the game and showing full trailers at large game showcase events like E3 and The Game Awards to reach a mass, captive audience. 

The campaign uses above the line traditional advertising such as billboards and posters to make mass audiences who are going on their daily commute aware of the product. This being an example of multi-media advertisement with the trailers being digital (able to be accessed via social media for a mass audience and the ease of being able to share). Below the line advertising also is used in a Cyberpunk 2077 themed bus. This appeals to a niche audience of people interested in buses and Cyberpunk. 

A possible legal issue with the game would've been that it is based off a pre-existing table-top board game under the name 'Cyberpunk'. This could create a legal issue as CD Project Red will have had to obtain the rights to use the world and pre-existing characters, which costs money (as a budgetary constraint). This could also create an ethical issue of using the world and characters in a way that respects the source material. 

Hazbin Hotel (Amazon Prime TV Series)

Hazbin Hotel is a TV series which is now on Amazon Prime created by Vivienne Medrano and originally started as a YouTube pilot episode so that the series could eventually be converted into a running series. The aim of the pilot also being to inform audiences of the series via releasing it onto a site which included the 15-25 audience as part of a mass audience of technological natives; furthered by way of the episode being free to appeal to a C2DE audience. The first premiere episode simulcasted on both Amazon and YouTube to further this therefore, reaching a wider audience and encouraging those accessing the episode for free to purchase Amazon Prime to stream the rest of the series and this allows for both C2DE and ABC1 audiences who already have Prime to be reached. 

To generate excitement and interest in the series before its release, a music video from within the show was posted to Prime Video's YouTube channel so that audiences can see what the series will be like before watching for free. This also remaining consistent with iconography, adult imagery and themes, including sexual reference to signify the older audience. The same colour palettes, characters and logos (Amazon and Hazbin Hotel) present.

Furthermore, trailers were released onto YouTube to reach this C2DE audience (of teens who likely aren't working full time) as well as on social media sites like Twitter/X and Instagram. The social media posts furthering this reach via instant, viral marketing (through above the line advertising), making digital natives (who likely use streaming services like Prime) aware of the series and informing them how it will look. To best reach the younger demographic of digital natives, the advertising stays within AV and online through viral marketing primarily however, shortly before the series' premiere, billboards were advertised in Time Square which reaches a broader audience of tourists and those on their daily commute (therefore, older 25+ audiences). Within this, the branding of Hazbin Hotel remains consistent with the same high-key, red/pink colour scheme, the Amazon Prime logo and title for Hazbin Hotel which all appear throughout each piece of advertising. 

Hazbin Hotel within its season 1 announcement trailer signifies its mature 15-25 audience through sexual references, bad language and violence (a demon stabbing another demon) however, this is cartoon violence despite the realism and portrayal of blood which could demonstrate appeal to a younger secondary audience of 12-14 year olds. Stereotypes are challenged too which reflects the younger audience who are more accepting of and influenced by these challenged stereotypes: best seen in the character of Angel Dust who is presented as a feminine male, signified through a pink/white colour palette. However, male stereotypes are also reinforced through a low angle, crowded shot of Angel Dust holding a gun with Husk therefore, connoting them as stereotypically dominant males. This furthered through stereotypical female representations signified through a high angle of Charlie crying, reinforcing the stereotype that women are weak and emotional. 

Legal issues which may be present could be breach of intellectual property rights due to the connection with YouTube in the series with people taking the videos due to their ease of access and re-uploading them as their own; this can also lead to copyright issues. This means that people can edit and alter the content due to the public access which means they can cause defamation therefore, tarnishing the series' reputation.  An ethical issue could also be caused due to this ease of access; younger audiences could see the trailer or first episode on YouTube and gain access to the inappropriate content within (bad language, violence and sexual reference) as there is nothing to regulate their access to it. This causing a negative influence. 

Sony PlayStation 5

The PlayStation 5 (PS5) was created by Sony as another entry in their PlayStation catalogue; this meaning that any fans of the previous generations of consoles will be interested in purchasing the PS5 due to the recognizable Sony brand which is consistent throughout each console, each having similar branding to ensure audiences they're getting a similar but always better quality product each time. Branding would include the PlayStation logo, blue as a consistently recurring colour and the Sony logo within each trailer, social media post or traditional advertising like billboards. Due to the generations of consoles, the target audience is wide (16-50) with a secondary audience of younger 6-15 children who's parents can buy them the console. 

Sony uses a blend of traditional and viral advertising with examples such as their 'Sony State of Play' online events which display upcoming releases from Sony's game catalogue as well as in 2020 when they revealed the PlayStation 5 and the games which would eventually release with it to intrigue wide audience with different games that appealed to different demographics. These include: Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart for younger male/female audiences and Marvel's Spider man: Miles Morales for older, male Marvel fans and as a method of synergy. This synergy benefiting Sony with their films that would link to the games such as Spider-man Across the Spider-verse. Furthermore, these trailers challenge conventional stereotypes such as with Miles Morales as a person of colour in a position of power in a superhero role or Rivet in Ratchet and Clank for strong female representations connoted by a low angle for her first introduction as she wields a hammer. 

Viral advertising is furthered with Sony's social media presence in the PlayStation Instagram account which uses the iconic dark blue with the white PlayStation logo consistently and creates posts which inform audiences about new releases on the PlayStation 5, including trailers. The extent of traditional advertising is seen in billboards and bus adverts so that audiences can see them on their daily commute; an example of this being the God of War Ragnarok adverts which appeared on both and encouraged audiences to purchase a PS5 to play it. This also extending to the console itself which appeared on both kinds of adverts too. An example of below the line advertising is seen in Sony's newsletter which will E-mail audiences about upcoming sales or game releases for the PS5 or any significant updates regarding the console to encourage people to buy them. Furthermore, Sony's slogan for the PS5 was 'Play has no limits' which was present across their viral and traditional advertising methods in a consistent white, sans serif font which appeals to all audiences (ABC1 and C2DE however, the target is ABC1 due to the ability to afford a games console).

A potential ethical issue would be within the State of Play trailers which Sony used to advertise the PlayStation 5 with upcoming games; this best seen in the reveal trailer for Deathloop. Due to the State of Play airing on YouTube and Sony's inclusiveness towards younger audiences, those audiences would be watching (and have access to) the trailer for Deathloop in which violent imagery is shown. This including: someone being shot in the head and another's throat slit in a realistic portrayal of violence which could be impressionable or scary to a younger audience therefore, creating an ethical problem. 

Nando's "This Must be the Place"

Nando's uses a consistent message throughout its campaign which encourages 16-22 students to eat at their restaurant chains; this was done by the company re-branding itself for that market. This target audience is seen through the non-stereotypical representations within the promotional video/advert which was the flagship for this campaign and directed by Jonathan Entwistle who will be recognised by the target audience due to his work on 'The End of The F***ing World' which was made for a similar young adult audience therefore, fans of his will be more inclined to visit Nando's. 

The representations within the video challenge stereotypes through a person of colour taking a dominant role narrating the video and portrayed as successful in their expensive and trendy costume (which uses a varsity jacket on a school bus to signify he's a student) to connote the ABC1 audience which has the disposable income to buy Nando's. Audience representation is furthered in male and female representations throughout which all share the same trendy, expensive styles of costume within the created verisimilitude of a realistic Nando's/restaurant environment to further ideal self and therefore, engage the audience to sell them on Nando's (seeing others of their age, gender and ethnicity successful when going there). Older audiences are also represented to create a secondary audience for the advert too. Within the advert, Nando's new logo design is revealed to the audience which was changed to signify the Southern African heritage behind the restaurant and this new design is consistent throughout the restaurant's advertisements. This is furthered by Nando's iconic chicken logo appearing at the end of the video and in all other advertisements. The slogan for the campaign "this must be the place" present at the video's end and Nando's current slogan today for all other advertisements.

Nando's uses multiple different forms of advertising to reach its audiences with traditional examples such as billboards or on buses so that audiences on their daily commute can have their appetite wet by imagery of Nando's food and go buy some. This also extending to social media and E-mail for digital natives and the target demographic, whilst the traditional methods can also appeal to digital immigrants. Examples of viral marketing for this campaign would be the Nando's Instagram pages which exist for multiple countries like the UK and U.S. in which the same logo and iconic chicken design are repeated throughout (on the profile picture and in posts; the logo appearing on the physical restaurants too). On this page the younger, digital native (16-22) audience is conveyed through trending 'memes' related to the restaurant as well as posts regarding new food items to intrigue the audience with something fresh. Below the line advertising present through the Nando's mailing list so audiences can be informed about upcoming deals or new food items, similarly to the social media page. 

A potential legal issue is found within the promotional video for Nando's in the young actors, best seen in the young girl at the drinks station as documents would have to be agreed to regarding the general data protection act for those above and below 18, including parental consents for below.