Narrative in advertising: blog task

Narrative in advertising: blog task

Nike has received critical acclaim for its February 2018 advert ‘Nothing beats a Londoner’. Embed the advert in your blog and answer the following questions: 
 


1) How does the advert use narrative? Apply at least three narrative theories to the text, making specific reference to specific shots or key scenes in the advert.

One of the narratives this advert uses is Propp (Familiar character types) as there are many celebrities in this trailer. An example is Michael Dappah (02:00). You can see that towards the end of the trailer Michael Dappah (Comedian) is with Alexander Iwobi (Footballer).

Another narrative that is used in this advert is Barthes Enigma & Action codes. This advert clearly portrays that everyone has their own story with Nike which tells the audience/customers that Nike products can be used for anything. This could create enigma codes such as "Should I buy a pair of Nike trainers?".

The third narrative that is used in this Nike advert is Todorov's Equilibrium. In the Nike advert at 01:42 the equilibrium is that no one plays ice hockey at London. The disequilibrium is when the ice hockey player is playing by himself on the ice rink as he is his own opponent. The new equilibrium is when Michael Dappah comes into the shot and starts rapping how he goes through worse.

2) Read this BBC feature on some of the people in the advert. How does the advert use celebrities and less well-known people to create stories in the advert?

The advert uses celebrities to gain a audience so customers buy their products and the advert uses less well-known people to give them hope and a sense of achievement that they've been participated and been in the advert.


3) Read this AdWeek feature and interview on the Nike London advert. How did the advert use technical codes (camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing etc.) to help create narratives that could connect with the audience? ADVERT Keeps popping up despite refreshing the page a numerous amount of times.

4) What representation of London does the advert offer?

The advert offers a representation of the younger side of London and the multi-diversity along with everyone being unique in their own way as in the advert it was clear that everybody had their own story.

5) Why might this advert appeal to an audience?

This advert might appeal to an audience because the audience might be able to relate e.g. In the advert when the female boxer says she has to fight her family when she gets home before she even gets into her room. Some people may relate to this as they might argue with their family as soon as they get home. Another part in the advert is when the school boy has to run a lot just to get to school with a heavy school bag, other students may be able to relate to this because when may travel/walk a lot when getting to school with a heavy school bag.