David - Advertising: Maybelline Print Advert

Maybelline – Mascara: makeup advert

Maybelline is an American makeup brand that is sold worldwide and is a subsidiary of French cosmetics company L’Oreal (parenting company). It is the number one global cosmetic brand and is available is 129 countries worldwide. It is a drugstore brand therefore is considered ‘cheap and cheerful’ with their target audience being 15-30, due to teenagers being able to afford their products – ‘they offer more than 200 products that combines technologically advanced formulas with on-trend expertise to create cool and urban cosmetics.’ This is their young audience not only because of the price but the use of a young woman shows that is also the audience they are aiming for. The advert I chose to analyse for this brand is one where they are advertising mascara and there is a lot going on in comparison to the MAC poster which shows the difference in terms of affordable and high end. To start, the audience will be familiar with the brand due to the brand name being printed along the bottom of the page ‘Maybelline New York’ which makes it recognisable for new and existing customers. Underneath the brand name is the slogan which relates to Maybelline’s brand identity which is what helps people familiarise themselves with the company – ‘maybe she’s born with it

maybe it’s Maybelline’. This slogan plays on a women’s fears and desires – fears by making a woman feel like she should’ve been born with these amazing eyelashes or more a desire because they want their eyelashes to look like that. This shows controversy with how they present their product – is it to fulfil their audience’s insecurities? The advert itself is a very creative piece that is filled with different shades of pink which connotes femininity, kindness and fun. The use of the flower makes it seem romantic and sophisticated which seems a more professional look for a drugstore product. The flower takes up half the page and serves the purpose of the mascara having a ‘full fan effect’, there is also the mascara bottle and wand to show the product through demonstrative action and iconic representation. The product is being shown on the model (how it has been used) to help the audience understand what they are trying to sell. The use of the model using indirect mode of address, creates mystery because we wonder what she is looking at which draws our attention to her eyes and lashes – which is what they are promoting. The use of hyperbolic language is what helps to draw in the audience with the use of repetition “layers and layers” and the product name itself “sensational” is a very exaggerated word which. The mixture of black and white text makes it visually more appealing and also easier to read. The small amount of text makes it more appealing to their target audience because it means it will be quicker to read and get the gist of what the product is and how to use it. This relates to the target audience also who are young and the colour pink allows the advert to appear to them more, the colour connotations of pink are sweet, innocent and sensitive which makes the product seem elegant and sophisticated; this relates to the brand identity as Maybelline is a very woman based brand and the slogans and logos are neutral so when there is colour in the prints it must be for a reason - the bottle of the mascara is pink also which is a common theme with this product. Another feature that makes the print appeal to the target audience is the use of lighting, there is warm lighting on the models face which makes her skin look radiant and shows of her complexion which appeals to the audience through it being bright and nice to look at – it brings out the colour of her eyes which again directs the audience to her eyes and lashes. The unique selling point for this product is the ‘fan effect ‘which makes it different to other mascaras and the shape of the wands, they make sure to play on this special feature by labelling where it is.