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Think about TV ads. Analyze. Ask questions. |
Consider these ideas for your own compositions. |
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| WHERE
IS THE EMPHASIS?
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WHERE
IS YOUR EMPHASIS?
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Emphasis gives special importance to one element, either by placement or by proportion. Even though most ads have the same basic structural pattern, they are not clones, all looking alike. A great variety exists, partly because of the differing emphasis which can be given to the various parts, both of the form and content. Emphasis will vary according to the situation, the audience, and the purpose. For example, the content of different ads for the same automobile might emphasize "style" in one magazine and "safety" in another. The form might emphasize an "attention-getter" in one ad and a "confidence-builder" in another. Placement is important for emphasis, both in terms of the wider context of where an ad appears, and of the internal arrangement, within the ad itself, the various parts appear. Composers often disagree about the "best" place for emphasis. In linear sequences, some favor the opening, others favor the ending. In print ads, some claim "right hand" pages are better than "left hand" pages, or that "tops" are better than "bottoms." Proportion is the amount of space or time given to the various parts. Usually the part to be emphasized is given the most time and the most space. Some ads, for example, may make no product claims at all, but totally emphasize "confidence-builders" and devote the whole ad to make audiences "feel good" about the company. When you use the 5-part pattern of "the pitch" as a model, it will alert you to the common predictable elements in an ad so that you can notice the varied emphasis, or even any the omission, of these predictable parts.
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Emphasis gives special importance to one element, either by placement or by proportion. At some point in your outlining and structuring process, in addition to what you want to say, you have to decide in what order ("What's first? Next? Last?") and in what degree: "How much attention should each part get? " Some writers think In terms of plotting: what information does my reader need next? What do I have to supply? What can I assume? " If you don't decide these things early, you tend to overwrite some parts, and underwrite others. This initial planning process is often difficult and time-consuming. But, once you do impose a structure and make these decisions about placement and proportion, then the rest of your writing moves much faster because you have a clear idea of what you are doing. Otherwise, you can get wordy (overlong introductions or anti-climactic endings) or accidentally omit important parts which need to be developed. Outlines are necessary. They should clearly show the amount of space given to the various parts so that you get an overall perspective. Writers of television ads and programs use storyboards - detailed outlines and graphics of both words and pictures - so that everyone involved can easily see where they are in the whole process. Placement decisions vary. Composers (texts and teachers) disagree about the "best" place for emphasis. Some favor the opening, while others favor the ending. Be appropriate to the situation. Proportion is the amount of space or time given to the various parts. Most writers agree that the part to be emphasized is given the most time or the most space. But other factors may be involved. For example, space may have to be used to fill in background information. Thus, decisions about proportion and degree ("more" or "less") should be related to the audience's knowledge. Emphasis can also be achieved by repetition, and, within the sentence, by intensifying key words.
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| | Welcome | Purpose | Audience | Limits | Structure | Attention | Confidence | Explicit | Implicit | Response| Omission | |
