Research into similar products -'Hollyoaks' Poster

The layout of this poster is unconventional being that it is made up of two posters. However these two posters have the same layout using this parallel between the two makes it clear the message that the posters is putting over, connoteing that having ‘Hollyoaks’ in your life makes it more glamorised. Using the rote of the eye allows the audience to see the images clearly. Looking at the primary optical area it has the start of the title using this makes it clear to the audience what is being adverted. Having it as the first thing that the audience see allows them to know what is being adverts. In the centre of the poster is the photo of the main character, placing her in the middle makes her standout to the audience. This is also seen with the hot shots in which they are placed around her, with one place on a couple in the background having them like allows the audience to get a view of all that is happening in the poster. Where as along the bottom and in the terminal area there is not much happening this is because of the wide shot showing what is happening from ceiling to floor. The principle of thirds plays an effect with the lay out being that it follows conversions, by putting the main character in the centre and having the less important characters in the dead areas, doing this it makes sure that the poster is full but the attentions is on the main character. The poster is ordered in its layout being that it is very clear as to what the poster is advertising and the message it is putting over.      

There is little writing use in this poster, the font used has a see-through effect using this fits in with what is being said and the background used. This front is used of both sides having this joins them together.

Using a house style front makes it clear to the audience what is being adverted. This can also be seen with the size of the front, having the by line and title bigger makes them stand out. Where as the size of ‘Monday-Friday 6.30pm’ is smaller, this is unconventional being that it is important information and the audience needs to know this information. Having the pink cream/makeup effect puts over the type of characters in ‘Hollyoaks’ and using the pink signifiers the way in which the soap is more aimed at a female audience this can also be seen by the use of language. Making the link to make up highlights the message and fits in with the way in which the characters are being represented. Using this instructive phase directs what the audience needs to do and being shot and snappy would stay in the audience minds.

The way in which colour is used connotes the two different sides, using low key lighting on the left which makes the colours used dull doing this signifiering the way in which that side is seen as boring and lower class. This is a conventional method used to put over this representation and connotes to the audience that there life with out ‘Hollyoaks’ is dull. Where as the side on the right use high key light which makes the colours used bright and attractive doing this signifiers to the audience the way in which life with ‘Hollyoaks’ is better.

Using bright colours on that side makes it stand out against the other on and gets the audience attentions. Using bright colours on that side makes it stand out against the other side and gets the audience attentions. The main character in the poster is wearing a red dress, using this colour makes her standout from the other characters, this is used in both poster but the one on the right has a bright red. Using the red connotes the way in which she is dangerous, having this characterisation fit in with the typical characters found in soaps and used the colour allows audiences that have not see the soap to know what type of character she is. The colours used in the location reflect each of the side, with the one on the left the setting uses dull and old colours such as the as the wall paper in which they use beige having this colour connotes to the audience the unexciting place.

Where as on the right they use a bright blue doing this gives the opposite connation, showing that it is exciting and using the bright colour makes it stand out, appealing to the audience. This is the same for the bar in which the right side uses a modern bar where as the left has a old one. Doing this connotes the way in which ‘Hollyoaks’ is a soap aimed at a younger audience, from my research I have found that this is the only soap that is aimed at a younger audience, this is something that I think would be a good target audience to make our soap for, being that there is a gap of one. This is something that I am going to have to look at when doing audience research to find out how young people feel about soaps.  

The images used match each other in their layout, doing this makes it clear to the audience that the image on the right is what happens when you “Rub some Hollyoaks on it”. Using the wide/master shot, showing the ceiling to floor allows the audience to see all the location and gain an understanding of what the location is and what is happening; being that it show the characters in the background. Using this shot is unconventional to soap poster as it allows the audience to see all of the characters and though focusing on the character in red, the audience also sees other details which add to the type of soap it is.Such as the use of the dogs,

the one on the left is a stereotypical dog that is used when representation of lower class people. This is also highlighted by having the dog wee on the floor, reflecting the way in which those characters don’t care. Where as the dog on the right is a small dog and is more of a fashion item, this can be seen by its pink jumper and instead of wee on the floor it’s drinking out of a blow. Doing this connotes the way in which the high class people care more about things. Putting this in the bottom corner of the image reflects how it is not important but allows the audience to see the way in which the two different side treat the same thing. All of the characters in the poster on the left are match in the same positions on the right doing this allows the audience to clearly see who each of the characters are. Using the two different posters as one is unconventional but I feel that using it in this way makes it clear to the audience the message that they are putting over and using this technique also appeal to a younger, being that it is different to other poster. When creating my poster I think that I need to think creatively and the way in which I should appeal to my audience, to try and make it stand out from the other adverts.

The ways in the characters are represented in the poster is done stereotypical. The left side portrays a lower class and this can be seen through the way in which the characters look, being overweight and having fights. Putting them over in this stereotypical way allows the audience to clearly understand what is being shown.

Where as on the left side the characters are represented in a different way but equal as stereotypical; with the women shown in a sexually way. Using these representation is fits in with the soap and the way in which they portray their characters. This is also conventional and the way in which the poster use its message about ‘Hollyoaks’ making you life batter is a conventional concept used to adverts soaps but with this the way in which the poster has been laid out is unconventional, doing this I feel appeal to their younger target audience but the way in which the characters are represented I think would put some of their audience members off. When creating both the soap and the poster I need to think carefully about the way in which I put over my character.