Billboard Analysis: Marie Claire

Marie Claire has ensured that the billboard they produced is incredibly unique, and is not something that the audience intended will come across all that often. I found that the majority of billboards created by fashion magazines do tend to incorporate their own magazine onto the board, or make it up of the magazine entirely, rather than concentrate on a beautiful photo shoot that could make the entire board. Personally, I adore the manner in which this has been laid out, the concept is far better in terms of aesthetics considering the magazine focuses on fashion. Marie Claire sets out to attract a target audience of 25-39 year old white women who are interested in fashion. Coco Rocha, the woman they featured on this ad, is actually 25 herself, so the target audience can relate directly to the model. She is towards the lower end of the age range, so the older women look back on their youth and admire her. This could make them want to be her, therefore purchase the magazine in order for them to feel as though they can achieve the same aesthetic appeal and boost their confidence.

Because this is a monthly magazine that is really quite successful, people will have heard of it and it will already have a fan base. By putting up a billboard, it is almost a reminder that the magazine will be coming out, and that it should not be forgotten amongst its audience, which is what happens with a lot of magazines. The main attraction behind this billboard is the sharpness and drama within the photograph itself; the model has taken on dramatic postures in each image incorporated onto this one billboard, and her facial expressions are not conventionally dull like most models are. It brings something so exciting and new to the world of fashion, convincing the audience that the model is fierce, and that if they purchase the magazine, they can find out how to take on the persona as well.

The lexis 'Starring Coca Rocha' suggests that the model used is a star vehicle, and that she will already have a fan base, therefore also attracting a whole group to the magazine alongside current readers. Although, some readers are bound not to have the knowledge of who she is but be intrigued by this lexis and feel as though she is someone of whom has the potential to fuel their fashion desires and carry out their style aspirational needs. They will want to know more about Coco, so it is likely that they would purchase the magazine in over to gather the information they long for.

The pink lighting in the background coheres to general gender stereotypes and attempts to attract women with what the media have told them to love. The images are actually white, but they have included tinted lighting just below the board. Personally, I do not agree with this and do not feel as though it is a suitable thing to do when it comes to the production of my own billboard. I want to create a billboard that promotes equality amongst females and males, defying stereotypes that women feel pressured to live by. Mulvey (1975) states that women are only in the media “As erotic objects of desire for the characters within the screen story, and as erotic objects of desire for the spectator within the auditorium.” Coco does have sex appeal, regardless of the fact that the magazine is targeted towards heterosexual females. The producers still make her look sexy in order to make other women feel the need to also look sexy, putting a lot of people in a vicious circle just trying to please men. This is something that I am strongly against, and would not encourage within my own magazine.

They key to successful billboard advertising is to produce something that will have an effect on the target audience and capture their attention. The writing is in black to keep the billboard simple, and quickly grab the readers eye. No more than three or four colours should be used on a media text because it would be too confusing for the reader to focus on particular parts, so Marie Claire have successfully done this by using four main colours in the piece itself.