Fallon are a London based design agency.
With a 140 person strong team, they have worked with a number of globally
acclaimed clients such as Cadburys, Orange and Skoda, to name but a few (Fallon,
n.d).
In 2010, Fallon were responsible for French Connection’s
Spring/Summer 2010 Collection Campaign (D&AD11, 2011). The Campaign ran
across 19 Countries and multiple media touch points, such as Cinema, Radio, T.V
and Print. Fallon’s intention was to reappraise the whole brand. Moving it away
from the FCUK tag of previous years (Fallon, n.d).
In order to completely re-invent the brand, pushing the
business in a new direction required more than merely exhibiting French
Connection’s new collection.
A number of Agencies, today,
intended to create an advertising Campaign that sells an idea, attitude or
lifestyle, as it’s primary intention, with the product selling as a secondary
result. Parisian Advertising Agency Fred & Farid (F&F) demonstrated
this approach in 2008 when they created Wrangler’s ‘We Are Animals’ Campaign.
The intention of the
Campaign was to eliminate the previous perception of Wrangler as, Cowboy,
Marlboro and John Wayne. Replacing this with a new attitude, making a
connection with a new generation. F&F Fought to Convince Wrangler that it
is more important to create an attitude, and not just show the
product.
(Williams, 2012)
The Poster Advertising
section of this Fallon’s Campaign was nominated in the ‘Outdoor Advertising’
category of D&AD11. The posters feature a Black and White photograph of
either a Male or Female model (depending on the product target audience)
supported a short piece of copy that relates to the image, placed over the
image (D&AD11, 2011).
The intention of the Campaign and
thus, the posters was to challenge the perceptions of Masculinity and
Femininity today (Fallon, n.d). This expression of the meaning of Masculinity
and Femininity is exaggerated strongly to the extremes via the posters.
One poster in particular, evokes
strong connotations of Masculinity. The photograph acts as a collection of
signs; Rough, un-cut, dark hair; a full faced beard; wide, open stature; a
deep, unbroken stare and finally, the product itself. All of these components act as a metaphor, for, ‘man’
himself.
As Barthes explored to the very
extremes; almost any object or ‘denotation’ has the ability to evoke a number
of ulterior meanings, or ‘connotations.’ Fringes, upon the foreheads of actors,
for example have the ability to act as a sign for ‘Roman-ness’ (Barthes, 1957).
In the same way that the fringe
can represent ‘Roman-ness’, Fallon have used the Beard, in this image, to act
as a potent signifier for Masculinity. A beard evokes connotations of
Masculinity (Roll & Verinis, 1971) due to both; their physical relation to
‘man’ as a sign of sexual maturation and aggressive dominance (Muscarella &
Cunningham, 1996) along with the projection of the image of the beard in
culture throughout history. Numerous Masculine figures, Intellectuals and
Leaders have either had, or been portrayed as having beards throughout history,
Freud, Jesus and Zeus have all been visualized with beards.
Fallon have manipulated the
signification of the beard in order to attract a target audience that aspire to
such a level of manhood. However,
showing a man with a beard will not stand alone as an advertising campaign.
Every element of the poster
appears considered in terms of its semiotic possibilities in order to project
an image that communicates an idea without extensive viewer participation.
Berger argues, that when we see, we are not just ‘looking’ –
we are in fact reading the language of images (Berger, 2008). Fallon have put together an image that
is not merely looked at, but read by the viewer subconsciously.
Whilst the poster’s image acts as
a sign for masculinity, it is further enhanced and complimented by a short
piece of copy simply reading ‘EAT MEAT. DRESS WELL.’ (D&AD11, 2011). This
text, similar to the images, is rich with symbolism. For the statement to be
read literally, it would make little sense in relation to the image or brand.
However, the statement is communicated in bold, contrasting, sharp text and
consists of two, two word sentences. The first sentence reading ‘EAT MEAT.’ Targets
a man’s basic instincts, peeling back the layers of modern culture and focusing
in on a natural instinct that humans have possessed from the beginning of
humanity. Naturally men are the hunters, killing to survive and consuming the
raw flesh of a prey is a naturally programmed into human behaviour. Eating meat
has even been argued as a contributor to the origins of human intelligence -
men developed strategies and social skills through the process of hunting
(Stanford, 1956).
Therefore, the first sentence
acts as a potent signification of the natural, prehistoric male, evoking
connotations of Primitive urges, men hunting together and consuming the flesh
of a prey as a reward of their success. (Stanford, 1956)
The second sentence, which
relates directly to the product and brand, becomes associated with the first.
Displayed in the same typeface, colours, size and so on, Fallon are making a
direct connection between ‘Eating Meat’ and ‘Dressing Well.’ This therefore
evokes an implication that ‘Dressing Well’ is in fact a primitive urge; a man
has a natural, inherent need to dress well as a basic necessity.
This campaign was so
successful that it laid the foundations for further similarly themed
advertising campaigns for French Connection in subsequent years such as the
Spring/Summer 2011: You are Woman? You Are Man? Campaign (French Connection, n.d).
Fallon’s campaign was successful
due to an effectively considered recipe of ingredients. As with any recipe, the
campaign would not have been successful without any of the ingredients. To
elaborate, whilst the campaign relies highly on the effect of semiotics and a
person’s ability to read signs within images subconsciously, Fallon also
considered and researched the market, culture and audience they are targeting.
Whilst a Brand can be completely reinvented by an effective Campaign,
converting an idea into £millions or even £billions, proving to be one of the
most crucial necessities in creating a globally recognised Brand, if the
campaign appeals to the wrong people, it can have little or no effect at all (Barry,
2008).
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