Irn Bru research

Colours: The colours featuring in this advert are very bright and fun. This is very different to typical energy drink advertisements which are dark and serious. The orange and blue also feature on the product that is being advertised. They are also the main colour of the company that is advertising (Irn Bru).

Copy: Like many adverts, there isn’t really much copy on this poster. However, the copy used on this poster is short making it easily remembered. The designers have also included a rhetorical question, making the main text even more catchy and easy to remember. The advert comes across as very informal, relaxed and fun with the slang terms used such as ‘dozy’. I feel like the copy alone would appeal to young adults.

Font: The font used is very big and bold so that the text stands out from the white background but doesn’t get pulled in with the colourful image. Also, another thing I noticed is that the font isn’t just black or something normal, it matches the rest of the poster, even the outlines of each letter.

Image: The image used is a Man in a bird suit, holding a tin of Irn Bru 32 (the product Being advertised). The man in the suit looks very angry and demanding. This could possibly so that people will seemingly be forced to buy the drink. Also, that fact that the bird’s beak is wide open with cartoon lines coming from it and the words ‘Wakey Wakey’ between the lines suggests that the bird is shouting it.

Layout: The poster’s layout has everything crammed into a corner to start with but then it all spreads out towards the right hand of the advert. There is a lot of white space in the poster however, I don’t think that it would look any better if things were moved around and played with. The image works well in the corner of the page and then the text fills the space round it. If the image was placed to be central then all of the text would either not fit or just not look great, meaning the advert would lose its effectiveness.

Other: The target audience of this advert could be young people (aged 18-30 at a guess). I think this because it’s very informal and mainly younger people drink energy drinks. I can see this being an advert that displeases elderly people but very appealing to younger people.

Font: The font used looks very much like hand writing, which gives the impression that the man in the picture wrote and then Irn Bru put it straight on the advert. Also, the hand written element makes the advert come across as even more informal. This makes it stand out more from other adverts as it is not a ‘normal’ font.

Copy: The copy used in this advert is extremely different from normal adverts. This is because it contains the word ‘Bitches’ (in reference to the mans dogs). However, this could be viewed as offensive in some peoples eyes, making them complain. In other people’s opinions this term would be funny and would stick in heads more. The actual copy is presented as a quote, as if the guy in the picture has given the review himself.

Colours: The advert is split in two halves. One being a black and white picture, the other being where the copy Is. The black and white image gives some class to theadvert, only to be immediately lowered again by the copy. The copy itself is featured in the colours of Irn Bru so as soon as people see the blue and orange they will think of Irn Bru.

Image: The image used would be quite controversial now as the man featured is smoking. However, it relates to the copy with the person giving the quote and his ‘bitches’. It also adds a serious element to the poster with it being black and white, also the pose of the man suggests he is powerful and means business. This is then contradicted by the copy.

Layout: The layout is different from the first Irn Bru poster that I looked at but it is also a very popular style for Irn Bru print adverts. The page is split into 2 thirds for the image and a third for the copy. There is a small picture of the product being advertised underneath the copy so that it is clear what is being advertised.

Other: Again, I think the target audience of this poster would be young people aged 18-30. I think this because it’s very informal and mainly younger people drink energy drinks. I can see this being an advert that displeases elderly people with it’s choice of words but very appealing to younger people as it is funny.

Font: The font used looks very much like hand writing, which gives the impression that the man in the picture wrote and then Irn Bru put it straight on the advert. Also, the hand written element makes the advert come across as even more informal. This makes it stand out more from other adverts as it is not a ‘normal’ font.

Copy: The copy used in this poster works well with the image and creates a sense of irony as well as being a popular slang phrase for someone really wanting something (mainly something that the person can consume). The fact that the text itself is in quotation marks makes it seem like the guy in the image has actually said that.

Colours: The advert is split in two halves. One being a black and white picture, the other being where the copy is. The black and white image (mug shot) of the man creates a feeling that the image is old and so is Irn Bru. It could also suggest that the man is very dangerous and that’s why Irn Bru have used it alongside the ‘I could murder an Irn Bru’ to add emphasis to the ‘murder’ The copy itself is featured in the colours of Irn Bru so as soon as people see the blue and orange they will think of Irn Bru.

Image: The image is the mug shot of a man who is suggested to be a murderer by the copy. Also the fact that it’s black and white and looks like it’s fading a bit suggests that it is quite an old picture. The man in the image looks intimidating and scary, reinforcing the ‘I could murder an Irn Bru’. The coding at the bottom of the image gives further evidence that this is a mug shot.

Layout: The layout, again, is different from the first Irn Bru poster that I looked at (the Irn Bru 32) but it is also a very popular style for Irn Bru print adverts for regular Irn Bru. The page is split into a third for the image and 2 thirds for the copy. There is a small picture of the product being advertised underneath the copy so that it is clear what is being advertised.

Other: Similar to the other Irn Bru posters that I have looked at, I think the target audience of this poster would be young people aged 18-30. I think this because it’s very informal and mainly younger people drink energy drinks. I can see this being an advert that displeases elderly people with it’s choice of phrase and general advertising style but very appealing to younger people as it is funny and ironic.

Font: The font used in this poster differs massively from the font used in regular Irn Bru adverts. This font that has been used is more sophisticated and formal. Looking at the advert in a whole, it seems that it is more calm than regular Irn Bru adverts suggesting that they have taken all the sugar out (just like the drink) and it’s more friendly for everyone.

Copy: In this advert for Diet Irn Bru, the first bit of text that the audience will see is the ‘Spot the difference’ bit. This hooks the reader in straight away. The final bit of copy featured on the poster tells the audience what they are advertising and what the product essentially is. There is a bit of copy featured in the image but it is more image than actual text.

Colours: The colours used are mainly white, blue and orange as there are the main colours as regular Irn Bru. However, because it is Diet Irn Bru, there is more white, as if it is more toned down than usual. In respect, this makes the advert simple and widens their target audience appeal.

Image: There are two images used in this poster. They are essentially the same but the one on the right has been edited to suit the copy ‘Spot the difference’. The images used are general images that could appeal to anyone, unlike the past few that I have looked at. The images take up most of the poster so they are the first thing you really see. The poster is generally positive and inoffensive so Irn Bru will have received very few complaints, if any, about this poster. Another image featured on the poster is the product itself. It is placed to the bottom right hand corner so it is the last thing that the audience sees.

Layout: The layout of this poster is pretty simple and straight forward. There is a bit of copy at the top to match the pictures, which hooks the reader in. The reader then see’s the ‘Sugar free’ written on the giraffe’s neck in the right picture. This gives a hint to what is being advertised. Finally, at the very bottom, you see what is actually being advertised, alongside the image of the product.

Other: The audience for the poster could be anyone as the poster is a generally friendly and inoffensive. It will appeal to children as it has a giraffe on it and it will also appeal to elderly people as there is nothing really offensive on the poster, unlike the regular Irn Bru posters and general advertisements.

Font: The font used is the traditional font that Irn Bru use. It is a San Serif which is popular for most products as it comes across as less formal than Serif fonts. Also, the font style is bold and stands out massively and draws peoples eye because it is just in your face, just like the Irn Bru advertising style is. The ‘32’ is in the same font but the light behind it suggests that the power from the drink is burning through the ’32’ as is appears to be disintegrating and eroding away.

Copy: There isn’t really much text on the packaging of Irn Bru 32. It gives the essentials of what the audience needs to know about the product. It has the name of the drink and brand, the fact that the tin is bigger so you will get more for your money and finally a tag line at the very bottom, underneath the name of the product. This makes the packaging very simple however, people only need to know what the brand is and what they are actually buying.

Colours: The colours featured on the tin are the general colours of Irn Bru; blue, orange and white. This is so that it carries on the general stereotype for Irn Bru products. Also, from the colours used I get a 90’s kind of vibe. Another thing that I have noticed is that other energy drink packaging is generally dark and contain a lot of black, whereas this packaging is very bright and colourful.

Image: There are no images used as there is no real room to place one as it would take away from the simplicity of the tin’s design. Also, what would actually be used on it? Maybe the Barr logo as they are the company that own Irn Bru and it appears on the other Irn Bru packaging (Irn Bru and Diet Irn Bru).

Layout: The layout of the packaging for Irn Bru 32 is pretty simple and straight forward. There is a sort of promotion at the top so people will be more willing to buy it as they get more for their money, then the actual product/company lines the majority of the length of the tin and finally at the bottom there is a small tag line. It is placed there almost as if it’s just filling the space between the ‘32’ and the end of the tin.

Other: I’d say the product is aimed at people aged 16 years of age and older. Also the fact that energy drinks have become very popular amongst people aged 16-24 will make the drink easy to sell however, it will have a lot of competition from companies such as Monster and Rockstar.

Font: Yet again, there is no copy, so no real font to focus on. However, the logo of Monster energy, the ‘M’, isn’t a standard font and actually looks like claw scratches, possibly from a monster, adding to the effect of the name.

Copy: There isn’t really any copy on this poster as it is just simply one big image. I’d say that the only bits of text on this advert are found on the product that you can just make out from the background. It simply states the product’s name ‘Monster Energy’.

Colours: The advert is extremely dark and pretty negative. The bright green that does feature is the main colour of the actual energy drink so people see the black and green together and instantly know what will be advertised. The bright green in the woman’s eye suggests that she has been energised by consuming the energy drink.

Image: The image used is of a woman with a bright green eye, suggesting that she has been energised by consuming the energy drink, as I said before. Only half of her face is visible, the side facing the tin of monster. This could suggest that the drink is so full of power that it’s actually capable of lighting up an area. The final image on the poster is of the actual product so that anyone that didn’t already know what was being advertised, knows now.

Layout: The design of the poster is pretty simple and straight forward. You have your two images side by side. That’s about it really. The black background seems to consume the two images so that they look like they’re emerging out of the darkness.

Other: I’d say that the target audience of this advert is 18-30 year olds, especially males. This is because it’s pretty dark and negative. Also the fact that the girl is there will appeal to males more than females.

Font: The font used is the traditional font that Irn Bru use. It is a San Serif which is popular for most products as it comes across as less formal than Serif fonts. Also, the font style is bold and stands out massively and draws peoples eye because it is just in your face. This way the audience is immediately hooked. Also the general style of the poster (especially the image) is easily recognisable as a Red Bull poster.

Copy: There is more text on this poster than the monster one. ‘Enjoy your jet without the lag’ suggests that if you drink Red Bull you can enjoy your flight without feeling the effects of it later on. At the very bottom of the poster is where the tagline is placed; ‘Red Bull Gives You Wiiings’. This suggests a couple of things. One being the use of extra ‘I’s’ suggesting that the person has received the lift half way through talking. It also suggests to me that it ‘gives you wings’ because it gives your energy levels a boost, it lifts them.

Colours: The colour scheme on this poster is very simple and mainly white. However, the text is in black and the general illustration used on the poster is the most colourful thing on there, drawing the audience in.

Image: There is a couple of images used, the main one being a pink cow that is flying through the air in a pilots outfit while holding a tin of Red Bull. This represents the lift that Red Bull supposedly gives you. Also the fact that the cow is meant to be a pilot ties in with the first bit of copy ‘Enjoy the jet without the lag’. The final image is of the product, which is located in the bottom right hand corner of the poster.

Layout: The design is very simple and straight forward. There is the first part of the copy used, placed right at the top to draw the audience in straight away. Then your eye drops to the colourful illustration underneath the copy. Finally, you see the tagline and a picture of the actual product.

Other: I’d say the target audience for this advert is people aged 16 and over. This is because it’s not as serious or offensive as others and it is more colourful and relaxed.

Font: The font used is a Serif font. This is unusual for an advertisement as it gives an air of formalness. However, I feel that it works well as it makes the words seem even more demanding and powerful. It is also very bold and stands out against the very busy background.

Copy: There isn’t really much copy on this advert. The only bit of text reads ‘feel it’. The suggests that you can feel the power and energy of the drink when it is consumed. However, if I was the designers, I would have put a capital ‘f’ on the ‘feel it’ so that it would have come across with more power. I like the use of the full stop at the end as it makes the phrase short and snappy. It gives off a demanding vibe.

Colours: Like the Monster energy advert, this advert is very dark but with the occasional bright colour used on it. This effect brings a more powerful vibe to the poster and reinforces the fact that they are advertising an energy drink and it is something powerful enough to wake you up. The yellow of the lightening matches the yellow of the words ‘Energy Drink’ on the tin.

Image: There is only one image used on the poster. This is an image of the product with lightning coming in/going out of the tin. Either way, this is a suggestion of the amount of power in the drink. The power is so much that it’s fuelled by lightening or that there is so much power that the drink is expelling lightening.

Layout: Yet again, the layout is rather simple as it contains mainly an image and there is only really one set of copy placed on the poster. The actual product is placed centrally so that it is the main focus of the advert. The lightening coming from the tin gives more direction toward the product, leading the audience’s eye to the product. Finally, the text used is just above the tin so so it directs you to what you are meant to be feeling.

Other: Again, I’d say that the target audience of this advert is 18-30 year olds. This is because it’s pretty dark and negative. It also looks pretty dangerous with the lightening and I feel that it just wouldn’t appeal to younger people.

Font: The font used is the traditional font that Irn Bru use. It is a San Serif which is popular for most products as it comes across as less formal than Serif fonts. Also, the font style is bold and stands out massively and draws peoples eye because it is just in your face. This way the audience is immediately hooked. The font used for the ‘crap free’ looks like it has just been stamped due to the fact that it’s not solid.

Copy: The text on this advert seems to be aiming the company’s rivalry at Red Bull as it says ‘Nothing artificial not even wings’, which is what Red Bull’s tag line aims at. The poster then goes on to say ‘crap free’ suggesting that other energy drinks are full of bad things and that this one is pure. However, if I was going to have a little thing against my rivals (Nothing artificial not even wings) I would have use the right grammar (Nothing artificial, not even wings). This is because I would want my advertisement to be taken seriously.

Colours: There is a red vibe going on in this poster. The red filter placed over the background image makes it fit in with the colour scheme of the brand’s logo. It is very red, white and blue based as a whole. This is probably because then it matches the product’s tin designs.

Image: The image used for the background has a very energetic vibe which is appropriate since it is advertising a product which will boost your energy. The red filter over the image makes the colour pallet limited to the colours of the actual product making it fit well with the rest of the poster.

Layout: It’s a pretty simple layout again. All the writing is place around the sides and bottom of the poster so that we have a clear view of the energetic atmosphere that is featured in the image. There is an image in the bottom right hand corner of the product being advertised so that people will know what’s been advertised and what it looks like. Across from that is the company’s name and web address just incase people want to find out more.

Other: This poster is pretty positive compared with the Monster and Surge adverts. However, I still feel like this advert is aimed at 18-30 year olds as they will have more freedom to do the kind of things in the image.

Font: The font featured on the packaging is a mix of Serif’s and Sans Serifs but the tins still look fun and appealing to younger people. On each can, the colours of the font change to fit the other colours on the tin. This is also so that the writing will stand out no matter what. A final thing I have noticed is that none of the font on the tins are used twice.

Copy: The copy on the Rockstar Energy packaging is limited and simple but still rather informative. It says the brand, the type of Rockstar and then the flavour. It also lists some ingredients and how much energy drink is stored in a tin of Rockstar.

Colours: There is a range of colours used on each tin. Colours that appear on every single tin are black, white and yellow. On the ‘juiced’ tins, the background is a lot more colourful and stand out more on the shelves against their competitors.

Image: There isn’t really any images on the packaging, there is just the Rockstar logo lining the side of the tin. However, on the ‘juiced’ tins, there is a background to give the tin more texture and make it unique to other energy drinks.

Layout: The layout is pretty busy, for a change. There is a lot to look at and there is hardly any blank space on the tins. Some of the ingredients line the top, then there is the brands name and what the drink is. Going down further, there is the logo and some additional information and finally the amount of liquid in the tin.

Other: I feel that the target audience of this packaging could be people age 18 and over. I think this because they are quite big tins but the name will appeal more to younger people and so will the colours used.