Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulmers_%28Ireland%29
I will be looking at some advertisements for Magners Irish Cider to get some ideas about the products image and how they promote their drink.
Spring 2008:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERsSxtjKkHw
The idea behind this advertisement seems to be promoting natural, healthy and traditional production of cider as well as vary traditional consumption of the cider. Although this is the 21st century the advertisement does not feature much sign of technology or modern architecture. Instead it appeals to a more natural period in human history and shows people all gathered around, dancing and laughing in a tent with people playing instruments instead of simply sitting in a pub and listening to a CD.
The beginning of the advert appeals to these notions even more. Instead of the idea of modern harvesting it shows people working together in an orchard picking apples on a ladder with no machinery. There are a lot of strong natural colours such as greens and yellows. Along with this is some footage of beautiful natural scenery such as fields and streams which add to the notion of nature that they are trying to get across.
The song used in the advert is simple and acoustic at the start which goes along with the traditional theme because it's just one man and his guitar. Later on it picks up with a faster tempo and a simple drum beat. The vocals sound very country and the instruments sound Irish (a lute or something similar playing in the background) which works well with the natural and traditional message in the advert.
It is very obvious the message they are going for and the image they are constructing for the product. It's not an abstract concept, since these things naturally lend themselves to the product so it is easy to create a convincing image of nature for the product. It also says at the end of the advert "Enjoy Magners Responsibly" which might be a mandatory message but appears in an informal way that suggests it is self regulation and they want to have a responsible image.
Summer 2007:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqC65nZ8pPk
This advert is very different from the last one but it uses a lot of similar themes. The sequence starts with cider being poured in to the bottom of the glass but this blends in to video footage of an orchard with a colour cast the same colour as the cider. The camera follows bubbles as they move around the trees. It eventually leads back in to the cider and then cuts to the cider being given to someone over the bar.
The camera moves quite energetically. It is floaty but not erratic, which fits with the bubbles it seems to follow. This links in with the music which is 'The Journey' by Fatboyslim and says "I gotta keep movin'" and you get the sense that the advert is following the music. The colours and the footage of the trees keeps up the natural image of the product but this one feels more modern and energetic, perhaps aimed at a slightly younger market especially with the modern music.
Summer 2009:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GinUq4I9_Uw
This advert is quite faced paced. It starts with footage of fields and then going through trees, an orchard then match cuts a bench to a seat on a boat out at sea. There is a strong yellow over all of the video footage that strengthens the theme of summer but also matches the colour of the drink to a certain degree. There is a lot of focus on the sun, sunlight and the colours of the sun which matches the summer theme of the advert and the time when it was shown. The music also mentions the sun in the lyrics.
The end of the advert shows people enjoying Magners on a boat while the sun sets with a strong yellow cast over the scene. It contrasts the hot yellow sun with the moist and thirst quenching look of the drink and the ice, with it fizzing and the outside of the glass dripping. Again the natural theme comes through strongly at the start but it also tried to appeal to the summer season and uses that as a gateway for why you should drink Magners.
Mark Watson - 2009:
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJqmnHDH3IU
This is part of a series of advertisements for Magners new pear cider, featuring the stand up comic Mark Watson. The majority of the advert is based around Mark Watson walking around making jokes about things that aren't as they seem or some form of deception, and then mentioning that Magners pear cider is 100% pear and as he says "give it to me straight".
This is tying in with the natural angle, the idea that it's 100% pears and you know you are getting fruit which is natural. This ad also ties in with Magners marketing campaigns by sponsoring a lot of stand up comedy festivals, so they obviously see a lot of opportunity for selling to that market by using a stand up comic and an advert based on stand up comedy.
Printed Advert:
This Magners advert has been photographed at a train station, but would also likely appear on the side of a bus stop. It is very simple in design. There is a clear glass with the Magners logo on it, and cider being poured from the bottle on to ice. It looks refreshing, and the colours make it feel warm and inviting. The background is an out of focus patch of grass and some flowers, and some in focus flowers created a border around the glass and bottle framing the whole thing. The flowers and grass seem to be there to continue the notion of Magners being natural.
These adverts have given me an insight as to Magners existing branding and the themes they have used to advertise the drink.