Research blog: Commercial Conventions

    After watching many cosmetic and makeup commercials, I’ve noticed many common themes. In all of the commercials for eyelashes and eye makeup, I’ve seen that every single setting was in a place with bright lighting. For example, a bathroom with LED lighting. Or even a bedroom with a full length mirror. I’ve seen some commercials of models getting ready and their whole vanity is filled with makeup, so much that you can’t even see every individual product. In some videos, there were shots of the model in a messy room to show indecisiveness.  I’ve also noted that there are always clips of the finishing touches of the subject doing their makeup. There are always vibrant eye makeup looks that bring attention to the main event, the eyes. There are often closeups of the eyes and even slow motion clips. As well as close ups of the actual products and slow motion clips of those too. The model is often glammed up in her/his finest clothing and on a hurry to get somewhere. Maybe a club or day-outing. The eye  makeup is always matching with the clothes, showing a common theme. I’ve even seen some shots of the model checking themselves out in the bathroom or bedroom mirror. They’re always taking a look in the mirror or writing on it with lips stick. What they write could be something as small as a something along the lines of, “You are Beautiful.” Some may even go as far as kissing the mirror with the same lipstick on. These little detail make the audience think that their product that they advertise is what is giving the model the confidence they have. Production may even include an arch of the model being sad and unconfident in the first few scenes, then when they put on the product, the model feels like the most confident and beautiful person in the world. Sometimes, there are shots of the model walking on the sidewalk and meeting up with some friends of who are dressed in similar clothing and make up.

 All of these conventions carefully work together to make 30+ seconds of a commercial seem like they have watched an entire movie with a story line. While some of the commercials I have watched may not have as much substance behind them, they have aided in my discovery of similar themes.

See you in the next one!