The disadvantage of this task was that I couldn't get hold of any relevant ads online, so instead I had to go and find some ads from real magazines. For that reason my selection was a bit limited.
The ads that I'll cover are all for console games, which I found inside some game magazines that I picked up. It may not be ideal, but they are still magazine ads for games. cover some console games as well to add some variety and also to compare and contrast. As usual I'll post the image and then note and analyse the things I pick up on.
Let's begin:
Guitar Hero 5 -
This advert has a double page spread, hence the two images. Double page spreads can be helpful for advertising because they're twice as prominent as a single page ad. It also allows the company to add more elements in, to enhance the ad's message. I imagine it also makes them harder to be put into magazines however.
Either the advert uses astounding graphics, or the images are photos. Either way the realism of the picture and the images used effectively portray the setting of the picture, the backstage of a music gig, with electrical wires on the floor, a speaker partially visible on the left, and a large instrument crate. There is also the trademark Guitar Hero Controller in place of a real guitar, which highlights that it's an advert promoting the Guitar Hero game series.
The instrument box shown in the picture also serves as a plain black background for the other key images of the advert; namely the game's title, which fills out the majority of the right hand page, and stands out prominently against the black of the instrument box. The metal edges of the box also seem to frame the name from above and below, emphasising the name further.
The other key images of the advert are a set of screenshots, showing footage from the game itself. There are three of them, arranged in a column, once again placed in front of the instrument box. Each one has a caption underneath it, detailing other key elements of the game, such as the multiplayer and online functionality, the ability to play with any selection of instruments, and new game modes.
There are also various pieces of text around the advert. The first being the release date for the game in the top left, made prominent by a strong red background. There is also a message underneath, directing you to the game's website where the game can be pre-ordered from. This is one of two links to the site, the other being at the bottom of the right side, promoting visiting it, as more songs for the game can be found and downloaded there.
Along with the images of the game footage, there is also a list of well known artists, whose songs are featured in the game, the text of which is once again made prominent with a strong red back background. In small print at the bottom of the advert are the trademark messages, as well as a message on the right, clarifying that the instruments shown do indeed represent guitar hero controllers
The advert also contains a critical response to the game. A quotation from Eurogamer is found at the the top right, containing praise for the game and the company's handle of it, which strongly reinforces the belief that the game is of a high quality, encouraging more people to buy it.
Finally there is a strip at the bottom of the advert, showing the rating of the game, which is PG, the trademark images of the different consoles that the game is on, as well as their online networks, and the companies involved in the game's development. These serve as the guidelines for the game, showing what console it'll be on, and the content it contains.
Donkey Kong Country Returns -
A single page spread advert. This advert was actually in a magazine that came out after the game was released, so this serves to promote the game after its release. As such there are couple of elements on that ad that aren't otherwise there, such as the game's case shown in the bottom left, which can make the game easier to find if you're looking for it in a store. There's also a blurb like paragraph down at the bottom, briefly summarising what the game's plot is about.
The advert makes use of computer graphics rather than photos, indicating the game to be more fantasy orientated. The advert also makes use of the game franchise's trademark and iconic characters - Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, who have a prominent front and centre position on the ad, indicating them to be the game's key feature. The background is of a lush green jungle, representative of the Country part of the game's title, and also has hidden in it some of the enemies found in the game, some harder to spot than others.
The game's title is slightly less visible and less prominent, being placed directly above the characters, with no solid background to emphasize it. The advert also has a promotional catchphrase - 'GO BANANAS!' in the same font style as the main title, placed directly below the characters in the image. To back up the catchphrase, a picture of a bunch of bananas is present in the bottom right of the image, giving strong indication that bananas play a key part in the gameplay.
The image has two distinct parts to it, an upper part showing the jungle and the characters, and a lower part that is solid black, where the information is placed. At the top of this lower section are three images arranged horizontally in row, each containing a piece of game footage. They also have captions underneath them, each talking about a new element within the game such as new types of moves, new levels to play and new multiplayer functionality. These reinforce the advert, allowing you to see what you might experience by playing the game.
In terms of guidelines, there is rating present in the top left corner, stating that the game is rated as pegi 3, and at the bottom of the post are the trademarked logos for Nintendo are for the Wii console, indicating what console the game is on. This is also backed up by another promotional line - 'Answer the call of the wild on Wii'. There's also a link at the bottom to the nintendo website, as well as the small print trademark and copyright details included at the very bottom.
Red Steel 2 -
A single page advert. The magazine containing this advert was released after the game itself was. The ad does however have a release date included on the left hand side, which itself is helpful, as it shows that the game has been released, which is better than not knowing at all. For that reason there is also an image of the game's package present on the advert for referential purposes.
The artwork for this picture is visually impressive, and looks as if it includes elements that have been hand drawn, coupled with some computer graphics. The ambience of the image, with the lifeless plain, the rock plateaus, the lack of cloud, and the huge sunset all put indication toward a Wild West themed game.
The main character of the game is made the central focus of the image, his figure occupying the majority of the image. It's also further emphasised by the large bright setting sun that's backlighting his dark coloured figure, as well as the two rock formations in the background that rise up either side of him. His attire also backs up the idea of the game being western themed, thanks to the Stetson hat, the mouth guard and the smoking pistol in his left hand.
The title of the game is placed directly above the key character and is shown prominently, with the crimson and silver colours of the title contrasting with the bright orange of the sky. The title also has bullet holes and appears to have been slashed in half horizontally, with pays reference to the pistol and sword that the character is holding. The game also has a promotional catchphrase accompanying the title - 'For Cold-Blooded Accuracy' which is written in dark red and also contrasts with the bright orange sunset behind it.
At the bottom of the image the colours fade to black, and that is where the information is found. The image has two pictures showing in-game footage in a row in the bottom right, although there is no further information beneath them to explain what the images are showing, or explain any new mechanics. The only information that is present is an image on the bottom left, showing a wii remote jacket with a Motion Plus inside it, with text accompanying it saying that the game is designed exclusively for Wii Motion Plus. There is also a trademark logo present for the Motion Plus, as well as a small icon reiterating that the add-on is required to be able to play the game
As well as the motion plus guideline, there is also a rating given to the game, which is pegi 16, along with the trademark logos for Wii, indicating it to be the console that the game plays on, and the game's developer, Ubisoft. Uniquely the small print trademark and copyright information is actually arranged vertically along the left hand edge of the advert. Finally there is a reference to the link for the website for the game, promoting the game as well as the website to accompany it.
Call of Duty -
A double page spread advert, allowing for more content on the ad as well as a larger impact than single page ads.
The advert doesn't seem to just be a single photo, but certainly has realistic pictures. Possibly various photos that have been photoshopped together rather effectively. Regardless it effectively portrays the picture to be from a war zone, with the flames from an explosion, dust and smoke obscuring vision, and the dirt terrain.
The picture has two major images, the first being the title, which stands out strongly with its green outline against the beige of the background. It is shown to be the main focus of the image, as it spreads out through the middle across the entire double page spread and eclipses all other images in the advert. The second key image is the soldier, recognisable as one by the rifle in his arm and the full body desert camouflage clothing, which takes up the large majoity of the left hand side, which further indicates the game is about war.
Behind the soldier there is a row of four screenshots, each showing cinematic footage from the game. The images don't possess any captions detailing what they contain, and no information about the games elements or mechanics is shown anywhere on the advert. The only information present is a promotional message of sorts, down in the bottom of the right hand side, stating that the game is 'the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time', which plays on the brand's success as a form of promotion, indicating that high quality can be expected from the game.
The advert also contains a quotation from a response to the game by CVG.com, who states that the game raises the bar for action games and takes them to the next level, which serves as a strong promotional method by having another voice compliment the game. The advert also openly promotes the website for the game as, instead of just having a link to it, it tells the audience to check it out and the linking the url for it. The advert also has a release date shown in the bottom left hand side, prominently shown in white against the dark brown of the dirt which takes up the bottom of the picture.
The bottom of the picture is also where the rest of the game's information is shown. There is a set of images going across the bottom right hand side, first the game's rating, 18, followed by the logos of the platforms it appears on, as well as their various online networks, and finally the companies involved in the game's production. Finally the trademark and copyright small print is shown beneath these images at the very bottom of the page.
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