(Image source: https://www.pinterest.com.mx/pin/552113235549449709/)
The company behind Doritos chips have launched an
interesting new ad campaign that I noticed recently. “Logos are designs that
are used to stand for and help reinforce the identity of a corporation or other
entity” (Berger, 2012, p. 54) However, the idea behind these new Dorito ads is
to use ‘no logos,’ and instead display plain chip bags with the iconic Doritos
colors of red and blue. “Even though the ad claims to be logo-free, it does use
the Doritos triangle shape at the same angle it is found on packets. Toward the
end of the ad is a shot of a billboard with the words “Logo Goes Here”
superimposed on to the familiar three-sided shape” (Handley, 2019, para 4).
There is more information about this campaign and how Doritos is using it in
(Video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbwoKm5U0tM)
By seeing these colors on chip bags, along with the overall
style of the advertisement, the audience can guess that this is a commercial
for Doritos. The company is able to use these colors and shape as an indexical sign. “An
indexical sign is logically connected to what it represents” (Berger, 2012, p.
23). Technically, with these colors and the triangle shape being used, the company
is still using symbols to promote their brand. This is a great example of how
color can play a very important role in advertising. These ads also still seem
to have a sense of unity, which according to Berger (2012), refers to the way
all of the elements relate to one another and produce a sense of completeness (p.
116). Just because the brand’s name is missing, the rest of the commercial and
the visuals don’t really feel like they are lacking anything, except that logo.
The point is still able to be made.
References:
Berger, A. A. (2012) Seeing is Believing: An Introduction to Visual Communication (4th edition). McGraw-Hill Education.
Handley, L. (2019, August 27). Gen Z Doesn’t Like Branding, So Doritos Tries a New Approach. CNBC. Retrieved October 2019, from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/27/doritos-launches-ads-with-no-logo-and-no-brand-name-to-attract-gen-z.html
