(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
I found it very interesting how the items used in the scenes were symbolic of everything Doritos. The original bags pixelized in the beginning of the ad just to let you know what it is all about. Triangles flashed on the screen in many different formats, clouds of orange powder explosions and even the iconic wiping off orange fingers on a shirt. “Images have the power to reveal our mental states (Berger, p 3, 2012).” The speed of the images leads me to believe they wanted to rely on our mental state and knowledge of the Doritos brand. It plays on our subconscious and makes us want Doritos even though we weren’t considering. The words used with the images describing the taste you subtly hear the words, “a snack that rhymes with,” and then pausing at a neon light that says, “I need those,” is the very type of symbols the ad creator was hoping for consumers to connect. If consumers did not realize the connection of the Doritos triangle logo before, they certainly will now. I think I need to go buy a bag of Doritos now.
ReplyDeleteBerger, A. A. (2012) Seeing is Believing: An Introduction to Visual Communication (4th edition). McGraw-Hill Education.
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ReplyDeleteThat ad campaign is very interesting, as it is a great look into how brands have made such an impact on us, that we don't even need the complete logo to make the association to a product. The associations with the Doritos brand such as the symbolic use of triangle shapes and as you stated the colors of the bags. As Berger States advertisers” make great use of the power of association because this technique conveys information quickly and powerfully”. Though the commercial doesn’t display the logo, it seems like the association is more powerful and memorable.
ReplyDeleteReference:
Berger, Arthur Asa. Seeing is Believing: An Introduction to Visual Communications. 4th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012