Promotional video analysis

Promotional Videos

The first promotional video I will discuss has been made to promote Camden. Camden is a place where a lot of tourists will go to see when they are in London. For this reason the video would have to show Camden in its best light which it did. It did this through a use of key conventions for promotional videos.  Straight from the outset of this promo video there is a use of uplifting non diegetic music that has multiple genres in it such as a hip hop beat and also some Spanish guitar. By doing this, the video is already using a key convention of Promotional videos, which is to use fitting music. This choice of mixed genre music forces the ideology that Camden is a modern diverse place that appeals to different walks of life and different cultures. The music also automatically gives you a “feel good” mood; this has been used to show how Camden is a place that you can go to, to make you feel good. It then starts with the establishing shot of a time lapse of Camden with the famous Camden Lock Bridge being the centrepiece of the frame. This has been done as it is a famous piece of Camden history and often when people think of Camden they associate it with this bridge. We then get another establishing shot, but this time of a small café, once we get taken inside the café there is a shot of a couple having a drink. This is showing how you can go to Camden as a couple to a have a “chilled” day, this is showing how it appeals to all different kinds of people.

All the way through the Camden video there is cutaway shots of buses, cars, bicycles, motorbikes and also the Camden tube station. By doing this, the video is fulfilling probably the most important convention of promotional videos, which is to give the audience information. Without narration or subtitles we are still being shown that you can get to Camden in all means of transport. Other repetitive cutaway shots that are used are of the sky. This is using the film technique of ‘Pathetic Fallacy’ where by filming the sky on a sunny day it reflects a happy feeling. This is fulfilling another convention of promotional videos which is meeting the audiences needs and it is doing this by showing Camden at its best on a sunny day, which is want the audience wants when they go. The video uses a key promotional video convention of montages throughout and is used well when showing the audience the various places to eat. It shows places from Nandos to expensive eateries, by doing this the video is again making Camden appeal to all different walks of life and showing how it is for everyone, e.g. places to eat for people on a budget or places to eat for people that like to spend a bit more.

The second promotional video I will discuss is for “Butterflies” which is an extra curriculum programme for children. The video is straight away using key conventions by using fitting and uplifting non-diegetic music. We then get another convention with the use of on screen graphics. These have been used well and are also appropriate as the name “Butterflies” appears with a butterfly then flying onto the screen. There is next another key convention put into place as there is a montage of children playing and learning together. The use of this convention covers yet another, which is giving the audience what, they want. It does this by forcing the idea of children learning and having fun at the same time which is what any parent would want for their child. In the video we also get information from the teachers and also the students. This gives the viewer two sides of the story.

The third video I will analyse is a promotional video for the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car. The video opens with a voice over taking the viewer back to the very first days a Porsche car was made. It sets the scene by using the correct mise-en-scene such as clothing, buildings etc. The use of a voice over is telling the viewer how ground breaking the first car was to then show us the new concept electric car. It does this because it wants to show how ground breaking it is and how it will have just as much in pact as the first. All shots throughout the video are edited in a way so that the video runs smoothly. This has been done to resemble the concept car itself. It’s a smooth running, electric car. The video also uses a key convention of promotional videos which is fitting and appropriate non diegetic sound. Throughout the video beginning to end, there is a strong use of non diegetic sound of quite ambient and soft piano music but when we first see the new concept car the music gets slightly louder and a bit more in your face than the at the start. This again is most probably used to show how the “Spyder” is going to have more of an impact than what the first Porsche did.

Overall I conclude that all three promotional videos work well. They do this because they all have a strong use of key conventions of promotional videos all the way through. Also because of the strong use of the conventions, each video appeals to its target audience, which is the main thing. Out of the three in my opinion the strongest is the Camden Lock promotional video. The reason for this is I believe it appeals to people from any kind of background whether it be working class, middle class or people of different ethnic backgrounds. The video does this by showing the different restaurants that differ in price range and it also shows all kinds of shops on the high street and also the famous Camden market. By using these things and more the video definitely promotes Camden in a good light and appeals to its target audiences, which is everyone and anyone.