RA -- Shaving cream ad

“New! Epil-Stop Silky Crème hair Removal” This new shaving cream product is aimed at young girls and most pointedly girls reading Seventeen magazine. The makers of Epil-Stop are spreading the message that if, as a girl, you use our product you can become popular and part of the Friday night party crowd. This is done through the imagery of hair and facial expressions, communication themes, and use of color in the advertisement.
The advertisement is split into three sections, two skinny vertical sections plus a horizontal one at eh bottom. On the top there is one girl in each of the two vertical halves. The one on the right is a dark haired girl, who is made to look youthful through the use of two high pigtails. With her eyebrows raised high and a wide grin on her face she gives the appearance of a young girl. Not only does it give her youth but it places her into the category of a playful fun-loving party girl, who looks the part of innocence. Just opposite of this youthful girl is a mature looking teen. She has dark hair highlights with a mole artfully placed on her cheekbone just above her blushed cheeks. She gives a coy smile to the onlooker with lips that are masterfully painted with a deep mauve lipstick. The coloring and hair style, which is mid-neck length and straightened, gives the teen a grown up and experienced look. She also appears more mature, and subtly flirty with the cord of a phone wrapped around her arm and hand holding the receiver to her ear. This is in stark contrast to the youthful girl who holds the phone between her ear and shoulder while her arm goes straight to the floor to prop herself up. There is more energy in her stance than in that of the teen. The phones play a large part in the communication of the message.
One phone linked to another is how the two girls are communicating this “whole new experience” that is being advertised to young girls. Our youthful girl is seen saying, “’Mine’s Margarita- what a blast!” which shows her enthusiasm and labels the margarita flavor as exciting and full of promise for a wild night. The mature teen is seen saying, “’Mine smells like a Cosmo!” , illustrating the fact that she is experienced in drinking and bar talk as she calls the drink by its shortened name. The fact that they are talking to each other about this new product, means that it is something everyone will want, and it is so great that you’ll talk about it with your friends. This implies that with a purchase of Epil-Stop you can have friends to gab with while shaving your legs and getting ready for the night as the two girls in the ad are doing.
The use of color in the advertisement is key. The Margarita side is decorated in coordinating bright greens and yellows with multiple images of lemons and limes, a pattern seen on the wall, towel, and bottle. They see the girl wearing the towel and sitting next to the huge bottle, they assume that she must be fun, flirty, and youthful. This sends the message that if this look and attitude is what they want they can achieve it through this singular shaving cream. The more subtle pinks, purples, and blues in the cosmopolitan side give the message that this shaving cream will make you cool, calm, but still feminine enough to be desired when you walk into the bars.
The central message here is that as a young girl you can gain a specific party aura by buying one of our products.