Media Coursework Essay, Research Paper

Introduction

Going on holiday is one of the most important things in our lives today; it is just as important as having a good car or nice clothes. Next step is choosing the right holiday, and what better way then, going down to the travel agent and picking up all the pretty brochures. The pretty brochures is just a par of the great advertising world, trying to be informative but using persuasive language, basically tempting us to go.

Today, we are only aware of products by advertising on the television, from billboards and the radio. Advertsing is the new way to bring information across to people in an informative way but trying to be very pursasive, in such a way it is saying you want it despite we do not really need it a good example of this is mini discs players, it is not essential for our everyday living but nearly every young person has one. Then there are the ads we just remember, such as the marmite ad, everyone knows the famous you either hate it or love it , or the nescafe ad for golden bled remember next time you buy cheap shoes quality pays , and there are many more, but we remember them, the same thing applies for holidays.

For the media coursework I shall be comparing escapades a brochure for 18-30 years old, with the golden years, which is aimed at the retired people. I will compare the language used for the same holiday but aimed at different age groups.

Front covers

The front cover of escapades has bright energetic colours such as the purple colour. These are very eye-catching, but also are incorporated with the theme of the millennium. Next is the logo, again this is the first thing that attracts your eye to, because of the graphology, there is a curve before the e this looks like it could be interpreted in many ways such as energy or exercise, and excitement. The girl on the front is computer generated, this being very applying to our generation, and of the trend of computer generated female characters such as Lara Croft. The position of her on the cover shows that she may be energetic and fit, also she is extremely tanned, again appealing to the younger generation (18-30 year olds).

For the golden years brochure, they heave used scenic pictures for the background, such as the blue skies, typical beautiful spanish villa, and finally happy couples having fun in the sun and relaxing. The eye is directed onto the couples because of their bright clothes, such as the woman s red shirt. Next on notices on the bottom of the page is a slogan which says Holidays with a good deal more , this is interests the older age group as they like to get value for money.

Introduction pages

The introduction pages for the golden years is written quiet formal to a certain extend, also they are full of adverting such as premiair gold , advertising cheaper flights with the first class comfort, this being very appealing to the older people. Through out the introduction pages one sees happy couples in the sun and on the golden beach, always smiling and having fun. The unbeatable offers continue, such as this one unbeatable group offers and book early and save a good deal more . In the next pages they list activities and the all-inclusive holiday, making it very appealing, and tempting to go, for example for lively holidays packed with activities, entertainment, things to do, places to go and people to meet, choose value Hosted Club Hotels , that sentence is appalling to those who are single or even to those who just want to meet new people, and to those who just would like to go away.

Finally on the last introductory pages is the even more enjoyments with extra weeks and great winter long stay holidays , today the older generation likes to go aboard for the winter, secondly it is cheaper for them being in the sun. Here in the text starts with you can stay as long as 12 weeks in the following resorts , and the price in the left hand corner of the page in the red circle from as little as 69 it is being more pervasive than informative, as for the prices and the way it has been written.

Whereas escapades will not be written in formal english but rather in colloquial english, seen in the introduction pages be part of the party crew or the telly s taken over by cricket and golf [yawn] and we ve got it sussed . The way it is written is like having a discussion with someone, as if they were telling you about the place but in an informal way to keep ones attention. Next it is written in a way where one is actually agreeing with them, you deserve it and what are you waiting for . Again it is written also very pervasive, such as the bold letters at the bottom of the page Go for it and also it s a real deal . Here the pictures are all of beautiful people having fun, and in night clubs enjoying themselves.

The computer-generated characters are continued throughout the brochure. Also in the brochure they have used couples having fun like in the golden years, only here they are young and beautiful. Again as in the golden years brochure, there is also a unbeatable group prices, only here it is said as bring posse and make a massive saving , you ll get one place free , this sounding very good, especially for young people who are broke, they are made to believe that they can get a free place, which they will get but most likely there is a catch of a sort.

The Holidays

One holiday, two very different descriptions same holiday for the holiday brochures by the same company. Escapades describes Majorca as madness, madness, they call it madness , just from that sentence one gets the impression that there is a lot of fun things to do there which are energetic . Whereas the golden years is more formal and descriptive about the weather rather than the night life as in escapades, Majorca is for exploring and the weather is mild and spring comes early with its profusion it gives the impression of it being fun but also very relaxing with the mild weather. In the golden years brochure, the y describe Magalluf as a very attractive resort with it s broad beach of fine sand , rather than as in escapades where all the clubs are being named, again the beach is mentioned, long and sandy . Both agree on the fact that it is packed with lots of things to do, but it is said very differently from each other, as with everything you do in Majorca, you ll be spoilt for choice and this has always been a fantastic place to tan, dance and the rest and just because everyone s nuts about a neighbouring island, doesn t mean this place has lost its sting .

Next the travel information is very different, the golden years lists the prices, such as drink: bottle of wine 4 whereas escapades it only lists activities as how many clubs, what watersports one can do there and the flights from where they depart in the UK.