It’s no secret that magazines are chock full of advertisements. However, when I was reading the November issue of Glamour magazine (don’t judge- it’s a guilty pleasure), I noticed that there seemed to be three main ad categories- a tier of advertising so to speak. Within this tier, I noticed varying levels of murky-ness.
The first category I was able to discern consisted of the majority of the ads (and probably the magazine itself). If I could guestimate, I would say that 80% of the magazine was full of your basic, blatant, full page print ads. Murky level: 0% Here are two examples:
The second ad category I noticed appeared throughout the magazine at a lower frequency than these full page, traditional ads, but were still fairly common. The interesting thing about this category is that they are much more subtle. In the example below, you can tell that the ad mimics the format of a magazine article, using similar fonts, colors, and cleverly titling the section “November notebook.” It seems as if the advertisers are really trying to trick you into thinking that their ads are not ads, but a part of the magazine. In fact, just by briefly flipping through the magazine, I thought they were at first. The giveaways? 1) The fact that Glamour puts the word “advertisement” at the top of each of these “fake-feature ads” and 2) once you actually read it, it’s pretty clear what it is.
Murky level: 50% – Example below (not the word “advertisement” at the very top).
Finally, the third category of ads I noticed was what I’m going to term the “interview- ad.” One example of this is an article called “Meet the Rock-Star Dermatologists: L.A. Edition.” Basically, it’s a series of mini interviews with five “superstar” dermatologists who offer advice on “skin-beautifying tips,” and tell amusing anecdotes about themselves and their celeb clients. However, what I found most interesting about the section was not how drinking a glass of water before bedtime hydrates your skin, but how there were so many product plugs in the “interviews” with the dermatologists. For example, in the interview with “The Skin Cancer Guru” Dr. Lisa Chipps (picture below), it says “Dr. Chipps likes Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunblock SPF 50 ($13, at drugstores) as an everyday first line of defense. ‘It’s also very important to use products that will reverse damage that has already been done…she adds’ ”
While reading this, I was skeptical. Does Dr. Chipps actually likes this product, or is that just what the magazine decides that she likes? It’s interesting how the writer followed that statement about the sunscreen with a direct quote from Chipps, to create the illusion that the product plug was coming from Chipps directly. The article targets the other dermatologists as well. Another Example? ” ‘Glycolic pads are an addordable way to exfoliate dead skin cells at home’ says Dr. Zaks. He likes Topix Glycolix Elite Treatment Pads 10% ($19 for 60, dermstore.com).” The article also features “5 Things the Derms Love” – a photo section with the doctor’s top products pics.
Murky level: 95%
The interesting thing about this ad is that these dermatologists aren’t spokespeople for the brands mentioned in the article (as far as I can tell) . They aren’t the face of the brand (hahah pun not intended) nor do any of their names bring a particular brand to mind (like Queen Latifah and CoverGirl, for example). Perhaps that is what makes this kind of advertising so effective- it seems more credible and suggests that they support these products because they work, not because they are getting paid to do so (although I would be curious to know if there is any sort of financial compensation involved to the doctors or the magazine for these product plugs).
We live in an age where consumers are faced with the “pretty good problem,” a phenomena described by Walker as one where it is hard to distinguish among the plethora of available products, all of which are similar in terms of utility and style. For example, there are countless skin care products on the market. When it comes to something like sunscreen, the “Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunblock” is probably the exact same thing in terms of quality and function as one made by Coppertone. Yet, as Walker discusses, it is the brand and the brand image that sets products apart in this new age. By associating brands like Neutrogena with dermatologists, it doesn’t define the brand meaning, but consumers may be more likely to buy Neutrogena if it is associated with the expertise and backing of a dermatologist. This ad takes advantage of the power of reputable expertise in persuasion- yet you may not realize that it is happening. This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.”
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