Now analyse this print ad

This print ad is linked to the one you analysed in the previous post: the one advertising the Economist.
This time the Guardian is advertised.  It is a widely-read British newspaper.  Surf the net and try to find out who it is mainly read by.  Try to find the identikit of the "ideal" reader of this newspaper and see in what way the print ad matches the identikit.
If you cannot find the right info, then proceed in this other way: observe the ad attentively and think of the "ideal" reader the Guardian is appealing to.

Now think of an Italian newspaper or magazine.  In what way is it advertised?  Are newspapers or magazines advertised in Italy?  If not, why?

If you cannot find any examples, think of the way you would advertise a newspaper or magazine.  I want you to mention the "title" and the reasons why you decided to advertise it in that way.

Lastly, compare, if possible, the differences and similarities in advertising newspapers/magazines in Italy and the UK.

Enjoy the activity!
the-guardian-ads

26 Replies to “Now analyse this print ad”

  1. In Wikipedia I found some useful pieces of information.
    The Guardian was first named The Manchester Guardian, when it was founded in 1821 by a group of entrepreneurs. At first it was sold only in Manchester, in weekly issues, but than it made a nation-wide newspaper under the leadership of C. P. Scott in the last years of the 18th century. The Guardian belongs since 1936 to The Scott Trust, who guarantees its financial health and, what is most important, its independence. Although The Guardian, during the 19th century, supported different politic actions, it is mainly deemed to side with the Labour Party, the liberal party. During the latest war in Afghanistan and Iraq, it strongly criticised the decisions of governments interventionist policy, thus, it drew vast consensus not only in England but between American readers either.
    As so to the identity of the reader, from the unofficial sources I found, he seems to be independent; he dispose of a constant income so that he can afford travelling and spending holiday abroad and arrange his life in the most suitable way. The Guardian reader knows what he wants. The Ad shows a different model of person, a very untidy person; a person who doesn’t care about food and clothes, who can’t sleep the night and makes a mess in everything. I think it result to be a hateful picture for the very Guardian reader, who is totally the opposite to that description. The reader feels proud not to belong to that class of people. This means that the newspaper “The Guardian” really flatters its reader, and so its readers will just keep on reading it.
    I didn’t find out any specific advertisement for Italian newspaper, but I think that it has become a taboo for a nation-wide newspaper to side for a specific category of readers: you have to be impartial, objective; whereas in England newspaper are very powerful, and are to be considered as a “fourth estate” as they can drive the opinions of big masses of people.
    Stefano P

  2. In the net I found some information of the ideal reader of  "The Guardian":most are young people,educated,who wants to be independent, who enjoy shopping, technology, every kind of art. In Italy there isn't a newspaper as "the Guardian" in England, we have only a kind of newspapers or magazines that everyone can read.Only "Il sole 24ore" is more difficult for young people. Magazines or newspaper are advertised only when have some special inside or only when talk about gossip! I think that the big difference of UK is that people used to read a serious and more difficult newspaper, that have a more subtle themes and more interesting…I think that in Italy we see more tv instead of reading news, and this is a bad thing because so young don't have a good cultural education.
    Giulia

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