Hedging and Blending of Advertising Design Elements in Nigerian Newspapers: An Aesthetic Analysis

Abstract

The study made aesthetic judgments on four select newspaper advertisements employing the visual analysis approach and hedging it on subjectivity and universal validity planks of Kant’s theory. The ads were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using a modification of the Likert scale which helped reduce the elements of background, colour, layout, typography, words and message into measurable terms. It found that aesthetic experience are better heightened with a dynamic blend of textual matters and visuals, while colours should play the role bleeding to help intensify the message rather than adding expressive ‘beauty’. Class of the consumers as influenced by content of the advertisements, context for consuming the advertisements as well as cognition were found to be very significant is saying which advertisement was ‘good’ or ‘very good’. However, all four advertisements had different level of appeals. It recommended amongst others a dynamic blend of the advertising elements so as to maximize the aesthetic experience of the individual and ultimately meaning construction and sharing.

Key words: aesthetic, advertisements, ad elements, taste, appeal, meaning construction.