This is an in depth analysis, and critical review of TV advertisement for ‘Walker’s Crisps’. The advert features former football players; Gary Lineker and Paul ‘Gazza’ Gascoigne.
My aim is to analyse and compare other existing forms with a significant sonic and hidden element to build up a deeper understanding of them.
Throughout the review, I will be referring to Gascoigne as Gazza since its how he is commonly and affectionately known.
Also John Webster made the advert.
The Advert
The 30-second advert is based in a football stadium. The camera focuses on the two main characters of the advert that are Gary Lineker and Gazza sitting in the football stadium surrounded by other football fans.
During the match, Lineker “tucks” into a packet of Salt & Vinegar flavoured Walkers Crisps. Gazza sits behind Lineker with a keen eye on the packet of crisps whilst Lineker focuses on the football match switching the packet back and forth between his hands. When a goal is scored, Lineker stands to celebrate giving Gazza the perfect opportunity to try and take crisps from the packet. However, Lineker notices Gazza’s attempt and crushes his hand whilst it’s still in the packet. Gazza starts to cry false tears.
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| Footage taken from the advert |
Gazza is very well known for crying at world cup 1990[1] which was in Italy. Hence why he cries and the advert plays an Italian song symbolic of the 1990 world cup! Also Lineker and Gazza were team mates at that world cup, it was in fact Lineker who indicated to the manager that Gazza was about to cry
The advert is trying make metaphoric connections between Gazza crying for being given a yellow card and not being able to play in the World Cup Final, and him not having a crisp (Walkers are trying to say their crisps are that good its more important than missing a World Cup Final)
Gazza is known for being emotional and passionate. The advert also plays on Lineker’s ‘nice guy’ impression. He did not receive a single yellow or red card during his entire football career.
Environmental Sound
The advert begins with background noise of football fans cheering and chanting. The noise is not dominant. As the voice over begins to talk, the background noise volume dips slightly allowing the voice to be clearly heard. When the voice over has finished speaking the background noise goes back up to the original volume level it was at.
Near the end of the advert, when Gazza starts to cry, we can hear Nessun Dorma often performed by Pavorotti.
As Lineker picks out a crisp from the opened packet, no sound is heard. However, as he puts the crisp into his mouth and eats it, a dominant crunch sound is clearly heard. We only hear the sound once as he continues to chew and the camera pans away from his face onto Gazza’s face.
When Gazza puts his hand into the packet of crisp and feels around for the crisp, noise of rustling is heard. The noise sounds like a plastic carrier bag that has been scrunched up.
As Lineker crushes Gazza’s hand, we hear a painful sounding ‘crunch’ noise, which is suppose to represent the bones in Gazza’s hand being crushed.
The noise used to produce that sound, sounds like an apple being bitten into, but then the pitch has been shifted down slightly to give it more depth.
Music
The music used in the advert is of Italian origin. It is a substitute to the sound of Gazza crying. It emphasises his emotions and the pain he is in, the pain of his hand getting crushed in addition to the pain he’s in for not getting a crisp.
The music also marks the end of the advert. For me, the music conveys sadness and passion.
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