




To the eye, color is everything. Color brings out fine points in any product; every other miniscule detail enhances it. Colors become associated with certain ideas, some are bad some are good. This allows viewers to associate each article of an image with an impression. Red is not just red. Red is anger, fire, or love. White is not just a color; it represents innocence and beginning. Like these two colors, black is bilingual. Black speaks the language of hate and evil, but it also speaks promiscuity and sophistication, but black is single shaded. With most colors, shades release different emotions, but black is just black. There is no dark, and there is no light. Black is a statement. A statement of fear and evil, a statement of simplicity and sophistication, a statement of good and bad, depending on context, it could be any of these. Although color is important, it is not the only input of an advertisement; things such as camera shot, lighting, and product placement help assist advertisement’s effectiveness.  Camera shots enhance color; they allow us to see color in different settings, what they show individually and what they show together. Extreme and relative close ups show us detail and precision while other shots make statements and show functions. Viewers also associate the location of items with certain ideas. In advertisements this is called product placement. The placement of a product allows viewers to link items together and make assumptions about the product. Omega’s advertisement for their new Seamaster 300 uses these three components to promote their product The background is mostly black with two lights creating a shadow on the floor of the picture. In the foreground, a medium shot of James Bond is shown, sporting the watch on his left hand. On the right side of the ad, a close up of the watch with words above and below it. Through product placement, shot, and color Omega is able to show the sophistication, power, and durability their Seamaster 300 holds.

James Bond, or 007, is the epitome of sophistication and manliness. James Bond has been viewed as an iconic man for years. Omega uses this as leverage in order to create a persona affiliated with their product. James Bond isn’t a one-time character from a one hit, thriller movie, but an idea that has been repeated over several decades. James Bond is the badass spy that many children and men dreams of becoming, this allows Omega to use product placement to their advantage. Not only is this product luxurious itself, but also makes the owner more similar to James Bond. The product placement of the watch gives the viewer a sense of security; as if he is more of a presence with the watch than without. Omega’s product placement of their watch in this advertisement also speaks to the watch’s rigor and sturdiness. The tasks in which James Bond participates in far surpass the daily lifestyle of a man wearing this watch; placing the watch on James Bond’s wrist allows Omega to show that their watch is strong and durable. Finally, the placement of the watch on 007’s wrist shows that it is a dependable watch. Being a spy isn’t easy; it requires precision of timing to be successful. This speaks to the idea of the Seamaster’s dependability. Overall, Omega’s product placement in this ad is very strategic; it allows them to show the watch is a luxurious, sturdy, and reliable timepiece.

Camera angles give us perspective, they allow us to see not only a personal view, but also an outsider’s view. In Omega’s case, an outsider’s view was used with a medium shot. Omega’s first shot, on the left side of the ad, is a well dressed James Bond. He is sporting a pinstriped suit, while tightening his tie with the hand the watch is on. This gives an executive impression, a man who is ready for business. This shot backs up the idea of the Seamaster being a statement. A timepiece that says, “I’m here for business”. Next, Omega uses a close-up shot of their watch to show the fine details. This allows the viewer to see some of the differences that makes this automatic watch more fashionable and better than others. For example, the close up allows the spectator to see the watch has a twelve-count bezel, the piece of metal that surrounds the face of watch, instead of a sixty-count bezel, which is seen on most dive watches. It’s fine details like these, which are shown by the close up, that makes this piece a different, better watch than its competitor’s timepieces. The two shots that are used in this ad allow spectators to see the true value of the watches style and presence.

The background is black. James Bond’s suit is black. The timepiece has black. Nearly everything in this advertisement is black. With most colors, different shades have the ability to elicit different reactions, but this is not the case with black. Black is only one shade, there’s no dark black or light black, the only shade of black is itself. This leaves Omega’s ad open for interpretation. In some cases, black is associated with hate and evil, but in this case there is a noble connotation linked with the color. Omega’s use of black in their ad for the Seamaster shows the style and power their watch holds. First, the black used in this ad represents style. James Bond sports a black suit, which shows how the watch can be dressed up; alternatively the black that is used on the watchstrap is versatile which allows the watch to also be dressed down. The usage of black is a statement. Black is a bold color; this watch is a bold watch. Not a bad bold, but one that speaks to a sense of style and presence. Next, black is used to represent power. Bond’s style gives him an executive look. The background is mostly black, almost abyssal; this represents the infinite possibility the watch holds. Why? Because the background is in a room, which is apparent by the two lights that hang down from the non-visible ceiling, but the room has no corners, no walls. The abstractness of the room allows the viewer’s thoughts to wonder. This room has no end, which is a direct parallel to the endless possibility the watch holds, making the watch powerful. The color black is open for interpretation, but in this case black is used habitually throughout the ad and represents the grace, supremacy, and possibility of the watch.

Although Omega does a great job of advertising their new watch to white, heterosexual men, Omega fails to include non-white, non-heterosexual men in their ad. The use of Bond is effective in a singular ad, but releasing more ads with iconic member of different cultures and sexualities would assist in tailoring to the whole population instead of a single sector.

After a careful review of Omega’s advertisement I have come to the conclusion that the ad shows that their watch is stylish, a statement piece, and durable. First, Omega uses an iconic figure, James Bond, to help enhance the watch’s style and power that radiate from the piece. Omega also uses shot to show the product during use along with the finer details of the watch. Finally, Omega uses color; mostly black, to convey all three of their points throughout the image. Although some may argue that black is associated with hatred and evil, Omega’s use of black conveys a point of style and strength. Omega’s ad for their Seamaster 300 successfully uses product placement, shot, and color to show their watch as sophisticated, powerful, and strong.


