Assignment 1, Part A – Analyzing Images

Assignment 1, Part A

Nicole Favron

September 24, 2021

VISA 1500 – Introduction to Visual Culture

Every Tuesday night from 8pm to close, The Columbia Diner found at 555 Columbia Street West, is offering an amazing deal to Thompson Rivers University students. To welcome back this demographic, the diner is providing three dollar sleeves of beer, and Tito’s highballs. The advertisement can be found on bulletin boards in Old Main, where this specific photo was taken, as well as in other buildings at Thompson Rivers University. The back-to-school offer is meant to spark interest within the student body, in hopes to cultivate new patrons. 

In the centre of the ad is a large, yellow number 3, with an accompanying dollar sign. It is made to look three-dimensional, with bright scarlet edges, and a deep teal shadow. The warmer tones of the number are highlighted against the cool dark mint background. Accompanying the number 3, “SLEEVES OF BEER + HIGHBALLS” is written in an off-white vintage sans-serif font, to tell the viewer what is available. At the top of the ad, “STUDENT NIGHTS” is written in the same font, with the same three-dimensional effect as the centred 3. Towards the bottom of the ad, there is information on the deal, as well as The Columbia Diner’s social media, website, and email address. The physical address of the diner can also be found at the bottom of the ad; by the time the viewer’s eye has reached the bottom of the page, they will have all the information needed to make a decision on what to do on their next Tuesday night. 

This advertisement is put up by the diner to entice students to come and enjoy three dollar drinks at their establishment, with a presumed hope of them to stay and spend extra money on food items. With bold welcoming colours, and a manageable price at the forefront, the intended audience’s interest is captured immediately. The image coveys the message concisely, and the ad is not hard to miss in a sea of adverts on a bulletin board. It’s vintage fonts and colours interact with the diner’s aesthetic, while simultaneously promising a fun and vibrant experience that feels relevant to today’s current trends and aesthetics. Society’s capitalistic nature leaves little room for regenerative experiences, and because of this, today’s younger population is seeking simpler times. The diner’s ad and overall aesthetic offer a unique experience that aims to appease older patrons with a classic, and offer younger patrons a trendy experience. This accomplishes the double handed task at hand, validating a plethora of needs and leaving most, if not all, feeling seen, heard, and satisfied.

I feel that this image’s message is effectively delivered to its target audience. With the enticing deal of three dollar drinks front and centre, bright and bold, passing students will stop, read, and engage. Hanging side by side with other less colourful ads, the image stands out and captures the eye. Being hung on a bulletin boards throughout a university’s campus allows the ad to be seen by the many students that walk the halls each day. In Old Main, an ad designed for students hung in one of the most universal buildings at Thompson Rivers University is going to be see by a lot of potential customers who would want to partake in the deal. It plays into the many stereotypes of university students, such as wanting cheap drinks, and uses these cliches to its advantage. The ad’s content is easily shared with friends, and it is because of this ad that my friends and I now frequent this establishment. 

The Colombia Diner is somewhere that I myself enjoy visiting. The food and drinks are amazing, and the ambiance is classic and welcoming. Having recently opened, it will be interesting to see how the relationship between student and diner develop. By surfing the company’s websites, it seems as though the establishment is marketing towards locals and young adults, including students. With bold simplistic advertising such at this, The Colombia Diner is sure to engage a with a receptive audience.