Semiotic analysis of an advertisement

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A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF AN ADVERTISEMENT

A logical place to start may be to ask 'What is semiotics?' Semiotics is the scientific study of signs and the way in which these signs construct and reconstruct meaning. A sign can be simultaneously iconic, indexical and symbolic. When a sign is iconic it is a very good representation of the signified meaning, for example, a photo or a painting. If there is some relationship between the meaning and what is being signified, it is known as an index (indexical), for example, smoke is an index of fire. A symbol is where there is no relationship between sign and meaning, (written language is symbolic).

(Watson, 184)

Saussure composes a sign into two elements, a 'signifier' and the 'signified'. The signifier is the image that we see, for example a painting. The signified is the mental concept, which is conjured up in the mind of the receiver when they engage with the signifier (the painting).

Custom Essays on semiotic analysis of an advertisement

(Saussure, 174)

"A rose is a symbol of love or passion not because a rose looks like love or passion or even because the flower causes it. It is just that members of some cultures have over the years used the rose in certain circumstances to mean love."

(Gillian Dyer, 18)

As quoted on the previous page by Gillian Dyer, you can see that messages that are passed through from a sign can have different meanings to different people, as they relate to the cultural understandings of the person who is receiving the message. Therefore you cannot determine how an individual reader might interpret the representations of a sign.

(Watson, 184)

Within this essay, I shall undertake a semiotic analysis of an advertisement. But before I focus on this analysis, I will concentrate on semiotic elements, denotation/connotation and anchoring.

When Roland Barthes wrote Elements of Semiology he posed two orders of signification 'denotation' and 'connotation', which enable people to gain meaning from what, they see.

The first order of signification 'denotative' is a process of recognition, description and identification. Connotation looks further into how we perceive things at a higher level, letting us go beyond the denotations by analysing and interpreting and adding fact to the meaning

(Barthes, 17)

To give an example of this, I will use a quote from the book 'Popular Culture' written by Dominic Strinati.

"This may appear to be a photo of a black soldier saluting the French flag (denotation), but really it connotes the grandeur and impartiality of French imperialism. (Connotation)"

(Strinati, 15116)

To narrow down the choice of meanings of a published image, you use the term 'anchoring'. It basically means that you are highlighting what you want as the preferred reading of the text. It is often used in newspapers to 'anchor' a caption. Roland Barthes defines anchoring as a "parasitic message designed to connote the image" (Barthes, 167)

(Watson and Hill, 174)

I have chosen for my semiotic analysis an advertisement for body spray. The body spray is made by Revlon and is called Charlie. The advert is a full-page spread with both pictures and text from the February 00 edition of Just 17 magazine. A magazine, which is targeted at young females.

With a modern setting, the overall design of the advertisement denotes a fun, lively and bright atmosphere. The graphic mode used on the advert is a photograph of a young, attractive, confident woman. The woman who is smiling in a flirtatious way, is wearing a tight fitting, sexy silver dress which highlights her slender figure, matching high heal sandals and above her head with her right hand, she is holding silver balloons. Kicking her right leg up in the air, the model appears to be going to a party. The overall impression of the woman connotes to me that she is one of confidence, fun and total freedom. With the models body posture leaning offset to one side (the right) the advertisement has been successfully sectioned into three parts. The model leans slightly backwards towards six alternative body spray fragrances depicting different scents to suit the occasion, your personality or mood. Between the models legs in bold black is the insignia of the body spray and just above this are the key words to create the image "Charlie Girls are fun, They're cool, smart n' sexy. Choose the body spray to suit you, your mood, your personality." Above the models raised leg and directly in front of her, the caption words are printed in large bold typeface. The wording starts small and fans out towards the models legs drawing the reader's eyes towards the manufacturers name. Each line of the caption is in a different colour, the colours used are identical to the colours of the body spray bottles, which connote a link between the words said, and the body sprays themselves.

The lighting used in this picture was bright and colourful; the background is shaded from white in front of the model to golden yellow behind her, connoting fun and happiness. It also connotes sunshine as the colour yellow matches with the words "All Summer" The use of silver on the models dress and balloons help to reflect and lift the picture to connote a dazzling party image. It also separates the picture in half.

The inferences to be made from this advertisement are, by wearing Charlie body spray you will be a Charlie Girl. This is anchored by the caption "All Day, All Night, All Summer, Charlie Girl!" this advert connotes that throughout the summer you could have fun, be cool, smart n' sexy just like the model in the picture.

The involvement for the reader would be to want to look and feel good about themselves and by buying a Charlie body spray there is a fragrance for any mood you are in, for example if you wear Charlie white you might be feeling romantic and if you wear Charlie blue you may be feeling rebellious. Each body spray would give the reader confidence to deal with any situation or mood they are in.

The interpretation of this advertisement is a modern 'in ya face, sex appeal, party image!' I believe the advert to be very closed for the wider range of readers as it gives the wrong impression, not everyone will feel cool, smart n' sexy by wearing a body spray. Also many females don't desire to party but require body sprays for everyday life. By presenting a young woman within the text, the advertisers are narrowing down their audience because the advert denotes that it's for young, lively teenagers; this might put the more mature woman off from purchasing it. The presentation of his text may also annihilate the older generation and those that are not a stereotypical partygoer, for example, slim, tall and attractive.

Semiology over the years has constructed many arguments and disagreements.

Barthes approach has had an influence on popular culture studies. Dominic Strinati has a critical view concerning Barthes approach.

Barthes suggests that a rose signifies passion; Strinati disagrees with this conclusion,

"How can we know that a bunch of roses signify passion unless we also know the intention of the sender and the reaction of the receiver, and the kind of relationship they are involved in?"

(Strinati, 1515)

The sender of the roses may be sending them with love and gratitude but to the receiver they only indicate repulsiveness. The roses could have been sent as a joke, insult or just as a friendly gesture. This clearly proves that it is impossible to interoperate signs correctly unless the relationship between the sender and the receiver is taken into consideration. The ways in which the roses are sent also convey meaning, as they could be sent as a thank you or as congratulations. They could also be sent for births, marriages and deaths.

Strinati believes that Barthes work does not focus on empirical validation.

"It is difficult not to be persuaded by the style and the parish of his arguments. Yet there is little effort on his part to be empirically persuaded, so it is necessary to be sceptical about the claims he makes"

(Strinati, 1515)

Daniel Chandler believes semiotics does have its strengths as well as its weaknesses. He argues that semiotics provides us with a framework.

"A frame work, a set of methods and terms for use across the full range of signifying practices, including gesture, posture, dress, speech, film, TV and radio"

(Chandler, 180)

(Strinati, 15)

Semiotics been used successfully within the advertising media, it provides insight and understanding of a text, making the audience feel involved and aware.

How can semiologists claim that their understanding of signs is adequate when they don't take into account the way people interoperate signs? They appear to neglect the relationship in which signs are produced and consumed and therefore cannot have an adequate knowledge of semiotics.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

BARTHES, R. ELEMENTS OF SEMIOLOGY (168) NEWYORK, HILL AND WANG.

DYER, G. ADVERTISING AS COMMUNICATION STUDIES (18) UK METHUEN.

SASSURE, F. COURSE IN GENERAL LINGUISTICS (174) LONDON, FONTANA.

STRINATI, D. AN INTRODUCTION TO THEORIES OF POPULAR CULTURE (15) LONDON AND NEWYORK ROUTLEDGE.

WATSON, J. MEDIA COMMUNICATION (18) MCMILLIAN PRESS LTD.

WATSON, J. HILL, A. A DICTIONARY OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES, FOURTH EDITION (17) ARNOLD.

the essay bibliography is included with the essay

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