Decoding Advertising

​Myths: refers to sites in mainstream culture. They reflect societal norms or dominant ways of thinking about people or places. They are structures to send or propagate messages which may be ideological (politically motivated). 

Advertising and Myths:
Ads are particular to a time and place - reflecting political, social, or cultural ideas and trends. Ads reinforce particular cultural myths. They are presented as natural but represent cultural or dominant ideology. 

Examples:

Moral Values - Cultural norms and ways of behaviour - eg family units. 
Representation - gender, race, ethnicity 
Reinforced attitudes towards consumerism and status. 
Aspirational selling - Reflect target consumer.
                                  - Plant 'seed of need'.
                                  - Link status > consumerism, 
Concealment - hide / don't show production or economic structure. 

Advertising business is competitive - many who make the advertisements are highly educated and aware of cultural trends and use of semiotics to convey meaning. 

Semiotic analysis; 
Separates linguistic and image signs in the advertisements. 

Linguistic message;
Non coded - (Literal meaning of linguistic signs)
Coded - (Connotations of linguistic signs)
​
Image message:
Non coded - (Denotative reading of image signs)
Coded - (Symbolic / connotative reading of image signs)


​Panzini Advertisement

Linguistic message:
Non coded - Literal meaning 
Branding; fonts, labels, brand name etc.
Caption; 'the luxury of Italy' - knowledge of the French langue needed. 

Coded - Connotations
Luxury - quality, expense etc
Brand name/font used - italianicity 
Placement - the unseen hand of the designer

Non coded - Image denotation
Photograph (iconic sign)
Collection of signs: food, vegetables, etc
Domestic setting (table/worktop)
Hierarchy: top left to bottom right - emphasis on tagline. 

Coded - Image connotation
‘Studied spontaneity’ - hidden process - carefully composed photographic image (studio)
The string bag: authenticity - connotation of the fishermen's net, a ‘fresh catch’, straight from the market - makes the product appear more natural and less processed.
Spilling/abundance: you have everything you need to cook a fine meal etc. 
Colour connotations - red-white-green - Italy - authentic Italian food. 

Dior perfume - Weekend Guardian February 2019

Linguistic Message;
Non coded - Literal meaning
No tagline: the text/design on the bottle is repeated to form the ‘anchor’ for the advert.
Emphasis on brand name 'Dior' — well known brand.
‘The new fragrance’ — common phrase, introducing / announcing new product.

Coded - Connotation
Joy - conceptual 
Brand construction - repetition - intertextuality 
Typography - stylized (plane of expression)

Image Message: 
Non coded - Denotation 
Image hierarchy - product placed in bottom right of image (fits with western reading function). Female model: head and shoulders (close-up) - emerging from water - natural light.
White ethnicity/blond/blue eyes are direct engagement with photographer/viewer/consumer. 
Editing of product and model - enhance the look of fashion. 

Coded - Connotations
Posed - not spontaneous. 
Association - apply the look of femininity, beauty etc to the product.
Model encourages projection - psychological benefits.

Intertextuality
Celebrity as a potent sign - reflects other media texts (eg Hollywood film) - The lifestyle status of celebrity. 
Previous campaigns, creates branding and identity among Dior brand.