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An analysis of this advert can be carried out using Semiology. Semiology is the study
of meaning, and it can be applied to media texts.
This advertisement shows a women floating above flowers on a nice summers
day. The image of a floating women gives the impression
of weightless and uplifting volume. It gives off a warm
and summery feeling from using rich colours like
oranges, pinks and yellows. The use of the signifiers,
pink flowers and nectarines result in the signified smells
of the product, for the audience. The ‘sign’ in the
advertisement would be the Herbal essences symbol in
the top left hand corner, as the audience of the media text
may recognise this sign it will result in a signified
opinion of the product, due to the individuals past experience. Using the words ’The
great escape’ makes the audience feel relaxed and suggests paradise and freedom.
Using the theory of Pierce the advert can be broken down into icons, indexes
and symbols. In the magazine advert of Herbal Essence, we see a blonde, white young
women who is a symbol of beauty. The indexical sign is that shampoo is makes hair
look good. The symbolic signs are nectarines fruits, a sign of health and nature, and
shampoo containers in bright orange colour, and the logo in modern font. The words
say that the volume of the shampoo uplifts you, as if you are to take off. Shampoos
have a connotation of being associated with hair, thereby persuade that in looking
after hair, not only will they look good, but will have good health.
The advert can also be analysed using the theory of Roland Barthes. Barthes considers
the denotation, connotation and mythologies present in a media text. Denotation is
what we accept at the primary level of viewing the print advert. The denotation is an
advert for herbal essences shampoo. However if the advert is analysed at a
connotation level, the associations that are presented in the advert can be analysed.
The central image of the blonde women has connotations of beauty, reflecting that this
is what the product will result in. The flowers in the advert also have connotations of
beauty and femininity. Barthes addresses myth as the values accepted throughout
culture and act to serve the privilege. The main myth in this advert is what is
beautiful. The women in the advert is blonde, slim and white this reflect the
stereotypical view of female beauty. She is depicted as what women aspire to be.
In relation to deep structure the signs are arranged in a particular way to convey a
specific message. The image of the women is central to the advertisement attracting
all the attention to her. The herbal essences logo is positioned at the top right corner,
so the readers eye is attracted to it after viewing the large central image. However if
the reader does not notice the top left logo the bottle containing the logo is positioned
in the bottom right corner, so the reader will not miss the companies name.Visual
icons are selected, cropped, edited and placed together with text to create a desire
affect. Colours for this advert are carefully selected to bring out meaning which is
richness, nature, outdoor, sky and coming rain. The presentation is also strategically
edited to anchor polymesia. The advert can be interpreted as a witch flying or an
extract from a sci-fi film or magazine. In this instance the advertiser used ideal tools
to create rhetoric which suggest to the consumer that good hair improves self esteem
and personality.
Suzie, Tendai, Towards and Faye