the ways in which different parts of a product’s audience may offer quite different readings of that product according to how they are positioned to it socially, culturally and politically
For example, the structuring of a dominant ‘white’ representation with clear references to a colonial past (dominated by white males, served and supported by white females) and how that narrative fits into ideas of postcolonial reception.
There is an opportunity to employ both cultivation theory (Gerbner) and reception theory (Hall) to support an examination of how groups might be positioned by their socio-cultural status (reinforced by dominant modes of representation) and may position themselves politically to offer ‘dominant hegemonic’, ‘negotiated’ and ‘oppositional’ readings (Hall, Gramsci)
Such an approach allows for an examination of the advert in terms of DOUBLE CONSCIOUSNESS (GILROY), CULTURAL ABSOLUTISM / RACIAL ESSENTIALISM / CULTURAL SYNCRETISM, in other words how is society representing itself? How are individual groups within society being represented? Does the text require a reading of double consciousness to mask the veil (W B Dubois)
The advert creates ideas of the ‘other’ (Lacan, Said, Fanon etc). Of the way in which the exotic = the erotic, that is ideas of Orientalism developed by Edward Said.
In doing so does the advert create a ‘diaspora’ of existence for those who are not included? Does it work against the values of multi-culturalism and plurality / pluralism?
