- Cristiano Ronaldo Shampoo Advert
Textual Analysis – Iconic sign of shampoo, dominant signifier is Cristiano Ronaldo who is a famous and well known celebrity along with details about the product.
Semiotic Analysis – The advert shows a reactionary representation around masculinity, with the dominant signifier appearing confident and calm, appealing to the idea of the “Cool Man”.
Representational Analysis – The advert presents a patriarchal outlook, with the dominant signifier wearing posh, well-fitting clothes. You could say that the advert targets young men who are rather impressionable, and the audience positioning may be one of positivity, with the advert giving the target audience a role model to look up to. It could also be one of negativity with the target audience comparing themselves to unrealistic representations of men shown in the advert.
2. Nivea Shampoo Advert
Textual Analysis – Iconic signs of man and shampoo which promote conventional methods of showering, along with details and information about the product. There is also a background which denotes a bathroom or shower, which shows the consumer where the product should typically be used.
Semiotic analysis – The advert shows the dominant signifier in the process of using the product, who looks to have unrealistic bodily features. The paradigm of signs relating to the idea of washing and cleaning the body convey the conventional method of doing so, which may be a positive idea in that more impressionable people in the target audience (men) will start carrying out these actions.
Representational Analysis – The advert promotes the idea of patriarchal hegemony as it uses the phrase “what men want” which implies that all men must try to use such cosmetic products to make themselves appear more attractive. Consequently, it may be a misrepresentation of masculinity as not all males aspire to have such a mindset and it is forcing these myths to the consumer. This may mean that the advert gives a negative representation of masculinity and one that is not necessarily correct. On the other hand, the advert could be said to be radical ans there is not a woman accompanying the man as would be seen in a stereotypical reactionary advert.
3. Clear Shampoo Advert
Textual Analysis – Advert shows an iconic sign of shampoo surrounded by bright, sparkly auras, with a faint image of a human person in the background and fancy font used for the text.
Semiotic Analysis – The dominant signifier, being the shampoo, is encased in positive imagery with a bright and sparkly background. This may convey false ideas that you will also experience similar ideas to the ones shown in the advert, and this may encourage consumers to buy the product. In addition, the person in the background has an almost “godly” appearance, which is very unrealistic and does not give the target audience an appropriate role model to loom up to.
Representational Analysis – The advert is reactionary in that it follows the stereotype of men using cosmetic products in order to appear more positive and powerful than they are in reality. This could mean that the advert is showing us a negative representation of masculinity in that men may not be nearly as dominant in society without the products made for them.