audience theory notes

 ‘Hypodermic Needle’ Theory.

 Harold Lasswell, who developed the theoretical tool of ‘content analysis’ and in 1927 wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ Laswell believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1.

To illustrate his hypothesis, in 1948 he developed a linear model of communication one that breaks down the line of communication from point A to point B, in which the SENDER is transferring a MESSAGE, through a MEDIUM (eg Print, radio, TV, etc) that has a direct effect on the RECEIVER. 

Or to be correct: WHO, SAYS WHAT, THROUGH WHAT CHANNEL, TO WHOM, TO WHAT EFFECT.

This approach was later adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISE, ERROR, ENCODING and FEEDBACK.

In other words, there is the suggestion that the process of sending and receiving a message is NOT clear-cut, predictable or reliable and is dependent on a range of other factors that need to be taken into consideration. 

audience theory notes

  • Hypodermic model (passive consumption)- about changing behaviour
  •  Harold Lasswell wrote Propaganda Technique in the World War which highlighted the brew of ‘subtle poison, which industrious men injected into the veins of a staggering people until the smashing powers . . . knocked them into submission’ believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ in World War 1
  • People can modify the behaviour by convincing/ persuading them and basically lying eg telling sister copper coins are worth more than silver

Two step model of communication

  • adapted by Shannon and Weaver in 1949, as the Transmission model of Communication, which included other elements, such as NOISEERRORENCODING and FEEDBACK.
  • model proposes a clear, linear (and perhaps unaltered) connection between message sent > message received
  • McQuail, Blumler and Katz theoriesed personal needs and social needs
  • individuals sought particular pleasures, uses and gratifications from individual media texts

score

Textual analysis– in the ad, the African/safari scene is used as the background yet there are no African people present and they all appear top be be white. although there are more woman, 5 tobe exact, the single male is still the main part of the add and is being supported and almost worshiped by the woman in the ad. There is also the strapline of “get what you’ve always wanted.”

semiotics –there are indexical and symbolic singe present such as the red flag that almost looks like a golf flag above where you score, and the fact the that woman are worshiping the male in the ad. there is also a indexical sign which is a sexual desire based in the clothing of the woman and the seductive looks.

Representation– the woman are represented as below the male and are doing what they think will please the male and doing everything they can to get his attention. the male on the other hand is represented as being above the woman in the hierarchy of the add which was very common for ads from the 1960’s.the advert creates a desire to be surrounded by women and to be worshipped by them.

Audience- the audience of this ad is most likely going to be middle age men who wish to look good and get the attention that the male in the add has.

Narrative- the sexual demeaner of the woman such as their outfits and their seductive looks on their faces shows how sex sells and targets the male audience and essentially communicates to the male that they to can be worshiped by the females if they use the product that is advertised in this instant, “score liquid hair groom”.

 historical, social and cultural contexts– The Score hair cream advert is an historical artefact from 1967, as such it can be examined productively by considering its historical, social and cultural contexts, particularly as it relates to gender roles, sexuality and the historical context of advertising techniques. 1967 can be seen as a period of slow transformation in western cultures with legislation about and changing attitudes to the role of women – and men – in society, something that the advert can be seen to negotiate.

SCORE CSP 3

Textual analysis- looks like a safari theme in Africa. With the man being help up by a leopard print platform showing he is the most important. There is a background of trees but looks very old fashioned and not edited good because it is just a white background. The strap line is quite small and the copy box is very long and repetitive also a bit confusing as it is advertising 3 products.

Semiotics- indexical sign that all the women (excluding front left) are admiring the man due to their facial reactions and body language and possibly have a sexual desire. The signified is the hair gel and the signifier is the guys hair which is trying to show the product in a real life situation. The male is the dominant signifier. Has connotations that if you buy the product you too will be able to be as popular as the guy on the advert. Positioned at the top, connoting his higher status

Representational analysis- Clear signs of voyeurism (getting joy from having all the attention of the women). It is a selective representation of both male and females: males are only depicted as being heterosexual it being a very patriarchal society . Females are represented as having to do everything for men and that their only objective in life is to provide sexual pleasure for the men following the dominant ideology which was slowly being removed during the 1960’s. Also suggests the man was not worthy before he used the product.

Narrative- The woman in the front left is making direct eye contact with the person viewing the ad giving them a more personal experience and feel like the product is meant for them. The woman is looking very seductive to the male audience so will entice them to buy Score products so they too can seek this sexual pleasure. Trying to use sex to sell their products. appeal to an audience who want to conquer their own world and look good.  brand value is look good but don’t take yourself too seriously.

Audience- aimed at middle aged men who desire to receive this attention from females that the guy is receiving in the advert. They want to look as good as the guy being help up by all the ladies and have greaseless hair like the guy. Shows the brand values as being to help men in to succeed with relationships and the brand personality is highly sexually based. In the 1960’s this type of advert would have been seen as appealing and completely acceptable and very normal however, these days advert usually only feature one model which has a more reformed outlook on the product and sexualising women and men in this way wouldn’t be condemned. There is a lack of diversity. Persuasive techniques range from reeling them in with sexual pleasure to own confidence and better self esteem specially to do with their hair.

Historical, social and cultural contexts– 1967 can be seen as a period of slow transformation in western cultures with legislation about and changing attitudes to the role of women – and men. Score advert was produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality. It was also the ending of Empire. Reference to body image and changes in what society deems acceptable and unacceptable representations has significantly changed over time.

revealing as much skin as the regulators in the 1960s might permit. Their tanned bodies, alluring black eyeliner and luscious hair also connote glamour.

csp 3 – Score

Textual Analysis:

  • Strapline is “Get what you’ve always wanted”. This immediately attracts the customers attention
  • Big slogan above a long (repetitive) paragraph.
  • 1 main male.
  • 5 main female models, are shown in awe of the man, supposedly because of the product.
  • The setting that the models are in is supposed to be Africa, this is evident due to the leaves behind, and safari-style clothes.

Representation

The strapline ‘Get what you’ve always wanted’ appeals to the aspirer, who wants to achieve greater things. The advert also implies that wearing its product will help you gain the sexual attention of young women, which appeals specifically to heterosexual men. Also, by choosing to use a group of white people in Africa, the product appeals to 1960s imperialists who are still clinging to the ideals of the recently collapsed British Empire.

There is no doubt that the audience response to this product will have changed quite a bit over time. Firstly, the lack of diversity in the advert is now laughable (especially when you consider that the advert is supposed to be set in an African safari). Also, the sexual politics of the advert now seem rather questionable. The man in the advert looks around 40-50 years old, and yet he is being carried around by women who look as if they’ve just turned 20 years old. The addition of a gun as a phallic symbol also hasn’t aged well, as it implies that ‘to be a real man’ men have to be powerful and violent.

Also, by implying that the group had sex, the advert is trying to appeal to the ideals of ‘the second wave of feminism’ which created a larger acceptance of birth control, divorce, abortion and homosexuality.

Clearly, the advert is trying to use sex to sell their product. This is an extremely common strategy even today, but the products explicit way of using it hasn’t exactly aged well compared to today’s modern standards.

Score

Mise-en-scene analysis-  It considers its historical, social and cultural contexts, as it relates to gender roles, sexuality and the historical context of advertising techniques. There are women and one man to suggest that you will get all the females if you buy the product. They also use a lot of words that are repeatedly repeating itself.

Semiotics – I believe they use a mixture of indexical symbols as it relates to a jungle as they are dressed in safari clothing and there is a platform where the material is a leopard which could suggest they are in a forest as they also have the bushes or trees behind them as there background.

Representational analysis – In 1967 the picture could identify that this period of slow transformation in western cultures with legislation about and changing attitudes to the role of women – and men – in society, something that the advert can be seen to negotiate. The Score advert was produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and as such, the representation of heterosexuality could be read as signalling more anxiety than might first appear. The reference to colonialist values can also be linked to social and cultural contexts of the ending of Empire.

Narrative – The three women at the back suggest that the man are getting their attention from them and the 2 women at the front suggest that they could be showing off on their looks and how lucky the man is which could also explain that the advert is sexualising them. The woman starring into the camera illustrates how she could be saying to the men buy this product and you will get all this.

Audience- It creates the desire for this product as it challenges the product ideas as it is trying to influence men that if they were to buy the product they will get all they want. The brand message for this product is the great grooming action of a hair cream from liquid. This doesn’t imply anything to us, so therefore this doesn’t tell anything about the product. The audience responses to the narrative because it influences and manipulates the men into something different.

SCORE AD

The AD was made in 1967 and constructs a clear narrative. From what you can see in the AD, there are 5 women – all of them either holding up a man or grabbing at him. The woman in the front left is staring towards the camera, suggesting that she is inviting those who see the AD to join them if they buy the product. The AD also suggests that the man was a nobody before he bought the product, and only has those women reaching at him because of the hair cream. This AD was created during a change in society, the second wave of feminism started and there were changes with a greater acceptance of divorce, abortion and homosexuality.

This AD may have been wanting to show that even though there was change at the time, straight white men were still at the top and the change was not going to grow big enough to change that, with the straight white man being held up on a platform as royalty would be. Furthermore, the women in the AD are wearing little clothing, whilst the man is fully dressed – clearly sexualizing the women.

score

Similarly, feminist critical thought became much more prominent and pronounced during the counter cultural movements of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, which heralded, among other changes a greater acceptance of birth control and divorce, abortion and homosexuality.

There was also the abolition of hanging and theatre censorship, and the Obscene Publications Act (1959) which led to the Chatterly trial. Nevertheless, as Johnathon Dollimore wrote: ‘all this should not be seen as a straightforward displacement of dominant conservative attitudes‘ (1983:59).

However, the Score advert was produced in the year of decriminalisation of homosexuality and as such, the representation of heterosexuality could be read as signalling more anxiety than might first appear. The reference to colonialist values can also be linked to social and cultural contexts of the ending of Empire.

The advertising techniques of fifty years could be compared to those of today. For example, references could be made with the Lynx Effect advert and the Specsavers adverts (both from 2010) which received criticism from the ASA, and again reference to body image and changes in what society deems acceptable and unacceptable representations. So have ideas and acceptance around representation of gender really changed since the 1960’s?

  • made in 1697
  • sexist – sexualises women by representing them in revealing, tight clothing.
  • racist – all white characters in an African jungle setting however no black characters

SCORE (CSP 3)

  1. Mise-en-scene analysis – Through the denotation you can see 1 male and 5 females, 3 of the females whom are looking at the male, one of the other ones is looking off in the distance with a smug smile on her face and the other is directly looking into the camera. It seems like they are in a jungle due to the types of plants and clothes they are wearing (safari clothes) Below all of this is the product advertisement explaining what its about and a picture of it.
  2. Semiotics – The dominant signifier would be the male as he is being upheld by all the woman. There is an strapline with the picture at the top of the advertisement which reads out “Get what you’ve always wanted” and there is also a copy which is the white box at the bottom of the advertisement. The advertisement is seen as reactionary. They could be creating a myth where to make men think that’s what will happen to them if they were to use that product.
  3. Representational Analysis – All of the woman are upholding the man as if he is the most important, they are also grabbing onto him and reaching out to him which suggests that they want him. The girl looking into the camera could give the ideal heterosexual man voyeurism.

copy

– 1967 advertisement

Arguable due to the sexist approach of the male be admired by females around him. ‘Get what you always wanted’ simplifies the idea that all males wish to be paraded through the jungle by females dressed in minimal clothing, when in fact a bottle of hair gel cannot achieve that. When mentioning the minimal clothing, the idea of a sexualised view of women selling when it comes to advertisement is only emphasised. Laura Mulvey’s theory of the ‘male gaze’ links to this due to a group of four females lifting him above them. Infatuated by his appearance and masculinity of carrying weaponry, of which was potentially used to shoot his prey.

The male directed product includes the mentioning of it smelling of ‘the male scent’, not justifying what that exactly is. No mention of a unisex approach to the product is included, suggesting the time and lack of knowledge, when it comes to targeting a large audience.