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Advertising, Exam Prep, Representation

SCORE CSP

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Textual Analysis:

  • Big slogan above the copy paragraph.
  • 1 main male, showing off his clean shave with the product.
  • 5 main female models, in awe at this man, supposedly because of the product.
  • Leaves around the models, trying to identify and show that they are in “Africa” to allow the female models to wear the skimpy clothes they are wearing.
  • “Get what you’ve always wanted” text to attract customers attention.

Semiotic Analysis:

  • Dominant signifier (Male in the top, centre)
  • Paradigm (Collection of woman to show off the male)
  • Anchorage (Collection of woman carrying the male)
  • Code (Paragraph shows how this man has ended up being worshipped)
  • Reactionary (At the time, it was a patriarchy, so the man is being carried above everyone else and is being praised)

Representational Analysis:

  • The idea of the male being above the women and dominating the scene would have been a normal reactionary look on ads and thing within the advertising world in the 1970s. At the time men were above woman and woman were fighting for their rights.
  • In addition to this all the characters are white within the advert which relates to how race diversity and equality wasn’t fully supported and in motion for companies and the general public.
  • Furthermore the advert uses thin, curvy females which displays how body equality was not fully supported and that men and woman had a certain way they needed to look and a certain role they needed to fit. Where men were the workers of the house and they earned the money, and woman were staying at home, being submissive, doing whatever their husband requests or needs for them.

The Narrative:

The narrative behind the scene is the idea that the man before hand was not using “Score Liquid Hair Groom” therefore he was with everyone else, and wasn’t worshipped. However he then used “Score Liquid Hair Groom” which put him above everyone else and he was worshipped by everyone and carried by woman. The strap line “Get what you’ve always wanted” implies that every man wants this idea of being above everyone else and being more attractive/better than others. The advert implies the woman that are carrying him are going to take him somewhere to indulge in adult activities with him. This shows how the advert is directly targeted towards men because as well as the idea of being better than everyone, the strap line also implies the product “gets you what you’ve always wanted” which is sexual activities with one or more attractive woman.

Audience:

Desire: The product appeals to men’s attention because of the female models.

The brand: The brand values the idea of many sales and goes along with the ideal male world. The message that goes with the product is the idea that if you use it, you get what you want.

Audience over time:

Feminist Critical Thinking, Representation, Theory

Feminist critical thinking

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<Feminist<>Female<>Feminine>

Feminism-Hautlieu-003Download

As part of our investigation into representation, we have already looked at THE MALE GAZE – Laura Mulvey as well as John Berger (who wrote the book Ways of Seeing) and of course, Feminist Frequency

To add to this brief introduction, we drew upon Toril Moi’s (1987) crucial set of distinctions between: ‘feminist’, ‘female’ and ‘feminine’.

  • Feminist = a political position
  • Female = a matter of biology
  • Feminine = a set of culturally defined characteristics

So in summary, we have already looked at a number of key concepts, ideas, approaches and theories, which can be applied to a range of cultural / media texts. For example, Jean Kilbourne‘s work at the Media Education Foundation looked at visual narrative media / culture, primarily in terms of advertising.

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Advertising, Exam Prep, Notes, Representation, Score, Semiotics

ADVERTISING: CSP 3 – Score

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Representation

This advert was from 1963 and is a reactionary representation of men and women in media due to the fact it is portraying the white male as the dominant figure, which contrasts the females who are portrayed through the eyes of the male gaze and give off a very submissive persona . This is stereotypical of the advertising industry as these representations were very much reflect the dominating ideology then as well as now. It shines a negative light on women as it creates this belief that they are often very dense and will do anything to please a man whilst shining a positive light on a mans favourable characteristics such as their ability to attract women and easily dominate them just by simply using a hair product – this point is seemingly very sexist. The only aspects of women that the advert show are those that are favourable to men: their bodies and their stereotypical submissive tendencies – illustrating the voyeuristic tendencies of the patriarchy. The advert highly sexualises women by using conventionally attractive women and exposing their bodies by dressing them in little to no clothing – which seems ironic as the product is to be used by men . It then positions them in such a way that they carrying him, as if they are his slaves, and are reaching for the man in hopes for his approval. The combination of the seductive image of the women and their positioning is used as a way to sell the product as it makes a man believe that by using the hair cream he will suddenly attract more women. The fact that the man is positioned higher than the women, sums up that the dominant ideology that men are superior to women is in fact a real thing (but not necessarily true), and that using this hair cream will maintain this sexist hierarchy.

In terms of representations that are less obvious, this can also be seen as a racist portrayal in the sense that not one black person is represented in the advertising of this product. Their lack of representation creates the misrepresentation that this product is not for black people which accurately illustrates societal views of black people at the time which will prevent them from buying the product. This is reiterated by the exotic setting which reflects upon colonialism when white people exploited and stole land from the black natives once again reinforcing the white supremacy ideology and that this product is not directed at them.

vvvAdditionally, this can be seen as a homophobic representation due to the strap line ‘get what you’ve always wanted’. This implies that by using this cream you will attract more women, due to the image of multiple women admiring the man, creates a misrepresentation that someone whose sexual orientation is not women will not get the same effect of the product. Therefore people of that collective identity will not be able to relate to the advert and therefore wont buy it.

In terms of identity, each person in the advert has formed a constructive identity based on the principles of what it is to be a man during the 1960s and what it is to be a woman. The man in the advert, conveys the stereotypical masculine persona, dominant, manly, powerful, because any other identity would have been rarely accepted at the time – he has constructed his identity based on what he was told was ‘right’ at the time. The same goes for the women, they have constructed the stereotypical feminine persona, submissive, beautiful, innocent, as ,at the time, they would have been told that the is all they were good for. You could also link this to the idea collective identity as the male creates his identity to fit in with other male, likewise with the females

Narrative

  1. Initially, he is an average man living an average life.
  2. He then buys Score hair cream
  3. After using the cream he finds himself bombarded with female attention

This narrative is used to sell the product as female validation is what their male target audience will seek.

Advertising, NEA, Notes, Representation, Research

My product model

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  • QUANTITIVE:
  • – Social class: Of all class – Middle and upper, but targeted mainly at middle
  • – Income: Stable/ upper amounts – they’re a premium price so are targeted at more stable and higher amounts of income of people
  • – Education: A above average education. A good understanding of the human body and what certain protein products do for you and your training
  • – Target consumer: Adults who are aiming to become more physically fit, as well as being targeted at body builders and people who also aim to gain and produce muscle mass and/or burn fat
  • QUALITATIVE:
  • – The aspirer: Motivated by esteem and status, they want to be viewed and watched by others through their hard work in training. The training creates esteem for the user.
  • – The succeeder: They are motivated by control, control in their lifestyle and health. They possess high self-confidence and a heavy goal-orientation.
Advertising, Audience, Exam Prep, Representation, Theory

audience theory -Hypodermic Needle Theory

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As a result of WWII, there was an expansion of research into the way we communicate due to the heavy use of propaganda used during the war and how political communication affects out ideas and beliefs.

The hypodermic model involves this idea of passive consumption – when the receiver just accepts messages given to them in media rather than question or engage with what is being presented to them.

The earliest theoretical work can be traced back to Harold Lasswell in 1927 who developed the theoretical tool of context analysis. He wrote a book called 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’. As Martin Moore noted, Lasswell, as a behavioural scientist who researched areas which connected political communication and propaganda, believed each government had ‘manipulated the mass media in order to justify its actions’ during the First World War

In 1948 he created a diagram to illustrate his hypothesis: Lasswell’s Linear Model of Communication. A model where a sender transfers a message through a kind of medium to the receiver to create a direct effect on them. This creates a clear relationship between the sender and the receiver.

In 1949 this approach was adapted by Shannon and Weaver into the Transmission Model of Communication, which included other elements such as noise, error, encoding, and feedback

Essays, Exam Prep, Metroid, Representation, Semiotics, Tomb Raider

CSP Game cover essay

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ANALYSE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SIGNIFIERS AND SIGNIFIEDS IN THE TWO CSP GAMES COVERS. 

The relationship between signifiers and signified in the two CSP games covers can be seen and analysed in multiple different ways. For example, feminist film expert, Laura Mulvey invented the concept of women being looked at in a very sexualised way by males in order to make them feel important and better about themselves, objectifying them. This is called the ‘Male Gaze’. For example, in ‘Tomb Raider’ the main thought as you look at the front cover is immediately the stereotype of women in a ‘man’s eyes’ in video games. This can be supported by the iconic signs such as the props Lara Croft is holding/has on her person, which symbolises her being strong, appearing more attractive to males. Another part of this to mention is the way Lara Croft has been portrayed with exaggerated body parts in order for the males to enjoy the game more, which of course is seen as reactionary. 

While Tomb Raider can be seen as a very negative representation of feminism and is reactionary for its audience, you could also argue that it is radical. For example, the very fact that it shows a woman having the ability to be strong, involved in action and have the practice in firearms, proves that women do not always have to be the ‘damsel in distress’ as several videos ‘Feminist Frequency’ have posted explaining. Most video games that include female characters usually have them kidnapped or something happen to them at the beginning of the story, so the main character (a male) can save them from the danger, subtly hinting that women cannot save themselves. The quote “This poor representation of Asian women perpetuates the stereotype that they are meek, submissive, sexual objects who exist purely for men’s entertainment” from the article ‘Levelling up Representation’ indicates in detail about not only women in general but women with specific ethnicities being sexualised and objectified for men’s entertainment. 

Another way that further explains this is the concept of ‘Feminist, female, feminine’ introduced by Toril Moi, where the difference between the three is explained, and how there is ‘male’ and ‘manly’ but no equivalent for ‘feminist’. This instantly shows that males have always had a sense of authority and hierarchy over females, which can be seen in the game cover of Metroid. The cover presents a very strong, manly character in a suit that can be described as ‘only male characters wear’. At the very end of the game, the manly character reveals themselves to be female. This suggests how nobody knows until the end of the game, many people who play the game automatically assume it’s a male because of the appearance in the ’suit’ and that stereotypically, women don’t present themselves that way, once again showing that males have more authority over women. Once Samus (the character) reveals to be a female, it shows that you will never know what gender the character is. Would it decrease sales of the game if it was known from the start that Samus was a female? When she reveals herself, she is massively over sexualised wearing a tight blue suit and has her hair in a long ponytail. The juxtaposition between a very ‘manly’, strong character who ends up being, yet another over sexualised female is major and should not be allowed. 

In summary, I believe that the two game covers are reactionary for its audience, both males. For Tomb Raider, the character is female and extremely over sexualised, allowing customers to purchase the game more as they are attracted to the front cover. For Metroid, the character is male and is perceived as strong, again allowing the customers to buy it more as the male audience like the fact the character is strong and manly. Both are seen as reactionary and radical in their own ways and I personally think that they should do better and think about how they are perceiving women and how damaging that is. 

Advertising, Representation, Semiotics

analysis of style models

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Representations for:

Coca cola- it is a radical representation because there is male and female names which shows that males aren’t more dominant. It hasn’t used selective representation and goes against hegemony (dominance of one group over another). It shows how you can construct your own identity and the idea of fluidity of identity in such that there is a broad range of names.

Maybelline lipstick- The model is viewed in the male gaze due to the position she is in. It shows negative stereotypes which isn’t possible for all women to be like and a lipstick won’t change this your real identity. It is a way of showing the way (constructed identity) shapes us as people and for men seek voyeurism whilst seeing this ad giving ideas for what to buy a girl as a present.

Loreal lipstick- it is clear that the patriarchal society still poses the dominant ideology that men are more capable than women. Good audience positioning as there is a indexical meaning for there to be more positive stereotypes of women in higher job roles creating countertypes wanting hegemony (dominance of one gender) to be scrapped.

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Your favourite moisturiser just got better | Moisture Surge 72-Hour Hydrator | Clinique - YouTube
Finding Your Perfect Moisturiser with Estée Lauder | AD - Beauty Trends
1960s Makeup & Beauty Products
Representation

representation – quotes

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“The issue of diversity in gaming has been a hot topic in recent years. The industry traditionally projects an image that is young, white, straight and male, but there is a growing understanding that – if only for the sake of releasing more interesting products – this has to change.” — Why Diversity Matters

“This is a really important part of representation – giving people who struggle to play games the ability to join in, and to be visible on screen.” — Why Diversity Matters

“Some may be surprised to learn that the most-active gameplaying demographic is African American teenagers: A 2015 study showed that 83% of non-Hispanic Black teenagers play video games, compared to 71% of Caucasian teenagers, with 69% of Hispanic teens not too far behind. With the high percentage of teens of color playing games, representation is incredibly important but has — at least historically — been lacking.” — Levelling Up Representation

“When people dismiss representation as a political fad, as an imposition on the creative process, as a means of ticking off lists, they are almost always doing this from a position of privilege.” — Levelling Up Representation

“Worse still are the portrayals of Muslim/Arab/Middle Eastern people, who are often relegated to the role of terrorist.” — Levelling Up Representation

“The Call of Duty franchise is one of the most popular in the world, yet it treats Muslims, Arabs, and Middle Easterners as an interchangeable monolith, despite being diverse groups of people.” — Levelling Up Representation

“Native American/Indigenous representation can be found in games like the Turok franchise, Assassin’s Creed III and Prey, but stories unique to Indigenous peoples are still too few and far between in the AAA sphere (games produced by mid-sized or major publishers).” — Levelling Up Representation

“What makes representation effective is not only visibility but ensuring that characters are included without forcing them to be tied to whatever stereotypical trauma their demographic endures.” — Levelling Up Representation

Advertising, Representation

Advert Style Models – Perfume

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Dior

  1. Textual Analysis : The iconic sign shown is the brand Dior which is presenting a perfume to sell to women.
  2. Semiotic Analysis : Within the two images, the dominant signifier is the perfume being shown, one being advertised in a red circular bottle and another in a clear glass rectangular bottle. Additionally, the aimed audience for this product is women.
  3. Representational Analysis : The two adverts are reactionary due to the feminine style used, for example, the flower/s displayed on both digital prints assist in the stereotype of women and feminine products being ‘girly’. As well as giving the purchaser a floral scent.

Chanel

  1. Textual Analysis : The brand being shown is Chanel with their well know product, perfume for women.
  2. Semiotic Analysis : The clear dominant signifier is the celebrity known as Keira Knightly signifying women who purchase this product have the chance to be irresistible and luxury.
  3. Representational Analysis : The magazine type print is also a reactionary idea, from the slim, attractive young woman who holds the perfume. This gives the belief that the scent will provide an inviting, sensual feeling to the purchaser.

Gucci

  1. Textual Analysis : Gucci, the lavish, valuable and luxury brand is advertising their feminine perfume.
  2. Semiotic Analysis : The dominant signifiers are Evan Rachel Wood and Chris Evans. This is a radical idea as the woman is in a dominant position over the man, opposing the idea that men are the superior and powerful gender.
  3. Representational Analysis : In the ad, Gucci presents their actors in a seductive and submission manner to present an attractive smelling product that seduces men for women.

Calvin Klein

  1. Textual Analysis : Calvin Klein, the famous clothing and cologne brand shows their new 2021 aftershave for men.
  2. Semiotic Analysis : Here the dominant signifier is actor, Richard Madden, presenting the reactionary ideal position and gestures for men.
  3. Representational Analysis : The digital print displays Madden in a masculine and vigorous manner, to advertise the opportunity for men to show their masculinity off. As well, due to Calvin Klein choosing good-looking models, this gives the sense that women will be charmed by the smell of the cologne.