Women in advertisement - Capture/Controlled COMM 406

Women In Advertisement

   Take a look at the image above from Dolce & Gabbana. At first, this image looks like another typical ad: sexual, provocative. After all, sex sells. However, it's not hard to notice something: this isn't an intimate moment between a man and woman. Look to the left and right. There are three men in this image and one woman. Take a moment to notice her body position. She's being pinned down, her head turned away, and her eyes are staring into the distance. To me, that is not a happy expression. 

   Now you may observe the men in this ad. Two are standing with their bodies positioned towards the camera. The third is shirtless and pinned the woman to the floor. They all appear powerful. The fact that she is pinned to the floor rather than a bed is one of the biggest signs that there is nothing consensual about this sexual behavior.  

  Unfortunately, ads like these -presenting women as controlled, abused, killed, and raped- are printed everyday. Of course, the company who prints these ads aren't promoting abuse but are using the visual representation of it to present power. It's a sick world we live in.

Super Bowl Commercials: Signifiers and Signifieds

   For this blog, I'd like to give you a deeper perspective of this SodaStream ad featuring Scarlett Johansson.

           

   By identifying the signs and analyzing what they mean, the overall idea you have of an ad is likely to change. You may never look at ads the same! In this post, I will name twenty signs within the Super Bowl Commercial that's received well over 11 million likes on YouTube alone.

   Let's start with the obvious:
Sign 1
Signifier: Scarlett Johansson
Signified: Success, Beauty, Wealth, Fame

Sign 2
Signifier: White Theme -did you notice the overuse of white?
Signified: Innocence, Purity, Goodness, Virginity, and Perfection

Sign 3
Signifier: Robe
Signified: Promiscuity, Wealth, Luxury, Relaxation

Sign 4
Signifier: White & Silver Drinking Straw
Signified: Playfulness, Seductiveness, Flirtatious

Sign 5
Signifier: Silver walls
Signified: Wealth, Prestige, Glamour, Modern, Hi-Tech

Sign 6
Signifier: Orange (soda)
Signified: Warmth, Optimism, Rejuvination

Sign 7
Signifier: "Saving The World"
Signified: Soda Stream is.. Revolutionary, Advantageous

Sign 8
Signifier: Bubbles in background
Signified: Renewal, Reinforcement of SodaStream bubbles, Cleanliness

Sign 9
Signifier: "It's better for you and for all of us."
Signified: Health, Transferrence (If Scarlett Johanssen drinks it and looks good, I will, too!)

Sign 10
Signifier: White to Black room change
Signified: Innocence to Naughtiness, Purity to Dirtiness, Good to Bad

Sign 11
Signifier: Jazzy Music
Signified: Elegance, Sophistication, Seduction

Sign 12
Signifier: Male Narrator
Signified: Sexual, Dominance (He gives her approval "Yea, Scarlett. You're changing the world."), Masculinity 

Sign 13
Signifier: Clear & Black Drinking Straw
Signified: The change of color represents a change in idea: Innocence to Naughtiness (This is a repetitive theme) The color change completely changes the flirtatious idea of the straw. It is now a symbol of sexuality (Male Genitalia.)


Sign 14
Signifier: Black Dress
Signified: Sophistication, Elegance, Darkness, Sex Appeal

Sign 15
Signifier: Facial Expressions (Head movements, eyes closed, lips puckered)
Signified: Submission, Vulnerability, Promiscuity, Desire

Sign 16
Signifier: Blue backdrop
Signified: Power, Mysteriousness, Seriousness

Sign 17
Signfier: The Light Focus
Signified: Light only being focused on Scarlett is obvious... it is emphasizing her! It is a symbol that focuses on her beauty and sex appeal.

Sign 18
Signifier: Larger Bubble Decor
Signified: This takes the first idea further. More cleanliness, more renewal, etc.. just in a different 'lighting.'


Sign 19
Signifier: White, Round Table (Used to display SodaStream)
Signified: Wholeness, Innocence, Purity, Unity, Equality

Sign 20
Signifier: Black Platform (Used to display Scarlett Johansson)
Signified: Darkness, Unity, Display (Scarlett becomes the focal point rather than SodaStream)

After reading this, go ahead and rewatch that ad!

AOL - Email's Hermit of a Great Grandfather

How many of you use Gmail? Chances are, a lot you do. Some of you probably still use Hotmail (like me) or Yahoo, too. But do you remember AOL? That image of a blue man in mid-run on my screen was torture as a child. Who would continue to use AOL? Well, apparently there are still a lot of folks that continue to use AOL--primarily WV residents.

These users are primarily considered elderly and middle-lower class. In this way, AOL is almost easier for them to use because it means they don't have to replace their computers. However, many companies are willing to buy people new computers to ensure that they can and/or will use their system (Gmail).

In my opinion, this is a little strange to hear. Not only did I think AOL was pretty much extinct, I also thought that more people would be using Yahoo. Check out this article and decide for yourself.