Advertising Analysis -- Diesel "Be stupid"

According to Ferdinand de Saussure, the founder of semiotics, "any signs do involved a 'signifier' (codes and symbols) which represent a 'signified' (the associated meaning). An open kitchen is the background of advertisement. The main signifiers of the ad are one well-groomed couple and the wild balck bear. The girl is reading newspaper quietly, the boy is giving a welcome hand sign to the bear and the wild black bear is probably looking for food in the opened refrigerator.

The text 'SMART SAYS NO. STUPID SAYS YES.' is placed on the lower left corner of the advertisement, it can apparently bring out the messange of the ad. The connotation of this ad would be sometimes problem goes fine when people treat it in another way. In normal life, people would usually feel dangerous and scared while a wild black bear crashed into their house for food. While people are trying to protect themselves or get the bear away, they will usually hurt by the bear as the result. Now, the boy in the ad gives an indicative hand sign to the bear and it implies the meaning of 'go ahead' or 'feel free to grad some food you like', it may even make the situation totally different as the lady is still standing safely near the bear. Positive thinking changes the fact (Donald, 2005).

Image source: http:// adsoftheworld.com/media/print/diesel_jeans_be_stupid_7

References:

Donald. M, 2005, Advertising discourse: selling between the lines, 'Media discourse', Maidenhead, England: New Work: Open University Press, pp. 35-55

Thwaites. T, Davis. L & Mules. W, 2002, Ideology, 'Introducing cultural and meida studies', Palgrave, New York, pp.158-175

Certain types of media and media genres are more likely to use emotional rhetoric to engage audiences

The issues which are most likely to be addressed ‘emotively’ are universal and contingent emotion. Such a distinction is vital from the view point of the persuader, with his or her need to evaluate the audience’s situation and prepare accordingly. Both kinds of emotion are located along kind of emotional continuum, but whereas universal emotion connotes emotions common to humanity in general. For example, while there was earthquake in China, all people feel sad and sorry about it. As it is a natural disaster, the victims have no choice on it. Contingent emotion connotes their socially constructed manifestation. For instance, the victims in Lehman Brothers had actually a choice to prevent this misfortune, so not all people will feel pity and sorry for them. However, both universal and contingent emotions are colored by what is most or least valued within particular cultures, and are specific to particular societies and historical periods (Cockcroft & Cockcroft 2005, p.57).

Yes, I agree that certain types of media and media genres are more likely to use emotional rhetoric to engage audiences, because it is actually the easiest way to draw the audience’s attention. Pathos is the link between emotive source, persuader and audience constitutes ‘engagement’; and though individual experiences of emotion will vary, most of us can access a wider range of emotion through the power of imagination. For example, the use of powerful imagery creates empathy’. The media will usually use some sensitive terms to arouse all kinds of emotion in order to bring out more resonance and sympathy from the readers and to enhance the persuasion of their arguments (Cockcroft & Cockcroft 2005, p.17).

Reference:

Cockcroft. R & Cockcroft. S, 2005, Persuading People: an introduction to rhetoric, Second Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, U.S.A.

Newspaper Publication

Over the last two generations, newspapers have adapted to their reduced role with the centrality of broadcasting. However, newspapers make governments publicly accountable. Although all the media play their different roles in political reporting, newspapers are still the biggest diggers for news among the mix of media organizations (Cunningham & Graeme, 2006).

This is the front page of Daily Nonpareil on Wednesday 25th March, 2009. It mainly uses Times New Roman to be the font. The contrast of the larger font bold sub-heading and the normal text are very clear so that they can be distinguished by the readers easily. There is a huge bold heading 'EXTRA! EXTRA!' placed on the upper part of the page, it can apparently draw the attention of the audiences and arouse their interest to read it. According to Walsh (2006), 'Visualizing is a process of creating a mental image that helps the reader conceptualize information'. There are some key elements that inform and engage the reader, they are the visual images placed besides the text columns.

Reading is not static, it is a constant interaction between reader and text. This interaction between reader and text can occur within a number of contexts simultaneously. Interaction between reader and text does not occur without what is traditionally referred to as decoding. Decoding involves using strategies of word recognition, pronunciation, vocabulary knowledge, and the recognition of graphic, morphemic and phonemic patterns (Walsh, 2006).

Image source: http://www.scrapbook.com/gallery/cache/245907/NewspaperMarch25r_1.jpg

References:

Cunningham.S & Turner.G, 2006, 'Media and communications in Australia', Allen & Unwin NSW.

Walsh. M, 2006, The 'textual shift': examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, 'Reading visual and multimodal texts: how is reading different?', Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Australia, Vol. 29, pp. 24-37

Ideology, myth and discourse in Moet & Chandon advertisement

In the advertisement, Hollywood famous star Scarlett Johansson is holding a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne and spraying it everywhere. The big text of ‘MOET’ is placed on the right hand side of the advertisement, and it is painted with graduated gold colour.

Ideology is a commonly held belief structure. It is a term that refers to coherent set of beliefs and values that dominate in a culture and that are particularly held by those who have power. Ideology is concerned with social and power relationships, and with the means by which they are made apparent (Bennett at el., 2008). The ideology presented in the advertisement is feminism. Famous star Scarlett is such a good example of a beautiful and successful woman, also she is the only person showing in the image, which implies the woman today can also live independently, although there is no man, they can still celebrate and have great fun by themselves.

Myth is defined as a shared way of talking about something that masks the value system that can be found within it. Another definition for myths is an interpellation of the ways thing are, or justification, a unifying message (Luckman, 2007). An example for myth, drinking usually makes people feel more at ease in social situations, they feel more relax and enjoyable or can even enlarge their happiness after having alcohols. The audience of this advertisement would like to have the same satisfaction, honor and gladness as Scarlett Johansson does.

Discourse, in terms of advertisement, is defined as the techniques an advertiser uses to attract the viewer’s attention. This includes text, lighting, setting, costume and make up (O’Shaughnessy, 1999). For example, the grooming and the spotlights on Scarlett; the professional shoot; the actual image of the product; the background in black; the big text and the color used of the brand name in the advertisement, they all help to express the image and to promote the product.

Image source: http://images.tuxboard.com/d/29907-2/Scarlett+Johansson+publicite+champagne+Moet+et+Chandon+2.jpg

References:

Bennett. J, Hall. K & Holmes. P, 2008, Ideology, ‘Media Studies AS & A2’, Pearson Education Limited, England, pp. 38-39.

Luckman. S, 2007, ‘Media Power’, Lecture notes, University of South Australia, South Australia., Slides 1-18.

O’Shaughnessy. M, 1999, Defining discourse and ideology, ‘Media and society: an introduction’, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, Chapter 12, pp. 157-162.

Communication System -- Printed Travel Leaflet

In this information age, travel leaflet is one of the best communications systems in the world. It is a printed sheet of paper or a few printed pages that are given free to advertise or give travel information about a city or a country. The target audience of travel leaflets is the public and mostly the tourist. It can generally conduct an image or a representation of a country to their audience.

The travel leaflet ‘At a Glance’ contains all the useful information tourists need, such as the street’s names, transportation instructions, places for dinning, services of Hong Kong Tourism Board and even how to identify shops and restaurants which meet high standards. The font is clear and the size of the text is also appropriate enough, readers can read through it comfortably and get the suitable information easily. There are the relevant images provided so that people can imagine how would be the places while looking at it.

As a kind of communications system, the leaflet aims to provide useful information and to persuade people into consuming the tourism products and services being promoted. Therefore the language and images used are highly selective. They present the positive and attractive sides of the potential touristic experiences, while the negative aspects are sometimes omitted (Thwaites et al, 2002). However, the leaflet helps to build the reputation on Hong Kong tourism and makes it becomes an interesting and attractive place to visit.

Reference:

Thwaites. T, Davis. L & Mules. W, 2002, Ideology, ‘Introducing cultural and media studies’, Palgrave, New York, pp.158-175