4.6 Implicit and Explicit #1

Take a look at recent advertising that involves photographic representation of the human body. Choose two ads where the message is explicit and two where it is implicit. Can you find any that are a combination of the two? Analyse these images in your learning log.

Explicit Adverts

This advert of a woman wearing sunglasses and allowing a man’s finger to enter her mouth was banned as ‘sexually implicit’.  The IAA ruling said the ‘image was deeply vulgar and went beyond bad taste to actually offend public sensibility’.  It went on to say that it deplored the ’explicit and provocative character’ of the image which went beyond acceptable limits for advertising aimed at the general public.

 Wonderbra - This advertisement for the Wonderbra is a stereotypical ad that is trying to use sex to sell the Wonderbra. Of course, that makes some sense since it is for a bra, but the "I can't cook, who cares?" line is the part people would have a problem with.



Implicit Adverts

Fear Appeal - Advertisers use fear appeals to evoke desired response and motivate audience to take steps to remove the threat. This advert uses implicit fear to get people to be aware of the consequences of drink driving, ie, that you could end up needing a ‘spare part’ as a result.

 

Although women have proven they have skills beyond household care and beauty, they are still depicted as sex symbols and incapable of every day life situations. The ad above screams this notion that women are only good when they are thin and fit, that they shouldn’t eat candy bars because they would look like the girl on the left and somehow in society, that isn’t okay. Being full figured is frowned upon in this ad, implying that in society, you will only be happy if you can be half-naked and have abs of steel-which in reality only a small percentage of women look like the one on the right.

4.5 What are they selling?

Take a range of advertisements (around six in total) from magazines or billboards and see if you can attach them to any of the above groups. You may find that some of the images you’ve chosen fall into two or more of Packard’s categories.

·      What are they selling?


·      Who are they selling it to?


·      How are they selling it?


·      How does the advert work in semiotic terms?


·      What is denoted?

·      What is connoted?


·      What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Write no more than 250 words for each advertisement.


Co Op Neighbourhood Convenience Stores

·       What are they selling?

Convenience foods at local, nearby stores

·       Who are they selling it to?

Near by customers

·       How are they selling it?

Emphasising convenience foods available quickly in neighbourhood

·       How does the advert work in semiotic terms?

Easily recognised neighbourhood logo at a nearby store convenient to customers

·       What is denoted?

That convenience foods are available nearby

·       What is connoted?

Convenience foods are nearby in a local store to you easily reached

·       What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Local branding in easily recognised logo known for quality and fair priced.

Coco Cola drink

 

·       What are they selling?

Convenience drink that everyone knows and likes

·       Who are they selling it to?

Teenagers, young people

·       How are they selling it?

Emphasising that this particular drink makes you popular and gets you friends easily

·       How does the advert work in semiotic terms?

Easily recognised logo, bottle shape, colour of drink

·       What is denoted?

This particular drink will make you popular with friends and age group

·       What is connoted?

That you will be popular with peer group and able to make friends easily

·       What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Smiling, drinking, male and female together

Audi RS Sports Car

·       What are they selling?

A new updates version of an older model sports car

·       Who are they selling it to?

Young, impressionable men with spare income, older men who want to retain their appeal to younger women

·       How are they selling it?

Appealing to both age groups that this car is the ultimate sex symbol that is only affordable to men with excess income.  The car is faster, sleeker, more attractive to the female sex than any other car before it.

·       How does the advert work in semiotic terms?

It’s a brightly coloured car that can easily be spotted amongst other cars as the latest and best edition.

·       What is denoted?

This particular man has money to spare and is attractive to the opposite sex.

·       What is connoted?

You can be the best, most desirable man to the opposite sex

  

·       What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Car is driven to show what it can do to make it noticeable.

 Ikea furniture and fittings

 

·       What are they selling?

Family values

·       Who are they selling it to?

Young people who desire a family life but who don’t have too much money to spend on luxury items.

·       How are they selling it?

Appealing to demographic group, ie, young professional couples, that whilst the furniture is less expensive it will give them a family that is what is found in magazines and books

·       How does the advert work in semiotic terms?

That family life can be achieved by buying Ikea furniture and fittings

·       What is denoted?

It implies a family who live together in harmony and have fun lives

·       What is connoted?

That if you buy Ikea furniture your family life will have a happy family life.

·       What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Families sitting down together, laughing, smiling, eating, being happy

Marks & Spencer Foods

·       What are they selling?

Ready prepared convenience snacks and meals

·       Who are they selling it to?

Anyone who wants to have convenience foods without having to bother to prepare it

·       How are they selling it?

Appealing to people who want to eat ready meals without the convenience of having to prepare and cook it themselves

·       How does the advert work in semiotic terms?

It shows appealing food which is ready to unpack and consume immediately

·       What is denoted?

Easy foods which need no real preparation

·       What is connoted?

That the food is tasty and good to eat and can be eaten straight away when they get home.

·       What gestures are used and how does this contribute to meaning?

Food is easily unpacked, displayed to look attractive and ready to eat.