Semiotic Analysis of Advertising

Print Ad: 

The print ad is a simple room with only two walls showing, side wall has three pitcher frames with a white dresser in front of it.

To the right of the dresser there are six young boys in different positions going in a row; from left to right: standing and stretching, screaming and pulling his hair, on his knees with hands on top of head, sitting on the ground, one on his back (feet up), and laying on the grown in the fetal position.

You look closer and you can see that it is the same boy; he is just in different stages of a tantrum or just crying. It took me a minute to figure out what this ad was trying to sell. The child is a symbol of the volume symbol. The child is showing that with BOSE Noise Cancelling Headphones any noise can and will not be heard if you don’t want to hear it.  The boy(s) are not just a symbol of the volume symbol but the symbol of loud noise(s) in general. 

Outdoor Ad:

 

This is a large board that is out side by a large body of water. The board has shapes cut out leaving negative space that is allowing us to see the background. There is a bright light at a low angle. The negative space creates a silhouette of a woman, only the face (lips, nose, and eye) and her hair. You can tell it’s a woman because of the long hair, plump lips and female eyes; which is all made from the negative space of the board.

The “woman” with long golden hair (thanks to the sunset or sunrise) is symbolizing that her hair is beautiful and it can only be beautiful if you used Koleston Naturals produce. This billboard sells the symbol of beauty by showing off the long wavy hair that is over the shoulder (or would be if it was a real woman).

This ad would really only work during sunset, sunrise, or the night. You get brilliant golden hair during the gold hour and jet black hair during the night. It would look a little bit off if you see this during the day with a blue background. Not saying blue hair isn't beautiful, just that it is not natural; which this ad is trying to portray because the slogan is “Koleston Naturals”. 

TV Ad:

This ad is of several different objects that are round with bands. They are rotating slowly, showing the front and sides of these objects. They are placed on a simple black background. In the background there are different people talking and/or sounds. When the new object is on the screen, a different voices or sounds would be playing in the background. Till the last object, it rotates so we can see its sides and only its sides. Then in the next scene you see the object full face, and a human finger swiping at the screen.

Star Trek communicator from the 1979 

What we as the viewer sees is objects that you put on your wrist. All of these wristwear are from TV shows and movies that have been on in the last 60 years. These objects are iconic to every generation it comes into contact with. They also become symbols in there own right. Take the Star Trek communicator from the 1979 movie; it is a symbol on the future technology that we aspire to obtain. Which we have with the product that is being sold here; the Samsung Galaxy Gear: Evolution is the new future. It looks and acts like so many iconic images that we have seen over the years. This commercial makes us remember our childhood and makes us want to capture our childhood by buying this product.

Ad Agency - Havas Worldwide

The ad agency that I think that rocks would have to be Havas Worldwide. It was formerly known as Euro RSCG and was founded in 1991 by Jean-Michel Goudard, and Alain Cayzac. It is one of the largest integrated marketing communications agencies in the world. They have over 300 offices located in 75 countries throughout the world.

The New York branch of Havas Worldwide is especially my one of my favorite ad agencies. They are the ones that are responsible for the Dos Equis: The Most Interesting Man. This ad campaign was one of my favorite. I was always waiting to see it on TV, hear it on the radio, and online. Havas Worldwide created a cult figure when they created The Most Interesting Man. Every time it comes on, I would always say the last lines of the ad, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis….Stay thirsty my friend.”

Link to Havas Worldwide

Link to Dos Equis by Havas Worldwide

 

Cell Phone: Boss and Fighter

Boss:

A lot of people would say that Apple’s iPhone is the boss or top dog in the cell phone world. Apple started as a computer company and made its way (with the times) to cell phones. They might not sell the most phones; but, iPhone’s are the ones that people know and relate too because of other Apple products. iPhones are very easy to use; any one at any age could use the phone (user friendly). It has many apps that you can fine and download fast and without any trouble. The phone is a small and light; which can fit in the users pocket with easy.

The ads that Apple uses to promote the iPhone (and other products) are simple but also active; this goes for there print ads and commercial’s. This shows the viewer that you use our phone to capture the important moments/parts of your lives.

When you watch TV/movies, do you look at what type of phone your favorite character(s) is using? You might not think you do but you do. Most of the time it is an iPhone that they are holding, calling, texting from. That gets into the culture of the times and you want to be part of the culture.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock from BBC Sherlock with his iPhone.

Fighter:

There are two players’ that are competing with iPhone. The first is the Droid line of phones that have the android operating system. Unlike iPhone’s, Droid phones have many different styles. Some are bigger then an iPhone or smaller and some even have a keyboard built right in.

                                                                                    

Another phone would be Samsung, which is also run by android operating system. The newer phones battery last longer then the iPhones battery. Also, like the Droid phones, the Samsung phones are made with Gorilla Glass.

Yes, I know that iPhone 4 and newer also use Gorilla Glass. But they just started to use it after years (AND YEARS) of broken screen’s. Gorilla Glass is not 100% guarantee that your screen will not break, it just means it will be harder to do.

Both Samsung and Droid phones offer many apps (which most are free).

Away that the fighters (Samsung and Droid) side-step the boss (iPhone) is by making fun of them in their ads. Showing what the iPhone has and showing what the fighters have now and had had for a long time. This type of marketing is brilliant and very funny for the view (and me).

Super Bowl Commercial: RadioShack

The super bowl commercial that really stayed in my mind was the RadioShack one. I was with a group of friends and family when we watched this commercial. When we first saw it was a RadioShack commercial we started to make fun of it because it was RadioShack. When the RadioShack employee hangs up the phone and told his co-worker that “the 80s called and they want their store back”; the group I was with was saying “yea, their from the 80s alright” and “they should give there store back to the 80s”. Then all the famous people, icon’s, and characters of the 80s started to run in to the store, taking things back just like they said they would.

The story was complete and flowed nicely throughout the commercial. It wasn't complicated at all. Almost everyone has told someone “the 80s called and they want their (fill in the blank)”; this makes the commercial relevant to the viewer.

The brand (RadioShack) is obviously telling the viewer that we (RadioShack) are old, we know it and we are going to change that. It was really smart of them to make fun of themselves (we have been doing it for years). They were not hiding the fact that they haven’t been keeping up with the times. Showing us that they are going to improved there brand by up dating the store’s and their company. And might I just say, they are do for an up date.