Controversial Religious Signs

Several implicit meanings are encoded in the advertisement “immaculately conceived”, developed by Antonio Federici, caused by the extremely controversial religious theme of the advertisement. The advert displays a digital image of Nun, presumably pregnant, wearing traditional Catholic religious clothing, who is about to devour the ice cream. Controversial religious signs that are seen throughout the entire add, can be analyzed through semiotics. For example, denotative aspects of the advert, such as the words “Immaculately Conceived” and the large bulge in the nun’s stomach, resulting in the concealed feelings of both purity and sin. The remark “Immaculately Conceived” associated with the Virgin Mary, which Catholics recognize as a person of

purity and sophistication, invoking these emotions when the phrase is interpreted. The connotative meaning of including a pregnant nun into an extremely religious area is evidently to draw out feelings of violation. However the notion that a pregnant woman, someone that should be eating healthy, is devouring a box ice cream pulls out a response of temptation, as a result, this increases the products possible demand.

Another denotative component of the advert is the slogan “ice cream is our religion” and the careful placing of the ice cream, these components produce concealed meanings that readers interpret. For example, the statement “ice cream is our religion”, causes one to affiliate religious beliefs with the company. When the statement “ice cream is our religion” is read, the reader interprets the claim as a sign of commitment to their product on the same level as a religious person is pledged to their religion. The precise placing of the ice cream in the hand of the nun, a religious person that is known for their purity and dedication, plus the passionate stare that the nun once again induces feelings of devotion and trust to the reader. These denotative aspects, explicit information, of the advert all have deeper connotative meanings, such as the emotional responses. These emotional responses are intended to add to the advertisements overall message and to lure the consumer into wanting to buy the

product.

The social myths and social codes within the advert use the customer's prior knowledge of religion and womanhood to advocate for their own product while at the same time bash Catholicism.

For example, readers may affiliate a nun with character traits of devotion and purity, however, including a pregnant nun that is eating ice cream into an extremely religious setting, causes for the advert to go past the point of promoting and to the point of criticism. Social myths with respect to religious misbehaviour are evident in the advertisement. By taking the social myth of a pregnant nun, someone that should not be pregnant, and including it in his advertisement, Antonio Federici imposes a very cynical opinion of the Catholic religion on the audience. This opinion is further magnified as Antonio throws the word religion around so easily in his company’s slogan “ice cream is our religion”. Social codes with respect to femminity, specifically focused on the social myth that women are easily tempted and fragile even further convince the consumer to buy the ice cream. The woman we initially see in the advert appears to be virtuous and clean, as seen through her perfect skin, face and neat clothing, which is made this way to show the ideal image. However when the reader looks a little bit closer, they can see that the woman is indeed pregnant, the idea that this nun who has sworn an oath to not to have sex somehow ends up pregnant shows that women are easily tempted. Seeing the social

myth that women are easily tempted by pleasure and morally week, the consumer will now see the nuns choice to devour the ice cream in an extremely religious location caused by the idea that the ice cream is exceedingly pleasurable. This myth is also very closely linked with the social myth that sinful conduct results in much thrill and enjoyment, hence the reason the nun is eating ice cream in church. Although it is sinful it brings her much pleasure, as seen through her facial expressions, once again adding to Antonio Federici’s message that this ice cream is exceedingly desirable. The part of the advertisement that should be removed is the pregnant nun. Although the nun brings many social myths and connotative meanings that make the product seem even more desirable, it would have been best for Antonio Federici to have removed it from the add from both a moral and economic standpoint. By satirizing the nun, the company loses out on the entire religious audience as members of the Catholic religion, as they take offence to the satire being used. Morally it is disrespectful to include a pregnant nun and a church in an ice cream advert, as this company seeks to market a completely unrelated product to religion. Nonetheless, Antonio Federici’s advertisement use of denotative and connotative meanings invokes emotional responses that make the product more and more desirable, the advert also taps into the social myths and codes we possess and uses them to once again make the product even more enticing.