Semiotic Analysis Of Advertising

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Advertising is a potent industry in the modern world, whereby it helps communicate and shape social values. Schudson (1993) states that advertisements work in such a way that they are able to form cultures, so much that popular cultures become “events” in the foreground of people’s lives, creating discussions or even for analytical reflection. It has a crucial function in sustaining the capitalist-consumerist dynamics prevalent in a globalized world, by reinforcing the belief that people need things and want things, and thus have to acquire these things. An essential tool of advertising is the print ad. On the surface, print ads are seen as serving a singular purpose: promoting brand and product. Yet, conceptual frameworks such as semiotic analysis, helps deconstruct the image in the print ad to reveal and convey it’s deeper and sometimes hidden meaning underneath its iconic imagery. Through such an analysis, viewers are able to decode signs and meanings …show more content…

In the Versace advertisement, an iconic sign of apparel, such as leather clothing and business suits, and valuables such as a vintage car signifies prestige and a level of status, affirming the myth that well-to-do families dress alike to what is portrayed in the print. Ideologies like these can become normal within a society if such a culture has consistent reiteration. Therefore, through this campaign, it can be deduced that the meaning of ‘family’ asserts the myth of a family that consists of a married couple with kids, while the ideology of wealthy families is established by paying attention to their ensemble and valuables. From the advertisement, it seems most probable that Versace attempted to reach out to young mothers with comfortable lifestyles and buying power. This can be illustrated as an interpellation, whereby the advertisement is ‘hailing’ at the audience (Farmer,

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