Category: Advertisement

The marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored and non-sponsored message to promote or sell a product or service has created a platform for the proliferation of racial stereotypes. Racial stereotypes are automatic and exaggerated mental pictures that we hold about all members of a particular racial group (University of Notre Dame 2019). This widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or actions plays a significant role in the manner in which people relate, view situations and people of certain social or racial classes. The race is a group of people that descended from a common individual or persons within a population having distinct features but sharing common attachments such as language, culture, or history. The media, as a broadcasting and narrowcasting channel that is used in passing information and expressing the self, has created a wider platform for different advertising information to be passed. Racial stereotyping in advertising is widely evident and attributed to many factors such as the scope of operation, intended market, celebrity figure, and advancement of particular cultural and social beliefs.

For every business that wishes to do advertising, there is always a need to reach out to the specific audience in society as their intended market. They would go to larger extents to ensure that they use the language the market is conversant with, to channel the people that would make them comply with the understanding of the product or services that is being offered. According to Chiu (2019), brands should continue to consider ways to effectively target diverse groups to ensure their benefits. The major process involved in the making of racial stereotypes in advertising is the evaluation of the language of the intended market, their cultural and social beliefs, and the scope of the brand. On the contrary, the use of racial stereotypes in marketing is majorly based on the cultural and social beliefs that largely affect the economic lives of the intended market. The language barrier or pitching content into the native language does a little in affecting the economic value or need for products of service. These factors are however all centered on the scope of the brand, many customers, and more sales. There may be many companies offering a certain service or product hence they may need to compete for a similar market, this leads to the use of English as the conventional language and culture to reach out to the people to expand their markets. Due to the need for diversity and strain in the market, the companies may resort to other measures to pass information to their intended market. This creates an avenue for segregation and racial discrimination which in the marketing world is the less profound sense it is brought positively and compellingly. The brands will evaluate the market, and this is where consideration on language, culture, and social beliefs of the market come in, upon realizing the need to bring the content home, to the people and the best way they can do it is to create advertisements based while trying to figure out a stereotypic belief of a particular race and positively highlight combining its relativity to their product or service.

Besides, racial discrimination is still a factor affecting many businesses and brands on the use of their products. This has led to the use of other media such as cinemas and music in advertising. The selection is always precisely and carefully done considering the genre in which the persona is operating. Prominent sportspersons from different racial backgrounds are being used to do advertisements intended for particular minority groups, musicians from different minority groups are also being used to advertise products that the brands would consider beneficial to them but lacks proper knowledge(examples). Other prominently used racial stereotypes in advertising are evident in the fashion and beauty industry where most adverts on body gels and creams are decoded with black women who show off their skin transformation from being dark to chocolate and then light, this is intended for most black people due to the notion of stereotypic beliefs evident among most black people that light skin color is more likable and accepted. One such example as noted by Carr (2019) is the Dove lotion advertisement that showed a dark-skinned lady transforming into white by applying the lotion, it received backlash and was later removed.

Considerably, the intended market plays a significant role in the advertising field. Everyone would be drawn to take a second look at a product if it is portrayed in a means that best suits them, a language and visuals that they are more conversant with. In different fields, advertising is done by persons who are considered highly held in society and this brings in the factor of other media being integrated into advertising. The United States is one such country that has very diverse cultures, brands would be willing to make take a particular race of people to use in marketing their product intending to reach a particular market such as Espanyol, Russians, or African Americans. The advertisements are always done through means or channels that these groups conform with such as the Italian Football advertisement on Supersport is spoken in English but with an Italian accent. As affirmed by the University of Notre Dame (2019), it is human nature to categorize people into certain groups and this is majorly seen as racism in instances when people want to access services or use facilities. However, in the field of marketing and advertising, brands tend to be manipulative in portraying their products to the markets, they discriminate using statistical analyses to put their intended market into different purchase scepters and by determining their purchases among the different groups, they are able to come up with models for knowing their popularity among the groups and how to best reach to them to increase sales.

Cultural models and social beliefs by a great extent shape the way particular groups respond to purchases and this puts the advertising fields at a stake of carefully determining their market and the best way to make their purchases increase. For instance, the vegetarian communities of India would need COFCO Meat, a Chinese beef company to use an Indian in advertising the benefits of eating meat if in case they intend to expand their scope of operation into India. Even in dire situations, racial stereotyping in the advertisement would be necessary for the production of pork to increase in Islamic countries; it is not meant to harm but to pass out a message that the product or service is not harmful or does not only belong to other groups but we too can use them. This is the main reason for using racial stereotypes in advertisements, to reach out to the minutely segregated or neglected groups that are a potential market for a product or service. International companies face this major challenge in reaching out to the world to market their products and this correlates to an issue highlighted by Maheshwari (2017) of the New York Times on Different Ads, Different Ethnicities, Same car. This was an advertisement done by Toyota unveiling their new car brand and shows the adjustments they are making on their tactics for marketing. Relative to past experiences and racial claims, several companies have been taunted for using racist information in their advertisements such as the H&M company which was ridiculed for using a black boy in a monkey hood written ‘Coolest Monkey in the Jungle, the company was eventually forced to apologize (The Guardian, 2018).

The language barrier also plays a very important role in shaping the way a product is advertised leading to the making of racial stereotypes in advertising. Maheshwari (2017) notes that if a person of any group is looking for communication that is like them, that looks like them specifically, race-based advertising provides the best avenue. According to Arno (2011), localizing duplicate content is one way in which advertising is done through racial stereotyping. There is a need to translate the content into a language that the target group is conversant with while editing it to ensure that all cultural and linguistic differences are considered. Another way in which the content of advertisements is made up to date and plausible to the minority groups is the hiring of in-country pitchers and translators which is essential in evaluating the output, enhancing the flow of feedback, and also in the dissemination and publication of the content. When an advert is pitched into a native language, the brands are able to concentrate on greater opportunities which may be strategizing content and expansion into other markets. The electronic industry of China faces the challenge of presentation since their main market is in Africa, but Africans believe Chinese products are at some point not of quality, to contravene this, the companies, to make the African markets understand that they only produce for them what they can afford, they use black people in advertising their products and translates all the information into English, which is not manipulative but business-oriented strategy.

The National Academic Press (2019) notes that low socioeconomic status is one of the factors that lead to racial discrimination. Racial stereotyping in advertisements is also based on the social and economic status of the intended groups. Segregation due to social status may be evaluated by the statistical evidence from the different groups based on their education levels and economic abilities. A brand wishing to improve its sales in a region of generally low educational status will need to use a language that the people are conversant with and eliminate the notion of conventional English as the acceptable language, they may also need to do pitching and localize their marketers to use the dialect of the people. Racial stereotyping in advertising based on the economic status of the intended market also influences the type of product that the people are brought for, a brand may produce similar but cheaper products with different naming and present it to the particular ethnic group since they would be able to afford it in that state rather than present to them the high quality which would see the brand make fewer sales.

Concurrent with socio-economic, language, cultural and social factors that influence racial stereotyping in advertisements, companies and brands also face a major challenge in accommodating the diversity of their markets, hence based on the factors, they will tend to narrow down to the ideologies and possible reasons as to why their products are not properly marketed and advanced in sales. Based on these factors, the brands will evaluate the possible ways in which to turn the stereotypic beliefs into their benefits considering that the beliefs do not harm and are a fair way of targeting the specific groups. Stereotyping activation that is more automatic and application that is more deliberate are some of the most commonly used means of making racial stereotypes in advertising. As noted by systematic racism is related to a designated group composition of the advertising agencies as opposed to the targeted racism which relates to the intended market placed by the media. The most contented and challenging factor with racial stereotyping in advertising is attributed to the transformation of the content of advertising.

In conclusion, there is a need to look into the effect of racial stereotyping in advertising if it is negatively affecting the market which in turn affects the scope of the brand since some brands are ignorant of how they present their products and services to the intended market considering the potential harm attached with the presented information. Agencies should also team up to check on the advertising media to ensure they present their products in a socially acceptable way that meets the intended market without negatively affecting the scope of operation of the brands.

References:

1. Arno. C. (2011). Content Marketing Institute. Crossing the Content Marketing Foreign Language Barrier. Retrieved from https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2011/08/content-marketing-language-barrier/;
2. Carr. S. (2019). PPC Project. The Top 8 Recent Controversial Ads. Retrieved from https://ppcprotect.com/top-controversial-ads/;
3. Chiu. B. (2019). Forbes. Addressing The Ad Industry’s Sticky Problem With Race. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniechiu/2019/07/16/addressing-the-ad-industrys-sticky-problem-with-race/#196c9c2b28d0;
4. Maheshwari. S. (2017). The New York Times. Different Ads, Different Ethnicities, Same Car. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/12/business/media/toyota-camry-ads-different-ethnicities.html;
5. National Academic Press (2019). Prejudice and Discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read/11036/chapter/9;
6. The Guardian. (2018). H&M apologizes over the image of a black child in ‘monkey hoodie’. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/jan/08/h-and-m-apologises-over-image-of-black-child-in-monkey-hoodie;
7. University of Notre Dame (2019). Overcoming Racial Stereotypes. Retrieved from https://ucc.nd.edu/self-help/multicultural-awareness/overcoming-stereotypes/.

An advertisement is a bridge that connects the two worlds between manufacturers and customers. According to Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, an advertisement is a picture, short film, song, etc. which tries to persuade people to buy a product or service (3rd ed). According to the Advertising Association of the UK, advertising is any communication, usually paid-for, specifically intended to inform and/or influence one or more people. (Advertising Association of the UK). Advertisement can be political, business, or personal through different modes such as mass media, multimedia, live showcasing, direct sales, etc. The origin of advertisement can be traced back as early as 2000 BC, sometimes four thousand years ago when Ancient Egyptians invented advertising by carving public notices in steel (Fox, 2011). The evolution from steel to a digital advertisement has taken many turns along its way up to the present day. Advertising is for everybody including kids, young and old. It is done using various media types, with different techniques and methods most suited. Advertisements in mass media are fascinating, exciting, and creative in this world of globalization. They are an integral part of our day-to-day life. It plays a vital role for a company to promote its sales and increases revenues (Kannan & Tyag, 2013). However, this paper attempts to examine only the fundamental objectives of an advertisement. Furthermore, it examines the use of the English language as a vehicle in the promotion of the brand manufactured by companies around the world. There are three main objectives of advertisement and they are discussed in the following paragraphs.

The foremost objective of advertisement is to inform the intended marketplace. It is all about new product information reaching the targeted customers. The product must be publicized for a better market both within and outside the country. This is the very first phase towards fulfilling the business goal (Pahwa, 2019). If the consumer is not informed of the products then it is quite sure that the company will face doom. The company must regularly inform the consumers from where they can get the products. Different forms of multimedia could be used to reach the information of the brand near and far markets. It may be done through the internet, Facebook, we-chat, messenger, Twitter, television, newspaper radio, etc. The local market alone is not at all possible to fulfill the goals of the companies whether it is small, medium, or large scale. The producers should go beyond the local markets for better trade. With the invention of the different Media, they have made the job of reaching information to every nook and corner of the world easier. One cannot reach the information to the consumer at one go as the demographic feature is not statics. This feature of demography helps to establish and sustain the goods-producing companies. Many a time producer turn out to be a failure in the business as they fail to reach the information to the consumers. Many societies may not be conscious of the availability of the item due to the absence of information.

The next prominent objective is to persuade the buyers irrespective of class, caste, creed, and social status to buy the products. The influence should be better enough to create and convince to form a brand image and stimulate a positive outlook towards the brand. If the advertisement is service-related then it should be clever enough to convince the employees about the service-related information. While persuading the consumers one must think of the choice of words that influence the consumers. One should have a passion to maintain interpersonal social skills while dealing directly with the consumers. Whenever the advertisement is made through the media, one should be clever enough to communicate in a fascinating manner revealing the truth while persuading consumers of the items. Today the consumers have become smarter than the producers that they can easily catch what they intend to say or do. The advertisers cannot simply deceive the customers which would mean one-time business only. If a business has to survive and flourish then one should not make dishonest announcements to deceive the customers. The advertisement and the brand quality must match so that customers’ circles can be increased in a rippling manner.

The third important objective of publicity is to remind and reinforce the brand message to reassure the customers about the brand vision. It helps the brand to keep the enthusiastic buyers within its proximity to avoid losing to other competitors in the periphery. Sometimes lip publicity also helps to gain the heart of the consumers. In this regard, advertisement through media alone is not enough. Direct lip marketing is equally important which can happen through the employees who can make a great difference in the deal of newly manufactured goods. Therefore, the proprietor and the manager must gain the trust of the employees working in the company. Every now and then the clients must be retold of the perfection of the existing and upcoming products too. At a certain interval, the company should float the bonus which would encourage and keep the customers within control. The institution must not forget to provide incentives to the staff of their service besides their monthly payment which would motivate them to work hard for the success of the organization. Similarly, it applies to service seekers as well. The employers too need to make a parallel kind of reminder in order the keep the candidates, interested in serving in the company.

A language is a powerful tool that can persuade people and their attitude in the field of advertisement and business. The selection of words to express explicit messages with the objective of inducing people is crucially essential. It is very crucial for the advertiser to use business language which creates a huge impact in the minds of the customers but should not use ambiguous terms. However, the language should be effective enough to communicate the message clearly to the customers (Panda, 2015). The graphic publicity has a great impact on the consumers. However, it is a language that helps people to recognize a product and remember it. A product company should make convenience for the customers’ decision-making process easier as they have to know what suits them and to make budget prioritizing. Advertising needs to educate the buyers on the features and accessibility of different products in the markets. It should help the purchasers to compare different products and choose the best product for them. All these can be done through language and communication. The English language is known for its great deal of vocabulary. Without rich vocabulary, advertisement becomes lame. It cannot make a way for a brand into consumer markets. Those vocabularies should be related to the brand which can easily attract consumers.

Many languages across the globe have limited vocabularies, synonym, and homonyms but then English has comparably more, making the advertisers easier in terms of choice of words and meanings. Different advertisers can interpret brands using the English language in multiple ways. Media, when they have a new item for an advertisement, the marketing and advertising personal, have to consider the emotive power of the words they use. Before they advertise anything they have to make a choice about what to communicate and what to reserve. They need to choose the appropriate terms and play with those to gain the customers’ attention. The advertisers adapt compound words and use an adjective for the benefits of income generation. Later on, these compound adjectives come into regular use even in common circumstances. Examples of these compounds have become part of the English business language such as ‘top-quality, economy-size, chocolate-flavored, feather-light, long-lasting’ etc (Kannan & Tyag, 2013). The advertising language normally appears positive and gives emphasis on why one product stands out in comparison with another. The publicizing language may not always be accurate language in the usual sense. For example, comparatives are often used when no real judgment is made. An advertisement for a detergent may say “It makes clothes cleaner” but cleaner than what (Linguarama International, Alton UK, 1992 – 2000)?

To conclude this assignment, this paper dealt with the major objectives and the role of the English Language in the field of advertisement and business. Without these three core objectives, a company cannot withstand. They are the guiding principles for any goods-producing industry. The words like ‘inform’, ‘persuade’ and ‘remind’ may look like very ordinary words but then they are key elements to operate the manufacturing plants. If these words are not taken into consideration then it is very sure that one can see the fate of the company within a short period itself. Therefore, these three core objectives are inevitable without which a manufacturing industry cannot establish at any cost. Language is another important aspect that cannot be avoided. In the field of trade and commerce, language is equally important to be considered. English as a global language is more important than the local as it can make a greater impact in influencing bigger markets across the globe.

Nowadays we see advertisements all around us without us noticing. They are all around us on phones, television, and even on newspapers. People do not realize that advertising influences their daily life and changes their way of thinking and buying a product. Advertisers use many different techniques to get the ad to function on different individuals depending on the product they are selling. One famous example of an advertisement is the Coca-Cola company, Coca-Cola is very well-known wide world due to the results of the large advertising they produce over so many decades that has change revolutionary over the world.

One of the most identified brands in the world; Coca-Cola has eminent the company as a huge symbol, a famous advertising that is very well known by everyone is the Coca-Cola Company’s Santa that has helped for many years to define the logo and the look of the brand. Coca-Cola has always kept the product in public eyes by creating a large amount o advertisements. The company promotes its product by marketing communication from print advertisements, promotions, coupons, media, and TV commercials.

Coca-Cola’s advertisements mostly target teenagers and young adults. Because Coca-cola aims their product represent with youth and high energy people. On the other hand, later, Coke’s advertising it’s changed their target market to ‘Coke for all’ or ‘Coke for everyone’ shows that not only the young generation are the target group of Coca-Cola but everyone also is its target.

Signification is about how meanings are produced and circulated and the Coca-Cola Company has taken the history of Santa Claus, to help promote Coca-Cola as a brand during the Christmas season. The Coca-cola advert and publicize the Santa Claus appearance to a larger audience, old and young all around the world. Coca-Cola used the character of Santa as a selling target in order to expand the market towards a younger public and to help to increase sales of the drink throughout the cold season in Christmas.

Advertising is a major method for promoting products to the target audience. It can stimulate and convince customers to make purchasing decisions. There are many ways in marketing communication; especially advertising is a powerful marketing tool that can spread the message to the audience. Coca-cola who was the market leader in carbonated soft drinks successfully introduces their product in commercials to attract all audience. Effective advertising helps the Coca-Cola brand remain in consumer’s minds. Therefore, advertising is the secret key behind the scene of Coca-Cola’s success.

In conclusion brands like coca-cola want to get the attention of customers so they can buy their products We are surrounded by advertising. Whether you’re watching television, reading a magazine, going to the movies, or even browsing social media, you’re bound to see ads. Coca-cola ads are used to persuade people to buy their products and get a sense of how the marketing strategies of their advertisers really work in society and how it has changed in every aspect of our daily day life.

The purpose of the advertisement – An instrument, idea, program, which is used for the promotion of the country, is called an advertisement. The purpose of advertising is to spread the related object or message far and wide.

Multiple types of ads – There are several types of ads. Social advertisements include dowry, intoxication, family planning etc. Various programs, rallies, and advertisements of movements also come under it. Some advertisements are related to the purchase and sale of marriages, jobs, property. The most popular and engaging ads are – Business Advertising | Traders and industrialists use extremely attractive advertisements to sell their goods far and wide.

Role of advertisements in influencing the decision – what goods the person buys – the biggest role of ads in it. Any person standing at the shop can choose famous items from different objects. Regardless of the best soap available in the market, but the customer buys them only those who have heard the advertisement from them. When a man is deceived in so many variations, advertisements are helpful in making decisions

Social Responsibility for Ads – Advertisements are effective. Therefore their social responsibility too is very big. Often misleading advertisements are given to sell goods. Charming stars are also used to sell wrong and contaminated goods. Shahrukh Khan was told that he should not advertise harmful drinks like Coca-Cola or Pepsi. But they put their responsibility on the government in the greed of money.

The world of advertising says that everything runs for free. Yeah, exactly! but they are not literal by the word free or I should say it even has some terms and conditions made so vividly inconspicuous using an asterisk, likely to make fool out of their beloved customers ( or can be regarded as soft and easy ‘targets’ )There is complete freedom to use all the price and penalty. By the way, these freedoms have not been given to them; they have produced them for themselves. Just by doing anything, these companies have to deliver their products among the people, and by creating a place in the public’s mind, they have to fight the mindset.

To all the people of this generation, I think you all or most of all must remember well, in the ’90s, an advertisement came from Savola. In it, when a young child is leaving home, he is stopped by giving greed to Jalebi. It was a long-time shadow among the people. In the streets and in schools, we used to listen to how many children did not know it. It did not disturb the viewers anywhere, and Savola probably had made room in the house for this reason.

Now if we look at today’s picture, our world of advertisements is changing every day. If you look carefully, these changes will make you look restless.

More recently, the bank HDFC launched its new ad, in which a small child has been shown to be non-negotiable. The child’s father builds an artificial leg for him, and the child carries the kathak with the help of her.

Now, if we look through a vigilance, this advertisement seems very simple and dear, but on the other hand, it also disturbs the audience mentally.

Another similar kind of advertising came in ‘Fortune Home Eater’ In this, an old mother brings food for her sick child. The son of this mother is in the hospital, but the nurse there, the mother would not eat the home, feed her sick son. He becomes so upset that you can see it yourself.

Now if an elderly mother sees this kind of ad, and unfortunately her mother is not there with her mother, then in such a situation she may not be able to feed her child, but how many mentalities it will be to him, it is estimated that you Think of yourself.

It is known that for the world of advertisements, some standards have been set and such things are also given to our audience mentally.

This type of writing and illustration, to what extent is right for our society, we have to determine ourselves and we must keep in mind the standards set out. In fact, every person related to the advertisement has the duty to not mislead misleading advertisements. This leads to wrong publicity and messages in society.

In conclusion, advertisements have amazing power to influence society. These are boards for government, business, and society. But in the wrong hands, it can be misused. This abuse should be avoided.

Peoples and places around the globe are continuously re-invented, re-produced and re-created as tourism marketers create powerful representations of them (Salazar:2009). As a result, these different ways how people and places are being represented has a huge impact or rather plays a big role on how the tourists imagine and form views and expectations about their future destinations. However, the use of Orientalist representations and images by tourism promoters especially through advertising has created orientalism discourses of the Eastern countries. (Salazar, 2009: 49) further explains that this [happens as a matter of] a competitive bid by potential destinations to obtain a piece of the lucrative tourism pie. Not only that , but also as a result of imperialism, industrial capitalism, mass consumption and tourism.

This essay will therefore aim at achieving an understanding of the complex dynamics between orientalism, modernization and the relationship between the West and the East (Orient). This will focus on the role that the tourism promotions and advertising play in creating these orientalist discourses and imagined realities of the Eastern countries and how these discourses form perceptions of how the tourists and foreign nations view and imagine these countries.

Firstly, it will discuss and analyse the chosen contemporary tourism advertisement for the Middle East and how it perpetuates the prejudices of Orientalism in the modern society. This will be in reference to the works of Brian Longhurst and his colleagues with specific focus on their chapter on “Topographies of Culture: Geography, Meaning and Power” from their Introducing Cultural Studies, Edward Said’s “Orientalism Once More,” and Derek Bryce’s “Repackaging Orientalism: Discourses on Egypt and Turkey in British Outbound Tourism. Secondly, it will discuss how this particular advert perpetuates the prejudices of orientalism and outlining the possible reasons for its orientation. Lastly, it will conclude by discussing William Sax’s argument in “The Hall of Mirrors: Orientalism, Anthropology, and the Other” with focus on the prejudicial processes of ‘othering’ and the implication of his assertion for the concept of Orientalism.

This research is important because it aims to show how tourism promotions and advertising perpetuate the idea of orientalism, giving a highlight on the impact or rather the role that these adverts play into shaping and instilling certain ideologies of imagined identities of what the “East” and its inhabitants are , with a specific focus on their history, culture and language.

According to a chapter in a book titled Introducing Cultural Studies, (Longhurst et al. 2016) talks about the Topographies of Culture: Geography, Meaning and Power and express the view that a nation is defined as a political economy “imagined” as both inherently limited and sovereign. Hence, one would find that even the largest nation imagines that it could include all humankind, exist in a world of nations, all similar but different.

Longhurst et al (2016) further explain how matters of meaning are bound up with spaces, places, and landscapes. Take for instance how the orientalist paintings and other forms of material culture form the meaning of exotic by rather racializing, feminizing and sometimes sexualizing the culture from a distant land. Secondly, how they claim to be an authentic glimpse of a location and its inhabitants. Take for example, a landscape painting could be created according to the principles of picturesque. This can be seen in a painting that represents the life of landowners, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews and their power during the 18th century in England. In this particular painting, these landowners are presented as corrupt and selfish and not according to the terms of their independence and objectively.

According to (Bryce, 2007), since the publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism book in 1978 much of academic discourses begun to use the term Orientalism to refer to a general patronizing attitude of the West towards the Middle East, Asian and North African countries. (Said:1978) further states that more than anything, knowledge is linked to the power to control or dominate in reality. Take for instance , how the existence of the Middle East is being perceived as an existence only to be set apart from the West and how the identity of the East is always shaped, influenced and controlled about what the West is not.

Furthermore, (Mora, 2009 : 418) agrees and expresses the view that the West is likely to place itself at the center of the world with a Eurocentric point of view which then allows it to exploit other countries and communities by inflicting cultural change and transformation on them.

Now turning to the tourism advertisement chosen for this assignment which is a recent artwork by iDigital pulse a Marketing company based in Lebanon (see attached). The advert was created in 2018 for Tania Traveling Agency for the promotion of the Middle East. In this particular advertisement, the Middle East is promoted as an exotic, natural, untouched and cultural destination. This particular advertisement is an advert that has been created in a way that perpetuates the prejudices of orientalism. In the advert one could see the phrase “The Kingdom of Culture which is written in bold amongst many of other orientalist representations and prejudices visible to grab one’s attention.

To begin with, in the advert one could see a number of orientalist images and representations, starting with the white horse, the sunshine in the background, the dessert, the pyramids, the camel, the open book (which carries the entire images of the middle east), the man wearing a cultural outfit releasing a falcon or a hawk, the palm tree and the black moist land underneath other layers of the land, which one could safely assume that it is a representation of the Middle East land which carries or rich in oil.

In this advert exotic images are used to present the Middle East. This is done to promote the Middle East region as the Kingdom of Cultures, and a unique destination of exotic culture and rich history. (Silver 1993: 303) implies that many of these images are used to feed into the Western Consciousness because tourists seek places that are different, authentic, indigenous and untouched by modernization.

This can be seen on how the middle east is often represented in tourism adverts, literature and in media. Take for example, the use of images of the pyramids, deserts, camels and objects or activities that forms part of the country’s history, culture and language. This may often be seen through its oriental representation of fascinating heritage, exotic culture and historical sites. All in all, this advert does perpetuate the prejudices of orientalism as it promotes monarchy and the ruling of communities and kingdoms.

Take for example, how the tourism promoters for the Middle East countries often present Egypt as a country that offers an attractive blend of wonderful sights of natural beauty and everlasting sunshine. This can be seen in the chosen advert, where the sunshine has been used to create an image that the sun is always shining in the Middle East, which gives the advert the beautiful image that the Middle East is a beautiful country of endless warmth, light and sunshine.

This can also be seen in the advert through the use of golden pyramids, ancient treasures, and beautiful landscapes. However, this is not the ultimate truth of what the Middle East countries, societies, communities and inhabitants are all about. Some of the countries in the Middle East and other Orient countries have gone under tremendous transformations and have become more modernized. Take for example, Turkey, Singapore, Dubai, and Japan to mention few. These countries have a lot more to offer than just historical sights and authenticity as they have delightful sights, modernized buildings, markets, sea resorts, sandy beaches and beautiful colorful mountains.

The use of a palm tree in the advert as part of the representation of the middle east. The palm tree is a symbol or rather a representation of a country at peace, and as can be seen in the advert, the sun is shining bright, colourful, inviting, exciting and has a delightful sight. This is regardless of the bloodshed from the past colonial history of the Middle East countries and the famous civil wars of Lebanese.

The advert also make use of topographies of culture, what (Longhurst, et al. 2016) describe as the physical appearance of the natural features of an area of land especially the shape of its surface. This can be seen in the advert through the use of desserts, soft sands and moist land.

In other words, these symbols and orientalist representations do perpetuate the idea that the Middle East is still what it was from the ancient period of the 18th and the 19th century regardless of all the technological advancements and modern constructions that might have taken place following that period. Take for Instance, even at this day, the Middle East is somewhat still represented as if no change had taken place.

According to the article “Repackaging Orientalism: Discourses on Egypt and Turkey in British outbound tourism” (Bryce, 2007) states that Orientalism generates discourses that essentialize and culturalize other cultures and societies to present certain countries as superior and unique, which then allows the West to dominate the East. Furthermore, (Bryce 2007: 166) argues that the promotion of “packaged” tourism to Egypt and Turkey to the British market is used by these places to market themselves through tourism adverts because such marketing strategies work for them.

Longhurst et al (2016) explains that there is no ultimate truth in these discourses of orientalism as they are only systems of knowledge produced by people to explain what is out there in the world. In addition, (Ooi, 2005) states that the tourism authorities formulate these sets of orientalist discourses to present certain Eastern countries in a superior light as compared to its regional neighbours. However, it is worth keeping in mind that a country can also create its own oriental discourse in order to highlight the country’s uniqueness in that particular region.

Furthermore, (Ooi,2005) states that Orientalism and orientalists’ imagination of countries can be understood as set of knowledge resources for the construction of local identities to enhance the uniqueness and attractiveness of the destination. Not only that but to also draw more revenues and visitors into the country. Moreover, (Said ,1978) points out that the western writers and academics who study the “orient” have misrepresented and still misrepresent the Middle Eastern Islamic world in a manner that has eased the way for the West to dominate the Orient.

Take for instance, scholars in the West who studies the orient present and show images of the East that are rather centred on how the East is different from the West. According to (Said ,1978) these representations create images that do not correspond to the empirical reality of the Orient, which then lowers the significance of the variety of language, culture , social forms and political structures of the Orient. Hence, the Orient countries are often seen as inferior and uncivilised. In this particular advert, orientalist images are used to influence the minds of tourists. This is achieved in a way that these promotional adverts are designed and prepared according to what the tourism promoters think may be what tourists would like and expect to see.

In addition, (Ooi, 2005) expresses the view that these images are abstract, one sided and superficial in such a way that many of these images are wrong, outdated because the foreigners do not have the same opportunities as the locals to cultivate the local knowledge and deep understanding of the place. Take for instance, a region may have many countries with a population of hundreds of different ethnic communities with people believing in hundreds of different religions and speaking different languages.

In conclusion, (Sax , 1998: 293) states that focusing on human differences is itself a human universal, and for anthropologists a methodological necessity. Sax (1998) further states that the recognition of difference, whether by anthropologists or natives does not always or necessarily involve an interiorization of the Other. Furthermore (Sax, 1998) argues that difference-making involves a double movement, where the Other is simultaneously emulated and repudiated, admired and despised, and that the source of this ambivalence is the recognition of Self in Other. Moreover, (Sax,1998) explains that paradoxically, our tendency to focus on the things that divides human beings from each other, the difference, is something that all humans share. Highlighting the implication of power dynamics in different countries, stating that people cannot help noticing that other people different from the other as they speak different languages, observe different customs and that they are different which then leaves us stranded in what Sax refers to as the hall of mirrors, with no way out.

Bibliography

1. Sax, W. S., 1998. The Hall of Mirrors: Orientalism, Anthropology, and the Other. Wiley on behalf of the American Anthropological Association, 100(02), pp. 292-301.
2. B.Salazar, N., 2009. Imaged or Imagined? Cultural representations and the ‘Tourismification’ of peoples and places. Cahiers d’études africaines, pp. 49-71.
3. Bassam, D. F. a. H. K. a. A., 2018. AdsOfTheWorld. [Art] (iDigital Pulse Marketing Company).
4. Bryce, D., 2007. Repackaging Orientalism. ‘Repackaging Orientalism:Discourses on Egypt and Turkey in British outbound tourism’, 7(2), pp. 165-191.
5. Longhurst,B. et al, 2016. ‘ Introducing Cultural Studies’, New York: Routledge.
6. Mora, N., 2009. Orientalist discourse in media texts. International Journal of Human Sciences, 6(2), pp. 419- 427.
7. Ooi, C.-S., 2005. Orientalist Imaginations and Touristification of Museums: Experiences from Singapore, Frederiksberg: Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Asia Research Centre (ARC).
8. Said, E., 2003. Orientalism Once More. In Memoriam: Edward W. Said (1935–2003), 21 May, pp. 870-879.
9. Said, E. W., 1978. Orientalism. London and Henley: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
10. Salazar, N. B., 2009. Imaged or Imagined? Cultural Representations and the “Tourismification” of Peoples and Places. Cahiers d’études africaines, pp. 49-65.
11. Silver, I., 1993. Marketing authenticity in third world countries. Annals of Tourism Research, 20(2), pp. 302-318.

For decades, digital photography has been a key feature in the campaigns of brands, big or small. Photographs are used to highlight the product or service that a brand is offering, and by applying various techniques, which I shall later highlight, to idealise the product in question. Brands use photography to give consumers an idea of how products appear when in use, for example, how a dress falls on a model, how foundation changes the skin’s appearance or how delicious a food products looks.

In many advertisements, there is just one image as the main focus of the ad, often a full page photograph, or a photograph of a product which has been edited in to a digitally produced piece of artwork. This is called a pack shot. In the advertisements above, the photographers have carefully framed their shots to ensure that the product being advertised is the obvious focus of the image. Interestingly, in advertisements, the golden ratio and rule of thirds appears to be completely disregarded, and the products are often around the centre of the image. Photographs of products are taken in good lighting, as it must look perfect. Lighting and framing have the ability to alter reality, and make the subject look far more appealing or attractive than is actually the case. The surroundings of the subject are also often very important in advertising, as brands are usually appealing to a specific group of people, and make use of their ad space by subtly including lots of visual information in their shots. For example, on the Lancôme ad above, we see makeup sponges, with a variety of different shades, scattered around the main product. This was a conscious choice, as the thirst for wider shade ranges has become more prominent than ever, with the rise of inclusive shade ranges from the likes of Fenty Beauty and Mac. In the Jo Malone advertisement above, a variety of citrus fruits are surrounding the perfume. As an advertisement cannot directly showcase a scented perfume, it is important that a vivid image is constructed in the mind of the consumer about how this product smells, and so by including attractive fresh fruits in their campaign, it allows the viewer to imagine the familiar and much loved scent of a fresh orange.

Image manipulation is a vital part of the creation of advertisements. It is important that a product looks better than it ever could on its best day in reality, so by erasing imperfections, adjusting colours and contrast, a once dull picture can become a beautiful, eye catching masterpiece. Arguably, editing is the most important part of photography, as that is when life is added into a photograph. Often, photographers will shoot their images as flat and neutral as possible, as not only does this mean that your images have maximum information, it also gives you more room to manipulate a photograph, and turn it into exactly what you want it to be. If you shoot in default settings, you may immediately have a beautiful, vibrant image, but it leaves you with less room to customise the look of your images. While it is important to have the subject as perfect as possible in reality, before shooting, you can essentially create whatever illusion you with through editing. It is possible to make a really sick, tired looking person look like a well-rested top model, and this just shows how much more control and power you have over your images, over your ads, through editing.

Photography is used to promote businesses, ‘selling’ their service or product through skillful idealistic photography. For example, Facebook targeted ads often feature photographs of products looking very tempting. To the left you can see a few examples of targeted ads found in my timeline. Targeted ads are shown to you based on a number of factors, your facebook likes, interests and your google search history. Brands use digital photography to made their products look the best that they possibly can. As you can see, Gucci has taken scenic images, displaying their brand logo over the top, to showcase their product in an artistic way. ‘Sweetspot Homes’ have used photography to showcase the homes that they are offering to let. They make the homes look as pleasing as possible by making sure that the homes and as tidy as possible, and that the lighting is natural and bright. This makes the houses look spacious, bright and desirable, therefore selling their product. ‘Just Eat’ have used photography to make a poster, showing food that they offer to deliver, in the most aesthetically pleasing way. They have made up a perfect sandwich and photographed it under studio lights, so that it looks as perfect as possible. They put this onto a brightly coloured poster, to attract attention. I found it really easy to find advertisements in my timeline, as the perfect, professional photography stood out among other posts.

Digital photography is used in photojournalism, newspapers, magazines and blogs. It is the process of story telling using the medium of photography as the main story telling device. Photojournalism is a prime example of ‘a picture tells a thousand words’. Rocco Rorandelli took this photograph showing the behind the scenes of tobacco farming. The purpose of this photograph is to make the viewer consider where things that they take for granted come from. Photojournalism provokes thought on subjects often dismissed. People showcase the lives of migrants, mothers, death, and heartache through photography. Photojournalism often features very real, very candid photographs. This is a very difficult method of applying digital photography, as it requires an eye for good shots and perfect timing. Knowing where to look for a biographical series of photographs intended to tell a story is difficult, and often the photographer will have to travel far from home, and far from their comfort zone, in order to infiltrate communities worth documenting. This type of photography often starts discussions around ethics, as actually seeing images of how people live, the emotion of their face, and their surroundings, makes it easier for people to sympathise with them. Often, the colours in the image dictate its theme. For example, to the right is an image named ‘Migrant Mother’, this image is in cold black and white, showing that it is sad, showing hardships. The image below shows a theme park coming back to life after the defeat of ISIS in Mosul. This image is happy, as people are celebrating, laughing with family, and there are lots of bright colours and light. This image still pushes a political agenda, however, as it is showing how positive the effect of defeating an extremist group has been. Photojournalism often focuses on political subjects, as the images are very powerful, with dull colours, capturing emotions on people’s faces.

Portraiture is another application of digital photography. This type of photograph is often taken in a studio, and makes use of lighting to convey an emotion, or the personality of the model. Portrait photography is popular in fashion and makeup advertisements, and they take portrait photographs of models, editing them to look perfect, conveying the idea that the product which they are trying to sell will make you look like the model in this perfect picture. Portrait photographs can be taken for advertisements, art, personal resumes or part of a medical study. Below are examples of each medical photography showing the effects of UV Rays Artistic portraiture Headshots for a resume

The purpose of medical portrait photography is to showcase dangers of some practices, the example above shows the negative effects of UV rays on the skin. These type of photographs are created to prevent people practicing harmful behaviors, and to protect them from potential health risks. These types of photographs are sometimes displayed on the sides of cigarette and tobacco packets, to make people think twice about smoking.

Artistic photography is created to encourage viewers to think, and interpret the image in their own way. Artistic photography often has an abstract element to it, making it completely up to interpretation. The example above shows a woman who has been painted with blue metallic paint, to me, this is showing a woman as art, her body is a canvas, and photography is the medium through which this painting can be displayed. Artistic photography allows artists to display pieces which cannot be made a permanent exhibit of, such as people or fleeting moments. Editing also allows artists to create unrealistic scenarios, often photographers will create this type of unrealistic artistic image for album covers. To the right is an album cover from David Bowie, showing the artist painted with makeup, the way in which Bowie shied away from gender norms during this time was a massive step in the tearing down of toxic masculinity, thus creating a controversial topic of discussion.

Portrait photography for headshots is designed to help actors get auditions, showing what they look like, and consequently if they would be appropriate for a role. These are often in black and white, as a few decades ago, black and white film was cheaper and more easily accessible. But in a digital age, people often include headshots in colour and black and white. Some agencies stick to old fashioned tradition and prefer black and white. Headshots are so important, as they give casting directors an idea of your personality, and they are often the first impression of what you look like. It is important for actors to have good headshots that deliver a strong impact, whether this be through emotion, detail or a powerful edit.

Architectural photography has steadily been on the rise since the 1800s, with is really coming through in the 1860s. Architectural photography can be classified in the following ways; exterior – the type of photogrpahy to make use of natural lighting, such as sun or moonlight. An architectural photographer will often try to blend a structures aesthetics with its environment, creating a coherent and interesting image. The second classification is interior architectural photography. This type of photography can often be found to make use of natural lightings, from windows or skylights, but more often than not there will still need to be additional lighting adding to the scene. This can be achieved by using supplemental lighting, the most popular of which being the common flash. The most important element in this type of photography is space, so often photographers will use a wide angle lens for this type of photography. A deep depth of field is required to ensure that both the foreground and the background have the same level of sharpness.

Medical photography is a specialised area of photography, that documents the clinical presentation of patients, medical and surgical procedures, medical devices and specimens from an autopsy. The purpose of this is to assist with the diagnosis and treatments of patients. This allows a doctor to monitor a patients condition, taking note of changes in the appearance of a mole for example, to prevent skin cancer. They can also be used to teach medical students about various signs and what certain ailments look like. The focus in this type of photography is less about effects and editing, and more about capturing a photograph as true to reality as possible.

Fine art photography is a channel for artists to express their ideas through means other than pen and paper. The purpose of this type of photography is often to make an artistic statement, it is a photograph created by an artist, not just a camera. The photographer’s vision is central to the resulting shot. The idea is less about documenting a specific thing, person or item, and about creating a composition which is pleasing to the eye, or in line with an artists vision. This may be presented in an abstract or literal manner, this differs from artist to artist. Like most art, fine art photography cannot be defined in a simple statement, as it is personal to each creator. In this type of photography, the photograph is the main attraction, often free from supporting text or distraction, presented alone or as a series. To the right is two examples of fine art photography, the first by Derek Story, the second by Vincent Peters. The first picture shows a close up of a leaf, showing nature in an artful way. This image shows how naturally artistic the world around us it, the individual veins and details on this leaf are visible in this image, which showcases the intricacies of nature. The second image shows a dancer names Sonia getting dressed. The way that the light gently diffuses into the slightly smokey room makes the model look angelic almost, as the dips and crevices in her skin are accentuated by the natural backlighting. This image can be interpreted in a few ways, this model is clearly very thin, and she has quite a neutral expression on her face, so this could represent the pressure for dancers to be stick thin. The pronounced nature of the shadows on the model’s ribs suggest that her fragility is intended to be accentuated.

Photography for documentaries is widely used, most notably for nature documentaries. The purpose of photography for documentaries is to give a visual for the topic being discussed. The image on the right is a photograph from a neo-nazi rally, for a documentary about modern-day Nazis. This image is particularly powerful, as the main subject is pointing at themselves and shouting, showing the neo-nazi to be a self-centred character. Documentary photography will often have a powerful message behind it, and this is reflected in the use of contrast and colour. This use of powerful photography leaves a lasting impression on the viewer, helping information from the documentary to stick in the audience’s mind. This type of photogrpahy can be used to document historical events, at excavation sites, or every day life in the modern day.

My personal favourite type of documentary photography is that for nature programmes. Photographers often use lenses with a short depth of field, to ensure that the focus is concentrated. In the example to the riht, the fox is the only thing in focus here, making the image particularly powerful, as the focus is so crisp and clear. Photography of animals in nature is useful for research purposes too, as it allows up to take a close look at the aesthetics of animals without having to capture them.

Photography is applied in a variety of different ways, and is all around us every day. For example, most people will pass a billboard at least once a week, these often include a digital photograph that has been blown up to a large size. In order to take these types of photographs, the photographer must take an image at a very high resolution, to allow it to be enlarged. Film photography is good for this, as digital photography uses pixels, and can become picellated when enlarged, whereas film photography has soft grainy edges, and does not become pixellated. To the right is an example of a billboard in the UK. This board is advertising a television series. This is eye-catching, as it is highly edited portrait photography. The models in this shot are making eye contact with the camera, making it seem as though they are looking out at you. This makes the poster interactive, directly involving you, the viewer, through eye contact. This photograph has been edited to look as though it were taken on a very old Victorian camera, as the series being advertise must be a period drama of sorts, set long in the past.

Magazines, both physical and digital, are made up mostly by photographs. The purpose of photographs in magazines are to make them colourful, eye catching, busy, and to show what an article is referring to. Fashion magazines, for example, include a lot of pictures of people sporting clothes that are being recommended in articles. The image to the right shows a model sporting some tailored shorts. The text around these images explains how to style this type of shorts. The purpose of photography in this case is to show how to put together an outfit, and how it looks on a person. These photographs have been taken in a studio, under bright lights, with a plain backdrop. This is to ensure that the colour of the clothes are clear, and there is no background distraction, the main focus of these images is intended to be the clothing.

To the right is another example of photography used in magazines. Almost every magazine cover will feature some kind of photograph, whether it be full page or bordered. This example is from Elle magazine and has used a full body picture of Taylor Swift. She is intended to be the main focus of this photograph. This has been achieved through having a grey background which compliments her outfit and having bright studio lights which perfectly highlight the model, and make the glitter on her clothing sparkle. She has been dressed in an eye-catching outfit, with bright boots to attract attention. The purpose of this photograph is to make it clear that the special feature of this issue is Taylor Swift.

Photography in newspapers is a powerful tool, as it has the power to convey the tone of an article, and set the theme for the whole paper from the front page. Here is an example of a powerful photograph taken for the New York Times. It shows children crying and running, some not fully clothed. This image is so strong, as it clearly shows the upset and scared expressions of children fleeing a scene. It evokes a feeling of sympathy and fear for the children in the image. Some newspapers only print in black and white, and often images in newspapers will not be 100% clear and crisp, as they are printed cheaply on thin paper, as they are printed en masse, with some publications releasing new papers every day. Often photographs in newspapers are used as a device to catch the eye. To the right is an example of a paper using an image to draw the eye to a headline. The use of colour photography makes this newspaper stand out froma selection, and the vague headline encourages the viewer to continue reading. People are often at the centre of newspaper photography, with mugshots of criminals dotting the pages. The purpose of this type of photography is to reveal the identity of a criminal who does not deserve the luxury of hiding.

Books don’t always contain images on the inside, but often feature eye catching photography on the cover, to highlight the theme of the content, and to encourage customers to pick up the book. To the right is the most recent publication of Vladimir Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’. On the cover is an image of a young girl, this catches the eye, as the white text stands out from the darker photographic background. The image has been taken to make the eyes of the girl stand out, they are piercing blue, and she has a fierce expression on her face is one of ferocity, this at a glance gives the potential reader an insight on the character and personality of Lolita. Photography has been used in this example to express a character without having to turn a single page. From a glance, this would suggest that the book is about a feisty girl named Lolita.

Here is an example from the inside of a non-fiction book. Photography has been used here alongside illustrations to show what a humpback whale looks like. This helps the reader to have a clear visualisation of what they are reading. Using photography in informative books is a helpful device to help visual learners better retain information. This type of photography ties back to photography for documentaries, as it is very similar, as its purpose is to inform.

Freelance photographers will often take on personal shoots for clients. For example, wedding photography. Wedding photography is specific to the photographer, and the requests of the client, to the right is an example of some wedding photography. A common theme amongst lots of wedding photography is the setting. It is often set outdoors, as the natural light makes for perfectly lit photographs. Making use of natural daylight means that the photographer can take more candid photographs, as there is no need to set up big studio type lighting, or backdrops, making the shoot feel more organic. Photographers can also take on set up family photoshoots, such as the example shown right. These types of portraits are taken under very bright studio lights. The reason for this is because this type of lighting is flattering to a model, and will make their skin look flawless, and their eyes sparkle. This bright light will also ensure that the image is very clear and bright, which makes is perfect for printing, which an image such as this would likely be. These images are set up, and posed, with the family positioned in the centre of the image, grouped together to draw the eye to the centre of the image. In the example shown, the family are all wearing the same colour, while this isn’t always the case in family portraits, this example looks very uniform as a result of this. These images are often enlarged and put on canvases, to hang in the house, so they are shot in a very high resolution to allow for them to be blown up without appearing pixellated.

1. Intended message:

As a worthy competitor of the Coca-cola company, the advertisement aims to announce that the Pepsi beverage has been consumed over many generations, is continued to be drunk by everyone nowadays and will remain popular in the years to come, so everyone should join the bandwagon and drink Pepsi.

2. Target audience:

Being an American advertisement, PepsiCo appeals to their audience of soft drink consumers and Americans. The tone of the ad is cheerful and motivating and is sometimes even humorous.

3. Underlying values:

The underlying values of the advertisement is that every Pepsi consumer, including the actors of the ad are all united by and all benefit from the Pepsi beverage, and that the drink is for everyone.

Techniques 1: Non diegetic music

The commercial begins with the active, mainly instrumental song Boogie Feet sung by Kesha, and the narrator’s friendly voice which is played throughout the whole commercial. The music is applied with the intent of motivating the audience to buy the beverage, as well as to position the audience to feel excited for the which type of Pepsi drink which will be displayed or released next.

Technique 2: Exaggeration

The camera then displays an astronaut running on the moon holding a Pepsi drink, whilst the narrator of the ad quotes “this is the first Pepsi on the moon” when according to history, the Pepsi drink never went on the moon. This is soon humorously corrected by respectable and formal looking Americans in an office who respond “no” to the narrator’s claim while holding onto what might be documents relating to the moon. The producer exaggerates Pepsi’s popularity so much that it was even brought to the moon, to emphasize that the soft drink is being drunk everywhere, positioning viewers to jump on the bandwagon of the Pepsi fans.

Technique 3: Associations/Referencing

The camera then shifts to present the “the Pepsi for this model” which is Presley Gerber, suggesting that drinking the Pepsi the model is holding which appears to be “Pepsi Zero Sugar”, will change you to become like the model Presley Gerber is. Then shifting to Presley’s mum Cindy Crawford who was the actor for the famous 1992 Pepsi ad who is depicted drinking the regular Pepsi drink. The narrator reveals “Hi Cindy” appealing to the memories of those who remember the 1992 ad, evoking a sense of happiness in remembering past memories, and exciting the audience for the surprises such as celebrities that will come next.

Claim:

The camera zooms in on Cindy Crawford enjoyably gulping her Pepsi drink. The producers frame her as the salience whilst claiming that Pepsi is such a delicious drink that it lives up to the standards of the famous American model Cindy Crawford who is presented to be enjoying the beverage, which adds credibility to the soft drink. The audience is encouraged to believe that the beverage is tasty enough to satisfy the standards of a celebrity, and would therefore be enough to satisfy the taste of middle and higher classed American citizens as well as soft drink consumers.

Exaggeration and Endorsement

The next scene depicts the famous past singer “Ray” Charles holding “Diet Pepsi” while singing on a television screen. In which the next scene to follow is current basketball star Kyrie Irving depicted as an elderly man AKA UNCLE DREW who is seen to be “still breaking ankles”. PepsiCo hints that drinking Diet Pepsi will keep you fit even as someone elderly, as for the basketball players, they’d still be able to break ankles as someone old, just like Kyrie Irving. The audience is lured into buying Diet Pepsi, believing it is a healthier alternative than other soft drinks.

According to www.ranker.com basketball is ranked the 2nd most popular sport in America, PepsiCo agrees that their audience of Americans recognizes Kyrie Irving and that some of them have an interest for basketball. Knowing that their target audience of American remembers the iconic blind singer Ray Charles, and successful NBA player Kyrie Irving, the viewers are able to relate to the company and understand easily the message being delivered.

Rhyme

The next scene the narrator announces that “this Pepsi is the one Britney once popped, and this is the Pepsi for the king of pop”. Whilst featuring the famous singer Britney Spears, and the “king of pop” all time great Michael Jackson. The rhyme is utilized as a catchy phase which will be easy for the audience to remember, and position the audience to believe the message more as the rhyming part acts as a distraction.

Repetition

Throughout the whole commercial, the phrase “This is the Pepsi for…” to reinforce the meaning that there are many types of Pepsi beverages for every type of person and serves for nearly every purpose. The end of their minute long repetition ends with the phrase, “This is the Pepsi for every generation”, again reinforcing the idea that Pepsi has been drunk by generations and will be continued to be consumed for the generations to come. By doing this, the message of the ad is forced into the reader’s mind.

The 2nd last scene features quick shots of all the actors of the commercial happily consuming each Pepsi drink which is according to the narrator, the Pepsi for each person, emphasizing the message that Pepsi is for everyone and every generation. According to the actors’ expression, that Pepsi is a delicious tasting fizzy drink, once more, baiting viewers to believe the high standards Pepsi satisfies.

Slogan

Depicted at the last scene next to the Pepsi logo, the slogan titled “Celebrating Every Generation” delivers the audience a catchy phrase to remember, and again convey the message delivered throughout the whole advertisement. By doing this, the audience accepts the message that Pepsi is for everyone, every generation and serves for every purpose, luring the them to purchase Pepsi drinks for those reasons.

The advert is against driving under the influence of alcohol, produced by BMW a well-recognized automotive brand. This technique of using a known brand will surely be more effective as the brand has influence to the relevant public. The features of the advert is a picture of an individual missing a leg passing a pictorial image of an accident. This message is most probably under the assumption that the accident was as a result of an accident correlated to drunk driving.

The image shows a mechanical leg with the message “Spare parts for humans are not as original as those for cars.” The message tries to appeal to the side that many humans prefer to be whole as opposed to being fitted with mechanical parts which might result to a change of personality. “Don’t drink and Drive,” follows the message which comes out as a warning and makes it clear that the advert is about the effects of drunk driving. There is also a brand Logo of the automotive BMW this helps add on to the factor of influence on the intended audience. This logo forms creates a connection with individuals who love the brand and respect it.

The ad tries to target an audience with the habit of drunk driving. The advertisement uses fear as a tone with the audience. There is a picture of an individual who is currently disabled and considering the fact that there is use of the words “spare parts” which is meant to bring to the audience’s attention that the individual had undergone some form of treatment and used to be whole. This shows that the individual with drunk driving could potentially end up with this disability which strikes fear.

The advert uses comparative language – “no as original as those of cars.” This language enables bring the perspective that unlike cars individuals lack spare parts and though one may be able to find a replacement for the functionality there is a loss of personality.

The advert uses the logos technique through the picture of a mechanical leg. Which logically indicates not only the loss of personality but also may financially affect the victim. It is relatively expensive to replace a leg and the fact that it shows that there had to be an accident there is a possibility of loss of property and even life. The advert also uses the ethos technique to create influence on the users. The use of the BMW a well-established organization helps make the advert more appealing and attracts attention. Lastly, the pathos technique is used by the advert, when the statement inflicts fear on the reader. This emotion of fear can be anticipated to influence the user against drunk driving whenever the user is tempted to commit the act knowing there is a potential chance of disability.

Credibility of the advert is with no doubt considering that it is tagged with a BMW logo where else its trustworthiness is unquestionable, because if the target believes it or not it sensible that there is a probable chance that an accident could happen. The ad is well informed as drunk driving usually leads to accidents. With no doubt the accident could lead to permanent casualties and damage which is what the ad is trying to show.

In conclusion the ad is very well put. The pictorial representation is appropriate for any form of age and to those who understand it is very clear that what is shown is only the tipoff the iceberg of the issue that is drunk driving. Drunk Driving has rather adverse effects to many not only drunk drivers but also the people who are at a risk of permanent disabilities or even loss of lives. The advert is both a preventive and control measures as it speaks not only to drunk drivers but also normal drivers and everyone else who can prevent a drunk driver from performing the act.

Abstract

This essay aims to view the semiotic analysis in advertisements and critically analyze its impact. We will be critiquing two ads of Old Spice’s ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign using semiotic analysis and then measuring the efficacy of the analysis. Through this exercise, we will see a semiotic analysis in action and recognize the drawbacks in utilizing the same as method of examining advertisements

The representation of masculinity has come a long way from its rigid structures and is now considered to be comparatively fluid. Advertisements tap on to features we as a society unconsciously crave to emulate. Advertisements also have the potential to shape and alter the ways gender is perceived among the collective. Thus the features of gender that advertisements choose to emphasize on and their eventual success or failure rate depends on the codes they utilize in their narrative.

Beginning with an introduction to the application of semiotics in real life and advertisements, we will hope to recognize certain elements crucial to the workings of a semiotic analysis as well as comment on the disadvantages that accompany a semiotic analysis.

Introduction

We live in a commercialized world where our choice of products actively defines us. When you pick one product over the other, you are basically picking one or two qualities over the other. The twenty first century product is not merely defined by its utility but also by what it can offer to you as an individual, and what it can offer to your identity, your image in a world saturated by images. Our choices are largely influenced by advertisements. Goldman observes:

Advertisements saturate our social lives… Our ability to recognize and decipher the advertising images that confront us depends on our photographic literacy and our familiarity with the social logic of advertising and consumerism. Yet, because ads are so pervasive and our reading of them so routine, we tend to take for granted the deep social assumptions embedded in advertisements. We do not ordinarily recognize advertising as a sphere of ideology. (Goldman 1992, 2)

Reading advertisements thus gives us information of the social positions that are constructed, the relations that arise and the underlying hegemony that operates, all of which in turn resonate with the viewer.

In order to delve into semiotic analysis, we need to know what constitutes a sign. The idea of sign and the theory attached to it was developed in great length by Ferdinand de Saussure. According to Saussure, a sign constituted a signifier and a signified. The signifier would be the object or concept whereas the signified would be the image or sound attached to it. (Noth 1995)

Gillian Rose in her book Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials (2001) discusses Williamson’s project in which two perfume advertisements are analyzed. Both targeting women, uses different qualities to lure in the viewer. Chanel’s advertisement consists of a close up of the actress Catherine Denevue aligned with the bottle, bringing in ideas of elegance, feminine grace and sophistication. Babe, on the other hand, portrays Margaux Hemmingway in a dynamic leaping stance, signaling youth. The actresses are specifically mentioned as the personal attributes or the general perception of these actresses adds to the larger narrative. Consequently, one can also view this polarity as capitalizing on different aspects of femininity. This difference is essential as the product is ultimately the same.

As she points out, actually there’s very little difference between the products that advertisers aim to sell, so advertisers have to create difference. Thus two bottles of perfume are sold not only in terms of what they apparently are (sophisticated or youthful) but also in terms of what they apparently are not (youthful or sophisticated). (Rose 2001, 87)

In this paper, we will attempt something of a similar nature as we analyze advertisements for Old Spice’s male grooming products, how their narrative plays on the idea of the perfect man and ‘achieving’ perfection through their products.

Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

Old Spice’s ‘The Man your Man could Smell Like’ advertising campaign was a successful strategy that capitalized on the very difference mentioned above. We will be discussing two advertisements under the campaign including the introductory ad ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ and ‘Questions’, both lasting thirty three seconds. Unlike other advertisements that choose to portray a ‘realistic’ narrative, these advertisements act as an open text: ripe for interpretation and filled with signs.

Both ads are compact with the narrative becoming more and more fantastical and absurd as it progresses. The monologue is structured to recall a response from the audience and is directly targeting the audience as well. The man in question is Isaiah Mustafa, a former football player with a toned physique. The camera moves along with him, acting as our eyes into his world. The audience’s familiarity with the actor is crucial as it is through this connection that the audience gets lured into the world of signs. He is a signifier for the numerous qualities Old Spice wishes to endorse. The desirable qualities of Mustafa are transferred to Old Spice products and women, the target audience wishes for the transfer of the same to their male partners.

The introductory advertisement ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ begins with Isaiah Mustafa looking straight into the camera, shirtless and in a bathroom with only a towel on, showing his muscular body, maintaining eye contact throughout. Starting with ‘Hello Ladies’, he moves on to a series of short quips that serve as orders rather than comments: ‘Look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me’. These are followed by comparisons: the audience’s supposed partners who don’t measure up to him as well as their products(ladies scented bodywash) which don’t measure up to Old Spice. This is continued by more commands that constantly demand your attention. These commands are meant to be fast paced and disorienting coupled with constantly changing scenery. This in turn forces the viewer to turn to the visuals for respite. The images seem absurd and unconnected but are strategically planned. The setting, the increasing close-up and his half-nakedness make the atmosphere seem intimate, an idea which is extended to his relationship with the viewer. He seems unfazed by the changing scenery in the background, giving off an air of confidence and ownership. It is when he brings to focus, the bottle of Old Spice body wash that the scenery changes. His appearance too changes as he dons a blue scarf and white cargoes, walking on a yacht. The costume and yacht are signifiers of wealth, usually attributed to the rich white male. The scenery change with the introduction of Old Spice indicates that the consumer’s life too would change with the same.

The bottle of body wash in his hand gets replaced by ‘an oyster with two tickets to the thing you love’ which then becomes diamonds. This scene achieves two objectives: denoting that the Old Spice man is well aware of what a woman desires, albeit stereotypical, as well as showing that he’s capable of fulfilling her needs. The ad ends with full shot of him riding a horse, yet again a symbol of wealth and virility.

The second ad ‘Questions’ is a follow up both literally and chronologically as it opens where it left. Mustafa stands in a tropical setting, a shower next to him, reinforcing the product in hand. The monologue follows a similar pattern as the one before varying slowly. His gaze is fixated on the camera, symbolizing confidence, trustworthiness and a personal connection with the audience. The scene then shifts to an exotic setting with a waterfall in the background. His words serve as anchorage, connecting the experience of using Old Spice to exoticism, adventure and nature. The rawness of the woods can be connected to the untamed masculine aura that he exudes and which the audience would like to emulate. After a series of unbelievable events, the ad ends with Mustafa in a Jacuzzi that breaks to reveal him sitting on a motorcycle, wearing jeans. The jeans and the motorcycle together symbolize passion and desire.

Conclusion: The danger of signs

The Old Spice ads were part of marketing campaign to revive Old Spice’s authority in the male grooming products market. Overshadowed by brands like Axe which lured their consumers with provocative women, rugged men and the promise of ‘getting laid’, Old Spice lost out on the younger audience. (Khan n.d.) Entrusted with revamping the image of Old Spice, Weiden and Kennedy, an ad agency did its research. They realized that much of male grooming products were largely bought by women who shopped for their men, and finalized on their target audience. Secondly, they created an advertisement that was as ridiculous and as symbolic as possible to distinguish themselves from the stream of narrative based advertisements flooding the market then.

Old Spice’s ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign is an active acknowledgment as well embrace of the semiotics that goes behind creating an advertisement. However it can also be the perfect campaign to display the negatives of using semiotic analysis to both create an advertisement as well as to critique the end result.

The Old Spice ads choose to highlight the qualities over the actual product itself. While the campaign ended in better sales, it is a gamble and could have remained an artistic endeavor, not entirely connecting with the audience. They have pitted ladies scented body wash against Old Spice while appealing to a female audience. A feminist critique, especially of much of their print ads will reveal the display of power imbalances.

The critique of semiotic analysis here largely lies in the samples chosen for the analysis. As compared to other modes of critique, the pattern of choosing comes off as random. The samples chosen are chosen in such a way that they support the argument and do not leave room for failure. This can come off as biased. Even I chose these two ads knowing they could be interpreted better semiotically as compared to other ads of the same product.

Saussurean semiotics while stating the arbitrary relation between the signifier and signified, does not help in an analysis where there are too many meanings to pick from. The multitude of meanings does require a certain level of expertise to know which to pick. As a result, semiotic analysis not only relies on the individual’s interpretive capabilities but can also come off as intellectually elitist. (Sturrock 1986) Also, visual and iconic semiotics has not received the same amount of in-depth research as linguistic semiotics. Berger comments:

…in its concern for the relationship of elements and production of meaning in a text, it ignores the quality of the work itself. That is, semiotics is not really concerned with art, but rather with meaning and modes of cognition. (Berger 2011, 37)

Finally, semiotic analysis focuses purely on the signs and not on the institutions that produce them. While we can argue that the success of certain signs over others inform us of the dominant codes that exist within the society and the hegemonic relations they possess, there is no acknowledgement of the power structures that help produce meaning. The usage of Isaiah Mustafa could be argued as a fetishization and objectification of the fit, African American physique for commercial purposes through psychoanalysis.

Semiology with its extensive vocabulary, lack of a definitive framework, obscuration of concepts and distancing of the analysis from ‘reality’ makes it a difficult and unreliable field to work in. The unreliability could be attributed to the instability of the signs themselves. Thus semiotic analysis alone could pose its interpreter certain negatives despite the wealth of ‘hidden’ knowledge it offers.

Bibliography

1. Berger, Arthur Asa. 2011. Media Analysis Techniques. Washington DC: SAGE Publications.
2. Goldman, Robert. 1992. Reading Ads Socially. London: Routledge.
3. Khan, Rohaid. http://www.scribd.com/doc/15308205/Old-Spice-History-by-rohaid-khan.
4. Noth, Winfried. 1995. Handbook of Semiotics. Indiana: Indiana University Press.
5. Old Spice. “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”. YouTube video, 0:32. February 5, 2010. https://youtu.be/uLTIowBF0kE
6. Old Spice. “Questions”. YouTube video, 0:32. June 30, 2010. https://youtu.be/owGykVbfgUE
7. Rose, Gillian. 2001. Visual Methodologies: An Introduction to the Interpretation of Visual Materials. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd.
8. Sturrock, John. 1986. Structuralism. London: Palladin.

The most widely watched sporting event of the year is the Super Bowl. People watch the Super Bowl for the game, and the advertisements. The game is mostly for advertisements. The actual game is played for 17 minutes. In 2014, they discovered that the ball was in play for 8.5 percent of the televised broadcast. The commercials were 48 minutes and the network promos were 7 minutes. The commercial times are $5 million for thirty seconds of airtime. Advertisers make these to create messages of their product. People watch the game to see the commercials. More than $330 million was spent on the Super Bowl commercials in 2014.

The Superbowl is a great way for companies to advertise their product. The beer and liquor industry is an economic role in commercialized college and professional sports. Liquor industry advertisements have heavily influence in sports broadcasts. The companies make images that make feelings, and moods. Beer and liquor advertisers make the brand a series of images that construct a desirable world to their consumers. The commercials from the late 1950s to 1960s had middle-aged white couples sharing a cold beer in their backyards and in their homes. In these commercials beer makes the middle-class couple happy to drink it. Then in the 1970s, women weren’t in the commercials.

These commercials have men drinking with other men in public places. The Super Bowl in 2003 had fifty-five commercials and fifteen of the commercials were beer and liquor. Twelve of these commercials were by Anheuser-Busch and they had the stadium scoreboard that had a Budweiser sign. They had ownership of this Super Bowl. The Superbowl isn’t just for the advertisement of beer. People that have a party for the Superbowl will spend money on game day food, athletic wear and decorations. The stores will take advantage of this shopping by making sure they bought decorations, food and other Super Bowl items. There are 43 million viewers that plan to host a party, and restaurants can expect people to buy a lot of food. People plan to watch the game because they get to watch their favorite national brands on commercials. The Super Bowl is used for advertising and consumerism because there are a lot of people watching the game.

References

1. Shay, Matthew. “184 Million Americans to Watch 2015 Super Bowl, According to NRF Survey.” NRF, 21 Jan. 2015, nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/184-million-americans-watch-2015-super-bowl-according-nrf-survey.
2. Desk, National. “Super Bowl 2015 Promises about 17 Minutes of Football, Study Says.” Pennlive, 29 Jan. 2015, www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/01/super_bowl_2015_promises_about.html.
3. Male Consumer as Loser: Beer and Liquor Ads in Mega Sports Media
4. Author(s): Michael A. Messner and Jeffrey Montez de Oca
5. Mandelbaum, Michael. “The Meaning of the Super Bowl.” The American Interest, 7 Aug. 2017, www.the-american-interest.com/2016/02/05/the-meaning-of-the-super-bowl/.