VIRTUCIO, Ellen May D.
U1A
Evaluating Multimodal Texts (Text 1-Dove Advertisement)
Questions
1. What is the text about?
2. What is the purpose of the text?
3. Who can you see? What can you see?
4. Think about the layout of the elements
in terms of balance, proportion, shape,
and use of space. How does the position
of the images affect the text?
5. What is the first thing you notice when
you look at the text?
6. What catches your attention? Which
subject do you see first? What is its size
in relation to other subjects in the field of
view – larger or smaller? Where is the
subject positioned - in the background or
foreground?
7. Who has been excluded or
marginalised in the text?
8. How are power and status
demonstrated by the interactions and
Your Responses
The text is about introducing Dove’s newest body
wash which promotes the improvement of the look
of the skin.
The purpose of the text is to raise awareness
among consumers that the brand has launched its
newest line of body washes with a better
formulation than its old product.
I saw three women, each of different colors, which
may depict diversity. Meaning, the brand is for
everyone, no matter the color. I see text, there’s
the title and the subtext. I see representation of
the product, the before and after, of what the
product is expected to do for the consumer’s skin.
Positions, space and texts are clearly an essential
factors, as small changes makes the whole picture
different. The position of the images clearly affects
the text; one will depend on another to achieve a
clean, clear layout to make the message
understandable to the audience. It’s all about
placing the position of the image and text in the
right spot to attain balance between the two most
important elements.
The first thing I noticed when I looked at the text
was the logo and of course the title or headline of
the product.
I first laid my eyes on the three women models,
because they were positioned at the center of the
picture and their size depicts they are in a room,
maybe in the comfort room to take a shower, that
is why it was set in a wide frame background, to
give emphasis on the models positioned in the
foreground and the representation model of before
and after, as part of the background. This already
conveys a message of what’s the product’s going
to be.
Personally, I think the Asian ethnicity was
excluded, the three women were all from Western
part of the world.
I thought that there is a factor of social class
involved within the picture, as it displays decent
relationships suggested within the text?
How does the text make you feel? Are
you dominated, abused, revered or
applauded by the text?
9. Is the text an example of upholding
human dignity? Why?
representation of women, it has a minimal layout
and design, depicting sophistication and class.
This could show that it only markets those
consumers belonging to the high and middle class
only. The whole picture made me feel revered but
when I read the text however, it made me feel
doubtful, because maybe it’s from my experience
that I’ve tried many products including theirs, and
mostly doesn’t show the results they promised
they would do.
Yes, it does uphold human dignity because even
though there was no Asian woman which I think
they should have included, for me it doesn’t step
on anyone’s right, dignity or culture. Yes, they
might have excluded Asian representation, but I
think the text is only saying that there is a product
created if you want to improve the look of your
skin, and that’s it. It’s not making the consumers
feel that their skin looks horrible and dry, it only
exists to raise awareness to the consumers who
are experiencing those type of skin problems, but
it doesn’t generalize the skin condition of
consumers at all.