Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Basics of Advertisements
Basics of Advertisements
There are several cues that we need to identify to analyse how a certain text affects the reader by
creating meanings.
Look for images, words, sounds (if it is motion), gestures, objects and the like.
These must be noticed carefully to interpret how they are appealing, how they create meanings and
effects.
To be able to come to reasoned conclusions, understand 2 things:
The signifier and the signified
Signifier is a sign which is a material which can be seen, touched, heard, felt, smelled, tasted.
Signified is what concept these materials represent that allows a person to consider the signifier,
understand it and make logical connections to things.
Example: Apple – signifier – a fruit
Signified – sin – desires and temptations, health (in
certain cultures, apple represents sin, desire and temptation –
Adam and Eve’s fall while it is also generally used to
represent health – an apple a day keeps the doctor away. In
simpler terms, it could represent freshness and youth. Watch
DKNY apple perfume advert to understand the signifier -
signified concept)
Now, your question is, “Ma’am, how do I employ this in my answer? How do I structure my
paragraph?”
It is like this:
You know you need to make your paragraph based on PETER to satisfy the requirements of the
assessment criteria.
You do the following in order to make your analysis/interpretation deep and anchored to the
elements of the given text while also making reasoned inferences:
Strong black and white contrast This high contrast can suggest good-bad duality.
Some common types of advertisements (These are not all. There are many more types!)
Headline
Copy
Signature/logo/logotype
Slogan/catch phrase: For the brand - Holds the brand's spirit. The core value(s)
Tagline: For the product - the feeling shown through products or services
Brand promise: A statement that will inform customers what they can expect from the
product and thus the brand.
Negative space
Some examples of fear advertisements:
Humour adverts
Social awareness
Example of Body of work: (BOW)