Part one - Advertising work.
'We can only understand what advertisements mean by finding out how they mean, and analysing the way in which they work. What an advertisement 'says' is merely what it claims to say; it is part of the deceptive mythology of advertising to believe that an advertisement is simply a transparent vehicle for a 'message' behind it. Certainly a large part of any advertisement is this message : we are told something about a product, and asked to buy it.' pg 17
Chapter two - Signs Address Somebody
'The exchanging of meanings in ads has already been described. An object 'replaces', 'Stands for', an image or feeling; then the product 'replaces' the original object in this role, and appropriates the meaning of that image or feeling. However, this description makes it sound as though the product and object themselves perform the transaction. On the basis of the above definition that signs must mean something to us, it is clear that the meaning depends on us, its transference must also depend on our co-operation.' pg 40
'Every ad necessarily assumes a particular spectator:it projects into the space out in front of it an imaginary person composed in terms of the relationship between the elements within the ad. You move into this space as you look at the ad, and in doing so 'become' the spectator, you feel that the 'hey you' 'really did' apply to you in particular. The 'you' in ads is always transmitted plural, but we receive it as a singular.' pg 50-51
'The Pentax series - where celebriteies' Pentaxes are shown - settles for the idea that the product becomes part of you. This is more realistic and more sophisticated than ads where the product is seen as already connected with you; but it implies that you have a unique personality, extending to eccentricity, for the Pentax to become part of it all.
No comments:
Post a Comment