TIDE PRINT ANALYSIS

What is Semiotics? What is a sign in semiotics?

Semiotics comes from Linguistics. It is the study of signs. In semiotics a sign is any time one thing stands in for another in communication. Any word, sound or image that is used to refer to something else is a ‘sign’

What is Denotation? + example

When signification is literal it is called Denotation. eg: - image of an apple denotes to an apple - ‘ the picture denotes an apple’

What is Connotation?

Once we understand the denotation of an image our mind quickly moves on to the implied meaning of the image - the Connotation. Connotation refers to the implied meaning. eg: picture of rose - denotes to a rose - connotes to romance. Shared cultural background that allows us to make the link between the image and what it connotes

What is Polysemy in Semiotics?

When a sign has more than one connotation

Which theorist studied Semiotics?

Roland Barthes

What is an ideology?

A set of attitudes, values and beliefs; the way we see the world

What is Feminism?

The belief that woman should be treated equally to others

What is Patriarchal?

A society were men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.

What is Pluralism?

The belief that people can and should live together despite cultural, racial and sexual differences

What is Consumerism?

A focus on consumer goods. The belief that buying things is an important part of happiness

What is Heteronormativity?

The belief that heterosexual orientation is preferred or normal

What is Colonialism?

The belief that colonised people are intellectually inferior and that colonisers had a moral right to subjugate them in order to ‘civilise’ them

Describe 6 contextual factors of the 19540s-50 - not gender specific

1. Before the 50s women were need to help the war efforts

2. After the war, even if they wanted to, women found it hard to compete with men returning from war

3. Women’s identity was constructed as a housewife regardless of whether that’s what she wanted to do

4. In post-war adverts men and women’s roles were seen to be very different and adverts focused on male approval

5. The post WW11 consumer boom of the 1950s included the rapid development of new technologies for the home - designed to make domestic chores easier

6. And so the perfect housewife and impossible American Dream were born

Why did the advertising company for Procter & Gamble make references to the brand in Tide campaigns?

Because market research showed that consumers had a high level of confidence in the company, allowing it to become the brand leader in America and maintain that position still today

Describe 5 contextual factors of the 1950s-60s in terms of gender norms.

1. Scarred by the war, mainstream society in America and Britain desired to return to traditional values and gender roles - abandoning women’s independence

2. Post-war economic boom led to consumer culture, where identity was determined by material goods. The aspiration was to become a ‘domestic goddess’ for a women while men worked away from the home

3. Adolescents began to repel against old fashioned values. A generational divide of traditional and progressive values emerged

4. 60’s American society began to make radical changes. Feminists attacked the older generations values on femininity and the male power structures that constructed them. Women’s liberation movement encouraged sexual empowerment

5. Mainstream culture often portrayed the sexual revolution as an attack on the American Family Life

Who is Stuart Hall and summarise his beliefs on culture and his reception theory?

1. Stuart hall was a sociologist, cultural theorist and activist

2. For Hall, all of culture takes place within relationships of unequal power

3. Hall’s other theory the ‘Reception Theory’ suggests is about how audiences are free to interpret messages in different ways

What does Hall suggest all representations are constructed with - similar to what?

In his discussions of representation, Stuart Hall suggests that all representations are constructed with signs and codes, recognised by the audience - in a similar way to semiotics

What is Hall’s comment on the importance of sterotyping?

Hall considers the importance of stereotyping and how they are reinforced by those in power - reinforcing DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES.

What is Hall’s theory on encoded and decoded messages in representation?

Hall suggest that media texts are encoded with messages that the audience are expected to decode

What is Representation for Hall?

For Hall representation is the production of meaning through language. This could be written language, visual language or other forms of lanuage

What can Media never directly show? What does it do instead?

Media can never directly show reality, instead it creates meaning about reality. It represents people, places and things

What is Selection? + example questions to ask -

Media producers can decide what to show or stories to tell

What did the photographer select for this representation

What did they omit?

What is Combination? + example questions to ask -

Media producers can decide what signifiers to put together?

What did the photographer choose to put together?

What is Construction? + example questions to ask -

Media producers can decide how to show or describe people or places

What ideas or stories does this construct for the viewers of the website?

What is Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory?

The premise of Gerbner’s theory is that long term exposure to patterns of representation can significantly impact an audience’s view of the world

What is Gauntlett’s theory of Identity? - Construction

Suggests that media gives us the tools to construct our identity and we can ‘pick and mix’ elements of different products for this construction

What is Gauntlett’s theory of Identity? - Identify

And how has this changed historically?

He suggests that because modern media is made up of such a varied range of representations it is much easier for audiences to find an actor or performer they identify with.

But historically, representations were too restricted making it harder for audiences to identify with them.

What are 4 key questions to ask for Representation?

What is the intention of this text?

What is the purpose of this text?

How does this text reflect the time in which it was made?

Does this text reinforce or challenge dominant ideology?

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What were the rewards for returning servicemen in America?

New America wanted to reward returning servicemen with ‘ homes fit for heroes’. These new homes were like castles were American Husbands could be kings with a dutiful wife and adoring children

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What were the fears of policy-makers post-war?

Post-war, policy makers feared that women - having tasted economic independence- would be reluctant to move aside for men expecting to resume their socio-economic dominant position

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: How did the media help to respond to fears of women wanting to work?

And so, a concerted effort was made - spearheaded by the media - to force woman from work and back into the home

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What were women persuaded to make their focus?

Women were persuaded to make their home their focus aspiration and to define themselves through consumerism being the primary spenders of their husbands income.

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: what qualities deemed the ‘perfect’ American housewife

The Tide advert redefined the ‘perfect’ American housewife. She had to be trim, straight and white. Concerned about her looks and eager to please her man and her family

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What was a woman’s success judged off of?

Her success was judged in the terms of the perfection of that home and family. There she would find affirmation and fulfilment in the acceptance of her peers and love for her family

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What female identities and concepts were deemed as unacceptable by society?

Other female identities (black, gay, single, careerist etc) were deemed as unacceptable. Work was viewed as a stopgap to marriage and motherhood

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What questions did women start to ask?

However, there was a price, many women wondered if with home, family and consumer goods, was this is? Was serving others all her life had to offer?

Jonathan Nunn Context in Tide Advert: What change started to emerge?

This led to change. Educated women in particular began to coerce towards a movement that would seek to redefine gender politics and free women from the oppression of the1950s

Why do Media producers often split the population into two groups based on certain characteristics?

This makes it easier for producers to create content that is tailored to one specific group

What is a Demographic - + 11 examples?

Demographics place people into groups based on fixed categories

1. Social class - upper class vs lower class - the NRS social grades were invented to categorize people based on social class

2. Location - city vs country

3. Age - adults, kids, teens etc

4. Gender - male, female etc

5. Race - White, Black, Asian etc

6. Education

7. Occupation

8. Religion

9. Income

10. Marital status

11. Family Size

What is Psychographic + why was the Young and Rubicum 4C’s system invented?

Psychographics place people into groups based on their values, attitudes and lifestyles

Young and Rubicum 4 C’s system was invented to categorize people based on psychographics

The National Readership System social class model - grade ABC1 -definition and percentage:

A - High managerial, administrative and professional - 4%

B - Intermediate managerial, administrative and professional - 23%

C1 - Supervisory, Junior managerial, administrative and professional - 29%

The National Readership System social class model - grade C2DE-definition and percentage:

C2 - Skilled Manual Worker - 21%

D -  semi or unskilled worker - 15%

E - State pensioner, casual or lowest grade worker or unemployed with state benefits only - 8%

What is the 4c’s Theory?

Cross - Cultural Consumer Characterization.

This theory split people into 7 groups depending on their core motivation - for advertisers this motivation is for buying products

Who is The Explorer

This type of people are driven by a need for challenge and discovery. These are often the first people try new ideas and experiences. These people were seen to respond and accept new brands that offered instant effects. They want to be seen as different and first. The core they need in life is DISCOVERY

Who is The Aspirer

These people are materialistic people who are driven by other’s perceptions of them rather than by their own values. They respond to what others may view as superficials: Appearance, image, person, figure etc. While others may focus on the contents of a package, they will focus on its attractiveness. These type of people’s core in life is for STATUS

Who is The Suceeder

The suceeder has strong goals and knows where they want to be, setting goals and being organised to get there. They often hold positions of responsibility in society. When it comes to brands, they seek rewards and the best because they want the best and feel like they deserve it. However, they also seek protective brand due to their aggressive and fighting attitude to life, they need to relax. Their core needs in life is for CONTROL

Who is The Reformer

These people are very socially aware and pride themselves on their tolerance. They are often the leading edge of society and are perceived as intellectual. However, when looking at brands, they won’t buy something purely because they’re new. Their core in life is ENLIGHTENMENT

Who is The Mainstream

These people live in the world of ‘the everyday’, in their lives a daily routine is a main part of their life and the way they live. When looking at life choices, they choose to adopt a rather ‘we’ than ‘me’ attitude so that they’re untied with other people.

They are in the mainstream and the largest group evidently. They respond to ‘family brands’ and value for money to stick to what they know, like the majority - money saving. Their core need in life is for SECURITY

Who is The Struggler

This is the type of person to have a ‘You only live Once’ approach to live as they live in today and make very little plans for tomorrow. They are often associated as wasters and losers since they little aims and very few resources apart from physical skills. If they get anywhere in life, it is seen as if it will only depend on them winning the Lottery rather than working hard and getting places. They are apparently associated with junk food and alcohol, visuals, physical impacts and sensations impact their brand choices. These people seek ESCAPE

Who is The Resigned

These people are predominantly older people with unchanging values that have built up over time. They respect institutions and enjoy a traditional role. Their brand choices are driven my a need for safety and what they know and are familiar with. Their aim in life is to SURVIVE

What are the 7 categories and their core motivations. ( 4C’s theory)

The Explorer - DISCOVERY

The Aspirer - STATUS

The Suceeder - CONTROL

The Reformer - ENLIGHTENMENT

The Mainstream - SECURITY

The Struggler - ESCAPE

The Resigned - SURVIVAL

What happens during the encoding and decoding of messages?

The producer of the message encodes the meaning into the message.

The receiver of the message encodes the meaning from the message

What is Hall’s theory on communication - encoding and decoding?

Communications is the process of the producer encoding and the audience decoding

What is the 3 position theory?

The idea that there are three positions from which the messages and meanings can be decoded

What is the Dominant/Hegemonic position? + example in Tide Advert

The encoder’s intended meaning/ preferred reading is fully understood and accepted.

Tide - Many 1950s women would have accepted the Dominant Ideology, had a literal response and bought the product - aspiring to be like the women in the advert. This is a dominant reading

What is the Negotiated position? + example in Tide Advert

The legitimacy of the encoder’s message may be acknowledged in general terms, although the message may be adapted/ negotiated to fit the decoder own individual experiences or context

Tide - Others may have had a negotiated reading. Accepting the claims about the product but not that it will transform their lives into idyllic and domestic bliss

What is the Oppositional position? + example in Tide Advert

The encoder’s message is understood but the encoder disagrees with it, reading it in an oppositional or contrary way

Tide - Some women frustrated by the pressure to be a homemaker and return to domesticity after the war, may have an oppositional reading to the messages in the text.

Why is Hall’s Reception Theory useful?

Hall’s theory is useful when considering how women would have responded at the time. Of course not all women would have positively decoded the messages in the text

What are 2 points about Audience Positioning especially towards a Hegemonic/ Dominant read?

The creator of the message will encourage the dominant reading

They will use media language to position their audience so they are more likely to take a dominant read.

What are 3 examples of Positioning and the use of Media Language in the Tide advert?

1. The lexis uses language like ‘trust’, ‘truly safe’ and ‘miracle’ to emphasize the quality of the product

2. The images use gestural codes such as hugging and smiling to suggest that the product will transform chores into a source of happiness.

3. The stamp references an endorsement by the Good Housekeeping Magazine making the advert appear more trustworthy

What was Barthes theory of Myth?

The idea that constructed meanings become self-evident, achieving a status of Myth through a process of naturalisation.

eg: magazine cover - DENOTES: boy, black, uniform, salute - CONNOTES: France, the Military, he is probably saluting the French flag - MYTH - France is a great country because even a non-white child is saluting the flag

BARTHES THEORY OF CODES

Enigma code -

The enigma code refers to the mysteries or questions raised within a text, they are important in maintaining and engaging the audience’s interest throughout

BARTHES THEORY OF CODES

Cultural code -

The cultural code refers to a code that would be understoof due to cultural knowledge - eg by a particular social class or ethnic group

BARTHES THEORY OF CODES

Action code -

The action code refers to a code within a media text that drives forward the action. They refer to behaviour or gestural codes that are readable through prio knowledge of the genre, that predict upcoming action

BARTHES SIGNIFICATION

How did Barthes argue that meaning is communicated in texts?

The idea that meaning is communicated in texts through a process of signification.

BARTHES

Connotation

The idea that signs can function at the level of Connotation which involves the meanings associated with or suggested by the text

BARTHES

Denotation

The idea that signs can function at the level of Denotation which involves the ‘literal’ or common-sense meaning of the sign

BARTHES IDEOLOGY

What did Barthes theorize about signs and ideology?

In addition to denotation and connotation, signs reinforce dominant ideology