Component 2- VOGUE

Semiotics- Roland Barthes

Main image- direct gaze/ mode of address (chin slightly raised, not similing)- connotes star status, sense of mystery. Embodies the ‘mythic’ notion of femininty that is aspirational, potentially a sense of the ‘desired self’ that the reader wants to become.

Turquoise colour palette connotes glamour, luxury, wealth, opulence- emphasised by the shimmering scarf, feathers, pearls and jewels. (links to the green masthead)

Makeuo clearly emphasises Loren’s dark brown eyes- sterotypical notions of female beauty.

It is a ‘glossy’ high quality magazine prinited on high quality paper aiming for a high quality audience, 1965 it cost 3 shillings (equivalent to around £6.33 today) meaning it was out of budget to many women

Genre Theory- Steve Neale

The theme of the magazine is fashion and beauty, this shows through the connotations of the articles and advertisments.

(Revlon adverts- make-up connotes beauty)

Representations- Stuart Hall

Imperial leather advert idealising the image of a mother at home as a motherly nuturing figure. Stereotypical notions of female beauty- blonde and slender. Repeated use of ‘soft’ and ‘gently’ , ‘safely’ - reinforces stereotypes of women as weaker’dependent.

Revlon advert- use of language such a ‘velvet’ - reinforces stereotypes of women as weak/ gentle, phrases such as ‘brow beautiful’ imply a sense of desire to look attractive (potentially please a man)

Feminism- Van Zoonen

The underlying frame of reference is that women to the family and domestic use and feminity is about care, nurturance and compassion. Vogue supports this through the codes and conventions portrayed in adverts such as imperial leather.

Given the social and historical contexts of Vogue, we can understand why these representations have been constructed in such a sterotypical way.

POC should develop an opposite gaze due to lack of representation of women of colour

Cultivation theory- George Gerbner

Repeated exposure to glamours models and luxury beauty products may cultivate the idea that women shoud always look glamourous, ‘put together’ and ‘dressed up’ (possibily to please men)

Repetitive adverts for luxury products persuade the aspirational reader to purchase these to achieve the luxurious lifestyle they aim to live, using the model as an icon/ role model

Reception Theory- Stuart Hall

Preferred reading- attracted by the glamour of Sophia Loren on the cover, articles on art, food and exotic travel, adverts for appealing products. Negotiated reading- women who might aspire to this life. but are aware of their own limitations due to location, finance and social status.

Oppositional reading- women might reject the message of aspiration as it is beyond their financial and social means, put off by the cost of the magazine, and might see women just being used as ‘commodity’ in a way of selliing them expensive material good (perhaps reflecting the social changes of culture and the start of feminsim in the mid- 1960s.

Power and Media Industries- Curran and Seaton

Major publishers like Conde Nast build power by merging with other rival publishing companies. This reduced competition, as power is concentrated in the hands of fewer companies.

This form of media concentration of ownership not only limits variety, creativity and quality but also reduced choice for the audience. This may result in companies taking less risks with regards to new titles being published, which minimising costs and maximising financial profits.

Imperial Leather Advert

Sterotypical Representations of women- in a loving rold of looking after a child, domestic values. Sterotypical of this time- conventional neat hairstyle and perfect make-uo. (unrealistic ideals of motherhood)

‘you want skin that feels soft’ telling the readers what they want

Facial Expressions- the women looking lovingly at the child shows her happiness, the child also looks happy with a smile on his face. Shows her love towards the product because it makes both her and her son happy. Looking at the child and not the camera supports this.

Dress codes- the woman is wearing a plain black jumper. It covers up most of her neck and her arms (main focus is the baby and not the womans body). The background is very dark and so is the womans jumper so she is not as obvious and blends into the background while the baby takes centre attention. The women’s hair is short and out of the way which makes it pratical. She has made effort with herself, put makeup on and made her hair look presentable.

Woman- familiarity, she is a safe person, she is not looking at the camera but at the child shows she is looking and isn’t aggressive towards the audiece (positive representation of women)

Equal Pay Act (1970)

5 years after this advert (imperial leather ad) was used the equal pay act was passed. It was made to make men and women equal in the workspace, this came as a result of the second wave of feminism during the 1960s were women fought for gender equality. The advert shows a mother with a young child and during this time period women were more likely to be the ones staying at home and looking after children while their husband was at work.

As the equal pay act came into place and women had more cahnge to earn a better salary so may go out to work and leave the husband to look after the children

Cutex Advert

Naked but still covered- free but modest for the audience (opening to this new style)

Bright colours- pink is a sterotpyical colour of feminsity. Holding a pink flower in her hand, symbol of peace and linking to the hippy movement of the 1960s.

Continued representation of female glamour perception- images show a tutrorial on how to apply the product suggesting it’s new and will have ‘changed the whole idea of makeup’

Sterotypical idea of women focusing on beauty, looks and needing to wear make-up to look presentable.

Image of perfection- headline “this summer don’t go without the ‘bare essentials’” - suggesting the idea that looks are the most important thing and women shouldn’t go without makeup and having an image of perfection.

Cutex is written in the house font brand, a recongisble brand. Has the words ‘of course’ in brackets showing the audience that is no other option and that they should buy that brand. Idea of high quality product as it is endorsed by a celebrity.

key idea that the products will be of high standard and quality because they are featured in Vogue. Celebrity is not clearly named which highlights she is well known already and that she doesn’t need introducing, the audience would have alreading known who she is because they have a strong knowledge of the high profile celebrites