Applying Theories: Advertising & Marketing

Tide (Media Language): Barthes’ Narrative Codes

• Where are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes exemplified in Tide?

• These are some examples of how Barthes’ 5 narrative codes are exemplified in Tide:

  • Semantic Code: The red-orange colour present throughout the ad and in the product’s packaging connotes urgency and perhaps importance.

  • Symbolic Code: The hearts are a symbolic code as they associate with ideas surrounding love and affection.

  • Action Code: Throughout the ad the 3 stages of Tide are shown (i.e. buying, using and drying).

  • Enigma Code: The slogan states ‘Tide’s got what women want!’, creating an enigma and leaving the audience questioning what is it that women want?

  • Cultural Code: The woman being presented as a housewife would have been recognised by women in the 1950s as this is what was expected of them during this time.

Tide (Media Language): Strauss’ Binary Oppositions

• Where are binary oppositions exemplified in Tide?

• DMB&B make a point of comparing Tide to ‘any other washday product’, claiming Tide is much better as it provides consumers with the ‘cleanest’ and ‘whitest wash’.

Tide (Representation): Hall’s Representation Theory

• How does DMB&B reinforce negative stereotypes of women?

• Tide relies heavily on traditional gender stereotypes as the woman in the dominant image is portrayed as a stereotypical 1950s housewife. Alongside this, DMB&B are communicating the idea that women must be maternal as the housewife is cradling the box of Tide like a baby. Furthermore, she is wearing a 1950s style white and blue polka dot dress, she has her makeup done and her hair curled and tied in a bandana. This is an idealised image of women that was expected by men of women, even while doing mundane chores, showing the belief that women are love objects for men.

Tide (Audience): Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory

• How did women in the 1950s respond to the Tide ad?

• How did men in the 1950s respond to the Tide ad?

• Long term exposure to the Tide ad led to women believing this representation of women doing household chores whilst being dressed up is what’s expected of them. Sadly, no matter how much women disagreed with this representation, its presence in 1950s society would often lead to them being forced into acceptance.

• Long term exposure to the Tide ad led to men expecting this stereotype of women (i.e. enjoying household chores, dressing up and being the perfect housewife).

Tide (Audience): Hall’s Reception Theory

• How does Reception Theory link to audience positioning?

• How does DMB&B position their audience?

• The audience is positioned to take a preferred reading as this is what producers always want.

• DMB&B position their audience to take a preferred reading by using a woman in the dominant image which gives her power, presenting this woman in a very put-together way perhaps leads the audience believing if they use Tide they will also become the ‘perfect’ housewife and alluding to Rosie the Riveter maybe brings the audience to believe using Tide is patriotic. These aspects all conform to their target audience thus increasing the likelihood of preferred readings.

Tide (Representation): Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory

• Does Tide present a specific idea of femininity?

• How does Tide invalidate Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory?

• Tide presents the idea of a woman as housewife which was very popular in the 1950s.

• Tide invalidates Van Zoonen’s Feminist theory as the sexualisation of women did not come about until the 1960s. In the 1950s, it was very popular for women to be modest and family orientated whereas the 1960s saw a sexual revolution where multiple new freedoms came available for women, leading to them living more independently. However, it can be argued that the housewife is objectified as she is dressed up nicely despire the fact she is simply completing mundane chores.

Kiss of the Vampire (Media Language): Barthes’ Narrative Codes

• Where are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes exemplified in Kiss of the Vampire?

• These are some examples of how Barthes’ 5 narrative codes are exemplified in Kiss of the Vampire:

  • Semantic Code: The dark blacks, greys and reds in the sky in the background create a storm look - this is pathetic fallacy, perhaps setting the atmosphere of the film.

  • Symbolic Code: The full moon is symbolic of weresolfism, linking to other supernatural elements on the poster.

  • Action Code: The representation of both humans and supernatural beings imply there will be conflict between the two.

  • Enigma Code: The woman on the right getting bitten by one of the bats leaves the audience wondering if she’ll become a vampire.

  • Cultural Code: The billing block in the centre at the bottom of the poster is a cultural code because only certain audiences will recognise these names.

Kiss of the Vampire (Media Language): Strauss’ Binary Oppositions

• Where are binary oppositions exemplified in Kiss of the Vampire?

• Hammer Film Productions present many binary oppositions including male vs female, submission vs domination, light vs dark and human vs supernatural.

Kiss of the Vampire (Representation): Hall’s Representation Theory

• How does Hammer Film Productions represent women?

• How does Hammer Film Productions represent men?

• Hammer Film Productions represent women as passive, submissive and as damsels as well as love objects. This is shown via the woman on the left who seems to be unconscious and is held by her waist by the vampiric man, implying he has dominance over her. She is costumed in a tight, peach coloured dress, connoting her femininity and the lighting highlights areas such as her exposed chest, arms and legs. These elements work in combination to sexualise and objectify her to appeal to the male gaze because horror movies, especially in the 1960s, were mostly viewed by men. However, the woman on the right is represented as being more dominant as she is stood taller than the man to her left who is on his knees. Furthermore, her dress is less tight and longer, making it less revealing and she is fighting back one of the bats, showing that she’s not passive. Alongside this, she is stepping forward, signifying her independence. These more diverse representations of women reflects the changing gender roles of the 1960s.

• Hammer Film Productions represent men as dominating and as protectors and providers. The vampire on the left is holding the seemingly unconscious woman by the waist, implying he has dominance over her. Moreover, he is costumed in a black suit with a red waistcoat, connoting wealth and success which can be linked to the celebration of male success in the billing block. The presentation of him being a vampire also links to power and fear, giving him dominance and he is positioned next to the ‘V’ that’s dripping with blood like a vampire fang, closely linking him to this idea of danger and threat. In contrast, the man on the right is on his knees, creating a more vulnerable representation of men. These more diverse representations of men reflects the changing gender roles of the 1960s.

Kiss of the Vampire (Representation): Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory

• How does Kiss of the Vampire validate Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory?

• How does Kiss of the Vampire invalidate Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory?

• Kiss of the Vampire validates Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory as the context of gender roles in 1960s patriarchal society impacts the constructed representation of femininity and masculinity in the poster. For example, the woman on the left is represented as passive, submissive and as a damsel as well as a love object, attracting the male gaze. Whereas the man on the left men is represented as dominating and as a protector and provider.

• Kiss of the Vampire invalidates Van Zoonen’s Feminist Theory as it can be argued that the woman on the right is represented as being more dominant.

Kiss of the Vampire (Audience): Gauntlett’s Identity Theory

• Does Kiss of the Vampire present traditional gender stereotypes or are the representations more fluid?

• Who may the woman on the right in the poster be seen as a role model for?

• Kiss of the Vampire presents traditional gender stereotypes however, there is some fluidity.

• Perhaps the woman on the right acts as a role model for women in the 1960s who struggled against male oppression or were desperate to be seen as the equals of men because she represents a more fluid idea of femininity.

Super. Human. (Media Language): Barthes’ Narrative Codes

• Where are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes exemplified in Super. Human.?

• These are some examples of how Barthes’ 5 narrative codes are exemplified in Super. Human.:

  • Semantic Code: Ellie Simmond’s black swimming costume potentially alludes to the beginning of her career whereas the white swimming costume hints at her current success.

  • Symbolic Code: Ali Jawad’s clothes changing during the training montage is symbolic of multiple days, weeks or perhaps even months passing by.

  • Action Code: The ad uses many typical examples of sport-based action codes (e.g. Ali Jawad bench pressing).

  • Enigma Code: The non-diegetic sound insert of a news reporter stating ‘what's next for Kadeena Cox’ creates a sense of enigma and prompts the audience to watch on to find out the answer.

  • Cultural Code: The Paralympics itself is a culturally event that doesn’t take place in every culture/country.

Super. Human. (Media Language): Strauss’ Binary Oppositions

• Where are binary oppositions exemplified in Super. Human.?

• The main binary opposition Channel 4 focuses on is superhuman vs human. There are also perhaps some subtle links to the idea of disabled vs able-bodied athletes.

Super. Human. (Representation): Hall’s Representation Theory

• How does Channel 4 challenge negative stereotypes of disability?

• How does Channel 4 reinforce negative stereotypes of disability?

• Channel 4 challenges negative stereotypes of disability by using counter typical stereotypes. This is done in the ad by the stereotype of the disabled being ‘superhumans’ is turned on its head by showing that they have the same troubles and successes as able-bodied athletes.

• Channel 4 reinforces negative stereotypes of disability by using representations such as the ‘super cripple’ (the previous Paralympics promotion ad titles demonstrate this stereotype), ‘their own worst and only enemy’ (Ellie Simmonds racing herself in the pool as the huge medal weighs her down represents the internal pressure she faces), ‘incapable of participating in community life’ (Kylie Grimes not being able get into the café due to the step in her way shows the lack of integration of those with disabilities into society) and ‘normal’ (the ad as a whole communicates the message that Paralympians are otherworldly in their power; they are very talented however, this approach somewhat isolates them from Olympians and non-professional athletes when, in reality, they’re the same) (Barnes).

Super. Human. (Audience): Hall’s Reception Theory

• How does Reception Theory link to audience positioning?

• How does DMB&B position their audience?

• The audience is positioned to take a preferred reading as this is what producers always want.

• Channel 4 position their audience to take a preferred reading by using an upbeat soundtrack, personalisation and positive representations of both the Paralympics and the Paralympians in the ad. Moreover, the use of real people creates a preferred reading that the audience should invest in their narratives and subsequently watch the Paralympic Games. These aspects all conform to their target audience thus increasing the likelihood of preferred readings.

Super. Human. (Audience): Gauntlett’s Identity Theory

• Why may this ad empower certain social groups?

• This ad empowers certain social groups (specifically, underrepresented ones like the disabled, visible and non-visible) by allowing them to see themselves represented positively in the media. The ad offers audiences a more diverse and inclusive range of identities, broadening general understanding of what it means to be disabled as an athlete and in everyday life.

Super. Human. (Audience): Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory

• How has disability been represented in the past?

• What does Super. Human. do differently?

• In the past, disability has been represented negatively in the media, leading to people viewing disability negatively due to long term exposure to these stereotypes. For example, the idea that the disabled are dependent and incompetent however, this is not always the case in reality.

• With Super. Human., Channel 4 aims to raise awareness and give a voice to previously underrepresented groups (i.e. visible and non-visible disability), linking to their remit.