key assessment 1

Ideology = beliefs and values of a media text

Intertextuality = shaping of a media products meaning through referencing another product

Positioning = where an audience are placed within a media product

Lexis = choice of words used

Diametric opposition = completely opposite things

Paradigmatic feature = aspects of a media text that demonstrate to the audience, the genre of the media product.

How do codes and conventions create meanings in these adverts?

Tide print advert =

In the Tide print advert, there are many codes and conventions that create meaning. For example, the large picture of the lady shows her with her lips being pursed functions as a proairetic code due to the fact that it informs the audience that she is romantically interested in the Tide box so much that she wants to kiss it. This also acts as a symbolic code due to the fact that it shows romance.

The lexis within the advert demonstrates the mode of address and the way the producers want tide to be seen. For example, the use of the sentence “no wonder you women” is very blunt and almost excludes women from society as it is particularly speaking to them. The mode of address is very formal and blunt due to the fact it almost dehumanises women within the advert. Similarly, the advert uses hyperbolic language like “whitest” and “cleanest” to exaggerate to the readers how good tide is. The use of the word “whitest” implies that you can’t get anything better than Tide to wash your clothes which implies white is the best. This connotes racism being within the advert as it’s implying white to be the best. Furthermore, the font is bright red, sans serif font matching the product which makes it pleasing and eye-catching. However, the writing doesn’t include terms, conditions or hard facts to prove that tide is the best product but because of the company name, it was trusted and used by people and they presume that all women know how to do the washing due to the fact it was their stereotypical role.

Stereotypes are easily seen within this advert due to the fact the mise-en-scene connotes how women stereotypically looked in the 1950’s when the tide advert was made. This is because all of the women within the advert are wearing stereotypical 50’s outfits and are all doing the washing. The target audience for the tide advert is women and they would be the ones stereotypically seen to do the washing therefore, the wording within the advert is quite basic suggesting that women wouldn’t be well-educated. The tide advert also has very strict ideology that women should look a certain way to be beautiful. The women in the central picture is wearing very heavy makeup and red lipstick showing that she is glamorous, classy and beautiful. Therefore, tide is selling the idea and lifestyle which is that if you use tide, you can look like this. Lastly, there are no males within this advert yet 5 female faces and they are all doing something to do with house work and they are all wearing stereotypical outfits which connotes that it is purely a women's job to clean because men aren't even in the advert so it has nothing to do with men implying almost a world with absolutely no men. 

Water Aid advert =

In this advert, it immediately starts off with a binary opposition and symbolic code due to the fact it shows a radio and rainy day in England and then switches to a dry and bleak desert in Africa. This is an example of a binary opposition and symbolic code due to the fact they are showing the difference in weather and how the people living in England take rain for granted and moan about the weather whereas people in Africa want rain. The high-key lighting used in the advert while in Africa represents the sense of hope that many of the people in Africa have due to the water. The high-key lighting allows the focus to be on the tap and sun to emphasise how special they are to the people in Africa.

Many people have become desensitised to charity adverts, therefore, the Water Aid advert shows an atypical representation of Africa which uplifts the audience making them feel more obliged to donate money. Similarly, the close up of Claudia’s face while she is singing the uplifting song is a symbolic code because you can see the bleakness and emptiness of the desert surrounding them yet the people within the advert are still happy which allows the audience to feel happy. As she reaches the village all the village people joins in this song in chorus which Symbolises community and friendship. 

Within this advert, African people are represented as cheerful, happy and carefree which is an example of positive representation and also stereotypical due to the fact it is a hegemonic image. As well as this, the costumes they are wearing have particular emphasis on bright yellows and pinks which have associations with happiness and positivity. This may also be a non-stereotypical image of a young, black teenager due to the fact that a stereotypical view of black teenagers is that they are normally involved within crime and are aggressive. Lastly, the polysemic readings of this advert are both bleak and depressing yet also hopeful and uplifting. The bleakness and emptiness is emphasised on the low angle tracking shot of Claudia walking along in bare foot in the desert which no bright colours yet the joy is also seen when the whole village is together around and the tap.

Representation =

Ideology of the producer is conveyed through the representation in this film poster due to the fact the producer has put only women within the advert and they all have a sense of strength and power to them which is a non-stereotypical image of women. Normally, woman are seen as weak compared to men however, there are no men within this advert which connotes the idea that the women have more strength than them and don’t need them. This shows that the ideology being presented is that women are more powerful than men.

Some of the women within the advert can also be seen holding weapons which further represents the power of the women which is a proairetic and hermeneutic code due to the fact that they represent action is going to happen and also the idea the need for weapons therefore creating mystery. Similarly, the mise-en-scene and facial expressions also show a sense of the women in the advert being tough and violent which is a subvert to a stereotypical idea of a women.

Furthermore, the high-key lighting of the advert is representing the idea of a spotlight being on their face which further represents their importance to the film and a sense of purity.  Also, the mise-en-scene shows the women wearing full body outfits and showing very little skin whereas a normal advert would show woman with not much clothing. Therefore, this shows the ideology of the advert is that the stereotypical idea of that all women are skinny, look the same and wear a lot of makeup to be gorgeous. This advert represents the ideology that all of the women look different and are powerful. Similarly, the women aren’t smiling within the advert representing the idea that women aren’t always happy and cheerful which shows the representation of women within this advert to be more realistic compared to some other adverts.

The background of the advert represents a futuristic or sci-fi genre to the film where a woman would stereotypically be the character to do the more stupid things and possibly end up in trouble because of her actions. Whereas, the women in this advert are represented to be the brave and clever characters which is a subvert to the stereotypical ideology that many other adverts have.