Semiotic Analysis of an advertisement. Xeryus Rouge a fragrance for men by Givenchy.
by
itsmicaelaxox (student)
________________
Semiotic Analysis of an advertisement.
The advertisement on the left is promoting ‘Xeryus Rouge’ a fragrance for men by Givenchy. This example of advertisement emphasizes the various levels of meaning which are present in a sign, as argued by Barthes 1973.
To start looking at the signifiers I will turn to lighting and colours, this advert’s softly focused, silver and white photography acts as a signifier which gives a sense of sensuality to the image. The advertisement uses an image of the product identify it and a human subject which is the key image to give the product a personality, it is important to note that the product is the only thing on the advert which has a burst of colour, based on the mise-on-scene I know that this is for a reason, and the reason is to highlight the product and make it look attractive to the audience. The position of the couple; their nudity and physical contact are further signifiers of both the theme of the advert and the sexuality of the male subject which leads me to apply Goffman’s theory; here the male subject is shown to be dominant as he is the one shown in control of the situation whilst the female model is portrayed in a sexual, reclining position with her head thrown back in a plateau of joy, she has a ‘chocolate box’ expression; this is a half-smile, lips slightly parted and three quarter face to camera, their smooth perfection lacks uniqueness and/or individuality. The appearance of both subjects are further signifiers, both are young and in their peak of physical and sexual condition. The signified description of the male subject; who uses his physical strength after gaining confidence by wearing the product to please a woman depict him as the ideal role model for a heterosexual man.
