'Semiotic analysis of an image of your choice'
Media studies MED 103
Introduction to Media Theory
Assessment 1: 'Semiotic analysis of an image of your choice'
Introduction:
The aim of the essay is to undertake a semiotic analysis of an image, in this case a magazine advertisement, and to comment on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.
Using analysis of:
* Denotation vs. Connation,
* Signifier vs. Signified,
* Codes,
* Signs,
* Representation of reality.
The image will be dissected into its individual building blocks in order to assess its effectiveness as an advert and its commentary on society today, also discussing whether semiotic analysis is the truest discipline to follow in this case.
Denotation vs. Connation, Signifier vs. Signified:
The image I have chosen is a magazine advertisement for 'Heinz Big Soup'. In order to analysis the semiotics of this image I will firstly discuss what is visibly present in the image (known as the signifier) and what the suggested meanings are (what is signified). The main focus of the image is a large, seemingly well made cooking pot with a violently broken handle, in the lower right hand corner there is a picture of a can of 'Heinz Big soup'. The pot is positioned on a warm beige background and there is no text. What is denoted in the image is a pot with a broken handle and a can of soup, however there are underlying conations as to what the suggested meaning of this image is.
What is signified in the image is that the soup is so substantial, so filling and 'Big' that even a well made pot is not up to the job of holding its weight for cooking, it is in fact more than just an entire meal in a can. The relationship between the signifier and the signified is the difference between what is seen and what the advert desires the viewer to see, that is to say this image is not just a broken pot and a can of soup.
This advert relies almost entirely on representation; the general consensus being assumed that average soup is not substantial enough to break a cooking pot handle, thus reinforcing the mental concept of 'Heinz Big Soup' being 'Big Soup'.
This particular 'sign' stands for something other that an image of a broken pot, it stands for a soup to beat all other soups, a meal in a can that is great value because of this. This image does not signify reality; it appears conscious of the almost humorous situation it denotes, that the general consensuses would regard this ...
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This advert relies almost entirely on representation; the general consensus being assumed that average soup is not substantial enough to break a cooking pot handle, thus reinforcing the mental concept of 'Heinz Big Soup' being 'Big Soup'.
This particular 'sign' stands for something other that an image of a broken pot, it stands for a soup to beat all other soups, a meal in a can that is great value because of this. This image does not signify reality; it appears conscious of the almost humorous situation it denotes, that the general consensuses would regard this situation as being impossible while transmitting a message of 'Big Soup'.
Codes:
"One of the fundamental concepts in semiotics... codes provide a frame work with which signs make sense" (Chandler: 1995).
Analysis of the codes used in this advert, whether they are social or textual codes help with the semiotic analysis of this text. Codes may be different languages to give the impression of a foreign product or they can be the way the advert is constructed with relation to the photography.
In this particular advert there are few textual codes, the only text being the label on the tin of soup. This is important as it gives the advert its context, if the tin had no label signifying soup the advert would be pointless. Because the tin is labelled the relationship between the soup and the domestic preparation of soup i.e.: the pot, is now clear and the sign becomes clear.
Textual codes play a role in the way in which an advert is interoperated. In this advert the camera work gives the text a feeling of warmth and comfort, conjuring up images of eating the soup by a fire side on a cold winters evening. If the colours were to change for instance, this may give the text a different meaning. The main focus of the text is the broken pot with one half of the handle in the foreground, the wood violently snapped and the metal bracket inside the handle twisted and broken. Because of its placement in the text it is clear to see in detail the violence of the handle breaking, signifying the quality of the soup (see above). If this handle were to appear in the background what is signified would be ambiguous. The viewer must decode all these elements in order to understand what is signified by the advert.
Signs:
The sign is the relationship between:
* "A 'signifier'- the form which the sign takes; and
* The 'signified'- the concept it represents". (Saussure: 1983)
The sign is the result of these two elements accessed together. There are signs that have to be interpreted within this advert for it to be understood in the context it is meant. In order for the viewer to understand this image they would first have to be aware of the following facts:
* Understanding what soup is.
* How it is typically prepared.
* What soup preparation typically consists of.
* What it would take to break the handle of the pot.
Without this prior knowledge the advert would make no sense, the 'joke' would be lost. It is assumed that, in general most viewers 'are' aware and will therefore understand the signs though they may be unspecified or invisible.
Within this advert, as part of the sign interpretation, the signifier is the physical form of the broken pot, the signified being the quality of the soup (see above). With these two elements together the sign is of a quality product though the sign itself may not be based in reality. The viewer interprets these elements and mentally constructs what is signified by the advert.
Representation of Reality-The strengths and weaknesses of semiotic analysis:
Many believe that semiotic analysis is a way of understanding reality, that analysis is a way of commenting on society and its value structure. It seems however that there is no definitive answer as to how effective this type of analysis is. As society and its values are constantly changing analysis of e.g. a magazine advert today may have no substance when assessed 50 years from now. Also as there is no set criterion to follow so it is open to the individual's interpretation using their own social values as the building blocks for their findings. According to Daniel Chandler (2002):
"In practise, semiotic analysis invariably consists of individual readings... few semioticians seem to feel much need to provide empirical evidence for particular interpretations, and much analysis is impressionistic".
However, there are some valid points to be made about the positive side of semiotic analysis: (David Mick: 1986)
"No discipline concerns itself with representation as strictly as semiotics does".
David Sless also states that to bring all the elements of language and history etc. together, a person with a semiotic point of view is needed to "survey our world" (Sless: 1986).
In conclusion, it is widely felt that semiotic analysis is not an exact science but it is 'the best we have'. It is a way of making common sense of our own reality and a way of recording the way things have changed in society: (Schroeder: 1998)
"...there is nothing natural about our values; they are social constructs that not only vary enormously in the course of time but differ radically from culture to culture".
Conclusion:
This advertisement signifies big, chunky soup that in reality would not break the handle of a cooking pot; this is just reinforced in the advert as it is assumed that in this case it has. Consumers are aware that the sign is exaggerated in this case; however the mental concept remains clear. Other adverts for this product have revolved around a similar principle, one in particular denoted the back of a lorry, empty apart from a can of 'Big Soup' signifying the same element s again and using the same codes, a whole lorry is not needed to transport one can of soup. This advert seems to be aimed at both men and women, it was collected from a men's 'motoring' magazine, however sociological ideals dictate that women would undoubtedly be interested also.
The advert is affective, humorous which make it memorable, conveys its message without become complicated or even offering a gender identity. The only comment it makes regarding society is that soup has little or no gender identity and consumers are hungry so they need 'Heinz Big Soup' providing they have a cooking pot that is up to the job of preparing it.
References:
* Mick, David Glen (1986): 'Consumer Research and Semiotics: Exploring the Morphology of Signs, Symbols and Significance', Journal of Consumer Research.
* Saussure, Ferdinand de ([1916] 1983): Course in General Linguistics
(Trans. Roy Harris). London: Duckworth
* Schroeder, Jonathan E (1998): 'Consuming Representation: A Visual Approach to Consumer Research'. In Stern op.
* Sless, David (1986): In Search of Semiotics. London: Croom Helm.
Bibliography: (as above)
* Stevenson, N. (2002) Understanding Media Cultures. 2nd ed. Sage.
Web sites:
* Chandler, Daniel. (1995) Semiotics for Beginners: http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/semiotic.html
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