*Analysing advertisements

from a cultural perspective,

based on the book by Arthur
Berger
Advertising as communication

Berger's model of “focal points in the study

of communication”

Art Audience

Medium

Artist Society
Analysing advertisements

Berger uses different approaches to analyse

advertisements, including:

• Semiotic analysis
• Psychoanalytic theory
• Sociological analysis
• Feminist analysis
• Historical analysis
• Myth/ritual analysis
•Feminist analysis
Semiotic analysis

Semiotics is the study of signs – how things can be

used to deliver some kind of message.

The important point to remember when considering

how things functions as signs is that the meaning
attached to them is arbitrary. The meaning of signs
is a convention that is learned within a
group/society, the sign is not a natural and universal
meaning.

• What signs, symbols and codes can be

found in the advertisement?
Psychoanalytic theory

Freud suggested that our ego continually balances

the primitive subconscious desires for satiation of
our id against our superego, which provides critical
self-examination and anticipates the potential
damage of actions proposed by our id.

Advertisers frequently try to encourage our id in

order to get us to notice and desire their product

• How does the advertisement make use of

the human psyche to sell products?
Sociological analysis

Consider how elements of the text are relevant to

such matters as socio-economic class, gender, race,
sexuality, status and role.

• How does the advertisement reflect social

concerns, and the problems of people in their
daily lives?
Feminist analysis

Feminist analysis is particularly concerned with

power structures in society, especially those that
position women as inferior.

• How does the advert reflect the values of

male-dominated society?
Historical analysis

Here the ad can be evaluated in terms of the changes

that have taken place in advertising over the years, how
the advert fits into a larger campaign and/or previous
advertising campaigns.

• How does the advertisement relate to

historical events?
Myth/ritual analysis

Advertisements often contain allusion to

contemporary popular culture. In addition, there is a
vast wealth of shared cultural knowledge relating to
mythical knowledge, such as biblical stories or
classical mythology.

• How does the advertisement relate to

ancient myths?
An example: Fidji perfume advertisment

How might we use

Berger's six different
approaches to analyse
and understand this
advertisement?
Semiotic analysis
• empty space
• position of mouth in photo
• posture of mouth/lips
• Polynesian woman?
• long, dark hair
• orchid
• Fiji: the tropics (escape)
• language: French
Psychoanalytic theory
• the snake: phallic symbol
• the snake: anxiety
• the word 'sex' contained in the advert (subliminal)
• removal to the tropics, away from the civilising
influence of home

N.B. This advert appeared in some countries

without the snake. Why?
Sociological analysis
• value and importance of romantic heterosexual love
• target audience: young women seeking escape?
• prestige product: expensive perfume, French
language and associations with high culture
• role of women: providers of sexual pleasure,
temptress
• ethnic assumptions: women from less developed
nations seen as less repressed, more passionate (more
primitive)
Feminist analysis
• snake: phallic symbol? = subjugation, dominance
• women's role as objects of male pleasure
• objectification of women in adverts: accessible to the male
gaze, on show to gratify male desires
• holding the “desirable” bottle of perfume, but perfume's
purpose is to please men: women perpetuate male
dominance?
• return to paradise = return to male dominance? (Garden of
Eden: “And [your husband] shall rule over you”)
Historical analysis
• Cleopatra killed by a snakebite
• Advertising: historical context
Myth/ritual analysis
• Medusa
• Garden of Eden
• Women as dangerous, snakelike, venomous
• Temptation
References
Berger, Arthur Asa (2007) Ads, Fads and Consumer Culture: advertising's impact on American
character and society. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield