Semiotics of Advertising

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Let's dive into what ads really try to tell us. This is something I worked on in college and thought it was interesting enough to post. Enjoy!

Simply stated, DKNY is the energy and spirit of New York. International, eclectic, fun, fast and real. DKNY addresses the real-life needs of people everywhere, from work to weekend, jeans to evening. Both fashionable and friendly, DKNY consistently delivers its unique mix of style around the world. The mission of the Donna Karan Company, as a design driven company, is to represent the international pulse of New York in the design, marketing and delivery of a complete lifestyle system to a global customer. We will apply the highest standards of creativity, integrity, quality and innovation to our products and concepts.

Jeans - US - February 2006 - In a Daily News Record report, one DKNY (Donna Karan New York) sales executive explained, “We’re moving away from rips and tears and holes. The trend is toward more-subtle embellishments—such as back-pocket embroidery.”

Based on lecture, semiotics is the language of symbols. According to semiotic theory, all texts convey meaning through signs and signifiers (Larson, 2007, 109). Signifiers, the signals or clues to the signified, never stand alone to explain what is being signified, which is the reference to things that are present. The signifiers interact with each other in meaningful and sophisticated relationships, which makeup the “code” of the text (Larson, 2007). More and more marketing and advertising research is being conducted from a semiological approach (Larson 2007). This gives advertisements a deeper, more complex meaning than what is expressed at first glance. Semiotics can help us understand the agenda of the persuader or where he is coming from.

The text of the DKNY advertisement seems easy to understand at first, but after diving into the meaning of objects in the ad, a viewer can comprehend the importance of the ad in its entirety. First off, the viewer’s eyes are drawn to the woman looking right back holding a green apple. The reason why the creators of this advertisement want viewers to be caught up in the eyes of this woman is to sell an image as she confronts the viewer with her eyes. She fits immediately into our code for feminity. Her blue eyes, highlighted hair, and flawless skin are the signifiers to her beauty, which is what is signified. The woman is cleverly positioned as a sign herself, the signifier being her appearance. She is well groomed and dressed in a seductive v-neck shirt, signifying a sexy, feminine code of attractiveness. Her head rests upon the man’s head signifying she is interested in him, which is being signified as well.

The man is set at the top, left hand corner where his eyes are closed and he has a smile signifying his want for the woman in the advertisement and temptation to be close to her, which are being signified. He has not shaved in the last few days given his stubble on his face signifying a rugged appearance. This rugged appearance, flawless, tan skin, and solid jaw line signify his attractiveness, which is being signified.

The most obvious code is that the ad tries to sell the product, although the kind of product in not so clear. Be Delicious is the brand name of the fragrance that is being advertised, indicated by the literal words the fragrances for women and men. The words be delicious literally mean to be highly pleasing to the senses, especially to taste or smell (Delicious). The couple’s appearance and closeness signify their attractiveness to each other. Without the word fragrances, one might not know that the couple is attracted to each other because of the fragrance itself. They could just be attracted to each other based on beauty alone or some other signifier.

The apple signifies the fruit of life being signified. Its green color can have multiple meanings. The signifier green signifies life, growth, health, but also jealousy or envy (Bear, 2007). According to Celtic myths, the Green Man was the God of Fertility (Romance Struck, 2007). Because of this, the color green has long been a symbol of fertility itself. The symbolism attached to the color green has continued, however, it has taken on a more modern and sexual meaning. Today, green signifies a state of heightened sexuality or seduction (Romance Struck, 2007). The green color in the advertisement signifies just that. The words be delicious are also green as a symbol of the brand’s own seduction to the viewer. This signifier signifies that the fragrance is seductive.

DKNY, Donna Karen New York signifies the company that produces the fragrance. What is signified is that the brand is based out of New York. The signifiers of DKNY are that the company is fun and fashionable, signifying the company has a unique mix of style.

The man and woman are both wearing black clothing, which are signifiers of mystery, providing a sense of potential and possibility that is being signified. Native Americans thought black was good because it was the color of soil, which gives life (Gems, 2003). Signifiers of black are sexiness, elegance, and sophistication, which are being signified in the advertisement. The black also intensifies the green apple and words signifying their importance in the advertisement.

The texts each belong to a class of paradigms; the medium being magazine advertising, the genre being women’s magazines, and the theme being fragrances associated with feeling good. The medium could be changed, but the impact of the visual in the print advertisement is very effective. The mode of address is direct. Be Delicious directly tells the viewer to be mysterious and seductive with DKNY’s fragrance. The woman’s glance is straight at the viewer, as well, directing a sense of personal significance. The unifying factor brings the colors, images and literal text together as forces teamed up to have psychological and sociological meaning. Psychologically, the ad expresses the sense of mystery and the pleasure of smell. Sociologically, the ad illustrates a beautiful woman and handsome man that provide a sense of potential by the way they interact. Their beauty and interaction are envious to the viewer because people want to be beautiful and loved themselves.

The first formulaic aspect that comes to mind is that beauty leads to a relationship. Another aspect could be deliciousness leads to seduction. If you buy DKNY’s Be Delicious, the user could experience a feeling of beauty and pleasure. The story being told in the advertisement literally and semiotically means that attractiveness due to beauty or smell leads to highly pleasing results. This ad simply would not work the same if the people had flawed skin, yellow and crooked teeth, wearing pink, 80s looking clothing, and both wore a scowl for an expression.

Advertisements are there to be studied since they form an integral part of our society. Clearly, this ad carries a lot of meanings, signified by the verbal and nonverbal symbols being used (Larson, 2007). Its persuasive message is co-created based on agreed upon and shared semiotic codes. The signifiers in the ad most likely trigger emotional values the audience appreciates. Through the empowerment of the message being portray, persuasion will occur of the viewer wants to be mysterious, seduction, and highly pleasing to the opposite sex.

Works Cited

RomanceStruck (2007 March). The color green as an aphrodisiac. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from: http://www.romancestuck.com/articles/green-aphrodisiac.htm

Bear, J. H. (2007). Green Color Meaning. Retrieved October 16, 2007, from About, Inc. website: http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/colorselection/p/green.htm

Delicious. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved October 18, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/delicious

Gems, E. (2003 June). Color black meaning. Retrieved October 17, 2007, from Crystal Cure Web site: http://crystal-cure.com/amerindea.html

Larson, C.U. (2007) Persuasion: reception and responsibility. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

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