"Semiotics is the study of signs, their forms of expression, and contents. It includes the study of how meaning is constructed and understood."
This piece attempts to provide a semiotic analysis of three images which address/contain the theme of sex. The focus is on the use of sexually explicit material in these images and how well they work in relation to advertising, if at all.
“Sex in advertising can be defined as the use of sexual or erotic imagery (also called ‘sex appeal’) in advertising to draw interest to a particular product, for purpose of sale.”
The use of sexual images in advertisements has been around since the birth of advertising itself, although at the time it was women who seemed to be the primary focus in these sex appeals. This has changed in recent years with more and more men being sexualised, particularly in advertising for male cosmetics and clothing.
Sex appeal increases the effectiveness of an advert because it attracts our attention. For example, an image that contains a sexually explicit picture of a woman is more likely to capture a man’s attention than that of an advert containing a kitten or a puppy. Sex is seen as the more powerful and easy way of getting male attention and making the product desirable.
However it is not just men that are drawn to these ads, women are also drawn to them from a comparative point of view e.g. “I’d look like that if I had those clothes, bronzed legs” etc. The allure of a half naked body has been used to attract attention to products as diverse as vacuums and chocolate bars;
The images pictured below all contain themes of a sexual nature. All three images appear to target a younger audience. However, it could be said that sexualised ads are always targeted at this age group because they seem to have a different more open view of sex.
Dolce and Gabbana:
The first ad I have chosen is an advertisement from Dolce & Gabbana. I chose this ad because I find it visually striking and it is a good example of how sexually explicit ads capture our attention. The advert is from the company's Spring/Summer 2007 Men’s and Women’s campaign;
The ad denotes a group of men standing around watching as a woman is held down. The connotation of the ad is its slight indication to rape, sexual fantasy, pleasure and luxury.
The blue and white colour scheme seems to fit well here. The colour white is pure, clean and youthful. It is a neutral colour that can imply purity in fashion while blue is the most popular and neutral colour on a global scale, a safe choice for a company building customer loyalty. The ad takes place in a luxurious location. The cool colours, the bright sky, the pool; all of these factors are indicative of a wealthy, vibrant lifestyle.
I was not aware of the controversy surrounding the ad when I first chose it. It was only when I went to research the campaign further that I discovered D&G actually had to pull the ad in certain countries because people found it so offensive. Many people interpreted the ad to be a depiction of gang rape, and if I am speaking honestly that is the first thought that came into my head when I viewed it because of the reasons I will discuss below.
Unlike other fashion advertisements the men in the ad don’t seem to be posing and looking at the camera at all, instead all of their attention seems to be focused on the woman being held down. They seem to portray a certain fierceness in their faces, almost like vultures watching their prey.
The man holding the woman down is photographed in a dominating position – he is towering over her, restraining her by the wrist, while the woman’s body position suggests she is trying to get up. The man seems to be sexually dominating, acting for his own pleasure and not the woman's. He is wearing dark sunglasses which hide his eyes, this makes him less relatable to us.
The ad seems to portray a sly blend of sex and violence. Today, in marketing, it seems that this has become a popular tool. As a society we have become immune to images such as these. We have been overloaded with so many of them that we are no longer shocked by what we see. This can be a very dangerous thing because it is done so subtly. The ad is tied to sex so what it does is 'sexualise' violence. Making it almost desirable or at least making it acceptable in an advertisement so long as its part of that package of desire and pleasure.
Throughout all of this controversy however, D&G have insisted the ad was not intended to be offensive, it was merely meant to portray a certain sexual fantasy. I can see reasons to support this argument as well.
The men pictured are not seen to be using excessive violence. Instead of viewing the restraint as an aggressive move, we can argue that this is in fact a common sexual fantasy. When men dominate the result is often natural and sexy. It is often said that women love a man in uniform, this is because they love the idea of a man taking control and being in a position of power. Although the woman’s body position suggests she is trying to get up, her expression seems to be conveying pleasure. It is also worth noting that she is wearing dark red lipstick – a colour often associated with `femme fatale’ types, it is the only colour red that appears in the picture. In relation to the previous argument one could say that red is also the colour associated with danger.
From my research D&G seem to be notoriously known for these sexually explicit print ads. In my opinion, I think that they are trying to sell the brand image here more than the product. They are using these adverts to build a specific type of brand personality. They are not selling product features, but instead selling the objects aura, those aspects unique to it that make up its (self-created) image. This consistency with advertising means consumers will always associate D&G with being on the edge, racy, and fashionable.
True Blood:
The second advert I have chosen is from the cover of the September 2010 issue of Rolling Stone magazine. The cover is a promotional image for the HBO vampire series “True Blood”.
I chose this advert because it screams sexuality to me. It is a very striking image that remains in your memory for a long time after you have viewed it. It really pushes the envelope as to what the show is about – sex and blood.
I believe it is aimed at followers of the show, but it is also attempting to catch the attention of people who may not be aware the show exists. If this is the case then it will undoubtedly work because it is an image that is bound to get people talking.
The ad denotes three of the main characters posing naked covered in blood. The connotation of the ad would be sex, vampires, violence and love.
The characters are pictured against a bland background. Grey is often seen as being a symbol of conservativeness and boredom (which the image is anything but). The same can be said for the text, it is not made to stand out which suggests that all of our focus is meant to be on the actors. The sentences are simple statements and they get straight to the point “they’re hot, they’re sexy, they’re undead”, this gives an indication as to what the show is about and why the image was shot this way.
If we look at the male on the right he is pictured in a protective position, his hands are wrapped around the female. She is twisted toward him with one hand placed on his leg, indicating a romantic relationship. The presence of a second male indicates the possibility of a love triangle because she is photographed sandwiched in between them.
I think the image is relevant in today’s society because “vamp obsession” has become a big part of our pop culture. Sparked by movies, books and TV shows such as “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, “The Vampire Diaries” and of course “Twilight”.
We should ask ourselves what exactly is the allure of all of these vampires? Nowadays, they take on the media as pop culture icons. They embody beauty, elegance, sex and desire. When we look back a few centuries ago we can see the classic gothic vampire was presented as a monster, one to be feared whose women were helpless prey. In today’s society these `New Vamps’ are seen more as humans with fangs, the focus is not on the supernatural but on more on their interaction with humans, particularly sexual relationships. They represent a reality beyond our world, but we are drawn to them for their smouldering sex appeal.
This image definitely represents the new vamp theory; the blood is splashed across their naked bodies making us associate vampires with sex and desirability. This is very similar to the previous image, like D&G the ad is also trying to `sexualise violence’.
Bacardi:
The third image I have chosen is an advertisement from Bacardi. The ad is one of the promotional posters released under Bacardi’s 1998 “Bacardi by Night” campaign.
I believe this ad is aimed at 20 somethings, part timers and `9-5’ workers, those who are looking to go out at the weekend to wind down and have a good time.
The ad predominately features a female model, holding a bottle of Bacardi. The signifier here is the woman and the Bacardi and the signified is how alcohol has an impact on us and the idea that it can change our entire personalities.
The colour red dominates most of the image. This colour is the attention grabber. It is considered a very emotionally intense colour with the highest impact for attention. The colour red is often associated with all things intense - passion, excitement, danger, energy and sin. Yellow is also used in the image. Along with red, this colour raises our blood pressure a bit and catches our eye. Yellow embodies life, energy, joy and offers a high visual impact. It is also seen as a symbol of spontaneity and impulsiveness.
The woman is pictured in what some would deem ‘holiday clothes’. Her attire is revealing and suggestive, creating excitement - especially within a male audience. The woman’s body is tanned and glowing, hinting at a sense of exoticness. I think this is a play on Bacardi’s tagline - “There’s Latin Soul in Everyone”.
The woman in the image is seen as a passive object, we don’t see her face just her body. She is presented as the “Sex Kitten”. Her pose is very cleverly done. She is photographed this way for a reason - first our eyes focus on the shoulders then move down and across the back, following the line of her arm directly to the glass of Bacardi in her hand.
When we read the slogan at the bottom of the ad we are presented with a different image of her - “Librarian by Day. Bacardi by Night”. This is a good choice of wordplay. Slogans like this help anchor the image, they lure the reader in and allow them to engage directly with the ad; readers are required to piece together the message Bacardi are trying to convey themselves. If the reader decodes the reference it can lead to them feeling special in some way.
To a lot of people a stereotypical image of a librarian would consist of an elderly woman with her hair in a tight bun, wearing glasses attached to a chain, a cardigan, a tweed skirt and sensible shoes. The slogan implies that she is the complete opposite of what we believe a stereotypical librarian is at night. This blatantly suggests that by drinking Bacardi one can change their entire personality, going from a complete wallflower to a wild party animal in the evening after a drink.
The “Bacardi by Night” piece is highlighted in black, this colour scheme helps connect it to the time of day it is referencing. Bacardi seems to playing with the idea that our mischievous second nature comes out at night. Notably the Bacardi mascot is a bat - a creature of the night - so they are cleverly linking back to this symbol. Bacardi (like D&G) are also trying to sell an image. They are giving themselves their own personality. “Bacardi by Night” gives Bacardi its own persona. “Bacardi” doesn't just represent a brand name anymore; it represents a state of mind. Bacardi, the ad implies, will make you outgoing and sexy, changing your normal, boring, everyday life into something new and incredibly enjoyable.
The Bacardi imaged branded on the woman’s back symbolises a lot also. In today’s society, lower back tattoos are often associated with sexuality. It is a taboo subject that they are often suggestive of promiscuity, been given nicknames such as “shag tags” or “tramp stamps”. In todays society tattoos on the lower back are mainly sported by younger women. In the ad they help accentuate the curvy nature of the woman's figure and it is very eye catching. It draws our attention to the brand logo, subliminally linking this idea of promiscuity and sexuality to the brand.
So in conclusion, you can ask yourself - does sexual imagery work? I believe it does but it is different for everyone. Some people say that sex doesn’t sell but sexiness does. Therefore advertisers must be careful to use it in good taste and avoid the cheap shot which may end up with the advert just looking sleazy. For example; (From top to bottom – Burger King, Puma and Tom Ford).
Whether or not you love or hate these sexually explicit ads, you will remember them. Ads like these make people talk, it is a debate you can have with so many people on so many different levels and as we all know - negative publicity is better than no publicity at all.
