Photo from Che Men's Magazine - Complements of adverbox

I chose a men's magazine ad for analysis.

Surface Meaning:

Most of the image is filled by a woman. The woman is wearing a green top, carrying a purse, wearing a white skirt with tabs that have numbers on them with red text that says "My number". The woman seems Caucasian, and has brown hair. It seems that she is walking toward some sort of train station. At the bottom of the image is a logo in red and white with "Men's Magazine" written under it. To the left of the logo, white text reads: "Let us keep dreaming of a better world." A gradient darkens the top of the image.

Advertiser's Intended Meaning

"Let us keep dreaming of a better world" implies that if women were more like objects and their numbers were more easily accessible, the world would be better. The gradient, darkening the top of the image, is not a polarizer (which is commonly used to darken bright skies). The gradient also darkens the top of the girl, leading the viewer's eye to the bottom of the image. The brightest part is where the audience's eye automatically is drawn. The brightest part of this image is the girl's butt, and the red text, on her butt, emphasizes that it is the focal point of the image. This ad is clearly not being serious. They are playing on a stereotype of men. Part of what makes it successful is the fact that the ad is not attempting to be taken seriously. It is an ad for men, making fun of men.

Cultural / Ideological Meaning

The image's focus is on the girl's butt. The camera isn't just focused or angled toward the girl's butt, it was taken at the level of the girl's butt, rather than her face. Also, the girl's face is not even shown, implying that she -- as a person -- is not as important as her assets. Showing bits of her butt and a lot of leg further objectifies women. The girl is wearing a small purse and a bracelet, as if she is going out. [Middle class and upper class men usually pick up girls that are going out, rather than the girl with the big purse who has a life.] This image is full of hair, skin, and butt and asks the audience to keep dreaming of a better world. It's obviously intended for men. Arguably, the only people who would understand this ad are a class of people who would see an ad with tabs like the one that the girl's skirt is made out of. So, this might be a middle and lower class ad. (Maybe the higher class wouldn't know so much about these tabs?)

Favorite Ad Campaign

My favorite ad campaign is Apple's Apple and Itunes campaign. Visually, they stick with the simple aesthetic that drives all of their marketing campaigns. They keep a simple aesthetic, but the effects are actually very complex. The color and contrast [lights and darks] are always well balanced. Every little detail is accounted for, and controlled with precision.

They started with a one color background with a dancer silhoetted. The iPod, in the videos, as well as the headphones and headphone cables were silhoetted as white [good branding].

Technologic

Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Hey Mama

Feel Good Inc.

Jerk It Out

Later, they took things to the next level with gradients, shapes, patterns, and textures [that move to the beat of the music and that are coordinated with the dancers' movements]. The animation eases in and out, and it all looks very controlled. These are, by far, my favorite commercials in this campaign.

Shut Up and Let Me Go

Wolf Train

Mi Swing Es Tropical

They even decided to pair up with artists, featuring their songs. They didn't focus on the ipod, as much, in these videos.

Work That

Viva La Vida

This ad campaign, for their products, has made a universal connotation of music to their brand. To the group of creatives responsible for these videos - if they are one group - my hat is off to you.