Contextual portfolio 

Seminar: week 2

Semiotics

Based on my lectures, I learned that semiotics is the language of symbols and all texts convey meaning through signs and signifiers. Semiotics can help us understand where the persuader is coming from. Semiotics calls attention to the formal structures of signification; of meaning-making in a culture. It reveals the arbitrary or constructed nature of the meanings we use and understand in our everyday lives – in the ways we speak, think, ‘read’/interpret etc. Semiotics can also be used as a form of social criticism, to examine and explore the motivations behind these constructions of meaning. 

We were given examples of semiotics in advertisements, one of the messages we understood associated with the product as 'love', although it was clearly not love just simple constructed representation. Our task was to explain what was being communicated, the techniques they used and the relationship between the communicated meaning and product the advert is trying to sell. I decided to explain the adverts image instead of the clip.

This is not 'Love'

Calvin Klein is a very popular brand, it is an American fashion house founded by the fashion designer Calvin Klein. Calvin Klein offers people modern, sophisticated styles for the men and women including underwear, footwear, handbags, apparel, home furnishings and fragrance. This image is advertising a Calvin Klein fragrance called Eternity, staring Scarlett Johnson.

The viewer’s eyes are drawn to Scarlett Johnson’s smile and eyes, a face expression that expresses what we know as happiness. The reason why the creators of this advertisement want the viewers to be drawn specifically to this woman is to sell an image, as if this is what you could be like. Scarlett Johnson fits the description of what the western society looks for beauty in women, her blonde hair, bright eyes and smooth flawless skin are the signifiers to her beauty. She is even positioned in a way to show her appearance and expression, clearly making her a sign, the signifiers to her beauty. Her face is slightly turned away from the man, giving him access to her neck, while the man has his eyes closed and an expression like he is in relief she is in his arm; this signifies that his want for the woman.

Eternity is the brand name of the fragrance that is being advertised. Eternity means infinite or unending time. Scarlett Johnsons appearance and their closeness signify their attractiveness to each other, I think without the texts and image of the perfume, the viewers may not know that the couples is attracted to each other because of the fragrance itself. The viewers may think they could just be attracted to each other because of their beauty alone. However what the advert is communicating that the fragrance is the cause of the attraction and it will be long lasting moment by saying ‘Introducing eternity moment Calvin Klein’. The fragrance is pink and culturally in many places, pink are associated with love, sweetness, romantic and femininity. This is clearly the sign it’s a product for women to buy. The couple and their area is in black and white which makes the products form and colour and words more intense, making their presence important in the advertisement.

When you watch this advertisement, the firs thing that comes to mind is that if you buy Calvin Klein’s new fragrance called Eternity Moment, you could experience long lasting attraction and love. The advertisement tells a story that semiotically means that attractiveness due to smell can lead us to happiness.

Reference:

Calvin Klein (2015) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Klein