Assignment 6 : Photo Analysis

Assignment 6's Theme: Analysing a picture (group assignment - 2 students per group)

Select any image from one of the following genres of photograph from recent publication (news paper, magazine, online) - Photojournalism, Social documentary, Commercial photography

Analyse the picture: List how selected photograph might be read by target audience. Morris framework is a good starting point for analysing photographs.

----------------------------- Fake Sisley Ad`-----------------------------

Chosen Ad: A Fake Sisley's Ad (Published: June 2007)

Advertising Agency: Zoo Advertising, Shanghai, China

Creative Director: Alex Sean / Art Director: Stephen Zou / Copywriter: Sandy Sang / Photographer: Taurus

Slogan: Fashioin Junkie

Medium: Internet

I did this photo analysis assignment with Christina and the ad we chose to analyse was on the Benetton brand, Sisley. Apparently, this ad is fake! Benetton which is well-known for their controversial ad campaigns claimed that this ad is completely fake and that they have nothing to do with them. I thought it's pretty interesting because the first time I saw this ad, I also thought it was real. Maybe because it looks professionally done. Since there are so many speculations over whether its real or not, Chris and I decided to be detectives and find out the truth haaha.. just kidding... there's no way we can find out the real truth, but we can analyse how viewers might interpret the ad and whether you think it's real or not is up to your own interpretations. :)

----------------------- Analysis`-----------------------

1. Semantics

a. Signifier: White dress

Signified: Heroin

b. Signifier: Uncovered breast

Signified: Helpless and vulnerability

c. Signifier: Dark, enclosed room with metal grills

Signified: A confined space which shows compression- constrained by the drugs (fashion brand)

d. Signifier: Credit card

Signified: Spending power

2. Pragmatics:

The girls are presented as sniffing cocaine. (Junkies) However, the message the ad conveys is that they are fashion junkies. To illustrate their insatiable craving for the brand.

3. Colours

Colour tones have great symbolism, it creates different moods and describes different emotional states. Each colour expresses the wavelength of light that in turn produces sensations on our mind. The colour tones in this ad are mainly dark.

a. Black colour symbolizes sorrow, hopelessness and depression. However it can also depict sophistication and style. Black is widely used in fashion as it can be considered a stylish colour. For this ad, black might be used for that purpose.

b. White is known for peace and unity. It shows how the white dress satisfies their craving for fashion.

c. The use of a violet dress is really interesting. Violet is a well known colour for majesty and richness. In this ad, the model is wearing a violet dress to represent the rich taste of wearing the clothes brand.

d. In another ad under the same series, red was used. It is the colour of love, passion, excitement. (For the brand). It can also symbolize aggressiveness. The red cloth which spills out from the glass and close to the model's lips represents alcohol addiction.

4. Metaphor

For the slogan, "Fashion" is spelled as "Fashioin" - made to sound like "Heroin". It is to show the addiction for the brand.

5. The recumbent positions

Note: the body positions, lowering of the heads, lying on the floor. Acceptance of subordination/submissive. The level of our heads are also lowered. Though in addiction, the gaze of the model on the right demonstrates some control. In most fashion ads, the recumbent positions are used. In past sisley ads, we spotted this trend as well.

6. Syntatic

After discussing the different signifiers and their meanings, the colour tones and the slogan, we see a strong link between them. The underlying message in the ad is to illustrate the insatiable addiction for the brand. Their target audience which they refer to as the fashion junkies would be able to relate their love/craving for the brand just like how drug addicts fall helplessly for drugs - they cannot do without them. We feel that the colour tones gives the ad a stylish look, suitable for a fashion ad. It also does much to justify their message about addiction. The slogan helps to reinforce their message of "fashioin junkies", people who are addicted to fashion.

The ad has suffered much criticisms such as it has a bad influence on teens. For myself, I do not really feel so strong about it. Looking at a pict like that wouldn't influence me to take drugs. I guess it really depends much on an individual's background and discipline. In fact, I think the slogan "fashioin junkie" is quite innovative to illustrate the addiction for a brand.

So are the ads genuine or fake? There have been doubts and speculations on the Internet. It is still unclear who was behind the circulation of these offensive and misleading images and what reasons he or she had for doing it. As quoted by fashion critic, "why would anyone go through the time and effort to produce the fake ads? is this a double bluff? Grab the attention, then deny involvement?"

If you guys are interested in Benetton's past campaigns, you can find them here. They have concepts that evoke strong emotions, like showing a priest and a nun kissing etc. They are well-known for controversial campaigns. Personally, I feel that some of these ads are quite interesting. Very often, featuring controversial things like sex and drugs often spark debates and some people say that it is a bad influence on young people. I guess very often we try to hide from certain issues, however censoring them doesn't mean that it doesn't exists. Being open about them and talking about it might be better?

----------------------- After thoughts`-----------------------

During the class presentation, Mr Reddy commented about Ivy and Michelle's photo that umbrellas can be interpreted as being indifferent and cold. Like how in some movies umbrellas are always related to passerbys. I think this is an example of how people from different cultures interpret signs differently because for the Chinese, when someone passes away, the relative or family would carry an umbrella during the funeral to shelter the spirit of the dead. Therefore, when I look at the photo which Ivy and Michelle presented, I feel quite strong for it, like as if the different umbrellas represents the spirits who are also part of the protest.

In buddhism, the Umbrella or parasol embodies notions of wealth or royalty, for one had to be rich enough to possess such an item, and further, to have someone carry it. It points to the "royal ease" and power experienced in the Buddhist life of detachment. It also symbolises the wholesome activities to keep beings from harm (sun) like illness, harmful forces, obstacles and so forth, and the enjoyment of the results under its cool shade.

I find the different interpretations very interesting.

----------------------- Peer Evaluation`-----------------------

I thought that Meimei and Paul did well in their photo analysis. The part on the different relationship between king and queen vs queen and jack was so interesting. To be frank I didn't know that there were so many meanings behind each card. They also had many other photos to backup their analysis which was very good and I could see lots of effort put into it. I give them 10/10. Jialin and Karen's analysis of the ad on Nagaraya Nuts was also detailed, plus they did a part on analysing how the filipinos would interpret the ad, which I thought was good. I give them 9.5/10. Like them, Mark and Natalie also mentioned their Volvo ad in relation to Saudi Arabia.

----------------------- Self Assessment`-----------------------

I would give the two of us 8.8/10, more room for improvement as I thought we could have analyzed it more like how different audiences from various cultures would interpret or see the ad like how some other groups did as well as analyse it in relation to more supporting photos.