Semiotics

I saw this ad in class the other day and decided to analyze it using semiotics. This ad is by Axe deodorant.

The denotations of this ad are as follows:  There is a man with spark plugs, and a woman with a gasoline pump. The ad was taken around dusk and is printed in color. The woman is driving a new looking car. The man is driving an older car.

The Connotations of this ad are as follows: The two people are turned on which can be seen with the things they are holding in their hands. Based on their clothing and the cars they are driving, the man seems to be rougher and rugged while the woman seems to be a high maintenance, city, party, girl. They way they’re staring at each other suggests that they’re interested in each other. When fire and gasoline hit, they cause a fire. This hints at the idea of intense passion that you could have together.

The overarching suggestion that Axe is trying to tell the viewer is that Axe can help you find an attractive person to possibly have an intimate encounter with. If you buy Axe, this girl/guy could be yours.

The denotations of this ad are as follows:  There is a white woman cleaning. She’s putting her old duster in the attic. The duster and another attic object notice each other. The woman cleans her home with the Swiffer 360 Duster Extender.

The Connotations of this ad are as follows: I saw a similar commercial in my high school psychology class and it changed the way I see cleaning commercials. The way the Swiffer 360 Duster Extender is shown and is moved through out the ad is in a subconsciously sexual way. Without going into too much detail, the shape, motion, and positioning of the duster has a sexual connotation that most people will not notice until told. The woman seems to be satisfied after using the new product. The ad hints that the woman will never use any other product to clean her home. The fact that it’s a woman using the product sets a gender stereotype of a woman being the one to clean and take care of the home while the man is not there.

The overarching suggestion that Axe is trying to tell the viewer is that this product will make you more efficient with you house work. You should make Swiffer 360 Duster Extender part of your ever day life.

The denotations of this ad are as follows:  There is a man with coming out of a body of water, possibly a pool. The man has a lot of muscles. The man is tan. The text on the billboard says “Live healthy, sports nutrition and wellness to fuel your life.” This ad belongs to GNC. The ad was shot during the day.

The Connotations of this ad are as follows: A person is healthy if they’re muscular and are always exercising. This particular man probably just finished swimming laps in a pool; if you do the same, you can look like him. GNC can help you become this man if you buy their products. The highlights and shadows on the man emphasizes his muscles in his chest, arms, and stomach. There’s still time before your next event to change the way you look.

The overarching suggestion that Axe is trying to tell the viewer is that to be healthy and fit you must buy GNC products. Girls love a man who looks like this. Become someone desirable like this man.