Semiotic Analysis of Text and Culture in Advertising Campaigns

This report provides a semiotic analysis of text and culture in advertising, examining how signs, sign systems, and cultural contexts influence consumer behavior. The analysis covers key concepts such as sign systems, syntagmatic and paradigmatic analysis, and the commutation test to understand how meaning is constructed in advertisements. The report delves into the role of gaze in text, exploring how visual elements and the representation of individuals, such as celebrities, impact consumer perception. Additionally, it examines the use of myths and ideologies in advertising, illustrating how advertisements utilize cultural beliefs to convey messages and create associations with products. The report also discusses how different readings of advertisements (dominant, negotiated, and oppositional) are influenced by encoding and decoding processes. The report uses the example of Colgate toothpaste advertisements to illustrate these concepts, demonstrating how advertisers use semiotic tools to connect with audiences and drive consumer behavior.

TEXT AND CULTURE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
Sign system and sign in range of syntagms, paradigms, metonym and connotations................1
Commutation Test.......................................................................................................................2
Gaze in text.................................................................................................................................3
Myths and ideologies in Advertising..........................................................................................3
Text in terms of dominant, negotiated and Oppositional reading...............................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Semiotic analysis is the study of culture and text, it reveals the values that are followed in
advertisements. “Unconscious culture patterns”, i.e. the shape of consumer behaviour towards
the content presented to them online, which are evaluated in this assessment (Bergsma, 2016.). It
is the process of uncovering the hidden message in the advertisements rather than criticizing
them. This report has been prepared after deep analysis of text and culture in advertisements.
Commutation test, gaze operations are also included in analysis.
TASK
Sign system and sign in range of syntagms, paradigms, metonym and connotations.
1. Signs and Sign System is the fundamental concept in the analysis, reflects the
relationship between signs and system of signs. The sign system is alternatively called as
language. Since it has connotations with human language, that is why it is relatively
preferred to be called as language, particularly human language. It is the only example of
sign system, probably the most complex sign system at present. Different semiotician
takes it as different, few of them report this as communication while few tend to focus
upon logical sciences (Changnon, 2016). They evaluate areas as logical sciences like how
organism communicate and make predictions on semiotics. Colgate has been covered the
linguistic, denoted and connoted message. They have presented a message to the
audiences in order to make them understand why they are buying the product. Content
may be decoded by each user differently, depending upon their language, gender or
society they live in.
2. Syntagmatic analysis is Learning the 'surface structure' of texts, rather paradigmatic
analysis seeking to identify various pre-existing sets of signifiers (or paradigms).
Structural evaluation is preferred by analysts because it has both positive and negative
connotations for every form of signifier.
3. Those used in texts drawn are relating as contrasting and opposing to same set in
paradigmatic analysis. It involves comparing and contrasting all the signifiers,
considering the selected signifier from the those might have been chosen.
4. Theorists have discussed upon the analogical relationships that classification system with
system of meaning. They also argue upon the structural binary oppositions on the basis of
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underlying grouping system, constituting key organizing metonyms and metaphors.
Definite binary oppositions are seen as invariables or ecumenical in human mind, cutting
across cultural distinctions. (Pope, 2016)
5. Many of the pairings are referred to privative, denoting lack of absence consisting of
prefixes and suffixes for ex: non, -less or un- etc. Term B is defined as relative rather
than substantial. Term A is not whereas Term B is negation. When it is a nonverbal
communication, the identical label is characterized a medium of communication in
negative relation to linguistic communication.
Toothpaste is advertised as 'Fight tooth decay with Colgate, Help stop bad breath all day'. It has
message to the audience that if they use the product, they would be having low cavities in their
mouth from those who are using plain toothpaste. Clinically tested and proven to be fighting
with tooth decay and bad breath. This message is being exemplified by the mother's care to her
family. So that every demographic would understand the hidden message, 'Colgate takes care of
teeth, as mother takes care of her family'.
Commutation Test.
It is the structural analytical test in paradigmatic analysis of text to determine major
change on the level of signified from level of signifier. From same paradigm set different
meaningful alternatives are taken to apply this text on the selected text (as it cannot be applied on
each of the text). For some viewers changing colour is the signifier and for some typface or shot
size are significant.. Ex: Colgate is preferred over Close-Up. These are the outcomes of the sense
that the signs have made upon the audiences (Suleiman and Crosman, 2016). This test challenges
the feeling of audiences from particular sign, involving aspects of changing preferences due to
colour or shape. Some paradigmatic arrangements include transposition and substitution.
Though, syntagmatic arrangements are forms of deletion and addition. Signifier can alter
signifieds that are shown in test, formally associated with it. Substitution in age, gender, class or
tradition are different objects that substitute choice of products.
What are reasons of preferring Colgate after watching the advertisement can be the
preferences of consumer, their class and knowledge of quality offered. Here, in the advertised
product it has been assured to them, fight tooth decay with other benefit of lesser new cavities.
Feminism is also evident in advert because female is using that product as shown in
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advertisement, it gives new meaning to the other toothpaste brands too. Images injected keeps
the product differentiated from other products, it makes it unique and keep it separate from the
crowd. Women are more indulgent to fantasy, advert denotes aspiring to be happy and caring
attracts women towards the product.
Gaze in text
Epistemologically, gaze is the human perception to signs, they are not the prime
developer of the meaning to the text. Signs are understood as catalysts for directing human
perception. People are generally attracted to celebrities and when an actor represents product
they tend to buy that product. For example, if Actor like Brad Pitt is asking to buy a tooth paste,
viewer with the perception of getting whiter teeth like him would definitely buy the product.
Semiotics is both anti-Kantian, it discloses the other types of assessments as disclosure models,
including frame analysis (Dryden and Mytton, 2016). Visual arts are more attracting for the
viewer, for example for women from masculine point of view gets influenced by the
advertisements in which an attracting male is presented. Gazing are the fundamental part of
human communication, it includes both the information and the non-activity in the
advertisement.
Female gaze is driver for a male viewer, they get influenced by such adverts. It is
ideological that male bodies are positive stimulus to women' eye. In advertisements where male
gaze are used as medium to attract females to make purchase of the products are likely to
influence women. The gestures presented by model in the advertisements meets gaze of the
viewer.
Colgate has shown an innocent woman in the advertisement to give the viewer a feel of
caring mother. This, advertisement shows that the mother takes care of the family like no one
can, to prove this a smiling son and mother is shown in the advertisement. Like the benefits that
with the family of having such loving and affectionate care from a woman.
Myths and ideologies in Advertising
Myths are
significant signs in communicating to viewer the correct meaning behind the idea of
advertisement. To forget the alternative message and involving the deformation, myth seems to
be true, rather than number of various assert-able meaning. Myths are the ideologies of viewers,
they are natural cultural thoughts that they believe (Mastropieri and Scruggs, 2017). In the given
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advertised product of Colgate, a mother is sitting next to her son and both smilinging at each
other. For comparing the myths in the minds of the actors in advertisements text is
accompanying the idea. It shows the ideology that what protection and care a mother can give to
her son. The same is provided by the toothpaste to the user.
Text
accompanying the idea of care 'Every mother should give her family the benefits of Colgate with
Gardol and its help against tooth decay'. Good mythology and ideology is used in this
advertisement in much more subtle manner.
Text in terms of dominant, negotiated and Oppositional reading.
Encoding and Decoding are conceptualization to how media are interpreted by the
viewer. Audience theory is the British model by Stuart Hall unveils encoding/decoding. Hall
represented the theory as mass communication through media. From point of view of media it
has power to move the communication in different way, causing change in behaviour of
customer. At the same time, holding on the role of media as agenda setting function (Ding,
2017.). Model has three dimensions: i) same event is encoded in different way. ii) the message
has one or more possible meaning iii) Interpreting the message can be a complex process.
Stuart addressed the issue of how people understand meaning of media texts with three
different methods of decoding. It has been argued in the framework that dominant ideology it is
not easily adopted by viewers because it typically dramatize preferred text.. The social situations
of the viewers may result in different stances. Whose social situations favours preferred readings
provide for “Dominant” advertisements. Given model categorise the advertisement as dominant,
negotiated or oppositional.
CONCLUSION
With this report, it can be concluded that texts and culture behave different in various
circumstances. For human it has contrary meanings, signs and symbols influences them in
separate ways and visual arts affects their buying behaviour in other way. At times texts used in
advertisements are very much influential that viewer get influenced to buy the product. Gaze is
also another factor that changes the mindset of human, male gaze it the conventional ideology
that draw women's attention. Though, in the given product of Colgate the love and care a mother
gives to her family is depicted. Protection from toothpaste is compared with mother's protection
and support for her Son.
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