Remember the definitions:
Denotation: the literal meaning of something
E.g. A rose is a garden plant
Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.
When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:
Denotation: what do you see?
Connotation: what is suggested? What does it mean?
Analysis: what is the effect on the audience? How is this effect created?
Example: Skittles
Denotation: There is some text with colourful streams behind each letter set around a pack shot of the product itself. The background appears to be sky.
Connotation: The advert builds on the slogan for Skittles ‘Taste the rainbow’. The connotation of the colour suggests that Skittles are joyful, fun and will provide a positive experience for the audience. The colours are vibrant and the sky in the background creates connotations of flying – this suggests to the audience that this is an exciting product.
Analysis: The advert helps the audience understand the product as the colours reflect the actual Skittles themselves. In addition, the text across the top of the advert (referring to a ‘punch in the mouth’) uses humour to connect with the audience and suggests the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously. This adds to the positive, happy brand values that are suggested by the construction of the advert.
Example: Skittles
Denotation: There is some text with colourful streams behind each letter set around a pack shot of the product itself. The background appears to be sky.
Connotation: The advert builds on the slogan for Skittles ‘Taste the rainbow’. The connotation of the colour suggests that Skittles are joyful, fun and will provide a positive experience for the audience. The colours are vibrant and the sky in the background creates connotations of flying – this suggests to the audience that this is an exciting product.
Analysis: The advert helps the audience understand the product as the colours reflect the actual Skittles themselves. In addition, the text across the top of the advert (referring to a ‘punch in the mouth’) uses humour to connect with the audience and suggests the brand doesn’t take itself too seriously. This adds to the positive, happy brand values that are suggested by the construction of the advert.
Denotation & Connotation blog tasks: advert analysis
Create a new blogpost in your Media blog called 'Denotation and connotation'.
1) Write an analysis of the WaterAid advert above using denotation, connotation and analysis. What can you see? What are the deeper meanings in the advert? What does the advert communicate to the audience? How might an audience react after seeing the advert?
2) Now choose your own choice of advert from Google images. Save it to your documents, insert it into your blogpost and write an analysis using denotation and connotation, explaining what the advert is communicating to the audience.
Extension: Print advert research
Read this design blog on some of the best print adverts of all time. Choose one advert that you feel is particularly powerful in terms of its use of connotations and analyse why it is so successful
Extension: Print advert research
Read this design blog on some of the best print adverts of all time. Choose one advert that you feel is particularly powerful in terms of its use of connotations and analyse why it is so successful
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