28. The Layers of Meaning in Ads

University of Botswana

Department of Media Studies

BMS 226 ETHICS FOR MEDIA PROFESSIONALS

HANDOUT 27: BASIC ANALYSIS OF THE LAYERS OF MEANING IN ADS

Katherine Frith (1998) discusses a tripartite approach to reading advertising. The examples below follow her understandings of ads in “Undressing the Ad: Reading Culture in Advertising.”

Frith's Level of Analysis	Description of the Ad Level
The Surface Meaning	"consists of the overall impression that a reader might get from quickly studying the advertisement...you can describe this surface level of meaning by simply listing all the objects and people in the ad" (1998:5).
The Advertiser's Intended Meaning	"is the sales message that the advertiser is trying to get across. Some marketers refer to this as the strategy behind the ad. It is the 'preferred' or expected meaning that a reader might get from the ad; the meaning that the advertiser intends for the reader to take with them" (ibid.).
The Cultural or Ideological Meaning	"...relies on the cultural knowledge and background of the reader. We all 'make sense' of ads by relating them to our culture and to the shared belief systems held in common by most people" (ibid.).

A Sample Reading of an Ad

Frith's Level of Analysis	Analyses of the Specific Ad
The Surface Meaning	The advertisement consists of a muscular male standing in his underwear with a nude female positioned on a bed wearing no clothes.
The Advertiser's Intended Meaning	The advertiser is trying to point out the comfort of the particular underwear and that the brand can be worn in different settings, they are lightweight, and unlike any other underwear on the market. As a product, the underwear will "benefit" men.
The Cultural or Ideological Meaning	The specific use of the phrase "for the benefit of mankind" connotes a number of ideological meanings. At one level, the phrase (as well as the composition) speaks to the constructions of patriarchy in U.S. culture. Men are typically the ones who "benefit" from popular. As well, the use of "mankind" suggests the superiority of males in society. The visual composition and poses of the two figures also speaks to the dominance of males over females. Another meaning is that of male sexuality and the notion that women are presented to serve men, sexually and in other respects. The advertiser will also benefit from the association of male virility and the specific product being sold in the ad.

SOURCE: Gender ads project

http://www.genderads.com/