Semiotics and a Naked Man.

We as media students are more aware than anybody else that signs and symbols surround us. However, we are still unable to escape their suffocating grasp. Only if you are like the Amish people, who refuse to partake in American Consumerist Culture, are you able to breathe freely.

In order for signs and symbols to create a lesser impact on one's unconscious, the study of media semiotics can be a vital tool for us. We may be less inclined to buy certain products because we will be more aware about the tricks and genius marketing strategies of advertisement agencies.

"Semiotics is a tradition of thought known for calling attention to the formal structures of signification, of meaning-making, in culture. In so far as it can be used to reveal the arbitrary or constructed character of the meanings we use in our everyday lives, semiotics is also a form of social criticism."

Let's use semiotics to crack the workings of these particular advertisements:

This Marlboro advertisement is targeted at men. The man has a suit on, a tattoo on his hand, and a ring on his pinky finger. All of these signs scream "I'M MANLY!" It doesn't help that the woman behind him is very cute and is looking up at him with wonder and amazement. The combination of all of these signs tell us one thing: Smoking Marlboro cigarettes make you a man. Lung cancer, yellow teeth, and bad breath are not an issue at all according to this advertisement.

This Vera Wang Fragrance advertisement is clearly targeted at women. The message is "if you wear this fragrance (notice that they use 'fragrance' instead of 'perfume'), you too will can have graceful sex with your own sexy brunette who seems to be fixated on your scent more than anything else." The models in this picture are beautiful with their pearly white skin and flawless complexions. The dress on the woman is slipping off, or being slipped off rather, by the man which is sexuality working at its best to appeal to people. However, the sexuality is not blatant but subtle to make it more appealing especially to women. Also, something about the whole set-up whispers Edward Cullen and Bella Swan, no? The models even kind of look like them. All in all, this advertisement is very enticing and draws people in. The product being sold doesn't even matter at this point. What matters is, people want an experience like that - this advertisement sells just that.

WARNING: RATED R MATERIAL COMING UP....?

EW. This doesn't appeal to me at all, but let me analyze it regardless for the people it does appeal to. Absolut Vodka is the product being sold. However, they made Jason Lewis strip down and cover his private area with an Absolut Vodka bottle. Obviously, everybody's eyes are redirected to that forbidden area. This advertisement was actually in an episode of Sex and the City and I thought it was a prop, but I found it online. This is not only literally minimalist, where the model is posing nude, but also minimalist in other artistic aspects. The word choices were very clever: The product is Absolut Vodka. The model? An "absolut hunk". That makes sense. That is pretty smart, which is why the product sells successfully. Everything about this advertisement is sexual; The model's "come and get it" stance, "i'm hot" stare, and positioning on the bed, are enough for women to drool (except me). This advertisement is selling sex. Women want him and men want to be him.

Using semiotics to analyze advertisements can be very entertaining. However, aside from giggles, it is important to analyze them so you won't be trapped with an insatiable desire for more and more products because of false portrayals and such.