English in the Media

Perfume Advertisements and the Secrets behind It

Submitted by:
Francis Mae Adelina P. Auman
AB-3B

Submitted to:
DR. CLAUDETTE BALURAN

I.

Introduction
We owe the beauty of Semiotics to the brilliant minds of the American
philosopher Charles Pierce and the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. Semiotics is the
study of Signs. This study of signs can be related to anything that can be seen to signify a
meaning or idea. It is how the advertisement or commercial gets their message across to the viewing
public. Pierce calls

his study Semiotics which is used nowadays while Saussure refers it as

semiology.
In Saussures book A Course in General Linguistics (1915) he mentioned that
The linguistic sign unites not a thing and a name, but a concept and a sound image. I call
the combination of a concept and a sound image a signs. (pp. 66-67) He divides the sign
into two components, the signifier and the signified. The signifier refers to the sound
image while the signified refers to the concept or the idea. These two components are
inseparable. In the other hand Pierces idea is a bit different. He focused on the three
aspects of signs. In his view the word signs indicate anything that stands to somebody for
something in some aspects. Pierce comes up with the idea of the Triangular Relation.
This Triangular Relation is composed with the Sign or the representation which means
something that used to mean for something, Interpretation or the other persons
comprehension and understanding, lastly object or what is referred to by the sign. He
believed that it is possible to find different connotations with a single sign.
In studying Semiotics you will learn a new language. Your understanding to
simple Television commercials will change. It opens you to look more of what youre
seeing, to think out of the box. Semiotics changes the way you comprehend on the
advertisement youre watching and looking at. Your manner of understanding will change
and this change is very interesting.
Semiotics ignites the beauty of advertisements. It gives different meanings and
understanding to various people around the globe. Semiotics differs from the social stand
and background of an individual. Semiotics has been used to understand different
advertisements such as printed ads, newspaper ads, television ads and many more.
Semiotics gives different meaning to a simple advertisement. People who are into
Semiotics suggest that everything can be analysed semiotically. They believed that
Semiotics is the key to uncover the meanings of all things great and small.

II.

Body

The theoretical perspective in analysing media language that I choose is Semiotics. I

picked various media text to analyse. The following five (5) advertisements are chosen at
random. Each media text is unique. The main focus of this study is to differentiate and explain
each perfume advertisements done by different companies. I will identify whether there are
variations with ideas or if they are just focusing on a single perspective. The perfume products
that I am going to analyse are both from men and woman so that I can compare the way they are
arranging the texts on the ad, the way the model projects and the way they appeal the public.
The first one is from Calvin Kleins Obsessions for men.

I have found this on Google image and it really caught my attention. The model looks so
young but she is presented as a grown-up woman. The denotative meaning of this ad is that there
is an irresistible woman naked in front of you. The connotative meaning is that the woman is
being submissive, willing to be taken care of and ready to be somebodys property. The signifier
is the nakedness of the woman and the signified is her willingness to be someones obsession.
Yes, she is naked, with her arm covering her breast and her thigh to cover her private part. This
ad represents beauty in its simplicity. As you can see the background is dark to expose the
flawless naked body of the model. The model is looking straight to the camera with her eyes
showing willingness and submissiveness. Her nakedness signifies women as fragile, a creature
who needs to be nurtured and to be taken care of. The appeal of the model showing her body
means that women in order to be desirable should be slim and sexually attractive to men. This ad
entices men to buy this product so that he can dominate the female universe and prove his
heterosexuality. There is no male model in this ad which simply means that women are
considered as sex symbol for men. The large text OBSESSION and the sub-text for men

above the models head symbolizes that a sexually attractive woman is the obsession of a man
and also, woman are property of men.

This is a
perfume
from
Gucci.
Gucci
Guilty a
perfume
for

women.
Well you
can see
two
models
being too
close
with each
other. I

can

say that

the

two
models

are
portraying a couple engaging in foreplay. The denotative meaning is that the couple is horny and
is getting ready to have sex. The connotative meaning is that the female model is irresistible. The
signifier is the couple and the signified is their cravings for sex. The female model is looking
straight to the camera, and with her eyes you can see a youthful beauty and a deviant soul. You
can see the perfume bottle below the female model. This represents her guilt that we are
witnessing. The bottle represents luxury. With this ad the female is superior to the male model
because the man is under her spell and it represents his guilty pleasures. The background is dark
to emphasize the bold product name and to add up some mystery, a sense of mischief and
rebelliousness. As you can see both models are tanned and in contrast to that the female model is
wearing a red lipstick that represents seduction. This ad is simply considering the fact that sex
sells effectively in the media. For women, you need to buy this product in order to rule a mans
world and to make him guilty if they let you pass by.

This perfume is from Armani Code. It is a male perfume. You can see that the two models
are having a very intimate physical contact. We cant say that theyre a couple. We cant say that
theyre into something. The female model is like savouring the scent of the male model by
smelling his neck. The male model as you can see, he is neatly shaved. His style is sleek and
smart. The denotative meaning is that the female is clinging to the male for she is attracted with
the scent. The connotative meaning is that the female is willing to submit herself to the male. The
signifier is the man getting a woman and the signified is the success of the man on attracting the
woman. As you observe the hand of the man signifies that he owns the woman and the woman is
willing to be owned by the man. The eyes of the male model is not looking straight to the
camera, his eyes is strong. This means that he overpowers the woman and he wants to show
every men that he owns her.Well the background is black to emphasize mysteriousness and class.
The design of the bottle is very simple same as the fonts that is used in the ad to promote
simplicity is the new classy. With the tag line learn more in my own understanding when you
buy this product you will discover something new about yourself. You will learn new things
about yourself and develop self-esteem. This ad promotes the hetero-sexuality of the men in
getting the woman successfully.

The jadore Dior is a female perfume. The ad uses a very beautiful model named

CharlizeTheron. She signifies feminine beauty, confidence, flamboyancy and a classy lady. As
you can see the bottle and the positioning of the model is similar. The denotative meaning is that
the model is beautiful. The connotative meaning is that despite her head turning beauty she has a
strong personality which can attract any men in the world. The signifier is the beautiful model.
The signified is that there is more beyond beauty. The background is gold to signify luxury, but
its kind obscure to promote that the model and the bottle is one. The model is the replica of the
bottle. The many necklaces are on her neck are similar to the lines on the
neck of the bottle and her curves go along with the curvy shape of the
bottle .The ad also is for women not really for teenagers, because of the gold background
which defines maturity and class. The model also signifies perfection and every women aims to
be perfect. The model is looking straight into the camera showing her empowering attitude and
dominance. This ad simply promotes that women are not supposedly be ruled out by the men
community. A women can stand out and she can be what she wants to be. Womens who buy this
product are given an inner confidence by the clever marketing of the brand, making the
consumer feel sensual and special.

This ad is a

perfume from

Dolce and Gabbana, both for men and women. The denotative meaning is that the two model.
The connotative meaning is that the male model is flaunting his ownership with the female
model. The signifier is the steaming hot female model and a raggedly handsome male model.
The signified is that the submissiveness of the female model toward the male model. As you can
see the female model seems to be uncomfortable with her position. As if she is trying to get up
but she cant because of the arm entwined in her body. Her body is too exposed compared to the
male model. This ad simply shows that men are more superior to women. That a man can control
a woman and a woman cant do anything about it instead she just submits herself to the man.
This ad is a prime example of femininity and masculinity. It shows all the stereotype
characteristic of the women as socially under the rule of the men. Comparing the eye contact of
both models, the males eyes are strong and showing off superiority. Also it shows sexual desires.
This ad is showing that men consider women as sexual pleasure, while in the females eyes you
can see that she wants to break free but she cant do anything. She doesnt have a choice for the
man is stronger than her. She is under the dominance of the men. This ad is demeaning for
women, well I suppose maybe society believes the man should always be on top and women
should always be submissive to a man.

III.

Conclusion

After analysing the different perfume advertisements, I came up with the

conclusion that almost all of the perfume companies market their products through
sexuality. It is indeed true that sex is selling like hotcakes in the media. Sex can easily
promote a product effectively and increase the sale in a blink of an eye. Well I can see the
biasness in each advertisement. Considering the fact that sex discrimination is blatantly
towards the female sexuality. Most of the advertisement is showing off the weaknesses of
female. Male models are usually dominant towards the female models. Most of the
advertisement considers women as a commodity. Making women portray the character of
being owned by men. Women are powerless and should be submissive towards man.
Each advertisement invokes the cultural myth that sex is the biggest
market and will attract those who can relate to sexual activity. The
cultural codes behind these ads present the significant ideology that men are much more
valued and powerful than women. Each advertisement demeans the women in the society.
Nowadays feminists are trying to change this kind of perspective towards the
women. Just like the advertisement of Pantene trying to invoke the labels used to describe
women. Dont make labels pull you down. Instead shine and show the world that women
are far better than men. That a woman can stand out. That woman can live without the
dominance of the men. That woman can be superior and can rule out the man. Society
will never be fair towards gender differences, just start the change in you dont allow men
to control everything. You have your own mind so you can think by yourself. I am hoping
that sexual exploitation towards women will end.

IV.

References:

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