Critical/ Contextual Analysis : Reebok 'I Am What I Am'
MODULE CODE: PLM1000
MODULE TITLE: MEDIA DISCOURSE
NAME: ASHEENA
MSIS NO: M00379853
TUTOR NAME: EVELYN SUBS
PLM1000 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1: CRITICAL/CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS According to Media Matters, the typical adult comes across 600-625 ads in a day. Out of these 625 advertisements which we see every day some go unnoticed, others are processed by the brain to make meaning. A glance at several adverts is enough to make meaning while some are more complex. Advertisements are specially designed to attract audiences. Everything from the font of the text to the images are carefully placed in the ad so that the audience is able to grasp the information the ad makers aim at. Meaning is the representation we make out of anything. Viewers of media always pick out particular images, texts, sounds and interpret meaning. These images and sounds are termed as signs. A sign is sound or image that carries meaning. Every individual is different and the meaning they make out of different forms of media are different, that is they interpret differently. ‘Interpretation is the process by which people understand or make sense of something’ (Grossberg, 2006:137). Polysemy is the term which means that anything can have several meanings and interpretations. It is important to analyze what is the reason behind the polysemy. Interpretations made by people depend largely on the culture, age group, gender they belong too. The content of media can be analyzed by various methods of analysis. First, semiotic analysis; semiotics is the study of signs and meanings. Bignell (2002:30) explains the concept as “The semiotic analysis of advertising assumes that the meanings of ads are designed to move out from the page or screen on which they are carried, to shape and lend significance to our experience of reality.” Signs are divided into indexical and iconic signs. Iconic signs or visual signs are signs “that is they bear, in their form, a certain resemblance to the object,
MODULE TITLE: MEDIA DISCOURSE
NAME: ASHEENA
MSIS NO: M00379853
TUTOR NAME: EVELYN SUBS
PLM1000 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT 1: CRITICAL/CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS According to Media Matters, the typical adult comes across 600-625 ads in a day. Out of these 625 advertisements which we see every day some go unnoticed, others are processed by the brain to make meaning. A glance at several adverts is enough to make meaning while some are more complex. Advertisements are specially designed to attract audiences. Everything from the font of the text to the images are carefully placed in the ad so that the audience is able to grasp the information the ad makers aim at. Meaning is the representation we make out of anything. Viewers of media always pick out particular images, texts, sounds and interpret meaning. These images and sounds are termed as signs. A sign is sound or image that carries meaning. Every individual is different and the meaning they make out of different forms of media are different, that is they interpret differently. ‘Interpretation is the process by which people understand or make sense of something’ (Grossberg, 2006:137). Polysemy is the term which means that anything can have several meanings and interpretations. It is important to analyze what is the reason behind the polysemy. Interpretations made by people depend largely on the culture, age group, gender they belong too. The content of media can be analyzed by various methods of analysis. First, semiotic analysis; semiotics is the study of signs and meanings. Bignell (2002:30) explains the concept as “The semiotic analysis of advertising assumes that the meanings of ads are designed to move out from the page or screen on which they are carried, to shape and lend significance to our experience of reality.” Signs are divided into indexical and iconic signs. Iconic signs or visual signs are signs “that is they bear, in their form, a certain resemblance to the object,
Bibliography: Books Berger, A (1933) Media Analysis Techniques Bignell, J (2002) Media Semiotics An Introduction, Manchester: Manchester University Press. Brierly, S (2002) The Advertising Handbook, London: Routledge Grossberg, L & et al Halls, S (2003) Representation: culture representations and signifying practices, California: Sage. Long, P & Wall, T (2009) Media Studies Text, Production And Context, Harlow, Pearson Limited E-Journal Papazian, E(2003). Our rising ad dosage: It’s not as oppressing as some think, Media Matters, Vol. XXI, No. 3, Available: https://www.mediadynamicsinc.com/UserFiles/File/MM_Archives/Media%20Matters%2021507.pdf Websites