Uni- http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/
Friday, September 23, 2011
Advertising campaign
Here are a couple of images I worked on for Advertising and imagery class. Much thanks the to my partner Yemi. And of course, the folks who took the images on flicker in the first place, kudos to you for sharing such fun photos!
Uni- http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/
Uni- http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierraromeo/
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Music Video
Video= Casting Crown's: Slow Fade
Actions have consequences, the individual (in this case a white husband and father) must be careful of their actions. The series of events unfolds from one compromise of morality leading to another; which ends with the dissolution of the family. The audience must review the man's choices as they are transported through a world of what-if.
Women are depicted in two ways one is the wife/mother figure. The other is the woman who represents temptation. The leading figure in the video (the husband/father) makes a series of choices between loving his family and pursuing temptation. At the very end of the video, we see the man's daughter - the littlest one of the family who is being lead astray. This is an appeal to the father for his duty to check his desires and motivations in order to protect his family; and is relevant because it illustrates the idea that children who are learning their gender role must need a stable marriage.
Women are presented in two ways: one as the wife and mother of the man's children, and the other as the temptation. We see this in the temptations that the father and son undergo. Both have disregarded their family in order to chase temptation (in the form of a woman).
There is no rewind button to life -this was a powerful theme that came up in the video; it is completely opposed to the idea of youthful adolescence going on forever. The proper role of men in this video is counter to that which was presented in Dreamworlds by Sut Jhally. This video is almost a response to the culture of adolescent sex-obsessed masculinity that Rod Stewart seems to embody for Jhally. Living in a fantasy world (and acting out the desires of such a fantasy) is presented as incredibly negative, leading to an endless number of problems.
The temptress-women are presented in a way that uses the male gaze. The shots do not have them looking right at the camera, but instead have them making some kind of sexual appeal to a man. While this might positively reinforce the permissibility of the male gaze in a regular music video, in this video it is a symbol of danger and failure. The male gaze is used as a readily recognizable symbol of temptation.
In this view of a possible future, denying people their subjectivity (through objectification of women, and failing to recognize the duty he has to his wife -not treating her as if she has a right to fidelity) has lead to the collapse of this man's family. Living in a way that denies subjectivity and encourages objectivity is shown to be destructive.
Women who encourage objectification are seen as part of the problem; but do no come out as the ultimate recipient of blame. It is up to the man to keep himself from temptation, and preserve his family in the process.
The video seems to challenge all the ideas that Jhally talks about in Dreamworlds. That being said, the traditional roles of women are not challenged; it is merely that the man must maintain his duty to his wife and children by being moral upright in all his doings.
Basic premise of the video:
Actions have consequences, the individual (in this case a white husband and father) must be careful of their actions. The series of events unfolds from one compromise of morality leading to another; which ends with the dissolution of the family. The audience must review the man's choices as they are transported through a world of what-if.
Depiction of Women:
Women are depicted in two ways one is the wife/mother figure. The other is the woman who represents temptation. The leading figure in the video (the husband/father) makes a series of choices between loving his family and pursuing temptation. At the very end of the video, we see the man's daughter - the littlest one of the family who is being lead astray. This is an appeal to the father for his duty to check his desires and motivations in order to protect his family; and is relevant because it illustrates the idea that children who are learning their gender role must need a stable marriage.
Role:
Women are presented in two ways: one as the wife and mother of the man's children, and the other as the temptation. We see this in the temptations that the father and son undergo. Both have disregarded their family in order to chase temptation (in the form of a woman).
Fantasy world:
There is no rewind button to life -this was a powerful theme that came up in the video; it is completely opposed to the idea of youthful adolescence going on forever. The proper role of men in this video is counter to that which was presented in Dreamworlds by Sut Jhally. This video is almost a response to the culture of adolescent sex-obsessed masculinity that Rod Stewart seems to embody for Jhally. Living in a fantasy world (and acting out the desires of such a fantasy) is presented as incredibly negative, leading to an endless number of problems.
The male gaze:
The temptress-women are presented in a way that uses the male gaze. The shots do not have them looking right at the camera, but instead have them making some kind of sexual appeal to a man. While this might positively reinforce the permissibility of the male gaze in a regular music video, in this video it is a symbol of danger and failure. The male gaze is used as a readily recognizable symbol of temptation.
Subjectivity vs objectivity:
In this view of a possible future, denying people their subjectivity (through objectification of women, and failing to recognize the duty he has to his wife -not treating her as if she has a right to fidelity) has lead to the collapse of this man's family. Living in a way that denies subjectivity and encourages objectivity is shown to be destructive.
Women who encourage objectification are seen as part of the problem; but do no come out as the ultimate recipient of blame. It is up to the man to keep himself from temptation, and preserve his family in the process.
Last word:
The video seems to challenge all the ideas that Jhally talks about in Dreamworlds. That being said, the traditional roles of women are not challenged; it is merely that the man must maintain his duty to his wife and children by being moral upright in all his doings.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Firth analysis
Firth analysis is a tool for the critic and the producer of advertisements; it helps both parties examine an ad for meaning and cultural significance.
Using the Firth method, you examine an ad in terms of three levels of meaning: The surface meaning; the advertiser's intended meaning; and the cultural/ideological meaning.
A Firth analysis goes something like this:
(This image is public domain as specified under US copyright law. For more information/ a link to the source of the image, click HERE.)
1. Surface meaning:
On this level we notice that there is a woman in the upper right hand corner in a wedding dress. To her left is text saying "keep that wedding day complexion".In the lower right we see the a bar of Palmolive soap in green packaging with yellow letters on top of a black background.
In the left corner is a representation of Egyptian women who seem to be working with cloth while sitting on a couch.
2. Advertisers intended meaning:
The advertiser is trying to tie the product to good feelings about weddings, and the idea that their product will enable women to look as beautiful every day day as did that day.
The images in the ad are meant to convey that this soap works very well at cleaning, and will enhance the users appearance.
The text in the ad is meant to encourage the reader to buy the product, noting its affordability, effectiveness, and that it is good for everyday use.
3. Cultural/ideological meaning:
Using the wedding motif, this ad promotes the idea of marriage; and the idea that women should be beautiful.
The bulk of the text gives information about the product, how to use it and how it works. It is promoted as an everyday beauty product - suggesting that women ought to have an everyday beauty routine.
The ad also advertises "Cosmic cleansing" as its secret to working so well. There is an appeal to mysticism in this, and the fact that they depict what looks like Egyptian women in the ad. It is notable that the Egyptian women are sitting - not standing; suggesting that perhaps this is a model that should be followed.
My favorite ad:
Now, advertising has become a more interesting field in the past few years.
I think that this is partly due to two facts: companies are trying to push their brand in new ways; and this generation of advertising executives is more likely than ever to have gone to film school.
That being said, my favorite ad is not from the United States, but from Egypt.
A few months ago I stumbled upon this series of commercials:
(Just click on the image to be directed to the video)
There are a whole series of these ads, all having situations where somebody refuses panda cheese, and has the panda make a mess. I enjoy this series of commercials because they incorporate interesting film techniques with a quirky sense of humor to deliver a fantastically memorable ad.
I think that this is partly due to two facts: companies are trying to push their brand in new ways; and this generation of advertising executives is more likely than ever to have gone to film school.
That being said, my favorite ad is not from the United States, but from Egypt.
A few months ago I stumbled upon this series of commercials:
(Just click on the image to be directed to the video)Never say No to the Panda!
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