Semiotics – Ronald Barthes

Signs & Signifiers

● Studying the signs and signifers within a text to understand how it work
● A signifer is what is actually printed in front of you.
● A sign is what you understand by it. Signifer + Signifed = Sign
Man on the door is the signifer Word + Idea = Sign
Men is signifed
The sign is men's toilet What you see is based on what
Key Words you've been socially conditioned
Denotation: What the image shows to do
Connotation: What we can read into it
Denotation Connotation

Black Dress Sophisticated & Classy

Diamonds Luxury & Classy

Denotation Connotation
Signifers Signifed

Colour Connotations Green – nature, health

White - purity, innocence, goodness Blue – calm, communication, trust
Red – danger, love Black – depression, professional

Facial Pose is again

Seductive Pose seductive and
signifes the perfume attracts a female
will make you 'sexy' audience.
Same Sex = be her?

Red colours connote Silk sheets signifes

love and sex sex further and
wealth

Typography
Means the font type.
There are two types of typography – serif (ficky bits) and sans serif (without ficky bits)

Editing & Transitions

Cut on Action – through a door/throw something
Cutaway - main action to other to the main again
Cross Cut – two characters (e.g phone call)
Jump Cut - quick, urgent used in montages
Match Cut – one shot to a similar one to match the action or composition (used in transitions too)

Transitions:
Fade in/out – signify the end
Dissolve – dissolve in or out and also be used for passage of time
Smash Cut – intense quick (can be used when a character wakes up from a dream)
Iris – circle/diamond Wipe – a wipe! Used in star wars
Invisible Cut - hidden in blackness or hidden cut in the movement of the camera
L Cut - audio carries over between two scenes (doesn't have to be a transition) Adverts
J Cut - hear what's going on before you see it (seamless fow) Page 1
 Image Composition
Camera Angles

Name of Angle Image/Example Defnition

Establishing Shot Shows the setting (e.g

landscape)

Long Shot From a far distance

Medium Shot Half a person with some

background and torso

Close Up Just the face in the shot

Extreme Close Up Mainly eyes or just eyes

Adverts
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 Analysis of Colour
Analysis of Colour
All colours of the spectrum function as representational devices. Whenever the colour green is
denoted it signifes many things. Green connotes to freshness, life and nature. Theses are signifed
due to the colour green being seen outside everywhere. Outside there is no claustrophobia, free and
open and therefore connotes to freshness. Green is the colour of grass and leaves signifying growth
and nature. It has been noted that green is great at helping alleviate anxiety and reduces
nervousness. Subsequently the colour is used in pharmacies to comfort people when purchasing or picking up
prescriptions for pains and ailments.

The colour green is used in other notable brands such as Starbucks and Spotify.
Starbucks have specifcally used a shade of green to promote comfort when purchasing
coffee. The company also want to achieve international peace and green signifes this.
Spotify uses it in their logo to show their vibrancy but also to show that fresh modern music is released daily.

But the signifer of dark green can also connote to jealousy, greed, banking and money. This is due to american
dollars being green and generally someone being jealous of someone due to wealth.

Representation
Representation – media's version of the truth, giving meaning, how the media represents
something
Stuart Hall - Hall emphasises the importance of visual representation – the image seems
to be the prevalent sign of late modern culture. Representation – to present/to depict. The
word suggests something was there already and has been represented by the media.
Representation as that which stands in for something else. Representation is the way in
which meaning is given to the things which are depicted that stand in for something.
Semiotic Analysis – Green Party Poster
The green colour has connotations of freshness, nature and the
environment. This relates to the ideology of the party; fresh new
progressive ideas. The beige background has connotations of
professionalism and dependable suggesting the party would be
strong in power.

The iconography of the logo of the globe suggests that they want
to keep the world united and be poignant in international
relations. The denoted leaves have connotations of growth maybe suggesting they wish to grow the
economy/government.The posture of Caroline Lucas signifes professionalism and the eye contact also suggest
power and authority; key attributes in a leader. The typography is sans-serif which has connotations of being a
modern, liberal party. The text, both: ' what are you afraid of boys?' and 'politics of the future doesn't have to be
politics of the past' suggest that women would do a better job in government. The word 'boys' suggests immaturity.
Despite being a party with feminist ideology they seem to belittle male politicians in order to make them seem
superior. The use of hashtags also suggest they are modern and appeal to young people.
Ketchup Bottle Analysis
● Sans-serif, modern, professional, easy to read
● Red background connotes red tomatoes, fresh
● Bottle made up of tomato slices suggesting fresh and healthy and natural
● “Grows Ketchup” signifes the slices of tomato
● All different sizes = unique “no one grows like”
● Bottle is iconic in shape connotes quality
● Grow = care & nurture
Adverts
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 Narrative & Audience Theory
Key Terms
Narrative – the meaning behind a text. What the producer wants us to take away.

Structuralism – based on binary opposites.

E.g good vs evil, night vs day, rich vs poor, life vs death, man vs woman, strong vs weak, peace vs war, civilised vs
savage, democracy vs dictatorship

Dichotomy – a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely
different

Claude Levis-Strauss
CLS studied myths and legends from around the world. He found that we
only make sense of the world, people & events by seeing and using binary
opposites.
Narratives involving confict of being binary opposites
You wouldn't understand what good is without understanding the opposite
(evil) frst and vice versa.

Gender Identity
Ideology – prevailing ideas behind a text
Patriarchy – 'pat' meaning father, male dominated society
Hegemony – the way power is maintained through the control of media

Good vs Evil, Man vs Woman. Women always appear on the 'evil' side due
to in the biblical story of Adam & Eve, she picked the apple from the
Garden of Eden when God told her not to and therefore cast everyone out
of heaven.

Audience Theory
Cultivation theory by Dr George Gerbner
● To cultivate is to grow something (cultivating attitudes)
● Means that if you watch excessive TV you are more susceptible and infuenced by what you read and see and
think all the media messages are true.
“There's a
terrorist on my
road!”

This can lead to one of two things or even both:

Affects people who watch more media and violence
believe the world is more dangerous than it is
actually is. (can lead to more purchases of safety
products)
This can also lead to Moral Panic
When a person or group threatens our idea of what
is right
“Keep everyone afraid and they'll consume”

Adverts
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 Audience Theory & Advertising
Reception Theory
This theory is by Stuart Hall. Producer of a text encodes meaning and leads to the consumer either accepting or
rejecting said meaning.
Dominant Reading Negotiated Oppositional
audience decodes the Reading Reading
message and agrees Take some elements Reject the meaning Reception
with what's said (this and reject others, for ideological, Theory
is the preferred neither agree nor political or cultural
reading) disagree reasons

Social Learning Theory

This theory is by Albert Bandura.
You learn by watching a parent/adult do something and then copy. By watching the media you are then learning
certain behaviours (mostly at a young age) e.g violence.

Exposure to Advertising
● Shops, Cinema, TV
● Social Media, Internet, Busses
● Newspapers, Billboards

Media Packs – tells advertisers who their audience is and how many people will read the text.
Audiences are sold to advertisers!
Media
Young and Rubican Theory - stated that if you know the audience then it is easier to
Packs
adapt an advert

Adverts
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 Advertising & Theory
Key Words
Visual Code – anything you can see
Soft Sell Technique – sell a lifestyle rather than a product – e.g Dior Advert or Coke or John Lewis
Hard Sell Technique – loads of information/ in your face
Demonstrative Action – demonstration of a product, like dishwasher, fairy liquid etc.
Intertexuality – refers to another product or relies on an audience knowing the other existing product
USP – unique selling point – product that is different from the competitors

Lidl advert demonstrating intertextuality Dior Advert demonstrating a soft sell technique
Use and Gratifications Theory

Info & Education Entertainment Personal Identity

Wants to get new info Recognise a
Watching
and knowledge e.g person/role model
watching news and something for that refects similar
Documentaries enjoyment values of themselves

Integration & Social Escapism

Interaction
Ability to have a
conversation based on
a TV e.g X Factor
Escape their real
lives and imagine
yourself in said
situation

Two Step Flow Theory

Mass Media

These can be
different media
texts. Could be a Opinion Opinion Opinion
fashion magazine, Leader Leader Leader
a topical news
show. Something
people look up to

Mass
Audience
Adverts
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 Context of Tide
Background
● Tide is a laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble, introduced into the marketplace in 1946.
● Tide claimed, when launched in America, it was "America's Washday Favourite”.
● Tide was given a ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark in recognition of its signifcance as the frst heavy-
duty synthetic detergent.
● Even though it costs nearly 50% more than a regular detergent it is seen as one of the most popular brands of
cleaning products in the US.
● Tide changed their branding in the 1960s - it was branded as Tide XK (the XK standing for Xtra Kleaning) but
then later reverted back to being called Tide.
● Daz in the UK is owned by Procter & Gamble (a very similar brand)
History of Product

David Byerly was a P&G scientist

who wanted to create a heavy duty
cleaning product. He experimented With the develop of labour saving
for 7 years and then 14 years later devices Tide produced a box for
produced a prototype called Tide. It washing machines
was launched in 1946 and was
originally called the Washday
Miracle. Ever since 1949 it has been
the leading laundry detergent in the
US
There was noticed there was a need
for removing tougher stains and
Tide XK was produced to remove
In 1984 they produced Liquid Tide. stains using enzymes (this was a US
It made the laundry process even frst)
easier and more effective.

Tide with Bleach was introduced to

Produce a liquid form of the
remove bigger stains and keep
product
clothes a deep clean white

In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina

devastation they provided
mobile laundry vans to help
families affected by the
disaster. Over 60,000 loads of
laundry were cleaned

Adverts
HW
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 Tide Audience & Water Aid Ad
Tide Demographic or Psychographic
Demographic – Female. 18+, Housewives, BC1,C2D Social NRS Grading, White Americans
Psychographic - Heterosexual, idealises nuclear family, mainstreamer, aspirer

In Comparison to Modern Adverts:

ASA – Advertising Standards Authority
● More modern focus of family
They ensure adverts are truthful, fair gender neutral
● Focus on children
stereotypes and politically correct.
● Generations of family

Charity Adverts Codes and Conventions

● Visual Codes (close ups, establishing shots of dry earth and emotive images – kids crying)
● Graphics (intetext, phone number and logo)
● Narrative (before and after, personal story)
● Lexis (2nd person pronouns, statistics and a presumptive close – thank you)
● Technical Codes (black and white, non diegetic sounds, voiceover – normally male and authoritative, diegetic
sounds of kids crying)

WaterAid Context
They aim to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene They are an international charity operating in
around 35 countries: they aim at changing lives for the better. In 2016 they provided 1.1million toilets, provided
good hygiene to 1.5million people and 1million people with clean water.

Atomic London
Atomic London are a creative agency based in London whose
slogan is 'Never Quiet'. The WaterAid advert they produced
was named 'Rain for Good' and showed a positive
representation of how communities beneft from what we take
for granted: water, hygiene and toilets. It's this company that
have subverted the regular codes and conventions of the
advertising sub-genre
WaterAid's Advert featured on the Atomic London Website
Water Aid is multiplatform! It has social media sites (inc a Youtube Channel) and a website.

Theory Revision:
How can Albert Bandura's Social
Learning Theory be applied to
the video game GTA5?

How could you criticise this

Adverts
theory?
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 Kiss of the Vampire
Codes and Conventions of Film Posters
● Main Characters and iconography that tell us which
genre of flm it is – shows the narrative too The left poster is a
● Title – normally towards the bottom 'teaser poster'
● Starring and Cast Credits with little info but
● Production Company the right is a
● Date of Release theatrical poster
● Slogan, typography for the same film

Hammer Horror Film Production Company

This British Production Company founded in 1934 produced many b-movie horror flms in the mid 1950s to 1970s.
They based their horror flms on gothic creatures like: vampires, werewolves, frankenstein and the mummy.
Specifc codes and conventions in the 1950 and 60s sub-genre of horror flms repeated themselves over and over
again. This repetition of the same actors, set, plot and narrative but a different monster year upon year just
reinforced these codes.

Hammer in 1950 created many new flms in colour which was new at the time. There was lots of gore and blood to
encourage audiences to go to the cinema despite it becoming less popular with the rise of TV. After the success of
Frankenstein it led to the recreation of these flms year after year. It wasn't until Alfred Hitchcock and Psycho that
thriller and serial killer horror flms became popular.

Cold War paranoia fltered heavily into lots of UK horror flms with many
characters as metaphors for soviets. You can make intertextual references
remember in essays. The 1960s liberal society and introduction of the mini and
contraceptive pill led to a more sexually liberal permissive society too.

Vampires
Vampires are very sexual creatures who claim one of their own through the penetrating of teeth into the neck. The
neck is viewed as an erogenous and sexual part of the body and it could be interpreted that this penetration could
be viewed as slightly rapey.

Horror Binary Opposites Good vs Evil, masculine vs feminine, attacker vs victim, active vs passive, master vs victim
Code of Dress of Women in Horror Films off the shoulder dresses which create the illusion of taking your clothes
off, very sexualised and almost as if 'they want' to be bitten

Laura Mulvey – Feminist Theory

Theory of the Male Gaze
Men who were producing the media represented
women how they wanted them to look at them. It is
somewhat outdated now in a non-patriarchal society
and the introduction of the female gaze somewhat.
She believed audience view women from the
heterosexual viewpoint of a male. For example the
camera would linger on the curves of the female body. It
was stated that the male gaze only objectifed women
further. Only 16% of media creators were women and
the theory suggests a woman would have to watch a
media text from a secondary perspective – not herself
but a heterosexual man. Adverts
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