Binal Impression In Advertising: A Textual Analysis Of Iveco

"Semiotics is concerned with meaning; how representation, in the broad sense generates meanings or the processes by which we comprehend or attribute meaning" (Curtin, 2009). Through the use of semiotics, I am required to complete a textual analysis of Iveco's print advertisement by deconstructing theoretical and analytical methods to create a likely interpretation of the text. The advertisement, produced by Brazilian advertising company, Dominio Public Comunicacao for commercial vehicle company, Iveco in May 2010, represents a truck with items stacked in the truck's tray. The purpose of this text is to sell Iveco's range of vehicles by targeting a specific audience through the utilisation of concepts such as connotation, denotation, paradigm,
Binary opposition can be defined as "clear cut categories which contrast each other" (Steinberg, 2018). The intentional choice of binary opposition through each sign in the text relates to the theme of masculinity. Stereotypically from a young age, girls were given dolls to play with whereas boys were given toy vehicles and animals, much like that of the objects used in the text. Iveco has taken advantage of this by targeting the advertisement to men as they are often practical and simplistic with their purchasing decisions, in comparison to females (Karimi, 2013). The ute and the steer loader are both very practical, versatile and strong vehicles, which is why they are often seen in a work environment, particularly that of a male dominated trade. These two vehicles are targeted to an audience of eighteen years or older, based on the need to have a license to operate these vehicles. A motorbike, on the other hand, is a vehicle brought by men who are typically fourty-five years or older due to having a more disposable income (Watson, Tunnicliff, White, Schonfeld and Wishart, 2007). The portrayal of attractive men with motorbikes in the film industry has encouraged women to view men who ride motorbikes as mysterious and attractive. Because of this, Iveco has made a generalised statement in the text that all men want to own a motorbike to appeal as more attractive to the opposite gender. The elephant can be linked to male dominance. In an elephant herd, male elephants are constantly fighting for dominance in order to survive and reproduce. This trait has been carried over by humans through the development of society and men's role of being the primary income earners (Ryan, 2016). Through binary opposition, it is evident that Iveco is targeting males based on the age it requires to be able to get a license to the average retirement age of sixty-five (ABS, 2017). Therefore, Iveco has