The Communication of Meaning in Advertising

The communication of meaning in advertising is largely attributed to the semiotic representation of mutually agreed signs in a given text (Schirato and Yell 2001:23). Accordingly, the production of these messages relies heavily on these signs and the ways in which they are used to produce a dominant or preferred meaning to the reader (Hall 2001:174). As such, the application of semiotic theory can be immensely useful in understanding just how meaning is constructed within an advertisement; as will be discussed hereafter. In the attached advertisement of women’s fashion brand St John, featuring actress Angelina, the constructs of semiotics can be applied to analyse the significance of certain signs, ideologies, myths, and the influence of celebrity, and to comprehend how these elements combine to produce a particular discourse.

In having a clear sense of cultural literacy, St John is able to convey distinct meanings that attempt to target a specific audience. By drawing on a shared discourse of popular culture, the reader recognises signs of beauty, sophistication and power brought about by the presence of Jolie, and in doing so, the audience repositions their aspirations in accordance with the dominant reading of the advertisement. The text reinforces St John’s preferred ideological message of superiority and high fashion, creating an unconscious and seemingly natural desire within the reader to consume. Advertisements are one of the most important cultural factors moulding and reflecting our life today (Williamson 1978:5); and so, St John attempt to manipulate the active reading in a way that adds an enormous cultural appeal to its brand.

In interpreting the meaning of any advertisement, one must acknowledge the assumptions D...

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... and accurate reflections of the realities that consumers live in (Rojek: 2001:33).

Summarily, it can be seen how the functions of semiotic theory can exhibit the ways in which meaning is constructed within a text. As seen within the St John advertisement, the interplay between the signifier and the signified produces meaning and interpretations based on the cultural ideals of contemporary society. Within the advertisement, St John conveys its brand to be one of female empowerment, elegance and sexuality, imparting on its audience an intrinsic need to conform to and adopt these characteristics (Kim 1996:24). Importantly, St John’s use of the celebrity recognition of Angelina Jolie plays an imperative part in decoding the brand’s intentions. Together, these principles exercise and promote the ideologies and myths that St John seeks to establish within the reader.