Semiotics Ferdinand de Saussure
Sign signifier (DENOTATION) signified (CONNOTATION)
Sign Rules All signs have connotations Connotations transfer
Signs and Connotations temptation Teacher’s pet Clean teeth healthy food
Connotations transfer. Images, ideas or feelings, then, become attached to certain products, by being transferred from signs out of other systems (things or people..) to the products’ (Williamson , 1995: p.30)
A product can mean anything Any product can have any connotations Advertising gives products connotations
Connecting an object with an object
Connecting an object with a world
Connecting the object with a person
Branding bottle different logo
Sex
America (freedom, youth, power)
Christmas (happy, holidays, giving)
sex America Christmas
sex America Christmas world harmony
The first time, the first kiss Oh! what feeling is this? Electricity flows like the very first kiss The first time, the first Coke Oh! what feeling is this? Electricity flows like the very first kiss
sex America Christmas World harmony First kiss
Cola Name favourites and order Name ones you would not drink Name ingredients
Cola Test For each cola give a mark out of 10 and guess which type it is.
Conclusion The chief executive of Coca-Cola’s advertising firms once said of Coca-Cola: “we’re selling smoke. They drink the image not the product” The connotations, not the object.
Levi’s Find the signs in the adverts that Levi’s want you to connect to jeans Eg Steam (connotation – hot/sex) Rocks (connotation – strength)