Print Ads and the SEEP Exam for ENG 4U Media Analysis Print Ads and the SEEP Exam for ENG 4U

Ideology Ideology is a term used to discuss the fundamental values and beliefs of a group, society, or culture. These beliefs are widely accepted views about the roles of men and women, good and bad, the nature of the “good life”, etc. Ideologies are reinforced by the dominant institutions in society through constructed representations of the world, and symbol systems which often justify the current social structure or ways of living.

Ideology Mass media plays a significant role in conveying these “broadly held” views and how the world 'really' works and should work. These ideas can create audiences who just accept current practices and their roles in society as “normal. The broadly held views become the dominant ideologies of a society or culture.

Ideology In advertising, ideologies are conveyed through a specific process where meaning is transferred; that is, an abstract idea, belief, or value becomes represented in a product or service. Often a form of shorthand takes place and stereotypes are used to convey the message.

Transfer of meaning How is meaning transferred? Most advertising is about linking a particular product or brand to a particular set of qualities or beliefs in the consumer's mind. This linkage is often achieved through juxtaposition — the simple imposition of the qualities on the product, in the hope that the consumer will make that connection themselves. The product is then linked with ideology.

Ideological Analysis Ideological Analysis: Some Questions to ask of the Advertisement What people, classes, areas of life, experiences, are 'left out', or silenced? What cultural assumptions and what 'myths' are represented? What is mystified or mythologized? (e.g. a natural setting for cigarette smokers, a gentle rocking chair in a white room for motherhood)

Ideological Analysis Look for binaries, or oppositions (good/evil, natural/unnatural, tame/wild, young/old). Which aspect of the binary is privileged? What people, classes, areas of life, experiences, are 'left out', or silenced? What cultural assumptions and what 'myths' are represented? What is mystified or mythologized? (e.g. a natural setting for cigarette smokers, a gentle rocking chair in a white room for motherhood)

Example What ideologies is this ad for a fragrance attempting to associate itself with?

Example What about this one? Text: “He made it in the kitchen and ate it in the dining room. With Swiffer Wet Jet, both floors were clean before he was.

Example What about this one?

Analysis Framework Dominant Position Oppositional Position According to media theorists, there are three possible ways to look at a media product to produce ‘meaning’ (other than to determine its intended purpose): Dominant Position Oppositional Position Negotiated Position

Dominant Position Readers of the advertisement interpret the ideology directly, and decode it exactly the way it was encoded. “The consumer is located within the dominant point of view, and is fully sharing the texts codes and accepts and reproduces the intended meaning.” Often readers identify with the cultural beliefs and biases as they are represented in the text.

Oppositional Position Readers understand the literal meaning, but form their own ideological interpretations. The readers’ beliefs are directly oppositional in relation to the dominant code, and although they understand the intended meaning, they do not share the text's ideology. Often readers are not part of the cultural beliefs and biases represented in the text.

Negotiated Position This position is a mixture of accepting and rejecting ideologies in the text. Readers identify the dominant ideology, but are not willing to completely accept it the way the encoder has intended Readers raise potentially unintended meanings, supported through the identification of codes and conventions.

Media Analysis What are the Dominant Oppositional and Negotiated meanings for this ad for tampons?

Terms Important terms: Anchorage - the concept of anchorage is the process of fixing meaning of a sign. For example, the caption under a photograph (a text that is open to multiple interpretations) fixed or anchors the meaning and guides the reader to understand a more closed message.

Terms Important terms: Intertextuality in media studies is the concept that each media text is reliant upon and often makes use of similar signs, or codes and conventions to communicate its message.

Example Text: “The Volvo __ with seven seats. Sorry.” How does this example of intertextuality create meaning?