Introduction
Advertisements and media information is developed to communicate certain information and appeal to potential customers, and existing customer. However, the meanings of such advertisements and media differ across individuals depending on how people read the signs and the background of such advertisements. Therefore, advertisements signs can be said to be polysemic, which means that such signs have different interpretations. The analysis of an advertisement can be done through textual analysis or through semiotics. Textual analysis can be defined as the making of an educated guess and making different varying interpretations on a certain text on an advertisement. On the other hand, semiotics is a derived word from a Greek word referred to as semeion meaning a sign. Therefore, semiotics can be defined as an attempt, which creates a science that interprets and studies signs and their role, in reconstructions and constructions of media texts meaning (Rayner Wall & Kruger 2004, p. 122). Therefore, semiotics primarily focuses on the text and the signs and codes within such a text.
There are various reasons, why it is important to understand the possible interpretations of the media. For example, individuals are able to make sense of the advertisements in the world we live in because the society is composed of people from different cultures and backgrounds. In addition, an individual is able to understand the message that such advertisements are relaying to the people. However, there is no single interpretation that can be defined as the correct interpretation since the advertisement texts and signs have different meanings and interpretations (Kolker 2009, p. 102). Advertisements in different Medias such as in, magazines, newspapers and television, have different texts signs, sounds and videos that have different interpretations and hence different meanings.
Analysis of Textual Analysis
Textual analysis definition has evolved from various different definitions from various authors and researchers. However, it has been defined as a methodology through which data is gathered and analyzed in an academic research. The media play different roles in the community, and the messages relayed thereof plays an essential role in construction of the cultural behaviors, as well as the view of people towards the world. For example, the meanings and interpretations that people derive from movies, television programs, magazines and radio programs. These messages and information can simply be described as in short of ‘texts’. There have been various methodologies that have been developed, in media studies and cultural studies in understanding and interpreting different texts in media. However, none of the methodology in either cultural or media study seeks the correct understanding or interpretation of a text (McKee 2003, p. 49). This results from the fact that, there is no single interpretation or understanding that can be taken as the right interpretation of a media text.
Therefore, there are no definite means that can be used in the interpretation or understanding the meaning of such advertisement. Different people and social groups have a different interpretation of advertisement in different ways. Therefore, different groups can interpret a certain specific program or advertisement differently. It is important to understand the different meaning and interpretations of the media since there is no single or simple interpretation of texts.
In an ordinary case, a text can be referred to something that is printed scripted or written. However, in media studies a text is used to describe any media product such as films, newspapers articles, movies radio programs, photographs, web pages, advertisements and video games. Therefore, texts form the basis upon which media languages create meaning. Codes are the most essential tools of understanding a text. These are the basic rules and conventions, in which signs in the media texts create meaning. For example, an article on the tax system was perceived differently by the people some perceiving the article as a true reflection of the right way of thinking. However, there was another with the view that the article represented a biased view of the situation about the topic. In addition, there was a group with the view that the article was problematic, since it did not present a deep perspective about the story; however, the group did not mention any issues about the article being bias. There was another group perceiving the whole article as being boring and not engaging the viewer (Rayner Wall & Kruger 2004, p. 121). However, it is essential to note that none of the stated interpretations is correct or wrong, but they are just feasible interpretation of the text represented in the article.
For example, assume an analysis of an article on a story about the indigenous Australians and aboriginal Australians on a sensitive issue involving women or about gay men. In the interpretation of the article, some will interpret such an article as inaccurate, stereotyped or negative, which may not reflect the reality. However, one cannot claim that his/her interpretations are the right reflection of the reality, accurate or inaccurate. The basics reasons of this analysis are based on the assumption that textual analysis is not based on a simple single representation of the reality, upon which one could measure the story on a newspapers article or a film (Kolker 2009 p. 98). There is no specific measure that can be taken into consideration as taking the right representation of reality.
This can be represented in a 1998 article from West Australian Press “sourcing the wave: crime reporting, Aboriginal youth and West Australian Press. In a post article view and analysis of the article, Steve Mickler and Alec McHoul provide a reflection of the ways, in which indigenous Australian perceived their representation in the West Australian newspapers. In their research and analysis, they presented a statistical analysis of different elements entailed in the article. For example, they made an analysis of the number of stories on crime that had been published in the newspaper involving aboriginal youths. This was contrasted with the number of stories published on the actual crime data and apprehension rate of indigenous youth. There was a view that the changes in the number of stories in each month bear no relationship with the number of reported crimes.
They noted that there was a crest of press crime reporting wave”, when there was comparatively reduction in the number of crimes. However, the statistics provided is also a media text since they also do not measure the number of new stories against the reality. Their analysis was just an attempt of interpreting the reality, which can also be analyzed and interpreted. For example, they take note of the fact that the rate of apprehension is also unreliable due to various factors such as inefficiency of the police. Therefore, newspapers articles and stories, as well as the rate of apprehension are just media texts, which make an attempt reflect the reality.
Semiotic and Textual Analysis
An advertisement can have different interpretations on the targeted audience depending on the way media the text has been introduced and presented to the readers. For example, the Dolce & Gabbana advertisement could have different interpretations and reading especially since the advert is polysemic. However, the inclusion of a name of a well established fashion firm brings out the fact that the text could have been made an appearance in a fashion periodical or magazine. The name of the organization provides the limit of the meaning of the image the name forms the caption, which is underneath the main image (Rayner Wall & Kruger 2004, p. 121). Without provision of the wording such as in the Dolce & Gabbana advertisement, it would create ambiguity in deriving different meaning of the advert. For example, the reader or the viewer is left to develop possible meanings of advert making suggestions on the possible representation of the advert.
Semiotics work through a series of codes, these are signs socially constructed and agreed by the society as a whole. Media texts are represented by a variety of codes, but the most common types of codes are the dress codes non-verbal codes, colour codes and the technical codes. Derivation of the meaning of signs enables understanding of meaning and interpretation of such signs. For example, a wheel chair sign is used to signify a facility used by the disabled people. In addition, people are able to different between ladies and gents washroom through signs inscribed on the doors (McKee, 2003, p. 69). Signs are essential in studying media texts due to the complexity of the messages relayed by such media texts.
Majority of the media texts are composed of different types of signs presented in the form of printed words and spoken commentary, which communicate different messages to the audience. In addition, photographs in newspapers advert and moving images in a television program film or television advertisements are all iconic signs, which communicate different messages to their audiences. There are also signs that are indexical such that the audience derives certain meaning (Rayner Wall & Kruger 2004. p, 123). For example, if an advert presents a man sweating profusely, it represents an index of an individual with extreme temperature or high levels of stress. A representation of a person sobbing illustrates an index of grief and a smiling or laughing person illustrates an index of happiness and relief.
Different audiences watching television or reading the newspapers and magazines derive different meaning from these advertisements. These individuals derive the meaning of such advertisements through reading and understanding the nature of how these signs work, hence gaining insights on how the presented messages can be interpreted. In most cases, the iconic signs are closely related to the objects they represent, making them seem natural (Casey Gardner Rayner & Wall 2013, p. 108). There are many instances when an individual confuses and looks at a sign, which may make such individuals confuse the signs with the reality.
Semiotic analysis provides an essential tool, which is used in deconstruction of media texts, aiding in revelation of the underlying meanings suspended within a text. This enables an individual to derive the meaning of ideologies within a particular sign system. However, there are some cases, when the interpretation of the message varies depending on the cultural and social backgrounds of an individual (Rayner Wall & Kruger 2004. p, 121). In addition, it requires a great degree of involvement and creativity in constructing the meaning and interpretation of media texts.
Another advert advertising a fragrance Dior strongly relies on photographic imagery and uses a variety of signs to publicize the brand, as well as the identity of the brand. The presented image aligns with the ideology of the text. For example, the photography represents a youthful image, surrounded by a glamorous blue sky. The most predominant feature of the magazine is a young male model in his early or mid twenties on a sand dune. Adjacent tom him is the iconic image of the product, which has been projected and has been presented as disproportionately large. Beneath the image of the product, there is an inscription of the word ‘Essence of Freedom’. These separate elements of the image form an integrated and effective image and message of the advertisement. The advert can be used to deduce two interpretations. For example, the presence of a young man provides the youthful component of glamour serving both the product and text, in which the product is being advertised. The image of the sand dune provides a physical representation of the name of the product. However, the notion of freedom is the most predominant interpretation that can be derived from the advertisement. This is because the photography represents a lone man within unrestricted environment providing the audience with a sense of liberation (Clare 1998. p, 2). The coloring of the advertisement, also present the utopian image of freedom such as the pale blue colour of the sky and pale brown color of the sand dunes.
In conclusion, media texts include all channels used in the media such as TV programs, advertisements in the TV, films, and newspaper articles among others. Media texts are interpreted using textual analysis and semiotics. There is no definitive interpretation of a media text, and different interpretations are all feasible. This results from the fact that different groups view such media text differently. In addition, the cultural and the social backgrounds also affect the interpretation of such media texts.
Reference list
Casey, S., Gardner, B. A., Rayner, P., & Wall, P. (2013). Media Studies: The Essential Resource. London: Routledge.
Clare, A. (1998, April 25). A Semiotic Analysis of Magazine Ads for Men's Fragrances. Retrieved April 26, 2013, from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/awc9401.html
Kolker, R. (2009). Media Studies: An Introduction. Virginia: John Wiley & Sons.
McKee, A. (2003). Textual Analysis: A Beginner's Guide. New York: SAGE.
Rayner, P., Wall, P., & Kruger, S. (2004). As Media Studies: The Essential Introduction. New York: Routledge.
