This is the second article in a short series of articles on the subject of analyzing advertising in print. The first article, Dissecting Layout: Analyzing Advertising in Print, focuses on the physical elements of print advertising and how they relate to each other. This article will take those concerns one step further and examine how those elements work together to infer meaning and get buyers to purchase the products featured in those print ads.
Determining Meaning
Analyzing advertising in print media with the primary goal of determining meaning entails asking a set of focused, yet subjective questions. As opinions are often influenced by experiences, individuals will often have differing opinions when analyzing advertising in print and determining meaning. As such, there is no right or wrong answer, though collective opinions are common (and intended).
- What is the mood of the print ad? How is it created? An important point to keep in mind when analyzing advertising in print is that an emotional reaction is the goal. People are moved to purchase when the emotional desire is strong enough. Ads aim to elicit an emotional reaction. For instance, a print ad for a minivan may choose to focus on pride, happiness, humor, or fear. Determining meaning starts with determining mood.
- What is the relationship between pictorial elements and written material? Images and words work in concert to motivate buyers. When determining meaning, it is valuable to look at the relationships between the two. Does the copy reinforce the image? Or does it offer a different message, wherein the juxtaposition of the image and copy create a message that is not inferred by each element working separately?
- What action is taking place in the advertisement and what significance does this action have? This might be seen as the plot of the ad. When analyzing advertising in print, you don't have the luxury that television advertising offers. The drama doesn't unfold. It occurs in the moment the photograph is taken. Advertisers will study stacks of photos to find the one that conveys the significance of an action perfectly. When determining meaning, this is certainly worth keeping in mind.
- What themes occur in the advertisement? What is the advertisement about? When you are analyzing advertising in print, remember that, while the plot may involve a couple drinking, the theme might be jealousy, faithlessness, ambition, passion, etc.
- What sociological, political, economic, or cultural attitudes are indirectly reflected in the advertisement? A print ad might outwardly be about a pair of blue jeans. It might, however, be indirectly addressing such matters as sexism, alienation, stereotyped thinking, conformism, general conflict, loneliness, elitism, and beyond.
As a designer, copywriter, or general consumer, determining meaning when analyzing advertising in print is the first step in reducing the amount of bad print ads in circulation.
