Reading an Ad

For this latest assaignment for my Communications class, I was to find an advertisment and analyze it, using the following fourteen questions.

I used the advertisment that the link below leads to.
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.switched.com/media/2007/08/dolce.jpg

1. What is the general ambience of the advertisement? What mood does it create? How does it do this?
- This ad creates a very sexual atmosphere. It is also very open. The daylight and the setting on the rooftop give a feeling very unabashed sexuality.

2. What is the design of the advertisement? Does it use axial balance or some other form? How are the basic components or elements arranged?
- The main focus is the woman and the man positioned over her. The four other men are placed in a somewhat equal distribution on either side of the main pair.

3. What is the relationship between pictorial elements and written material and what does this tell us?
- There isn't much relation between the actions of the people in the visual and the text. The Dolce and Gabbana clothing ad has a few partially clothed people in it, but the main focus is more on the skin than the fabric.

4. What is the use of space in the advertisement? Is there a lot of 'white space" or is it full of graphic and written elements?
- There is not a lot of blank space in this ad. It is mostly filled with geometric objects or people.

5. What signs and symbols do we find? What role do they play in the ad's impact?
- The main focus of the ad is on very attractive people in a very close and intimate setting. This basically translates to "wear our clothes and you will look this sexy".

6. If there are figures (men, women, children, animals) what are they like? What can be said about their facial expressions, poses, hairstyle, age, sex, hair color, ethnicity, education, occupation, relationships (of one to the other)?
- There are six, young, very attractive people. They are well muscled with oiled skin. They are all in very classic poses that show off their bodies.

7. What does the background tell us? Where is the advertisement taking place and what significance does this background have?
- The background is a on top of a building with a classical beautiful blue sky with white, puffy clouds. This creates a very open and and picturesque setting.

8. What action is taking place in the advertisement and what significance does it have? (This might be described as the ad's "plot.")
- The action is not really clear. There does, however, seem to be a lot of sexual tension in the scene.

9. What theme or themes do we find in the advertisement? What is it about? (The plot of an advertisement may involve a man and a woman drinking but the theme might be jealousy, faithlessness, ambition, passion, etc.)
- The theme seems to be that of passion, sexuality, and freedom.

10. What about the language used? Does it essentially provide information or does it try to generate some kind of emotional response? Or both? What techniques are used by the copywriter: humor, alliteration, definitions" of life, comparisons, sexual innuendo, and so on?
- There was no real language used in this ad.

11. What typefaces are used and what impressions do they convey?
- The typeface used in this ad is very bold and straightforward, with very clean lines. It gives a very strong and classic look to the text and ad.

12. What is the item being advertised and what role does it play in American culture and society?
- The Dolce and Gabbana brand is being advertised. This includes clothing, fragrence, and all other sorts of fashionable accessories. This highlights the culture's focus on possessions.

13. What about aesthetic decisions? If the advertisement is a photograph, what kind of a shot is it? What significance do long shots, medium shots, close-up shots have? What about the lighting, use of color, angle of the shot?
- The photograph that makes this ad is very close; bringing you into the moment, which increases the intensity. The angle also brings you into the moment by putting you on the same level as the subjects. The lighting is very bright, which creates a very open feeling.

14. What sociological, political, economic or cultural attitudes are indirectly reflected in the advertisement? An advertisement may be about a pair of blue jeans but it might, indirectly, reflect such matters as sexism, alienation, stereotyped thinking, conformism, generational conflict, loneliness, elitism, and so on.
- This ad highlights gender roles by putting the woman in a submissive position, but also making her the focus of all of the men in the photo. She is also looking away, while all of the men are completey focused on her.