Easter questions

• Media Forms: What techniques does the extract use to establish the text’s genre and/or engage the audience?
• Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?
• Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?
• Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?

In this advertisement there are two females and one male in a shop having trouble picking a chocolate bar. The man is then pushed to the ground spilling the kinder beuno chocolate bar in his lap. During this the females pick up the chocolate bar from his lap, there are two on each side. This connotes a penis and/or testicles, also when picking up the chocolate bar the woman make a moan. The advert itself presents woman as picky, there is also a subliminal message that they are picky with men too; this is because in the advert they say things like “bit boring” and “so heavy”. In addition, when the man falls to the ground and the woman are surrounding him, this connotes a matriarchal society perhaps. However, due to the chocolate bar being a phallic symbol it may suggest a matriarchal society as the phallus still dominates women in all aspects, including what they eat. In addition, the use of sexuality is heavily used within this advertisement as the female voice over says “indulgent taste, without the full feeling afterwards”, this connotes sex and pregnancy (full feeling afterwards).

Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?

The advert is typical of advertising as it as it creates a lot of rhetorical questions, and one answer ‘Baku’. Due to it begin such a young country, not many people will have heard of it, therefore this will create narrative enigma (Barthes). A value it promotes is the idea of multiculturism, this is because of the different ethnicities and the cities named such as Paris and Barcelona. In addition, as Azerbaijan is predominantly a Muslim culture, it challenges the ideology of islamophobia, as it celebrates the country rather than promoting hatred and fear of them.  

Furthermore, Richard Dyer states that people will respond to a media text if it offers them compensation for the inadequacies in their own lives. Through the media audiences can vicariously live their lives and fulfil their wants and needs, leading them to strive to a utopian life.” This is what this advertisement provides, as sense of escapism (uses and gratifications, 1974); this is further reinforced with the camera shots used. The establishing shot is of the sky, which can connote that sky is the limit when visiting Baku.

Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

This advertisement denotes a man white non-diegetic sound of football commentary. Therefore, it is evident that the key demographic audience would be males, also as he is wearing a quite it could connote the socio-economic band of A-C1. In addition, at the end the speaker narrates and asks “will he score again” while the camera is on a woman, therefore it connotes that by scoring he will get the woman. This can also connote a Patriarchal society, as it implies males are dominant and a woman is just a prize or a point in their life.

Furthermore, during the text the male jumps over a child’s toy with the narration “oh, he’s beaten one”, this perhaps suggests he has beaten having children and has remained single and ‘free.’ Moreover, the use of football commentary creates feeling of winning, therefore could appeal to males aspiring to succeed and ‘score.’

• Media Forms: What techniques does the extract use to establish the text’s genre and/or engage the audience?
• Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?
• Media Institutions: In what ways is the extract typical of the film/advertising/television industry and/or what values does it promote?
• Media Audiences: Who does this text/brand appeal to?

Media Representations: How is gender/ethnicity/age/disability/sexuality/a place represented in the extract?

Women are represented as sexual objects/vehicles, as she is being compared to a car. Therefore, it suggests men are the dominant force, as men will be driving the car and the woman is the car; which can also suggests a patriarchal society. However, an oppositional reading would then bring up the idea of post-femisim, this means women do not just want to be 'equal' to men; but surpass their achievements. Thus is can be said that the woman in this advert is actually controlling 'the gaze. This is further reinforced with the colour of a dress,  as black connotes dominance and power. 

In addition, using an italian woman suggests Italian women as a sexual; also as she is speaking Italian it represents her as exotic (Alvarado, 1987). In addition, as her hair is tied up it suggests she is virtuous or powerful, as she does not need to let her hair down in order 'to be looked at ness' (Laura mulvey). However, due to the colours of her clothing of red and black and he whispering in his hair, it could represent her as sinister or devilish. This is because red and black connote evil, anger and danger; therefore it represents her as   wicked or malicious.