OKay guysI know this is a lot to get through but I got really into this piece of work and was so happy that I finally caught up on it! I am loving these lessons now and am finding it a lot easier to do the work now that I enjoy it :D I even have an idea about what my final essay is going to discuss! Anyway, I have some more writing to do for the other parts of the course but I think I might post a little stuff on here through the next week if I get a spare moment!
1. The site(s) of the production of an object
or image eg.
·
How was
it made? Using a film camera.
·
Using
what methods, materials, tools, what kind of technology?
·
The advert was made using HD video cameras I can
imagine, post production software, Photoshop
·
How can
you describe its composition?
·
Is it
identifiable as a particular genre? It’s not easy to discern what genre
this advert is.
·
Who made
it, where and when? Maybelline commissioned the advert to be made but it’s
not clear where it was made although I would assume in a studio mostly and it
would have been made a few months in advance of Christmas as it’s a festive
advert.
·
Why did
they make it? Who was it made for? It was made to entice potential
customers to buy up matte perfection for their faces for the party season. They
have created false need; telling the customer that it is the right thing to
have matte skin that is flawless. It’s made for people who think they have
spotty skin or uneven skin tone (although this foundation, I know from experience,
actually increases clogged pores, spotty skin and naturally uneven skin tone).
·
What else
was being made at the same time? Perfect match foundation by Rimmel which
promises much the same thing but in a non-clogging liquid form.
·
What was the social, cultural and technological
context of its production?
2. The site of the
image:
What visual effects
are produced by the materials and techniques used? The skin of the models
is completely matte and ‘flawless’. Most likely they are wearing a LOT of stage
quality make-up and have been airbrushed in post-production. The background
used and the outfits they wear in this make it seem high class, business like
but natural and toned down. It conveys the idea that powerful, independent beautiful
women all have matte skin so they use Maybelline. The bright stage lighting
used makes everything bright and youthful looking.
What are its formal
qualities, for example:
• The composition or
design of the image;
Everything is very minimal, there are few models, a simple
backdrop and barely any effects.
• Its spatial
organisation;
A lot of close ups to show how flawless the skin is even up
close.
• Its content or
function;
The function of the simple back drop, wardrobe and natural
looking make-up is to show how ‘normal’ skin should look and how the women in
this advert are naturally beautiful without over embellishment. The function is
to promote this make-up as being unrecognisable as make-up to everyone around
you and that it can make you look like you are naturally ‘beautiful’ and ‘flawless’.
• The use of colour,
tone, texture;
All the colours in the advert are very minimal but they have
women of all skin tones and colours. Everything is very bright, youthful, matte
and smooth.
• The style of the
image
How does the image
relate to its social context? I don’t think that the advert really is about
the product. Just like perfume or car adverts never talk about the benefits of
the product anymore. They are all trying to sell you a way of life rather than
the product itself. The women in the advert are supposed to make the audience
buy the product because people want to be like those women; strong, independent
and beautiful. Basically, the women who will be using it most likely won’t be
partying all night or working in a high powered position so socially, it’s not
very relevant or even relatable to the customer.
3. The site of the
audience:
How has it been
displayed and where? The advert was on TV but it is also available on
YouTube and shown on the homepage of the Maybelline site. Also the advert would
have been in sidebars of websites and would have been made into a paper format
for editorial such as Vogue and Elle.
How has it been
circulated eg. Are there multiple copies or just one? This would have been
mass published as this is a very well known brand.
What viewpoint or
values does it offer to its audience or consumers? As mentioned before, this advert offers the value that perfect skin
is skin that is covered up, that is one colour all over, one that is not shiny
or pink or spotty. It conveys ideas of what perfection is and what true beauty
is. It says you shouldn’t have skin that looks any other way, especially in the
party season. It creates this false need to have it for the party season
because you don’t want to have shiny skin at Christmas.
How does it relate to
other visual texts? A lot of adverts for beauty products, clothing brands etc.
all create this need to have what’s in rather than what you want or need. It’s
entirely postmodern; having stuff for stuffs sake not because you need it.
Who is the audience?
Is there more than one (eg. Lapper herself, critics and art historians –
What have they
written about it, tourists, and art lovers)? Mostly, the audience is meant
to be women who are terrified of getting old or not looking as beautiful as
they should do (which could be anything from 18 – 85!) Teenagers I think are
especially affected by these adverts I think because they strive to be perfect
and liked by their peers. To be popular at any cost.
What meanings do
audiences construct and how? I can only talk personally but I think that
the audience would watch this ad then turn to themselves in the mirror and
start to point out their flaws and they create this need, which they didn’t
have prior to the ad, for the product because it can fix all these problems
they have (even though it was the ad itself that caused these problems in the
first place).
Are these the
meanings intended or preferred by the person who made it? How do we know?
We don’t know, we can only assume. I assume that the thought running through
the head of the advertiser who create the advert was that they wanted sexy,
powerful looking women to make their product look important and make people
want it. Bar that I wouldn’t have thought they would think that deeply on it.
Is its meaning
challenged/contested by different social groups? I would have thought that
the guy or gal who designed the advert would fight for the meanings that they
started off with and people who were avidly against the advert because it
conveyed images of ideals of ‘perfection’ would probably appose that. With
anything that is in the public domain, there will always be someone to oppose
it.
