Semiotic Analysis Of Gucci Advertising

This assignment will consist of a semiotic analysis of the advertisement of the product “Gucci Guilty”. This media text was chosen, as fragrance advertisements usually seem to have deep meanings and concepts behind them, which make the consumer buy the product. Also, this media text seemed particularly interesting, as it was in interest to find out why the naked models are used to present the product that uses the adjective guilt. Through this semiotic analysis, many hidden meanings that can be derived from the signifiers, signified, the denotative and connotative meaning, binary opposite, symbolic-, iconic, - and indexical signs, intertextuality, polysemy, and the syntagmatic and paradigmatic structure within the text, will be decoded. These

The signifier is according to Branston & Stafford (2010) any material object that signifies an image or facial expression; namely the physical thing that gives the media text a meaning. Different than that, the signified is the concept that a signifier refers to. So, the signifier in this media text is the shown couple that presents the signified sign lust. The denotative meaning of a media text is the most basic and literal meaning of a sign (Chandler, 1994 – 2016), which is in this advertisement that the couple bonds on an intimate level. Then, there is also the connotative meaning of a media text, which is more the secondary and cultural meaning of the signs (Chandler, 1994 – 2016). In this advertisement, the connotative meaning can be interpreted that she is sexy and

Intertextuality can be divided into horizontal and vertical intertextuality. The horizontal intertextuality is when two or more media texts refer to each other with using titles, characters, or an atmosphere. The vertical intertextuality can be for example found in film reviews, where the readers can make direct comments (Lemaster, 2012). Looking at horizontal intertextuality, the television commercial of “Gucci Guilty” has to be considered. This commercial shows the same desirable female subject driving a fast car towards a bar. At this bar, the same male subject is shown after a cut, where both of them share intimate moments. Also, the television commercial shows unclear silhouettes of the female subject getting undressed, which again addresses the sensuality of the media text. However, the word guilt comes just into play when the commercial is over, as it can be seen that all the happenings where simply a fantasy of guilty pleasure (Leung,