Armani advert analysis

Analyse the Armani advert in approximately 500 words

The Armani advert is an underwear campaign for the brand ‘Emporio Armani’. In order to show this, Armani have included a picture of the iconic couple- David and Victoria Beckham- to feature in the print advert with only underwear on. The couple were chosen to demonstrate that it is aimed at both males and females. This is because by using a picture of a male and a female it shows that it is a unisex advert. Elements of sexualisation are used in this advert too. This is because David is being used to attract females and Victoria is being used to attract the ‘male gaze‘. When the media uses models or other stereotypical ‘attractive’ celebrities to feature in their advertisements, they do it to make their advertisement look good. They also do it to appeal to a certain gender to entice them into buying the product or having the subconscious mind set that ‘if I buy this product I could be like the people on the advert’. This demonstrates sexualisation in the media.

David and Victoria Beckham are a famous couple. Victoria featured in the spice girls as a singer, she is a model and is a business woman who runs her own fashion line. David is a retired footballer who played for many different football teams in his lifetime. Victoria is used in the advert to represent that the product is for females, beauty and the stereotypical attractive woman. She is used to show the audience how good she looks in the underwear which then encourages other woman to buy the product. The same rule applies to David; he is used to represent the stereotypically attract man- muscles, stern expression, etc. Again, this is so that it encourages other males to buy the product due to how he looks in the underwear. Each celebrity on the advert symbolises (semiotics) attraction. They are signified/ connoted as being attractive according to the public eye.

David demonstrates a relaxed appearance by lying on his front, resting his head on his arms whilst looking directly into the camera as if to address the audience personally. This connotes(signifies) the extent of comfortableness that he has whilst wearing the underwear and how he can relax whilst wearing them. Whilst doing this he shows his large (signifiers/ denotes) muscles due to the position he is in, looking with a stern expression. This signifies attraction and masculinity. This is because the stereotypical man has big muscles and shows limited facial expressions other than slightly fierce to show his strength through facial features and his muscle mass. This is used to attract people.

Victoria demonstrates a broad, open yet mischievous appearance by placing her arms wide out either side of her, looking up at the camera with her head tilted down. Her facial expression connotes mischief because the expression is like that of a lion that is about to jump and kill its pray. Her broad open appearance with her arms ether side of her signifies that she is showing off the underwear as prominently as possible and connotes confidence in her own skin. Confidence is what sells a product such as underwear.

The rule of thirds composition technique has been used on the photograph. This is so that the subject(s) is not directly in the centre, creating elements of realism (not everything you see is in the centre of you human viewfinder). The subject of this image is the underwear displayed by the Beckhams meaning that they are the initial subject.

The background on the image looks to be a bed of which David is lying on and Victoria is leaning against. This creates an atmosphere as it links in with the product of underwear. The atmosphere that it creates is a bedroom atmosphere, once again linking to sexualisation in the media to attract the audience; This then links in with the foreground being the Beckhams. Meaning in influenced through the use of back and foreground working with each other.

Light and shade composition rule is used through the light coming in from the left-hand side of the image and no light on the other side. It creates a shadow effect on one side of the body, emphasising the muscles and facial features on each of them. This creates a tone of mystery because half of the body has no light on it- making it ‘in the dark’ and more covered. This signifies mystery- the wondering of what’s in the dark shade and the inability to see it. Even though the audience is likely to know what is covered, the atmosphere is still created.

The colour of the image is black and white. This connotes meaning, depth and simplicity. This is because when a photograph is in B and W, its dramatic and shows tonal detail within an image in depth instead of having the business and eye strain from the colours intruding. It shows the tones in a simpler form. The meaning element comes into it because black and what aren’t ’busy’ colours. This means that more attention can be focused on the simple element of the image, such as the product/ people wearing the product. It connotes simplicity through the simple use of black and white tones. This makes the image more relaxed and focused on the subject. Black and white is flattering on the features within the photograph such as the muscles and creates mystery due to the darkness being represented as black through the use of colours.

(Done 900 words by accident and don’t know how to cut it down. )