Analysis of a Print Ad

1. Analysis of a Print Ad Pop Culture 2009

2. 1. What is the general mood that is created by the advertisement? What feelings does it stimulate? Mood: party time, happy hour, all fun and games Feelings: summer/young love, infatuations, first dates, sexual attraction

3. 2. What is the relationship between the pictoral aspects and the copy (written material)? The copy explains the pictures of your dad�s sexual experiences. The pictures are of his former girlfriends (or one night stands?) The copy explains that he went out and got two phone numbers (potential dates) in the same night. It further explains that he was drinking whisky cocktails at the time. In two of the four pictures (including the main photo) he has a drink in hand, mostly likely the Canadian Club drink.

4. 3. How is space used in the ad? Is there lots of white or blank space or is the ad crowded, full of written and graphic material? There are many pictures to evidence dad�s sexual history. So many that a fifth picture couldn�t quite fit. But there is some white space, it does not look cluttered.

5. 4. Is there a photograph used in the ad? If so, what kind of shot is it? What angle is it taken from? What is the lighting like? How is color used? There are four and a half photographs used. All are shot at the same level of the subjects. All scenes show dad with at least one woman in different social settings , either vacation or party scenes. The lighting is a bit dimmed for a party mood. The color is slightly faded and washed out for the retro look.

6. 5. If there are figures in the ad (people, animals), what are they like? Consider the posture, facial expressions, hairstyles, hair color, body shape, body language, clothes, age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, occupation, relationships, etc. Dad is touching at least one woman in every picture. In three of the four, dad is looking confidently straight into the camera (in the fourth he�s too busy making out). Dad�s body is fit and in shape. He�s white. There are no people of color in any of the pictures. He looks, from his dress, to be a professional in middle or upper middle class and probably college educated. He is in the prime of his life, mid-20�s to mid-30�s. Hairstyles are current for the time period.

7. 6. What does the background of the figures suggest? Where is the action taking place and how does the background relate to this action? All scenes are of a social nature, either party or outdoor recreation. Indoor/party shots: the d�cor seems to be middle to upper-middle class. The rooms seem to be �rec. rooms� Outdoor shot seems to be in a nicer park area. Action is focused on dad in all shots.

8. 7. What is happening in the ad and what significance does the action have? What can we conclude about what has led to this particular moment in time? What is the plot? Dad is in physical contact with at least one woman in each picture. All have flirtatious/amorous intentions. The plot is that dad is trying successfully to date pretty women.

9. 8. What symbols and signs appear in the ad? What role do they play in stimulating positive feelings about or desire for the product or service being advertised? Find at least two symbols. The kiss � seen as exciting, romantic, a public display of affection. We want this product because it will increase the likelihood of getting a kiss. The �on the rocks� drink � seen as a sophisticated drink, not hard like a shot or plain like a beer, definitely not frilly like a pina colada. We want to be seen as sophisticated by drinking this in this fashion.

10. 9. How is language used in the ad? What linguistic devices provide information or generate some hoped for emotional response? Does the ad use metaphor? Slang or nick name? Repetition? Alliteration? Comparison and contrast? Sexual innuendo? Definitions? The sexual connotation is clear that dad had plenty of sexual experiences before settling down. Uses �Damn right your dad drank it� to be forceful and straightforward and a little naughty by swearing.

11. 10. What type faces are used and what messages do these typefaces convey? Canadian Club is written in a more formal, cursive font to convey class and sophistication. �Your mom wasn�t your dad�s first� and �Damn right your dad drank it� are in different fonts, different colors and different sizes to bring more attention to these main features of the ad. They are more bold and very straight forward. The rest of the copy is in plain type font and goes on to elaborate on the two bolder statements.

12. 11. What are the basic themes in the ad? What is the ad (or plot of the ad) about? The ad is about meeting young, pretty women and getting romantically or sexually involved with them.

13. 12. What product or service is being advertised? What role does it play in American society and culture? What political, economic, social, and cultural attitudes are reflected in the ad � such as alienation, sexism, conformity, anxiety, stereotyped thinking, generational conflict, obsession, elitism, loneliness, etc.) Whisky is being advertised. It is used as a �social lubricant� in meeting people. This whisky is seen as traditional, moderately priced but not cheap, clearly a masculine drink. Casual drinking is acceptable if kept in moderation. The ad reflects an attitude of acceptance toward premarital sex for men.

14. 13. What information do you need to make sense of the ad? Does is allude to certain beliefs? Is it a reflection of a certain lifestyle? Does it assume information and knowledge on the part of a person looking at the ad? Knowledge of dating norms of the 1960�s would be helpful . The ad alludes to beliefs of men�s sexual liberation and acceptance of their sexual experience before marriage. The lifestyle reflected is that of a young, single, middle class, white American male.

15. 14. Who created this message? For what purpose? Canadian Club created this ad to sell whisky through selling the desire of young men to have sexual experiences with young, pretty women.

16. 15. Who is the message intended for (target audience)?Why does the creator want to reach this specific group? The target audience is middle-class , single, white men, aged mid-20�s to mid-30�s. This group is the ideal target because men in this group are consumers of many alcoholic beverages. C.C. would like to create the image of being more sophisticated and appealing to women than beer and beer drinkers.

17. 16. What techniques are used to attract the attention of consumers? Relation of drinking this whisky to being sexually attractive to women.

18. 17. What emotional hook is being relied on to grab the attention of consumers? Desire to be seen as sexually attractive/successful in the dating scene.

19. 18. How do I interpret/understand this message?How might different people interpret/understand this message differently from me? (Give at least two alternative interpretations). I see this as an example of the double standard in expectations of sexual experience of men and women. Others might see this of promoting promiscuity in general. Others may see the ad as pushing hetersexuality. Others may see the ad as promoting immorality in general (drug use and casual sex.) Others may see this as objectifying women as sexual trophies to be collected.

20. 19. What lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented/promoted in or omitted from this message? Represented: sexually active, straight, middle-class lifestyle; values of having fun and enjoying life; points of view that casual sex and partying is ok. Omitted: the women�s point of view, lifestyles of other socioeconomic classes, races, the values of abstinence from sex and/ or drug use.

21. 20. Who profits from it? Who paid for the ad?Who loses? Who continues to pay for the ad? Profits: Alcohol companies, specifically C. C. will profit from this. Also restaurants and stores that sell the product. White men who are looking for a means to gain sexual experience. Losses: Other drink companies. White men with different moral codes � not wanting to use sex and/or drugs as part of his identity. Women who are not interested in being seen as sex objects.

22. My response: I see our culture�s double standard for expectations of sexual experience for men and women. Other groups have reacted to it�s heterosexism . I reacted by showing how this would look if the double standard were reversed.

23. YOUR TURN!!! Find an ad to analyze in detail and create a response to the ad. Have fun!!!