This was a very interesting read.
JAMAICA AD
The first advertisement they spoke about was the commercial for Jamaica. I never knew that an ad could say so much without saying much at all. It was incredible how the writer broke everything down and was able to critically analyze, what seemed to me, a very simple commercial. The writer was so precise and took into consideration EVERYTHING about the commercial- from the camera angle, to the lighting, to the color, the people, the color of the people, their positioning, and what they said. It was amazing how elaborate and complex the writer was in describing everything. It was cool how the writer was able to get so much out of just a few words. “Come back to our beauty”- it seemed sexual when he was explaining it- with the young girl in red extending her hands out with a shy smile on her face. “Come back to our people”- it was amazing how the writer explained that the old fisherman with white hair had an air of recognition but the rope in his hand still meant that he was potential menace and that “our people” made it seem as if Jamaicans are both alien and homogenous- “a colored horde”. I was primarily in awe of the writer and his thorough interpretation of the commercial. I onyl wish I was able to have seen the actual commercial- the pictures did not do it any justice.
DEODORANT SOAP AD
HAHAHA! Who knew such a wholesome commerical could be analyzed in such a perverted, sexual way? HAHAHAHA. One of the best lines: “It is therefore perfectly fitting that this employee refer to the encounter, not as a meeting or appointment, but as a call; and his demeaning posture in the window- half dressed and bent over- conveys, we now see, a definitive implication. Another great line: “…Gail, briskly adding flowers to the bouquet, appears to be replenishing his vacant groin with extra stalks…..she keeps his house and grounds in order, and she is clearly the custodian of the family jewels. Her restoration of his potency cannot be complet, or he might shatter her mastery by growing a bit too masterful himself. Therefore she punctures his momentary confidence by taunting him with that big limp daisy, countering his lordly gesture with the bouttonniere by flaunting that symbol of his floral status.” I knew immediately why they wanted to portray a powerful woman. Women are the ones that typically buy the household goods such as deodorant soap. The author was referring to Gail as the pimp and “Mr.Gail” as the whore. Personally, I felt the author was reading way too into it to just get the concise message. Shield fights oder. You’ll feel cleaner. But it was very amusing to read how this author scrutinized this commercial and in my opinion, delved way too deep and made an erotic analysis of the commercial.
It’s amazing how intricate a simple message may come off. I wasn’t aware of how every little thing can mean something (ex. red= sex, love, passion, flowers/wilting flower=non existent manhood, rope= menace, round belly= bounteous, “our people”= aliens, “retunr”=death etc etc.)
All in all, a very educating, eye opening and interesting read.
