Understanding denotation and connotation is the starting point for all Media Studies analysis.
Remember the definitions:
Denotation: the literal meaning of something
E.g. A rose is a garden plant
Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.
When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:
Denotation: the literal meaning of something
E.g. A rose is a garden plant
Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.
When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:
Denotation: what do you see?
Connotation: what is suggested? What does it mean?
Analysis: what is the effect on the audience? How is this effect created?
In order to help you structure your media analysis on your blogs.
Think about:
What is shown in the advert? Setting/image/posture/costume?
What is the message of your advert? What is the mood?
How do the colour(s) of your advert reinforce the message and suggest the mood?
P - Point - Clear opening sentence where you establish your idea
E - Evidence - Referring a specific detail from one of our CSPs/Texts
T - Terminology/Technique/Theory - Apply media studies language to your chosen reference
A - Analysis - Analyse the effect of your chosen reference, linking it back to the question.
The Skittles print advert communicates meaning to an audience through the use of a symbolic media code. The symbol of the fist is being used to draw audience attention to the anchorage text (key information). The use of the word ‘fist’ is repeated in the text which could connote that this flavour is extremely sour and not everyone can handle this extraordinary taste. The producer’s message could be to communicate that this product is quite unique and their advertisement techniques are quite playful and add humour.
Denotation & Connotation blog tasks: Advert Analysis
Create a new blogpost in your GCSE Media blog called 'Denotation and connotation'.
1) Write an analysis of the WaterAid advert above using point, evidence, terminology, analysis. What can you see? What are the deeper meanings in the advert? What does the advert communicate to the audience? How might an audience react after seeing the advert?
2) Now choose your own choice of advert from Google images. Save it to your documents, insert it into your blogpost and write an analysis using denotation and connotation (point, evidence, terminology, analysis), explaining what the advert is communicating to the audience.
Extension: Print advert research
Read this design blog on some of the best print adverts of all time. Choose one advert that you feel is particularly powerful in terms of its use of connotations and analyse why it is so successful
Finish this for homework if you don't complete it in the lesson - due date on Show My Homework.
