Headlines

 Reception Theory:

Stuart Hall's theory suggests there are 3 ways of reviewing a text:

The dominant hedromonic:

The negotiated position: 

The oppositional reading

ANALYSING ARMANI AD:

This image encodes stereotypical messages about gender, with the male character being presented as confident, dominant and intimidating, your attention is automatically brought to his eyes, sharp and furrowed like that of a hunters; he is also seen in a tuxedo suit and is majorly made up of the colour black which has connotations of wealth, power and  elegance. His eyes are looking at us as the audience from an eye-level shot. However, the woman is presented as vulnerable, petit and submissive. Her eyes are closed and her entire being surrounds around the man, her pale white skin is on show, not only subliminally sending connotations of purity and submissiveness but also in contrast with her bright red lip could be seen in a seductive light. Both of their clothing choices and even hair styles are made up of many straight, sharp lines which could infer a bolder personality. She has catered to her appearance for the enjoyment of the man, which then links to the male gaze. The back drop is a far away depiction of a lit up city, suggesting they are high up, isolated and quite literally above everyone else, (status wise and physically). The product being advertised is enlarged in size, highlighting its importance, it is blue in colour, symbolizing tranquility, calmness and wealth. All of these aspects put together can support Van Zoonen's theory of the media we consume reinforcing patriarchal narrative on gender, but especially the gender roles both subject play in the scene. In conclusion, this advertisement is intended to challenge male members of the audience and allure women in (who typically purchase 70% of fragrances for men).