Analysis of advertisement: Dolce & Gabbana The One (Scarlett Johansson)

1. Reaction towards ad

• What is your 1st impression of the ad? Why do you think so? (eg: “Seems like an ad about health/food/money/beauty/communications, etc”)

• My first impression of the ad, the ideas of glamour, beauty, luxury, seduction and femininity portrayed.

• Does it look like a boring ad?

• Yes, it looks like partially boring ad but as a high profile celebrity Scarlett Johansson assures the credibility of the product is immediately boosted. This is a clever technique as many modern day females admire celebrities, their beauty and success, therefore not only noticing the product, but also associating it with her success, glamour and beauty.

• Does it grab your attention (Does it have stopping power)?

If yes/no, why? (image/headline/colour)?

• Yes, it does grab my attention; as an iconic sign, the well-known celebrity Scarlett Jonhansson is the focus of the print advertisement and the photographical rhetoric of the image means that her lips are the central apex of the picture. The fact that Scarlett Johansson appears to be pointing to her lips helps to exaggerate them as the central focus.

1. Message

• What is the SMP/key message?

• On a denotative level, the advert appears just to be of a beautiful woman sat in her dressing room/bedroom, all quite simple, which relates to the simple name of the one. However, we can see as we study the tools used that the meaning goes much deeper than just what we see and that the makers of this advert have used certain tools to create a certain affect, such as to make them believe the myth created, that if they buy the fragrance they will become glamorous and seductive.

• Is the message simple and easy to understand? Why?

• The message of this advertisement is not easy to understand but the combination of signs such as the red lips shown alongside Johansson’s pale blonde glamorous curls, seductive pose and silky/sexy clothing could also be seen as a symbolic sign, as this image of Johansson could be associated with many images of Marilyn Monroe, through a process of signification. Monroe is an iconic figure known for her statement red lips and pale blonde curls and her being associated with all things glamorous, seductive and feminine.

• What is the U.S.P./E.S.P/benefit of the ad?

• We can also accept that it successfully means the myth that if we buy this fragrance the one we too, like Scarlett Johansson, will be beautiful, glamorous, attractive and more like the ‘ideal’ woman. However, it is impossible to deny that even though this advertisement appears to send out a direct meaning through signification, polysemia is an issue in retrospect of our culturally diverse western society and through this we can understand the reasoning behind marketing strategies and certain signs of the advert which connote a sense of the upper class.

1. Target audience

• Do you think the target audience can relate to the ad? How & why? - D&G target audience includes people from15 to 25, who are innovators, trendsetters and everyone who enjoys freedom and irony in fashion.

1. Focus

• What is the focus of the ad (Image/copy/headline)?

• The picture is also reinforced by the presentational device of colour. The mise-en-scene of the picture connotes a soft glamorous aura with pale, golden colours, symbolic of luxury and wealth, which contrasts completely with the bright red of her lips, helping them to stand out and become the central apex of the image. The softly blurred background almost creates a frame around Scarlett Johansson also exaggerating her presence in within the picture.

• Is it Copy-slant or Visual-slant? / Copy-driven or Visual-driven?

• The colour red is associated with seduction, power and romance and therefore links these ideas to the fragrance, selling it to the viewer as everyone wants these attributes. With the photographical and presentational devices assuring that Johansson’s lips are the first thing you see; this is a very powerful first impression for the fragrance, setting the tone for the connotations of the rest of the advertisement.

• Does it have staying power that makes you want to continue reading? Why?

• Yes, This creation of a brand such as attempted by Dolce & Gabbana is extremely powerful when successful, as the brand will automatically be associated with luxury and glamour through signification; with the brand name being the signifier and the signified being ideas of luxurious and glamorous lifestyle associated with Dolce & Gabbana. This will ultimately help to sell the brand universally, whatever their product, due to the connotations of the brand name.

1. Flow

• What is the (hierarchical) flow of the ad?

• The hierarchical flow for this ad is when we look at the visual in this ad; it’s including

• Is it a good flow? How & why?

• For me, it is a good flow because the message can be delivered successfully and it is effective for this campaign ad.

• Does the flow work well with the concept (image> headline> body copy> tagline> whole concept)?

• Fact that the fragrance name does not include any capital letters, which suggests its simplicity and sends out the myth on a connotative level that it’s easy and simple to be glamorous with this fragrance. This lower case name also contrasts well with the brand name, which appears completely in capital letters which suggests that above all they are selling the brand and as such a well-established brand the brand name DOLCE & GABBANA speaks for itself in selling the fragrance. This advertisement is to affect consumers into believing the naturalise the myth that will make them feel that if they own the luxurious fragrance the one then they too will beautiful, glamorous, seductive and therefore attractive to men, just like Scarlett Johansson.

Is the flow relevant to the concept?

• Yes it is relevant because the concept is appropriate and can be seen obviously as it simple to understand.

1. TOV

• What is the Tone of Voice of the ad?

The Tone of Voice of the ad; it’s seem to be communicating, the text, serving as a sign indicating an upper-class audience.

• Is the Art Direction done according to the intended T.O.V. of the brand?

• It’s symbolizes success, glamour and beauty. If for example an everyday woman off the street was chosen to endorse this fragrance and was not iconic of a typically ‘attractive’, or the ‘ideal’ woman the fragrance would not sell half so well. We could imagine that this would also make us feel a little uncomfortable to be flouting the conventions that we are used to.

• Is the T.O.V. appropriate (relevant) to Brand Image/Target Audience?

If yes/no, how & why?

No, although this fragrance does depict ideas of seduction and sexuality on a connotative level it is interesting to note that Scarlett Johansson does not appear to be looking directly at us. This is an interesting point to pick up on, as retailers often use this photographical rhetoric of appearing to look into the distance to ‘tone-down’ the sexuality of the image, so that in this case it does not appear alongside her red lips and sexy clothing as if she is giving a ‘come-hither’ look. ‘When advertisements portray women as sex objects, they are likely to cause strong negative reactions

1. Idea

• Is it an expected (boring idea) or an unexpected (interesting idea)? Why?

• This is an average idea by using expenses elements like plane, wilderness landscape features etc

Is this a ‘Big’ idea?

If yes/no, how & why?

• I think this is a not big idea because in my opinion it’s completely branding for DOLCE & GABBANA.

Let’s look at some possible combinations:

a) Straight copy + straight image = expected idea

b) Straight copy + bent image = unexpected idea

c) Bent copy + straight image = unexpected idea

d) Bent copy + bent image = unexpected/unclear idea

1. Art direction execution

Does the art direction support/enhance the idea?

If yes/no, how & why?

• Please comment on the Art Direction aspects of each element in the ad accordingly :

a) Image (illustration or photography, natural or studio lighting, dull or glamorous- looking image, perspective of the image, depth of field: background & foreground, rule of 3rd, realism or fantasy, dynamic or straight-forward, genre/style, framing/ cropping of picture, texture, mood, sharpness, light & contrast)

• Yes the art direction support the idea, In the advertisement Scarlett Johansson is wearing a low-cut silk dress, which is an indexical sign of being ready for a party, or special event, which on a connotative level, with the special silky texture of the dress suggests glamour, seduction and class which reinforces the chic, luxurious, seductive and feminine feel of the fragrance. With all signs combined in this advert we can suggest that they connote a story or situation. The signs connote that a beautiful, powerful, glamorous and seductive woman is sat in her dressing room where she uses the fragrance the one which exaggerates all of these aspects about her, again reinforcing the myth that the fragrance enhances you.

b) Typography (arrangement of type, types of font & categories, texture, value & colour of type, genre/style & feel of type, grouping, alignment, grid system)

• The symbolic written text on the advertisement is in the signature font of Dolce & Gabbana and through this symbolic sign, the font is recognised and associated with the brand through a process of signification, with the signature font being the signifier and the brand being the signified. The use of a signature font is a typical convention of this genre and in this case is an indexical sign of cause and effect between Dolce & Gabbana’s font and glamour/class/chic brand.

c) Layout & Composition (harmony/balance, symmetrical or asymmetrical layout, positive & negative space, play with contrast/diagonal)

• In my point of view, this ad has influences of symmetrical layout because of the composition from the bottom right corner with her arms crossed.

d) Graphics, Lines, Border & Icon/logo.

• The graphics in this ad is high-quality, and the logo has been placed in the correct way.

-9) Does the Image used in the ad evoke (cause) any emotional feeling?

If yes/no, how & why?

• Yes the image can cause an emotional feeling of most dependable, high performance, beautiful, glamorous, seductive, chronograph movement, another great one.

1. Is there a ‘Call to action’ in the ad

• (Call a number/Cut out a coupon/Visit a showroom/etc)?

No, there is no call to action in the advertisement.

1. What media do you think the ad appeared in?

• Do you think the ad appeared in an appropriate media?

If yes/no, how & why?

• Yes, Print media is appropriate for this kind of advertisement. In my views luxury, health and fitness item always used print media as advertising means.

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the chosen media as a vehicle for the message?

• Strengths

· No heavy copy messages

· Long shelf life

· Receptive Audience

· Tangible

T.V ads
Weaknesses

· Not intrusive – There is no control as to how a person reads or views a magazine or newspaper. They may flip by your ad without even seeing it.