Semiotic Analysis Report-- The Best Perfume Commercial: Pleasure by Estee Lauder

http://newperfumeshop.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/30-of-the-very-best-perfume-commercials/

This essay is about a semiotic analysis of the advertisement concerns the above advertising of women's perfume, Estee Lauder. Thus this essay will individually analyze the above advertisements in terms of their status as signs, whose associative meanings not only gave a favorable impression of the product, but were also compatible with, and complementary to the feminine context in which they were situated. Although the advertisements do not physically represent the product, they all provide an important iconic representation of both the product and what the product should stand for. Thus, analysis will strongly focus upon the advertisements' photographic imagery, and the ways in which this imagery generates the appropriate signified concepts or emotional overtones which promotes the image of the product.

The above image features an advertisement for the perfume ‘Pleasure by Estee Lauder’. The advertisement uses a variety of signifiers which publicize both the identity of the brand, and an image which is in line with the ideology of the text in which it appears, in this case, is the sensual, elegant, soft and romance. This advert predominately features a female model in her early to mid twenties, and she is sitting at the veranda with her hand holding a dog, surrounding by pink flowers with a joyful expression. Adjacent to her is an iconic image of the product itself, and at the center of the product are the name ‘Pleasure’ which written in handwriting beautifully. The word ‘Pleasure’ is projected as being disproportionately large. Underneath this iconic image of the product is the brand name of the product, ‘Estee Lauder’, and underneath the brand name are the words: ‘Defining Beauty’, together these separate components form an effective and unified message.

‘Estee Lauder’ Company was founded in 1946. It is a US manufacturer and marketer of skin care, cosmetics, perfume and hair care products. ‘Estee Lauder’ began as a cosmetics company in New York City. In early 1950s, Lauder reunited with a fragrance executive that she met a decade earlier in order to develop a perfume. With their starts in skin care and then moved on to perfumes. In 1953, the first perfume, ‘Youth Dew’ was launched and is very successful. ‘Estee Lauder’ has worked hard to become a symbol of women specialist in all areas from hygiene to skin care. In the case of ’Estee Lauder’, the media channels used are selective for a specific target market, which are upper socio-economic level of consumers, particularly rich women.

In 1995, ‘Estee Lauder’ launched a new perfume ‘Pleasure’. ‘One of life’s simple pleasures’ is the concept of the ‘Estee Lauder’ perfume of series ‘Pleasure’. In order to make sure the image and exclusivity of ‘Pleasure by Estee Lauder’ remains intact in the information received by the audience. The demographics and target audience are essential.  For this product, its target is mostly on young female, between early 20 to 35 years old, who loves the scent that is not complicated, with fresh floral and not too overwhelming. From the above advertisement of the ‘Pleasure’ perfume, we can elaborate that the subject, which is the female model provides a youthful element of joyful and relaxing, which serves both the product and the text in which it is being advertised.

‘Pleasures by Estee Lauder’ perfume, model by Carolyn Murphy was interpreting ‘Pleasures’ from non verbal communication. We can see a female model enjoying her lovely day wearing a nice pink evening dress sit at veranda while holding her dog. This moment shows she is definitely in comfort zone by using the perfume. The communicator tries to convey the feeling of pleasures by capture a moment where her body was post in relaxing posture. Even though she sit at the corner of veranda and it can be dangerous for her but her facial expression and body posture seem totally being merge with the aroma of perfume. Besides that, denotation of this ad “Pleasures” shows at hair flowing of model and the fold of the dress. It signifies that she does not know her dress had been fold until show some parts of her tight and she doesn’t care about that because it shows how pleasures or comfortable she is. Law of similarity of lighter colour becomes the main colour of this ad,  the communicator tries to capture the users by using one colour, so that the user's eyes are not distracted by overcrowded of the colour. Dogs is one of the animal that sensitive with smell, in context of communication of Estee Lauder was to show that dog had been comfortable with the aroma of perfume. The dog's expression seems comfortable with the surroundings. ‘Estee Lauder’ tries to amazed human and animal with such message conveyed that mentioned earlier above.

Furthermore, the usage of floral as the background image of the advertisement is to express the feeling that life is sweet and wonderful. It represents an idea of a stylized peony, a holographic image in vibrant green and pink shades. The pink flowers gives the meaning of buoyant touch, centered on love and female aspects, the good, soft, romance and the innocent, when related to the advertisement above; it clearly conveys the goodness, gentility, the great fragrance smell and the freshness when using this product. What separates ‘Pleasures’ from other pretty floral renditions is that it is layered over a unique musk base—metallic and sparkling. Indirectly, it also conveys a message to audience that this fragrance’s scent is not too overwhelming; it is simply floral, and fresh. It gives a feeling of being young again.

However, the more interesting semiotic elements of the advert exist within its notion of freedom, which is the advent’s primary signified concept. The notion of freedom is primarily conveyed by the image of this female model and her puppy; who, in view of her gesture; seems extremely happy, and unrestricted by normal life, thus providing a sense of liberation which is also convey by her facial expression and her gesture. With the woman sitting at the fence with an elegant posture signifies the gentle touch of the ‘Estee Lauder’ product it brings. The dog hold by the woman happily was to express that the joyfulness and the enjoyment when using the product. Furthermore the softly focused quality of the photography and the holographic image in vibrant green and pink shades are further signifiers which contribute to this joyful, flourish, clean, utopian image of liberation.

With detailed and further analysis, ‘Estee Lauder’ is able to predict its influences on the audience, depending on type of mass communication they use. They know exactly why certain media campaign fails to alter audience's attitudes and their trust. Thus, ‘Estee Lauder’ has identified two basic need of its audience through its new product, ‘Pleasure’. One of the categories of the basic need of the audience is casual and simple – pursuit of modesty and pleasure. The pursuit of a life-style where you can undergo life with playful side of pleasures that simply irresistible. While, the second is the escapist needs, the needs which relating to escaping tension, stress, body odour, desire and self-confident. Perfume is like a reflection of a person’s personality. With the right choice, it gives confidence to a person to carry on with their daily life. ‘Estee Lauder’ spent millions in order to reach its audiences, to understand where and who they are, and knowing what kind of advertising appeals to them.

The non-verbal cues in the picture contribute to the verbal message in numerous ways.  The first impression is joyful, soft and romance by having putting pink color as the color theme and the female model’s facial expression and gesture. In order to make the female model stand out, the photographer cleverly vague the background flower. The choice of graphic is to blend in with the coloring and to subtly state its name. Indirectly, to blend with the message its try to convey – joyful, soft, romance. The only verbal information is the brand name – ‘Estee Lauder’, product name – ‘Pleasure’, and its tagline – ‘Defining Beauty’.

In conclusion, this assignment has guide us to give a semiotic analysis of advertisement whose signifiers were not only designed to give a favorable and appropriate image of the product but also shown to have a strong relationship with the textual context in which the signs were located. By analyzing and theorizing how mass communication works, institutions can better understand the effects of the media on the audience. As a mass audience we must understand what the mass media tries to conveyed to us, and know when we are subconsciously affected. This knowledge will be able to protect us from being manipulated by the mass communication, and being made to believe that a perfume can brings peace and joyfulness to us.