Design
Practice in Context 1 TFD1065
Shaunie
Harker
Critiquing Visual Communication: Sisley Fashion
Junkie
Sisley’s fashion advertising campaign portraying
fashion as an ‘addiction’ appeared to be an extremely controversial ad.
“Published in 2007” by advertising agency “Zoo, Shanghai” the series of
“Fashion Junkie” ads were a shock to the public.
Looking at one in more detail, the semiotics that creates
a drug scene use shock tactics that some cannot quite relate to nor approve of.
An initial reason being; why would Sisley associate their brand with drugs?
Surely it would press a negative representation of the brand to the public?
However, within the advertising world, any publicity is good publicity, or so
it seems. Propaganda initially sparks worldwide recognition therefore
generating attention which seemingly achieves` its purpose of ‘catching the
public eye’.
As anything, interpretation falls down to the individual’s
judgement on the denotation of the piece. It is evident that there are two
models and a white vest top, however as you start to interpret the image, there
can be many connotations. Initially, the first thing tat appeared within my
mind, was a typical stereotype of models taken cocaine. Infamously, Kate Moss’
cocaine scandal rocked the British fashion circle and brought shame and gave a
stereotype to the British fashion model community. With the scandal arising in
2005 and continuing throughout 2006, Sisley released their ad in 2007 after the
spark of the supermodel and cocaine scandal had calmed down. With the awareness
of the scandal still fresh within the publics mind, justifying the
interpretation of the ad would be negative thus having the ad frowned upon. In
addition to the negative connotations of the ad, an evident denotation that
isn’t as striking as the acted drug scene, would be that the models right
nipple is on show. All be it, it is mild sexual reference but that beside the
connotations can be seen to present models to fit their stereotype and offer a
demeaning status.
Alternatively, some could say that the ad is humorous
that aims to take the seriousness out of the Kate Moss cocaine scandal. It is
evident that there is inter-textual reference and given the dates and social
awareness off it, the target audience can speculate and interpret how they
want. Taking into consideration Barthes theory, sign, signifier and signified,
we can analyse the advertisement and breakdown the stages to interpretation
through simple denotations. The sign can be made up of the models and the vest,
the signifier being the positioning and the ‘use’ of the vest to finally
provide the signified or the mental image would be the connotations provided dependant
on how an individual would interpret it. For example, if your not involved with
the fashion media you may have the “conception of the commonplace high fashion model that
is similar to mine: stick-thin, snooty girls who party hard on the weekends and
either suffer from some form of eating disorder or unhealthy drug addiction to
keep their weight down.” Therefore stating that the signified would be a
negative conception with a seemingly bad review, some even suggest that Sisley
are “inadvertently promoting the use of cocaine”.
Looking at the role of women within advertising,
excluding any immediate reference to connotations in this particular ad or
drugs themselves, Jon Berger highlights great thesis. With the constant
ridicule of weight and self-image, “A woman continually watches herself”, John
Berger claims. The medias influence on female’s body image, past and present,
tends to make women “survey” themselves and one another. Berger continues, “she
has to survey everything she is and everything she does because how she appears
to others, and ultimately how she appears to men, is of crucial importance for
what is normally thought of as the success of her life”. This inevitably draws
together a reflection on a woman’s image in society today. The constant need to
be thin, attractive and wanted by men. I could be correct in claiming that
women have this urge to look good, resort to advertisements and models as there
way of inspiration. Looking back to the Sisley ad, this ad is not only a
negative representation of models but also a negative representation of women.
The public that view the ad, bearing in mind all ages, inspire to these women
and for them to be portrayed as a drug abuser is horrific. “By contrast, a
woman’s presence expresses her own attitude to herself, and defines what can
and cannot be done to her”, Berger claims. Although complex when thought about,
a woman can set her social standing and presence through her personality. This
is an immediate judgment brought by how she presents herself and how she would
then be perceived.
Conclusively, “publicity can translate even revolution
into its own terms” showing how strong the world of media and advertisement can
influence just one person. People talk, produce propaganda and influence each
other’s judgments showing a contrast between the publics perception and what is
actually there in front of them.
Unknown. (2007). Sisley Fashion Junkie. Available:
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/sisley_fashion_junkie_1. Last accessed
17th April 2012
John Berger (1972). Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books 40-41
John Berger (1972). Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books
145
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