Universität Bayreuth, SS 2005
PS: Linguistics and Semiotics of English Advertising Texts

Pictures, music, speech and writing

by: Catharina Kern
 

Introduction

There are three different means of communication which are used in ads: music, pictures and language. All of these modes can be further devided into sub-modes. The following text examines the effect of various combinations of modes in ads and of three sub-modes of language: song, speech and writing.

It is important to mention the problem that analysts have with analysing ads. As pictures and music are the essence of many ads and do help creating a mood or pursuading, analysis has to take these modes into account. This is very difficult to handle because the mode of analysis is language and therefore different to the mode of most ads. Especially with television ads it is impossible to reproduce the sound, the moving pictures and the different combinations of speech on paper. Because of the importance of music and pictures in ads this text also considers their effect on language.

An example: The perfect combination

An example for the combination of all three modes is an ad for the softdrink “Sprite”. By analyzing it one realizes the problem of transcribing music and pictures on the page and of describing the interaction with each other and with language. The spot is accompanied by a song, devided into four phases, which differ in speed and beat.

The ad shows a couple stuck in a traffic jam in a tunnel on a hot day. They open a can of Sprite and while drinking it the camera takes us into the can inside. In this scene tension is built up and raises up to a climax. In the next scene a toboggan is emerging from a tunnel, smashes through a slice of lemon and again enters a tunnel. These shots are accompanied by intensifying music that speeds up and loosens again at the end. In the third part the camera is moving through ice cubes towards the surface. The toboggan reaches the end of the tunnel, smashes a slice of lime and is out in the open again. In this part the music creates a magic and mystery atmosphere. It slows down and loses beat. The final shots show the couple again moving fast and emerging the tunnel. They are cool, happy and relaxed. The music strengthens these feelings by returning to a regular and confident beat and a bouncy rhythm.

The pictures stand in relation to the music and language. This is a typical example of any TV ad which always trie to present and relate pictures, words and music to each other.
Furthermore do the words of the song get a new meaning in combination with the pictures:
“When the heat is on” ,which usually means “when life is difficult”, is sung at the beginning and therefore also refers literally to the heat in the car.

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