Levi-Strauss investigated the idea that texts can be understood through an examination of their underlining structures. He believed that meanings are created through pairs of oppositions which he called BINARY OPPOSITES. He suggested that the way these binary opposites are resolved to have ideological signification and as such communicate meanings to the audience.
Levi-Strauss theory can be applied to the WaterAid advertisement, for example Binary Opposites are constructed through the selective images used in the water aid avert, the juxtaposition of the wet British day and the diegetic audio code for the weather forecast with the parched ground of Africa constructs two different worlds, and demands that the audience examines and does not appreciate rain.
David Gauntlett’s theory of IDENTITY is relevant to both the forms of advertising and marketing, and music videos. He asserts that the media provides us with the ‘tools’ or resources that we use to construct our identities, Both advertising and music videos offer role ,models for viewers; he suggests that they then ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of the product we want to use in constructing our identities.He also asserts that the media today, unlike in the past, offer a more diverse range of stars, icons and characters from whom we may pick and mix different idea. This can be applied to the study of music videos where an audience can find an artist who best resonates with them and their attitudes and beliefs.
David Gauntlett’s theory could be applied to Beyonce’s Formation video, the reason for this is because Beyonce represents herself as a powerful women in different scenes in Formation and by having power black female role model such as Beyonce it intrigues viewers and could possibly influence young black girls to fight for themselves and be powerful, it also allows them to see Beyonce for who she is and to inspire to be like her.
Barthez was a French writer who studied semiotics. SEMIOTICS: is the study of sign processes. He argued that all texts communicate their meaning through a set of signs that need to be decoded by the audience. He was particularly interested in the way in which signs take on the ideology of a specific society , and their meanings become accepted and appear natural through repetition over time. He also argued that the way I’m which the audience interprets the image is influenced by other forces, for example culture and context. KEY ELEMENTS:Denotation and connotation
EXAMPLES:MUSIC VIDEOS-FORMATION-BEYONCE
In Beyonce’s Formation she has many meanings in the video that she wants the audience to decode. For example in her video there’s a wall that has the words ‘STOP SHOOTING US’ this connotes the pain and fear black people face and shows how they have to beg and plea for the violence to stop.
INTERTEXTUALITY– Representations of texts, media forms that represent other media.The process of creating references to any kind of media text.
TAYLOR SWIFT-BAD BLOOD
STAR QUALITY
Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood video is a combination of both narrative and performance, it illustrates the creativity of the video and makes it interesting. The construction of the beginning of the video is similar to the opening scene of a film; following this scene we are introduced to multiple female character who’s names appear on the screen ,they are later involved in an action sequence which is resembled in many known HollyWood films, for example the opening scene has convections to Kill Bill. At the begging of the video during the action sequence the narrative follows Taylor Swift’s character and unfolded the betrayal of her friend who is played by Selena Gomez, who later assembles a gang which resembles the female gang in Sin City. Later in the video there is a a bike scene which has references from the film Tron.
INTERTEXTUALITY REFRENCES
Opening Scene-Kill Bill
Training Room reference to The hunger games
Bike scene- the film Tron
Fight Scene-also references kill bill
Character introductions-Sin City
Explosion/walking scene-Charlies Angels
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
The female characters Swift creates in the video connote the breakdown of female friendship and female empowerment, as they come together to seek revenge.This is shown through the multiple training scenes. One intertextuality reference which is shown through the training scene is The Hunger Games by using this it illustrates David Gauntlett’s theory of identity , by using a scene from a popular film it creates personas for the stars which are presented throughout the video.It may suggest that viewers and the audience who watch the video are being inspired because David Gauntlett suggests that we ‘pick and mix’ which aspects of certain products and people who we want to incorporate in our lives, he also asserts that in the media today we have a more diverse range of Stars, icons and role models ;further linking to Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood video , she incorporates a range of different female characters , therefore having something for everyone to relate to. To further add to the theme of female empowerment Taylor also incorporates a scene from the film Charlie’s Angels, which is a film about 3 female spies, Taylor may have used this scene near the end of the video when the two gangs come to fight, because it shows power by having the female character walk slowly from a explosion it connotes power and dominance.
Furthermore, it may be argued that Taylor’s video is contradicting one of the main messages in her video, as it does show female empowerment it also shows how the female characters are being sexually objectified by the type of clothing they wear.It is shown through the video that the characters are wearing slightly revealing clothing , this could link to Laura Mulve’s theory of the male gaze which is the representation of men looking at women as sexual objects by Taylor and the other female celebrities wearing slightly revealing clothing it presents them as objects to be looked at suggesting that the reasoning for this was to possibly get more views on the video, by them wearing certain clothing it appeals to the male audience and makes them want to watch the video.
We could also link the code of clothing to John Berger theory of being glamorous, all the female characters throughout the video are presented in makeup and having perfect hair, linking to them advertising their looks and by looking good they are going to be envied by others therefore making the glamorous.
BEYONCE FORMATION VIDEO
Similarly in Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood, Beyonce has also incorporated intertextuality references. However the intertextuality references Taylor uses is binary opposites to Beyonce, as she uses real life references and is trying to get across a serious message.
INTERTEXTUALITY REFERENCES
Hurricane Katrina referenced at the beginning of the video
Police Brutality/black lives matter
Antebellum dresses
Black culture
HURRICANE KATRINA
The opening frame of Formation, Beyonce uses references to Hurricane Katrina, she is seen on top of a New Orleans police car that is partially submerged under water, this may suggest the policing during Hurricane Katrina as the majority of people left behind where the poor ethnic minorities. Beyonce is also presented as a New Orleans citizen through her code of clothing, she is presenting herself as one of the victims of the Hurricane and is calling out the social commentary and showing the failure of the US police force.
The reference could be linked to George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory.He suggests that repeated exposure to television over time can subtly cultivate viewers, meaning that if Beyonce used tragic and serious matters that happen to black communities in her videos more people will be aware and will listen. Later in the video we see Beyonce drown while she is on the New Orleans police car this represents the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as a gross amount of New Orleans police abandoned their post be covering up murders and deaths of black civilians.
POLICE BRUTALITY AND BLACK LIVES MATTER
In formation Beyonce also uses the theme and references to police brutality, this is shown through a small clip of graffiti on a wall stating “Stop Shooting Us”, this connotes the pain and fear black people face and shows how they have to beg and plea for the violence to stop, it also points to recent cases in which black men were killed by police. Police brutality is also shown through the scene of a young black boy dancing in front of a line of all white police in riot gear, reinforcing that they will take charge. His dance could be seen as a challenge to the police officers, questioning their role and how they have acted towards black people; they may also question if the police will hurt the boy because he is black ,even though he is a child , it also suggest that even in the least harmful situation black people are still seen as a threat.By showing these clips in the video it outs the systematic racism which is seen throughout police forces in America.
Later, after the boy finishes his dance there are intertextuality references to the black lives matter movement, which is an international activist movement that compains against violence and systematic racism towards black people. When the boy finishes his dance he puts his hands up in surrender, just like when Michael Brown was holding his hands up before he was fatally shot dead by a white police officer. However, the police officers don’t retaliate nor use force , the simply hold their hands up joining the little boy with his actions ,symbolizing black empowerment in action.
FEMALE EMPOWERMENT
In Formation, Beyonce embraces every aspect of her identity. As shown through the scene of Beyonce and other Black women posing in Antebellum dresses, renforcing the Antebellum period in America, during the Antebellum period black minorities were used for slavery, dehumanising them,Furthermore Antebellum dresses were worn by the most elite white women during the 1800s, showing their statues and importance at the time. However Beyonce contradicts the history of white privilege in the Antebellum period, as she and multiple black women and little girls are shown wearing the dresses also reinforcing the treatment of black people at the time . Symbolizing that Black Women are just as powerful as anyone else, and shows that black women matter and should have privilege.This could be linked to David Gauntlett’s theory of identity, by having power black female role models such as Beyonce it intrigues viewers and could possibly influence young black girls to fight for themselves and be powerful.
Intertextuality references of Black Female Empowerment is also shown throughout the whole video, for example there is a scene where Beyonce and some other women are dancing in which seems to be an old fashioned house, the reason this shows empowerment is because on the walls of the corridor there are oil painting which resemble wealth and statues, equaling power. Beyonce is also shown as powerful through her code of clothing in the clip where she is wearing all black, which is associated with power, strength and sophisticated reinforcing her statues. While she is stood outside of a home she is in front of the men that are also in the frame, showing her dominance over them ;also while this scene takes place Beyonce states ” I might just be a black Bill Gates in the making” this lyric connotes that Beyonce believes in her self and believes that Women can be just as powerful and successful as men furthermore supporting Van Zoonen’s theory of gender roles, he believes that in the media they present females as stereotypical women , however Beyonce breaks that stereotype.
Also in the scene of the women dancing in sync with each other juxtaposed with the lyrics “You know you’re that bitch when you cause all that conversation” signifies that many black women have felt ignored and marginalized in their own movement, Beyonce wants to get across the problems faced by black women but also inspiring them at the same time.
BLACK CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
Throughout the video references to black communities an culture are shown, for example there is a scene with Beyonce’s daughter she is seen embracing her natural hair, which is linked to Andrew Goowin’s theory that links the lyrics to the visuals because after that clip is shown Beyonce sings “I like my baby hair with baby hair and Afros”. This sends a message to those who criticized Beyonce for not going with the Eurocentric beauty standers and embracing her ethnicity, it also send a clear message to black women and girls all around the world that naturally curly and kinky hair is beautiful. Beyonce also sings ” I like my Negro nose with my Jackson 5 nostrils” this lyric illustrates the pride in African-American features and shuts down any critiques on black features.
Black Culture and community is also shown through the scene where a group of Women are shown in a wig shop/beauty supply store, and a small clip is shown of girls doing each others hair. Hair is and has always has been a way for women to bond with each other, express themselves and make a statement, this is shown through the multiple dancing scenes the women all have different hairstyles symbolizing their free nature and to embrace your natural beauty and ethnicity.
America joined World War 2 in 1941.This changed the employment picture of the USA dramatically, it become a national necessity for women to work as the men left to fight in armed forces. This would mean higher family incomes.However, with then end of the was, women were encouraged or forced to return to their pre-war roles and the importance of nurturing roles.Was achieved/ actively edged across the advertising of the time.
AD COUNCIL,2018
The most successful advertising recruitment campaign in American History,‘Women in War Jobs’ recruited two million women into the workforce to support the war economy.The underling theme was that the social change required to bring women into the workforce was a patriotic responsibility for women and employers.Those ads made a tremendous change in the relationship of women and the work place, Employment outside of the home become socially acceptable and even desirable.
POST WAR
After the war, even if they wanted to, women found it difficult to have a career as the workforce was generally made up of men who had returned, placing women in direct competition with them. A battle they couldn’t win in 1950’s America.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT POST WAR
There was a a post-war boom and new products appeared as new technology rapidly developed. Domestic sphere for example vacuum cleaners, fridge-freezers and washing machines(tide was made for washing machines).The target audience was women and advertisers had to think of ways to persuade women to buy the product.One way to make the role of a wife and a mother culturally important, creating the stereotypical ‘happy housewife’ which all women were expected to aspire to.
THEORY
BETTY FRIEDAN SAID: For fifteen years and longer, there has been a propaganda campaign, as unanimous in this democratic nation as in the most efficient of dictatorships, to give women’s ‘prestige’ as housewives.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Advertisements often focused on winner the approval of the male audience and advertisers perpetuated the stereotype by showing that women’s domestic role could lead to a happy marriage. These post war advertisements create an unattainable dream world and caused women to feel confused about their role in society.
A women was told by advertisers to purchase an increasingly spell binding array of goods so as not to cheat her family.But the only way for her to do t is was buy going to work outside of the home, thereby cheating her family in another way.It is the paradox which emerges from an analysis of advertising in the post war period-Freeman 2014.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
In addition to domestic roles,women were also bombarded by adverts for beauty products featuring flawless women. In fact, the two stereotypes came together in the adverts from domestic products, which invariably featured women who closely resembled\ Hollywood screen stars such as Grace Kelly and Doris Day, doing washing and cleaning in the latest fashion. This placed additional pressure on the female audience, not only must her home and clothes be clean, but she must be fashionable and beautiful too.
Molly Goldthorpe Media 