“Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.”
– William Shakespeare
Figure 1: Gucci
This advert shows a potentially naked couple involved in a passionate embrace. The dark background makes you think that this is taking place at night adding to the sexual aspect of the image. There is an implication through the text that this is could be an adulterous relationship, a captured moment.. The position of the product beneath the head of the female could indicate that she is his guilty pleasure or secret.
The man is dominant. He is making eye contact with the camera and is positioned above the female, asserting his control of the situation. The female is gazing up at him as though she wants his attention. The advert tells men that if you want to feel more attractive to women and have them swoon naked over you, use this product. The lips of both the male and female are red- the colour of seduction and passion. The title of the product and the man’s calm gaze makes me wonder what he is guilty about. His expression and the product name could have many connotations dependent on the viewer. Each person who views the image will have a different baseline on which to judge and interpret the image. Different audiences and viewers will have different interpretations of the image. this will also be true of the different interpretations realised in different cultures. The kinds of questions that could be asked of the image are:-
What is he guilty about?
Did he take advantage of her?
Is he cheating on her or with her?
The other question that springs into my mind is what are Gucci guilty of? Without the imagery they have used, I would definitely be looking for an answer to that question!
The image is selling the lifestyle of Gucci. The product exudes passion and excitement. There is an element of danger in the guilty pleasure of the product. There is a fantasy, almost dreamlike quality about the image. For men and women, this embrace and intimacy are what the use of the product means to them. The choice of golden tones and highlighting add to the sexual feeling of the image, implying quality and expense with the Gucci product. Gucci are reliant on the sex implied in the image to sell the product.
There is a lot to think about when presenting images for public consumption. This image reminds me that there will always be several meanings given to an image. I need to be mindful that I make sure that all aspects of my image are interpreted in the way I intend and that I ensure there can be no ambiguity or misconstrued message given in the signifiers and signified aspects of my images.
REFERENCES
Shakespeare, W. From BrainyQuote. 2017. Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind. – William Shakespeare – BrainyQuote. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/williamsha380846.html?src=t_guilty. [Accessed 13 March 2017].
Figure 1: Gucci From Just Jared. 2017. Chris Evans: New Gucci Guilty Ad! | Chris Evans : Just Jared. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.justjared.com/2010/12/19/chris-evans-new-gucci-guilty-ad/. [Accessed 13 March 2017].
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