Analyzing a Photographic Advertisement for its Message Content

     In a world where “the majority of people are increasingly passive and depoliticized as a society of spectacles” (Wells 195) and where “spectacle presents itself as a vast inaccessible reality that can never be questioned” (Wells 196) it is to capitalism’s complete and total disgrace that the tactics that have been perfected through elaborate research analyzing attitudinal change and influencing sustainable behavior modification for the purpose of consumer consumption in pursuit of profit must now be utilized to steer the masses to an acknowledge that the current lifestyles we enjoy are a threat to our very existence: the crisis that is global warming, the context of this advertisement.
In analyzing the above advertisement, the viewer is confronted with the linguistic message in the text that serves the function of anchoring the viewer to “the correct level of perception” (Barthes 118) thereby ensuring the viewer stays within the interpretative frame of reference intended by the creators of the message. The linguistic message in this advertisement is “IS YOUR WORRYING GLOBAL ENOUGH” continued with “FACE THE PROBLEM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.” The linguistic message directs the viewer to the signifiers of the cracked head, the small lines about the eye, the jar of cosmetic cream, and the man looking at himself in the eyes in the mirror. By anchoring the message with linguistics, the creators repress the viewers from interpreting an undesirable message. The creators of this advertisement want the viewer to imagine him or her self to be a crack head, the signifier of the first iconic message. This is supported mainly through linguistic text “FACE THE PROBLEM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE.” The linguistic text “IS YOUR WORRYING” is referring the signifier of the man looking at himself in the mirror in the eyes. This is the second iconic message and reinforces the first iconic message of a crack head. The linguistic text “GLOBAL ENOUGH” lead us to the signifiers of the jar of cosmetic cream and the small lines on the face about the corners of the man’s eyes thus tying this third iconic message to the meaning of the second iconic message.
     The denoted message is that of a man worrying about the small lines that typically fantail from the corner of one’s eyes. This is supported by the jar of cosmetic cream that is on the basin. The rhetoric of this message (the connotative meaning) within the context of the image (global warming) is recorded as “you aren’t worrying enough about the whole problem, you are applying only superficial solutions and you are cutting corners.” The denoted message behind the image of the cracked head is that global warming is drying up the available water that is available for consumption on this planet. The connotative meaning is that “you are a selfish addict, and the worst kind – you’re a crack head. You are taking from others what they need to survive in order to maintain this lifestyle you chose.” The denoted message of “looking in the mirror to see what appears wrong with you and using cosmetics to fix it” directly applies to the connotation that crack heads or any person with substance abuse problems are normally not able to look themselves in the eyes, they are unable to face the problems they are causing and see what needs to be fixed.” Therefore, the connotation reads “how are you able to look yourself in the eye, knowing what you already know about the state of the planet. You are seeing what is wrong with your physical self yet you do not see what is wrong with the entire planet. You see what you can fix with your physical self yet you do not see what you can do, yourself, to fix the global problem,” the third iconic message.
     The dominant message is that global warming is a problem and that small fixes are not sufficient as a solution to the problem. The oppositional message is that the viewer is a crack head. This applies to the society as a whole as individual measures are no longer enough to curtail the damage that is already done to our climate. The negotiated message is to face the problem before it’s too late. The significance of this message is that it is an intervention. It is designed to impact the viewer most uncomfortably. Most all in today’s society know that there is a problem with the planet and it is global warming. Most all are taking individual measures to change their lifestyle to reduce their personal impact, their carbon footprint, on the climate. This advertisement is letting the viewer know it is not enough to be considered a solution to the problem. The problem is much larger than individual changes will correct. Societal changes are necessary to combat the problem of global warming.
     Different viewing audiences will respond in a variety of ways to this message. The older generation (seniors) and the elite will disregard it out of hand. They will narrow-mindedly put themselves above the problem as it is connected to the dregs of society. These people have the wherewithal to take care of themselves without the infrastructure that the majority of our culture relies upon to conduct the daily business of making a living. In the case of seniors it is social security and retirement homes. In the case of the elite it is money. Middle class people are going to acknowledge the problem and rationalize it one of three ways. One, with the attitude that government makes the changes and that government will see to their needs. Or two, that government runs the country and that they vote does not matter, that government is run by big business and one voice won’t make a difference. Or three that they have to make a living no matter what might happen in ten to one hundred years. Government is responsible for infrastructure changes and they will make the change before it’s too late. Younger people are also going to react in a variety of ways. One way is that they will be catalyzed to join forces and make the differences in local and state venues, demanding through the power of their consumerism the choice of sustainable energy, green design, and transportation infrastructure that is affordable and will not damage the environment. Young people might be overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem and lose hope, give up, and agree with the advertisement. Or the young people will not recognize the global warming problem at all on the scale that it needs to be dealt with due to the vast programming that advertising and marketing have accomplished through their manipulative tactics to promote consumerism and make a profit.