Meaning

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Meaning
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• The Art of
• Seduction
• Sales

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• This is your brain on advertising

EVENT
A REPTILE BRAIN FIGHT, FLIGHT, SEX, FOOD
B ANIMAL BRAIN EMOTIONS
C
C HUMAN BRAIN LOGIC
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Techniques

• Reciprocation
• Authority
• Scarcity
• Commitment
• Liking
• Consensus (Social Validation)

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Techniques

• Reciprocation Free gifts, samples, buy one, get
  one free, concessions.
• Authority 9 out of 10 dentists prefer,
  Contains ZX93., Martha Stewart home
  furnishings.
• Social Validation Fastest growing newspaper in
  the area, Were 1!, More people buy X
  than, anything on MTV. Unintended consequences
  suicide prevention awareness, drug prevention,
  etc.
• Consistency Test drives, information cards,
  surveys, petitions.
• Liking Use of celebrities to sell products,
  Tupperware parties, beauty, compliments,
  affiliation, good cop, bad cop.
• Scarcity Only one day left!!, Buy now!,
  Secrets of the Internet,
• The Science of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini
• Scientific American, February 2001

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Stages of Selling

• Preparation
• Targeting, introduction, relationship
• Pitch
• Overcoming objections
• Close

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1a. Targeting

• Identify Target
• Evaluate possible approaches
• Do not be afraid to aim high
• Find out as much as possible about the Target
  beforehand

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1b. Introduction

• Attract attention
• First impressions count, and are made in seconds
• First impressions can be overcome

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1c. Relationship

• Create an atmosphere in which the Target is open
  to buying
• During this phase, gather information about what
  the Target likes, and become that thing

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2a. Pitch

• Propose the sale
• Sell the benefits, not the features
• If the result is positive, go to Close
• If the result is negative, go to Overcoming
  Objections

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2b. Overcoming Objections

• Get the Target to voice objections
• Acknowledge them
• Overcome them.
• E.g. This vacuum cleaner is too expensive.
  It is more expensive than other brands, but it
  will last longer, and so be cheaper in the long
  run.
• Repeat as necessary

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3. Close

• Once objections are overcome, close the sale
• The target should be left in an agreeable mood,
  and positively reinforced about having bought
• Upselling may be tried at this point

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READING ADS
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Signs

• A sign, according to Saussure (1915/1966), is a
  combination of a
• concept and a sound-image, a combination that
  cannot be separated.
• But because Saussure does not find these terms
  quite satisfactory, he
• modifies them slightly
• I propose to retain the word sign signe to
  designate the whole
• and to replace concept and sound-image
  respectively by signified
• signifié and signifier signifiant the last
  two terms have the
• advantage of indicating the opposition that
  separates them from
• each other and from the whole of which they are
  parts. (p. 67)
• Berger, Semiotic Analysis

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The Triangle of Meaning
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The Triangle of Meaning
Connotations of Cat-ness
SYMBOLIZES
REFERS TO
Actual cats (Denotation)
STANDS FOR
CAT
Symbols used to represent cats
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The Triangle of Meaning
Domesticity, comfort, laziness, predator, night
vision, ownership, speed, femininity, childhood,
fleas, mice, solitude, softness, Tom Jerry,
Garfield, arrogance, etc
Cat
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Connotation/Denotation
Domesticity, comfort, laziness, predator, night
vision, ownership, speed, femininity, childhood,
fleas, mice, solitude, softness, Tom Jerry,
Garfield, arrogance, etc
People
Animals
Cartoons
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SIGNS

• DESIGN SYMMETRY, TRIANGLES, FOCUS
• TYPEFACE
• COLOR
• (BACK)GROUND
• MOOD
• LANGUAGE WHAT ELSE DOES THE COPY REFER TO?
• - NARRATIVE WHAT STORY IS BEING TOLD?
• GRASP TEST GENDER/RACE/AGE/SEXUALITY/
• POLITICS
• CONFORMITY/REBELLION WHAT POLITICAL MESSAGE IS
  BEING OFFERED?
• WHAT IS THE PREFERRED MEANING?
• WHAT IS THE IRONIC MEANING?

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Man Hat Words Horse Shirt Clothes Shoes Snow Cigar
ettes? Color Composition
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• GRASPing Meaning
• What does the ad say about
• Gender
• Race/Ethnicity
• Age
• Sexuality
• Politics/Class?

(Chrysler outboard ad, 1969)
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(Boeing ad, 1959)
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(Wrangler ad, 1978)
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Context Matters
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Context Matters
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Context Matters
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Context Matters
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