Molly Simpson

GHD Advert Analysis

Detonations and Connotations can be interpreted in a variety of ways. The detonations I can identify from the GHD advert is that, straight away, there is a woman wearing strappy red heels, with a matching red dress, where the neckline is low. Shes also posing in an awkward position with her hands elegantly out, interpreting that she cant even see whos around her. She is wearing a golden necklace and bracelet and her hair, which is ginger-like, seems to have a lot of volume to it. Her skin is also bronzed. Above her, there are some child-like angels, naked, with white wings attached to them. They seem to be holding a thin, gold circle, which could potentially be there to represent a halo. The child-like angels look like theyre flying. Around the woman, there are three men, crouching, looking up at her. They are all raising their hands. Their T-shirts are black, and have an image of skull and crossbones on them. One of the men is holding a skateboard. I can also identify one of them has jewellery on. In the bottom right corner, there is a sonnet-like quote, and an image of the products GHD potentially has to sell. The image includes their logo and their slogan. In the top right corner, there is a sentence saying And there she was an urban angel. Made not born. The lighting is dark in most areas, except on the woman and the product. Lastly, I can see the background scene. Its dark and industrialised. The connotations I can identify from the GHD advert is from everything included in the image. First, the woman. Due to her red dress and heels (and her dress being very low cut), I can infer that the colour represents passion, love and desire. This could potentially draw the readers in (also because she has a great figure). Shes standing in an awkward position, which makes me feel like its been rehearsed, posed and put on. Because she looks like she cant see the others around her, it makes me see that shes the centre of attention in this image; also, her use of hands give me the impression that she could possibly be pushing the other away for her,

Molly Simpson And saying get out of my way using her body language. The colour of her necklace, bracelet and skin infers that she is expensive, rich and a winner. It could also infer that she cannot be touched (relating to her body language). Her skin colour being bronzed makes her look goddess-like (maybe thats why others are looking up at her). Because of the advert, the hair should be the only thing we are paying attention to. However, the hair is still eye catching. Due to her hair having a lot of volume to it and being ginger infers that she stands out and is different amongst the crowd. I think the advert is trying to say you can be unique if you use their products. Overall, the woman in the advert looks unique and individual, and because she and her hair looks great, I think the advert is trying to say if you buy their products, you could look great too. Next, the angels. Due to the angels being children may represent cupid in a way. It seems to me like theyre trying to say you should love this hair, maybe thats why theyre putting a halo on her head. I think the angels and the wings being naked and white, represents purity and hope. Maybe theres hope in getting the products shown or the hair. The circle being placed on the womans head straight away represents a halo. This could infer she is an angel herself. The halo is, yet again, golden so infers that she is expensive still. The angels look like theyre flying. This could infer that theyve been sent from heaven above to rescue the angel (the women). Thirdly, around the women. Due to the three men crouching, I can infer that maybe they are worshipping her, up looking up at her (from their stance and hand gestures). I can also infer from their stance that they may be coming from hell (because theyre so close to the floor, they are looking up at the women because they want to be like her). Because of the men having black skull and crossbones t-shirts on, this makes me think that perhaps the men are the opposite of angels and are bad. It could also infer that theyre poisonous and shouldnt be like them (the advert is persuading you to be like the woman with the nice hair, not the dangerous men). Most men are wearing jewellery and one is holding a skateboard, this could infer that the men are industrialised, therefore come from earth and want to be from heaven (like the women). The sonnet in the bottom right corner infers that it is being written about the women in the advert. It talks about confidence and beauty and she certainly looks like these things. The GHD products are there for advertisement and persuading you to purchase them. The logo and slogan are there to make you aware of what all their products have on them for when you go to buy them. The sentence And there she was an urban angel. Made not born. Infers to me that although shes an angel, shes from our world (earth) therefore we can all be like her (buy the products and you will be). Last but not least, the lighting. The lighting is obviously dark and sometimes light in certain areas. You can infer from this that the producer of the advertisement wants you to pay direct attention of the womans hair and the products. They want you to buy them. Lastly, the background. The background is dark and industrialised; relating back to the urban theory. The background contains some stairs, which may be seen as stairways to heaven as they are in the same direction of where the angels came from and where the woman is standing. Overall, the GHD advertisement contains many detonations and connotations, inferring that there is a lot of meaning and hard work which goes in to them. The advertisements have to have a lot of meaning behind them to make the members of the public interested in the product.