Commercial and Poster Analysis

Guide Questions for Commercial

1. Identify the technical codes used and how it was used in the commercial?
2. What were the symbolic codes and how did it add to the message of the
commercial?
3. Is/Are the written codes used enough to express the message of the commercial? If
yes, why? If no, why?

Commercial Analysis: Kwentong Jollibee Valentine’s Series 2017: Vow

The Jollibee commercial made use of the following technical codes throughout the
video: medium shot, medium close up, close up, extreme close up, low angle, pan, and tilt.
Most of the technical codes were used to introduce characters or depict a scene and a story
(medium shot, low angle, pan, and tilt) while others were used to convey and express
emotions that the characters want the viewers to sympathize to (medium close up, close
up, and extreme close up) which I found very effective.

Moving on, there were symbolic codes used in throughout this commercial. First
symbolic code, the food from Jollibee that was almost present in every scene of the video.
Connotatively, food is just something what people eat, yet in this video the food became a
symbol of the beginning of their story – the birth of their connection. Gestures and facial
expressions – features that helped the characters in conveying their emotions and the
viewers as well in understanding what message the commercial is trying to transmit, are
also part of the symbolic codes that were present in the commercial

Lastly, the written codes – the written narration of the commercial and the slogan.
The narration really helped in making the viewers understand what the narrator was
saying although he was very articulate and was able to integrate the appropriate emotions
with the words he’s saying. The slogan at the end of the commercial really made it enticing
for the viewers to attract customers which was its purpose aside from conveying a story
that is based from a real life experience.
Guide Questions for the Poster Analysis

1. Identify the codes used.

2. Summarize the messages of the poster by looking on the codes used.

Poster Analysis #1: Rings (2017)

Technical code: medium shot; symbolic code: color, long hair; written code: tagline.

The codes (listed above) that were used in this poster without knowing what the
genre of the movie is made an impression to me that it is a horror movie. The color palette
that was present in this poster all relate to horror or thriller – they all are symbols of fear
and loneliness. Persons with long hair also added to the feel of the poster since persons
with long hair are often associated with scary and mysterious entities. Moving on, the
tagline also made it pretty clear that it was a horror movie since it said “Evil is reborn.”
Overall, the codes that were used in this poster did an amazing job in reflecting the genre of
the film and the emotions that can be felt when you watch it.

Poster Analysis #2: Miracles from Heaven (2016)

Technical code: wide shot; symbolic code: bare tree; written code: title and tagline.

From the codes the poster offered, it made me arrive into a conclusion that the
genre of this movie is drama. The wide shot of the scenery and the mother and child give off
the drama genre vibe. The title and tagline in the poster made me think that the movie has
something to do with “miracles” that happen to the daughter. Moreover, there is a bare tree
that is often associated with the stages, cycles, and season of life which made me think
further that the daughter is experiencing a terminal disease that was miraculously cured.
All in all, compared to the poster of Rings (the poster analysed above), this poster did not
instantly made me comprehend what it means – it made me think harder compared to the
other one, yet it still did a good job in making me understand the message it wanted to
convey.