Semiotic Analysis of an Advertisement- Cupa Chups

Chupa Chups Sugar Free Campaign (2016)

This is the advertisement that will be deconstructed through a semiotic analysis- an advertisement
from Spanish sweets company Chupa Chups that seeks to emphasise the sugar-free nature of their
products. Stuart Hall (1996) emphasises that first and foremost, ideology informs meaning- in this
case, one’s ideals about what is meant by a lollipop, by ants, by the ground and grass, will entirely
inform one’s reading of this image.

The viewer is presented with a simple image. The background is the ground, signified by a
concrete-like grey texture and large, highly detailed grass, indicating the view is very close to the
ground. A lollipop is lying on the ground, open to the air, as signified by its white stick and small,
round, colourful, swirly top, each common signifiers of a lollipop. Many small insects are shown
walking in a uniform line. As ants are one of very few insect species known to do this, we can
assume they are ants. They are shown avoiding the lollipop, prompting viewers to wonder why.
The company’s logo is shown on the bottom right, as is the text “It’s sugar free.” This answers the
question of why the ants avoided the lollipop, explaining the advertisement to any who may not
have understood it at first.

The denotative meanings are simple- a line of ants is walking around a lollipop. It’s only when the
connotative meanings are considered and one wonders why the ants are walking around the
lollipop that the advertisement’s meaning becomes clear. Ants are recognised to be particularly
attracted to food with sugar, so for them to avoid the lollipop is to suggest that the lollipop is
sugar-free.
The paradigmatic relationship is therefore made obvious. Taken separately, none of the signs
would convey the intended meaning. If any one element was removed, the meaning would
change. If there were no lollipop, the ants would instead by moving in a strange direction for no
reason, and if there were no ants, it would simply be a lollipop on the ground with nothing to
emphasise its sugar-free nature; though that does raise the question of how necessary a sign
might be, as the text of the advertisement would still make the intended meaning clear and the
total absence of insects might lead an astute viewer towards the right conclusion regardless.
Equally, the text itself might be removed and the advertisement would be harder to parse, but not
impossible.

The societal connotations of a lack of sugar indicate healthiness and suggest that the product
would be better for someone than an equivalent product that does contain sugar. It otherwise
places the lollipop into a “higher” class than the average lollipop, marking it as something superior.
Culturally, the advertisement also draws upon the viewer’s common recognition of ants being
creatures that regularly swarm any sugary food dropped on the ground. In this, common culture,
narrative and myth are easily interwoven into the advertisement and make it easily understood
after just a moment’s consideration.

In a syntagmatic sense, the advertisement also relies on the order of the signs within the
advertisement creating a recognisable image, most clearly within the provided text. The words
“It’s sugar free” create the intended meaning when in that order, and lose the intended meaning
completely or otherwise appear to be broken English if it were rearranged into, say, “Sugar it’s
free.”

The advertisement also makes use of indexical signs in that sense- indexical signs refer to when
the signifier is caused by the signified, like smoke meaning fire. In this case, the signifier of the ants
avoiding the lollipop in itself is caused by the signified lack of sugar.

The basis of this advertisement by Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice is to inform consumers
that their specific product is absolutely nothing but 100% pure & natural orange juice. This ad is
also used to persuade consumers that not only is it of fresh taste, but it is as fresh as orange juice
gets. This plain-to-see portrait shows a ripened orange hanging, as if it were still hanging from it's
originating tree-branch, dripping its natural and naked juice down into a glass. This clearly
demonstrates how pure it would be, as if it was an actual process of nature that makes the
Tropicana products. Another interesting part of the ad that seems significant to its persuasiveness
is the alignment of orange halves. Included in this line of natural fruits is the  actual glass that is
being filled with the juice from the orange above it. This is portraying the glass as an actual orange
half itself as it stands in line with the other halves. The information that is being provided at the
bottom is added to very well support the picture. The description is very straight-to-the point, very
inviting, and gives interesting details on the production of the juice. It highlights that the special
oranges aren't just picked, but are specifically selected for top-notch freshness. The ad's picture is
quite eye-catching due to its natural color and detail, allowing readers and consumers to take a
second look at its beauty. The Tropicana orange juice company is sure to let you know that no
other juice like theirs has been around for awhile and it will continue to stay and serve as the
purest orange juice ever to be sold on the market.