Old Spice magazine/poster analysis homework 07/01/19.

In this cover of 'Old Spice' the overall layout and composition is fairly simple; landscape with a cover star in the center and little amount of text, without a masthead. However, in the overall mis-en-scene, we can see the cover lines instead such as "Old Spice Bahamas comes from an antiperspirant mine in the Bahamas" and then "Old Spice" which using Barthes Semiotics theory, could signify that without the masthead, perhaps they wanted to get to the point and tell us what the product is about, however, how would the audience be able to identify the product properly without the actual masthead of the cover? Further, the typography in this cover is fairly small and san-serif, meaning it could connote masculinity and strength. In terms of what is inside the actual mis-en-scene, we can clearly see a dark male cover with a metaphor of a volcano replacing the top of his head, and this of course, could perhaps signify him as someone who is "hot" if they use the Old Spice product; they would be deemed more attractive if they use it. This idea can also be corroborated by the fact that around the cover pupil, he is surrounded by people who are enjoying themselves and having fun. It can almost be said that the cover of this product takes an appearance of Surrealism, making things look realistic but not at the same time. In terms of other things like the anchorage here, it would seem that one of the cover lines: "Old Spice Bahamas (...) This fact has not been fact-checked" would be the anchorage because without it, the audience wouldn't really be to identify the product and what it does or what it's supposed to be. The main narrative of this advertisement, I think, is to persuade the main demographic audience of males 19-25, to buy the product so that they could feel better about themselves and appear more attractive or "hot" as the volcano signifies.

Moreover, in terms of the messages and values the cover communicates is again, making the target audience feel better about themselves, raise self-esteem, so that they could smell fresh and attractive after using the Old Spice product, it's an "outdoor campaign using tiny figures as a visual metaphor for how great you will smell using Old Spice." which is exactly what the cover portrays. In addition to this idea of surrealism, this advertisement also portrays the idea of postmodernism; where anything can be art, that the 'reality' we live in, is defined by images, stereotypes and different representations of things, and this advertisement clearly portrays that. The idea of postmodernism displays a state of simulacrum; it plays on its audience by the fact that they know these types of advertisements are cheesy, yet they work. The element of postmodernism paints a type of mix and match aesthetic. 

In conclusion, I think that this cover is extremely interesting and something that is out there, different to any covers out there that are trying to advertise their products. This cover is especially unique because it has a surrealism art element to it, which is why it stands out from most covers. I think that the messages that it conveys are positive and persuasive; the cover itself is very persuasive as it seems that if the audience use the product, they will end up smelling fresh and appearing more attractive towards other people, as in the cover, we can see the people around the cover star enjoying themselves and being happy, and as the volcano connotes, the product makes you "hot" if you use the Old Spice product. Further, the idea of postmodernism plays a significant role here as again, it creates that sense of surrealism and how the reality that we live in, is defined by images and representations, aswell as that mix and match type of aesthetic.