A méhkas szelleme - ME.dok 2012/2

ME.dok • 2009/4
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babies. The logo is the next sign which helps us to figure out the connotative
meaning of this ad. After seeing the white colored Durex Extra Safe label on
the upper right edge, we can make the connection. The stork is out of job,
because with this product prevents unwanted pregnancies. The relation between
signs can be made easily. Other question would be what kind of effect
does it have on couples besides a smile…
Our last example will be a Tampax ad from the 1999’s, published in Elle
magazine. The reason why I saved this ad for the end is that this one combines
two issues. First of all advertisers needed to find a mask for the taboo
of menstruation. This mask is similar to our prior examples. But an other
element is introduced for capturing attention and wake desire: sexuality. Sex
is often used in advertising, but according to law it has to be “hidden”. The
same method is used for hiding sexual symbols: the humor. After analyzing
the picture, we can deduce that the main image shares some similarities with
a cartoon drawing. But it is shown with certain human qualities, the tampon
has face, arms and an important attribute: it’s A real smoothy. Advertisers
used a rhetorical figure: the personification. If we take this in consideration,
we can already deduce some main characters of the product. Being a smoothy
involves being polite, confident, relaxed, able to persuade etc. The meaning
is metaphorical. Tampax can provide confidence for women, they can be
relaxed and feel great, even sexy, able to manipulate, to seduce. The ad tries
to limit the connotations to the sexual field. The non-metaphorical sense
of smooth alludes to physically be a smoothy and they do it with the text
bellow the image: With a sleek silky outfit and a tapered tip its suave touch
never fails to impress. Girls, you’ve been warned: it’s a real smoothy. There is
clearly a dual meaning here. The silky outfit could refer to the outer layer of
the tampon, but as well can be an alluzion to a well-dressed man, wearing
silky clothing. So in this ad we have to deal with a situation that first of all
involves the tampon that phisically is smooth and on the other hand, a man
who is smooth in the sense that he has certain personal qualities. Even in
the picture, the drawing, the tampon is presented as a man, or at least as a
human being. This lets us deduce that there are two pragmatical factors in
our analysis. The non-sexual nature gives us information about the physical
characteristics of the tampon, in the sexual sense the tampon represents a
phallic symbol and according to this the man as well. The relation between
these connotations is purely physical, there is a part of the man which functions
in relation to women parallel with the tampon, namely his sexual organ.
They merge in the same role. We can find a metonymic relationship in
this blend, because the ad makes the identification of tampon with the organ,
so results that the personified product has phallic, Casanova-like qualities.
The Casanova style is also represented by the rose in the figure’s mouth, his
big smile on his face, the sleek silky outfit he has, these are all aspects that
make the man impressive. Together with the suave touch and the fact that he
never fails to impress. All these meanings reflect to the product and create a
new information about it, that women like the smoothness of the tampon, so
they will find it attractive and will be persuaded to buy it. In addition they
create a humorous effect by the visual structure and components of the ad, as
well as blending man and tampon, non-sexual and seductive function of it.
As we could see the issues discussed in my essay begun to represent
a problem, or at least a subject of conversation already after the 1890’s.