Portfolio Task 4 - Semiotic Analysis

Wallis - Dress to Kill (Advertising Campaign)

Wallis is a British women's clothing retailer. These two images from the 'Dress to Kill' campaign both play upon how women can be seen as sex symbols for men, and uses this to create empowerment over the man from the way she dresses. In both advertisements we are presented with a photograph that immediately creates a message, which is then supported by a suitable strapline.

In the first advertisement, the image signfies an attractive, well dressed woman stood leaning against a rail looking out to sea. The woman is a sign with the signifier being her trendy appearance that denotes feminity. Their is also a car, with a male driver, that has crashed into the rail. The signifier denotes that the man has lost control of the car, with the skid marks on the ground and his line of vision being focused on the woman stood by the rail. This connotes that wearing Wallis clothing will distract men and maybe put them in danger, thus working in tandem with the strapline 'Dress to Kill'.

The woman 'dressing to kill' may simultaneously signify her social status. with the city scape in the far background suggesting importance, and a way of life.

In the second advertisement, the image signifies a man staring at an attractive woman through the window, whilst he is shaving another man. The signifier denotes that he is not paying attention to what he is doing, and is putting the other man's life in danger. The look on the man's face connotes that he is worried that the ditracted barber will cut his throat with the razor. The man in the white coat signifies him as the barber, and the man in the suit as the cutomer.

The signifier of the woman in her provovative pose, with her left leg slightly bent and hair blowing in the wind, denotes a deliberate intention to attract attention. This again connotes that wearing Wallis clothing will distract men, putting them at risk, as the woman's dress sence is the main signifier to the concept 'dressing to kill'. The woman has a somewhat carefree attitude with her loose hair and pose, in contrast to the barber being 'trapped' inside the shop, making her even more of a passive sex object for the man.

Both images being taken in black and white suggest a sence of class and importance of fashion and suggest the sophistication of Wallis clothing. In the text 'Dress to kill', the 'i' in 'kill' is the shape of a dagger, this is associated with killing and death, which reflects the concept. In each image the men have been ditracted, thus emplying that women who wear Wallis clothing will stand out.