Analyzing Images

Analyzing Images

In the consumer driven society that we live in, major manufacturers are always looking for ways to produce effective marketing so that the general public will buy their product. To relate to the public in these advertisements, advertisers create an image using a subject, a number of objects, unique placement of the objects, and specific color and lighting. Advertisers will also use the gaze, pose and mouth position of the models in their advertisements to market their product successfully.

The clothing company Nautica employs the technique of image creation in one of their latest advertisements found in GQ magazine. This advertisement features a man in his late 30's gazing ahead with a smile on his face. In this ad, the very confident looking and rich model dominates the foreground. And in the background, one can see a very well lit, peaceful, and serene beach scene. At the middle of the ad the words "Navigate life" appear in white lettering (Nautica). These words with this image give a sense that the people that wear Nautica clothing are modern day explorers that can navigate very successfully through every day life. Nautica uses many aforementioned practices to connect to their potential customers and possibly persuade them to buy their products. That is; if they, too, want to successfully navigate through life!

In the advertisement there is just one model. He is placed in a very dominating position at the foreground of the ad. Because he is the sole model and he is also in a very dominating position, almost leaning into you, your attention is automatically directed towards him. When one looks at the model one gets a sense of modern adventure and navigating through the modern day world. He is obviously an adventurer, successful, rich and is a very independent man that only depends upon himself.

In the background of the ad there is a very peaceful beach scene. Even though the beach is of secondary importance it relates a sense of calm to the reader. The beach shows that the model has found a place in his life where he can relax and enjoy things because he is in control. The background also helps to develop the sense that the model is traveling and moving through life. This implies a feeling of adventure. It also relates to the reader that the model has not always been in this peaceful and serene environment, but most likely had to work through many challenges to get to this peaceful time in his life. This idea of "navigating life", as the ad puts it, to a successful place where one can relax and enjoy life after going through challenging times appeals to almost all men today. Men looking at this advertisement will believe that these clothes can help them "look the part" of success and confidence while they their "Navigate life" through both the good and the bad times.

The pose, gaze, and expression of the mouth of the model also reveals much about what the advertisement is trying to convey to the consumer. The model in the ad seems like he is posed very naturally. He is sitting down in a very relaxed manner. He is obviously very happy with where he is at, and he enjoys the luxury of sitting down in a comfortable and confident way. He enjoys what is around him and where he has been able to bring himself at this point in life. The man's gaze in the advertisement shows how his confidence. He is looking ahead, ready and waiting for whatever is coming. This gaze gives the notion that he looking looking forward to what he has ahead in his life, but he is also satisfied