Images are complex. They can suggest one meaning to an individual, but an alternate meaning to someone else. This is through the world of semiotics. In semiotics, we must break an image down to the signifier and the signified (Lanir, 2019). Often this may be as simple as the red light on a traffic light. The signifier is the red light and the signified is to stop.
Today, many advertisements utilise suggestive imagery to promote products in a minimalistic or sexualised manner. However, audiences may interpret these advertisements in different ways. As individuals, we all bring our own unique ideologies to all which we view and interpret. Our ideologies affect how we read and respond to images.
The images above were part of the 2015 ad campaign for Thinx, a company that specialises in period underwear. The campaign began a debate on social media after they were deemed “inappropriate” by Outfront, the company in charge of determining new york subway ads (Lippert, 2019). Allegedly a rep from Outfront also suggested the word “period” was problematic as a child might see the ad and ask their parents about what a period is (Ettachfini, 2019).
So what does this advertisement mean? What is being represented here? Let’s break the image down using the principles of semiotics to work that out.
The signifiers – a halved grapefruit, a raw egg dripping off of a table and the words “underwear for women with periods”.
The signified – a vulva, menstrual blood (or perhaps symbolising an ova) and a statement that seems to unite women. I believe these advertisements are trying to tackle period discussion taboos. They want to be a little in your face in the most understated way, through the grapefruit and egg representing a vulva and menstrual blood. They also use the open-ended statement of “underwear for women with periods” to unite a group of people through their menstrual cycle which is considered taboo to discuss especially in a public place where the ads were situated.
This interpretation stems from my media research and background information on the advertisements. So it will probably be different from that of a male or say a 6 years old. Where I may see an advertisement that is trying to make a statement about the unspoken world of periods that plague women. Someone else may just see a variety of food products being displaced weirdly.
Just because something is represented in one way by the creator, doesn’t mean it will be interpreted that way by all the audience.
Resources:
Ettachfini, L. (2019). Unlike Thinx, Erectile Dysfunction Ads Had No Problem Getting on the Subway. [online] Broadly. Available at: https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/ne5ndb/erectile-dysfunction-hims-roman-thinx-subway-ads [Accessed 30 Mar. 2019].
Lippert, A. (2019). Hot Poster Gossip: THINX Edition. [online] Posterhouse.org. Available at: https://posterhouse.org/hot-poster-gossip-thinx-edition [Accessed 30 Mar. 2019].
Lanir, L. (2019). How to Decode Ferdinand de Saussure’s Linguistic Unit: Sign, Signified and Signifier. [online] Decoded Science. Available at: https://www.decodedscience.org/ferdinand-de-saussure-the-linguistic-unit-sign-signified-and-signifier-explained/20876 [Accessed 30 Mar. 2019].
Alicia McFadden 
When reading through your blog, I was reminded just how empowering advertisements and complex imagery have on audiences. It allows us to interpret images from our own perspectives which we understand it to be portrayed as. Like you have stated “They can suggest one meaning to an individual, but an alternate meaning to someone else” and “Just because something is represented in one way, doesn’t mean it will be interpreted that way by all the audience” which are statements that I find to be very true. As for the image you have chosen, I sort it to be quite intriguing, fascinating and inclusive hence why I interpreted the advertisement of female menstruation as well as a sexual innuendo due to the colouring and shape of the red fruit, the text, and the dripping of the egg. Generally speaking, Id recommend more depth into the signifier explanation, and the colour contrast of the food and background as this could possibly impose another meaning to audiences. 🙂
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