Album Covers:
What do
they suggest?
●
The female album cover is sexually suggestive, while
the male album covers are more physically intimidating. In the male cover, the
pictures almost have a cold and closed off feeling, while the female cover
invites you closer.
How do they
suggest it?
●
The female album cover has a woman staring at the
camera, but slightly upwards, giving the viewer the impression of being looked
up at. This establishes the power balance between the woman on the cover and
the viewers, with the woman being submissive and the viewer being dominant.
After establishing this, the album cover suggests a sexual element by having
the woman’s hair fall messily in front of her face, having her shyly peek out
from behind it. It also has the woman placing her fingers into her mouth, touching
her lips. This draws attention to the mouth and creates a sexual undertone in
the cover.
●
The male album cover shows the men being the focus of
the cover. Both are standing in the center, staring forward. Unlike the female
cover, the men are not looking up at the camera but either directly at it, or
downwards. This creates the illusion that the men are either on the same level
as the viewer or up above, putting them in a position of power. Neither men are
being portrayed sexually, but as stand alone people, without connection to the
audience at all. The men seem to be dismissive of any audience, with the left
covering his eyes and puffing his cheeks outwards, making himself bigger and
harder to connect with, and the right has his mouth closed tightly, with his
chin slightly turned up as if he was challenging the audience or viewers. Both
sides are lacking in an invitation to come forwards like the female cover had.
Which
elements of each image work on the viewer in various ways?
●
The lighting, and shadows of the image captures the viewer’s attention to the ideal stars.
●
The left rap cover album shows a more intimidation
factor when looked at. The monotone colors and stark contrast create an essence
of fear.
Rolex & Hello
Kitty watches:
What do
they suggest?
●
The Hello Kitty watch suggests childness, though it is
not limited to children it is aimed at a child demography.
●
The Rolex watch suggests being elite.
●
Both suggest an easier way to keep track of time.
How do they
suggest it?
●
The Hello Kitty goes about being childish by having
simple designs that are more friendly. With the cartoon character on the watch
face and circular, round edges suggest a more friendly appearance. Hello Kitty
is a TV show about a friendly cat looking character, it is meant for children
like the watch is meant for children.
●
The Rolex suggests it because there are many diamonds
in the watch, and you have a good view of it’s fancy and expensive features. If
you can buy such an expensive watch you are in an elite group of people.
●
The fact that they are advertising a product for
watches usually suggests that people want to keep track of their time.
Which
elements of each images work on the viewer in various ways?
●
The angles of the watches are important, because the
Rolex watch being more front facing is showing off all of it’s components while
still allowing it to look professional.
●
Hello Kitty watch is tilted more to the side and
standing so it looks more “fun,” if a watch could be considered fun. It is a
simple watch, so that angle brings most of the attention to Hello Kitty itself
and not the other parts of the watch, since Hello Kitty is the selling point.
Hello Kitty is also a fun character, and is a cartoon character and cartoons
mainly represent fun and non-seriousness.
Brief Outline Album
Cover:
Thesis: The images convey a message about the objects
by using strategies to tell the consumer about their product, and why they
should buy it.
Introduction: Give necessary background info, like
the history of each person and then begin to describe the covers.
Body paragraphs:
Female album cover: How her position draws people in.
How the cover uses sex to sell. Where the girl is looking, and how that asserts
dominance.
Male album cover: How their positions make them look
interesting. How the cover uses power to sell. Where the guys are looking, and
how that asserts dominance.
Compare and contrast of the covers: physical aspects
and how the covers impact people. If allowed more research, which album sold
better and the possible connection to the covers.
Counterargument: How a different conclusion could be
drawn and what the argument would use as support. How it’s valid, but not as
effective or complete as the one we are making.
Ending: Tie in the most important parts of each body
paragraph into the conclusion that draws from the thesis and intro paragraph.
Make a closing argument that uses a summary of the evidence stated, making sure
to have addressed each part of your thesis.
Brief Outline
Watches:
Thesis: The images convey a message about the objects
by using strategies to tell the consumer about their product, and why they
should buy it.
Intro: The Rolex and Hello Kitty are on opposite
sides of the watch spectrum. With Hello Kitty being the fun side of having a
watch, and the Rolex shows that having just a simple tool to tell the time can
be turned into more of a fashion statement and a status statement. Watches have
become more than just something to tell the time with they have become a way to
express your status, whether it's young and fun, or elite and serious.
Body Paragraphs
Rolex- Rolex is stating that to be elite is to purchase one
of there watches. By having jewels surrounding the clock portion, and a metal
band all around we see that the watch is trying to argue that you can’t be as
fancy unless you have this watch.
Hello Kitty- Consider the consumer that they are
trying to sell this watch to. It would be amined at a younger audience that is
more familiar with the cartoon show Hello Kitty. Kids want stuff that has
something to do with their favorite show. Having Hello Kitty on the watch face
is a celebrity endorsement. Consider how this would affect the consumer and how
this is effective or ineffective.
Both Watches: How both watches have things in common
in their strategies to sell the product. discuss why they might have these in
common. Both watches have in common that they are specifically aimed at a
certain group of people. Though the consumers are different, one being kids and
the other wealthy adults, the products are still geared toward a certain
audience.
Counterargument: How another conclusion about the two
images might have been drawn and how. Acknowledge this, and also tie it into
your own argument, using the failings of the other to help support your own,
which also creates a more effective air of authority.
Ending : Conclude your argument, addressing every
part of your thesis and drawing the argument back into the introduction.
