Detailed analysis of a noteworthy ad

Brand and product: Old Spice Body Wash

Source: Youtube

Publication date: February 2010

Beginning in February 2010, a series of commercials for Old Spice body wash were released that featured the now famous "Old Spice Guy". This initial commercial, titled "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" became not only widely popular on television, but it became a Youtube hit, as well. This ad is particularly noteworthy because it fits many of the categories used to analyze advertisements.

Firstly, this is an example of a product demonstration in a unique way. Even though the Old Spice Guy doesn't actually lather himself up in the body wash, what proceeds to happen in the add is theoretically what would happen if the consumer used the product. The commercial begins in a typical bathroom, where one would use the body wash and proceeds to show an luxurious lifestyle one can have if they stopped using "lady scented body washes and switch to Old Spice."

This ad also shows the product in a natural setting. After the scene begins with the Old Spice Guy holding the bottle of body wash in the bathroom, the he is situated on a boat with clear blue waters. He is then transported onto a horse that is strolling the beach. Once again, he is holding the same bottle of Old Spice. This shows a connection between the feeling of being refreshed in nature and the feeling of being refreshed by using the product.  The setting becomes a sign for the naturalness this product gives its consumer. 

The Old Spice Guy, himself, is probably the sole reason for the success of these commercials. He is cocky and somewhat arrogant, but his delivery is quite comical and the situations he is presented in are funny, as well. He is the modern face of Old Spice, once seen as a dated product. In these commercials, the Old Spice Guy is oddly enough addressing women and comparing himself to their boyfriends: "Sadly he isn't me....if he switched to Old Spice he can smell like me." By using this product, the consumers can be just as confident and womanizing as the Old Spice Guy. This image that the product is associated with puts this ad in the category of person as a symbol in support of product image. Since the Old Spice Guy has become the face of Old Spice, this ad also fits the category of character standing for a product. Clearly the scenario of trying to switch the consumer over to Old Spice to be like this man supports this claim. 

"The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" commercial continues to fit the remaining categories of the Personalization format. There is an allusion that using this body wash will lead to a self-transformation for the consumer. This transformation will make him confident and bold like the Old Spice Guy. This product can also solve a social problem of smelling feminine by using un ultra-masculine body wash. Not only can using Old Spice body wash give you the personality of the Old Spice Guy, but it can lead to a luxurious lifestyle seen in the progression of the commercial. This ad, therefor, promises class mobility. After the bathroom scene, the Old Spice is plopped on to a private and beautiful boat and he is dressed like an upscale yachter. He is then carrying an oyster with "two tickets to that thing you love" which magically transforms into diamonds. These sparkling diamonds are a signifier for wealth and luxury.

This commercial also fits many of the categories in the "other codes" format. The transformation of the tickets into diamonds is white magic, as is the rising of the Old Spice bottle of body wash from the pile of diamonds.

The culturati would take notice of the ad for its display of decadence and luxury, but they may or may not be drawn to it because the commercial is poking fun at this lifestyle. This commercial, however, makes luxury appear to be no big deal and there is a playful attitude towards it. It is casually downplayed because Old Spice is trying to convince the consumer that this lifestyle is easily accessible by using this product. It's no big deal that you can just land on a boat and be surrounded by diamonds and affluence. In this particular ad, the Old Spice Guy is shown in isolation with no social obligations, which is admired by the culturati. Again, there are obvious scenes of landscapes of escape and exoticism. 

Herbert Marcuse believed that advertising creates false needs in consumer society. This ad can be seen as evidence that supports his claim because the use of Old Spice body wash gives the consumer desire for this luxurious lifestyle. The consumer wants a private yacht, easy access to the things we want to do, and a handful of diamonds.

The opening quote of "...look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me" is an example of the quick back and forth dialogue that compliments the jumping of scene to scene. It is hard to believe that this commercial is only 33 seconds long because it seams that so much happens in it due to the quick and eye fooling editing. 

The manifest message of this ad is clear that female audiences wish their boyfriends were everything The Old Spice Guy is: confident, charming, and has the ability to access an affluent lifestyle. The latent message of this ad draws secret desire from the audience and surfaces the wish to be with someone who not only has good hygiene, but has access to an affluent lifestyle. There is also a questioning of masculinity. It appears that using a female body soap emasculates the consumer. Even the text at the end of the ad, "Smell like a man, man" seems to imply that only using Old Spice body wash will make you a real man. 

If all advertisements were like this one, it would appear that we have a delusional and twisted relationship to goods in our society. Yachts and diamonds are not frequently used in body wash commercials and the idea that one can posses these treasures by using a particular type of soap is unheard of and irrational. "Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady" gives the consumer false hope that an affluent lifestyle can be achieved just be switching body soaps. This ad also says something about our relationship with others through goods because there it contains a message that we are to compare those we are in a relationship with to fictional characters in a commercial. Further, we should wish our significant other was as wealthy and confident as this character. 

Other Codes

Brand and product: Orbit gum

Source: Youtube

Publication date: June 2010

Category: Other codes: Ad that is magical (black magic)

In this commercial for Orbit gum, black magic is used by hexing and controlling the people in it. The name of the commercial is called "Exclamations" and by chewing Orbit gum, oddly enough the participants of a focus group appear to be possessed and cannot control their speech. After unwrapping each pack of gum, the participants appear to be so overwhelmed with Orbit's new package design that they are filled with the desire to swear. Orbit's punch line at the end of their commercials is always about "cleaning up another dirty mouth" and in this situation the Orbit girl interjects right before person is about the curse and she substitutes that with the name of the person next in line. Without the interjection and rescue of the Orbit girl, the hexed people in the commercial group would be saying some very dirty things. This refers to the idea that Orbit will save you from a dirty mouth (bad breath).

The setting and the clothing in this commercial is quite mod and chic, which can be a nod to the 1960s and earlier times when it was considered very bad form to curse. Having this setting makes it more believable that these people need to be "cleaned up" because their behavior would not be acceptable in that time. If the commercial appeared more modern, the ad would not be as effective because cursing does not have much of a stigma has it has had in the past.

Brand and product: American Express Credit Card

Source: Google

Publication date: unknown

Category: Other codes: Classical allusion or similar appeal to the culturati

The culturati are drawn to all things classical and place an emphasis on timelessness. Many times, in culturati-appealing ads, an endorsement is made by someone other than a beautiful model. Here, Ellen DeGeneres, a modern and well-known entertainer is dressed as an old-fashioned performer from the early 2oth century. The setting of the scene seems to be a western landscape, not typically exotic, but can be seen as foreign to someone not used to this type of scenery. There appears to be a working class grit, as Ellen is shown to be a traveling performer.

The culturati are know to have high cultural capital with a distinctive taste in culture. Austerity, modernism, and classical styles are ideals valued by this group of elite. One of the traits of the culturati is that luxury is yours to define with an emphasis on your own inherent taste and the ability to fill in the blank (literally in this case). Here, Ellen "fills in the blanks" with her ideals and beliefs towards entertainment, the industry to which she belongs. Often, ads that appeal to the culturati depict cultural industries. The use of Ellen's actual handwriting makes the ad more personal and shows that this is an ad about her. 

Another trait of appealing to the culturati is that products offer individuality rather than status. It's not about access to a lifestyle, but making a statement about it. This ad is a perfect example of this because it is focused on Ellen and her life and what she does with her American Express credit card. She isn't trying to sell the product, rather she is making a statement by explaining the kind of lifestyle she has because of it. 

Brand and product: Calvin Klein White Wash Jeans

Source: Vogue

Publication date: May 2010

Category: Other Codes: Strategy of ritual subordination of women

This advertisement from Calvin Klein displays the ritual subordination of women with the use of stereotypical gender codes as discussed in the “Gender Codes” documentary that was viewed in class. Here, the woman is pinned under the male, thus under his control. She is in a recumbent pose, or laying down flat on her back. The male exerts his strength as seen with the tightness of his muscles, whereas the woman seems loose and relaxed and is simply under his power. His face is stern and unyielding. The woman’s face is positioned upward, which reinforces her inferiority to the superior male. Her expression seems to be one of pleasure, even though she is under complete control of the man. Although the advertisement is for the jeans, it is critical to notice that the female is topless but the male is not. 

There appears to be a split shadow that hovers over the couple. It is noteworthy to mention that the first half of the shadow misses the male figure and appears to the left of him. The other half of the shadow, however, goes across the female figure as reinforce the idea that she is shadowed by the male figure.

Brand and product: Doritos Spicy Nacho Chips

Source: Youtube

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Other Codes: Stereotype

The Mook is an in your face kind of character who is crude, loud, and obnoxious. He is, for example, Tom Green, the cast of Jackass, misogynistic fraternity brothers, or some of the South Park characters. The Mook is characterized as by being infantile and having childish, rude behavior. This stereotype is shown in the above commercial for Doritos with the male main character representing the Mook. The Mook in this scenario is contrasted to the woman who appears to be more rational and grown up than the male.

The childish way in which the Mook interacts with the dog is a classic trait displayed by this kind of stereotype. He shows his superiority to the dog by taunting the animal in an obnoxious way. He also ignores his girlfriend who warns him not to hurt her pet, which displays his superiority to her. The fact that the Mook is defeated by the dog in the end supports the stereotype in which the Mook is often outwitted or outsmarted. 

Brand and product: NYC Quits, Anti-Smoking Campaign

Source: Youtube

Publication date: March 2010

Category: Other Codes: Shock value to cut through ad clutter

New York City has released many ads over the past few years depicting the horrific damage smoking has on people's health and lives. These commercials depend on shock value to cut through the enormous amount of ad clutter seen on television. Images of the damage cigarette smoke has on lungs, hearts, and arteries are gruesome but the creators of the commercial know the audiences are often so appalled that they can't look away so they do in fact watch the commercial. The shock of seeing these images is hard to get used to even if the commercial is played over and over again on TV. Scare tactics are often used in government released ads to get their messages across and these images are definitely scary.

In this particular commercial, the statistics themselves add shock value to the ad. The fact that only twenty minutes after someone quits smoking, their blood pressure decreases should instill some awe into a smoker's mind and the message that they are a heart attack waiting to happen should convince them to quit smoking. The statistics are shown in white text against a simple black background. Then there is quick editing with flashing images of heart and lung surgery to contrast the messages. The quickness and jumpiness of the commercial stands out among ad clutter.

Brand and product: Chevrolet Camaro

Source: Youtube

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Other Codes: Ad that is self-referential

Self-referential ads recognize the fact that they are a commercial message. The beginning of this commercial for the 2011 Chevy Camaro directly recognizes that it's a commercial by having one of the voice-overs say, "...check this out, I've got a great idea for the Camaro commercial." The rest of the ad proceeds to play out how the two men in the commercial imagine how the perfect ad for this car should play out. 

There are many moments in which self-reference is made such as, "You know, we should be in a city" and "No, she's in the city, I don't know why there would be hay." These comments support the recognition that these two guys are imagining the entire ad in their head. Recognizing that almost all commercials have an announcer, at the end one of the guys says "....and then the announcer says..." The traditional Chevy announcer proceeds to inform the viewer the name of the car.  

 The way the commercial ends with the woman who was initially seen as a rebel and adventurous actually be a teacher on her way to school can be a commentary that you don't need to have a dangerous or exciting job to have a really cool car. The Camaro is a classic and authentic American car and alludes to the American people, and the profession of being a teacher.

This ad is solely self-referential due in part to the script. The voiceover explains that this is the creation of the two men. If one were to view the commercial without any sound, it would not be clear that the ad is self-referential. The use of ads that are self-referential can be seen as poking fun at other ads that try to be subtly and influence the viewer.

Brand and product: Zoosk, online dating

Source: Cosmopolitan

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Other codes: Ad that invites participation explicitly

There are two ways in which an ad can invite participation from the reader: implicitly or explicitly. Implicit ads suggest interaction but does not tell the audience exactly what to do. Explicit ads, however, tell the reader exactly what to do and how to interact with the ad. This ad is for an online dating service called Zoosk and invites participation from the audience explicitly. The ad has a “Make-Your-Date” feature and asks the reader to play a fill-in-the-blanks game. This is a Valentine’s Day themed ad, noticeable with the pink and hearts motif, as well as the Valentine’s Day text, which is suitable for the February edition of the magazine. 

This particular advertisement invites participation and interaction from the audience in two ways. First, the ad gives directions and explicitly asks the reader to “fill in the blanks to create your perfect date.” Secondly, Zoosk asks the reader to go on to their website and set up an online dating portfolio. This type of interactive ad stands out among ad clutter for its lack of images and surplus of text. It also appears to be very playful and would excite a reader who is not used to seeing this sort of advertisement. 

Brand and product: AT&T Samsung Propel Pro

Source: Rolling Stone

Publication date: May 2009

Category: Other codes: Ad that would be useful evidence for Marcuse's critique that ads create false needs

Herbert Marcuse believed that without advertising, "people would not develop false needs, nor would they try to satisfy such needs in misdirected ways through purchasing non-essential commodities." (SCIA p. 83) Having false needs manipulates the consumer into believing they need products that are not really necessary in order to live. 

This ad from AT&T is evidence that would be useful for Marcuse's claim that advertising creates false needs. Advertising for cell phones, as a whole, supports Marcuse claim because each ad is tailored to show the many functions the newest cell phone has. Consumers are easily convinced to throw away their old phone and buy the newest model that can do more things their old phone couldn't.

This particular ad is designed as a checklist of the thirty three different things the consumer can do with the Propel Pro phone, including updating a blog, finding subway directions, and counting calories. Marcuse would claim that this ad creates false needs because it is telling the viewer they can only have all thirty three of these capabilities with this phone alone. He would probably also say that a rational consumer would not need a phone that counts calories or would help you learn the Macarena. 

The text wrap around the phone makes the device the center of attention in the ad and the list of capabilities becomes support for the phone. In a way, this ad invites participation and interaction because the reader can check off things they wish their phone did or would want their phone to do. 

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Rare Finds

Brand/Product: Express Honor
Source: Rolling Stone
Publication Date: Feb. 3, 2011

Category: Ad that Shows codes of Ritual Subordination 
of Women applied to Men

One of the most popular and recognizable types of ads is the ritual subordination of women. From the documentary, "Codes of Gender" we learn that in this type of advertising, the woman is often in a recumbent, or submissive, position in a way that is hard for her to defend herself. She may also be positioned in a body cant by standing on one leg, therefor ungrounded. Again, this puts the woman in a defenseless position. There are two types of head positions: one is the tilted head bend position and puts the model off balance. Then there is a position in which the head is lifted up and means the woman is submissive to others. The model then appears to be in a spaced out mode. She appears oblivious or indifferent of her actions. Her head may be down and eyes adverted. She can also appear spaced out like  zombie or asleep or dead. These codes hold the make women overall submissive to men. 

It is rare, but it does happen occasionally, when the codes of ritual subordination of women are applied to men. In this ad from Express, a man is seen as the main focus of the ad. His body is slanted, with most of the support on his right leg. With one arm up around his head and the other tucked into his pocket, he is standing in a somewhat revealing stance which puts himself submissive to the viewer. His shirt exposes his chest, often like a woman would have part of her body exposed. His head is tilted down and gazing blankly. The man is alienated, again like most women in ads, from the others behind him. 

This alienation can suggest that he stands out from the others behind him because he uses the product: Express Honor. He shadows the others because he knows how to stand out among the crowd.

Lifestyle Format

Brand and product: Juicy Couture

Source: Cosmopolitan

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Lifestyle format: Product is a gateway to a lifestyle that appeals to you personally (your demographic/psychographic)

Here is an ad so frequently seen in magazines like Cosmopolitan that advertises perfume for a famous brand. This particular advertisement for Juicy Couture appeals to my demographic (white, female, early twenties) and psychographic (student, interests in film, fashion, seeking culturati lifestyle). A popular approach to market those in my demographic and psychographic is to refer to the hippie/peace/love lifestyle that has resurrected and become very popular over the past year or so. The name of the product is actually Peace, Love, and Juicy Couture, but the way the creators of the ad treated the text make the "Peace and Love" part seem like a headline to draw in members of my demographic and psychographic.  

The model is featured in a recumbent position, has a blank less stare, and is wearing makeup that makes her look like a baby doll. These observations support the subordination of women claim in the "Gender Codes" documentary viewed in class. She is delicately holding the bottle of perfume with a feminine touch. The presence of hearts and peace signs symbolize the obvious theme of peace and love.

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Personalization Format

Brand and product: Xenadrine Ultra

Source: OK!

Publication date: January 11, 2011

Category: Personalization format: Testimonial

This is an example of a Testimonial advertisement for a weight loss drug called Xenadrine. A testimonial often uses celebrities to promote the product and in this case, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro from the popular TV show Jersey Shore, is standing for Xenadrine. Having knowledge of the show, Ronnie appears to have a good body image and would go to great lengths to stay in shape. 

Somehow using a celebrity draws trust from the consumer and they might believe the product really works if a celebrity is willing to put their name behind it. Often in these kinds of advertisements, the celebrity spokesperson acknowledges a “normal person” and tells the consumer that this is their friend, when they most likely never met. Advertisers use this other person to show that the product can work for/on anyone and you don’t need to be a celebrity to get the desired effects. Here, there is a before and after image showing a dramatic weight loss from Ronnie's alleged friend Nicole. 

Besides the less than convincing before and after images, a testimonial is provided through the text. Direct quotes from the two spokespeople provide support for Xenadrine. The often seen "I used this product and you should too" text is provided in this ad. There is even a section of text that says the ingredients in Xenadrine are clinically proven to work which would support their testimonial. 

Brand and product: Weightwatchers

Source: Vogue

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Personalization format: Person or character stands for product

Popular singer/actress Jennifer Hudson supports the claim of this ad having a person or character stand for the product, in this case Weightwatchers. Hudson has recently become the new spokesperson for the weight loss system. Once seen as a heavier star who was often typecast in films, Hudson now shows off her new body and stands behind the Weightwatchers system.

The division of the page, half black and half white, can be a sign of weight loss. It signifies the before and after of a a weight loss journey. Before (black, dark, heavy) signifying being overweight and the after (white, light, free) signifying weight loss. The font treatment is something to notice as well. The use of a light Helvetica font can signify weight loss or the concept of being light or skinny. The lower part of the "Y" in "day" extends below the baseline and goes all the way off the page. The skinny line it forms is parallel to Hudson's figure. It lengthens the page as well as Hudson's body. According to SCIA, this transfers the abstract qualities to the product/service and creates a fusion necessary for the product image (p.184).

It seems odd that Weightwatchers is hidden within the "It's a new day" text block. The viewer needs to search the ad for what is being advertised, which may have been a deliberate move. The advertisers might have relied on the image of Jennifer Hudson to draw the reader in and hope they will stop and look at the ad to find out what it is for.  

Brand and product: Jergens Ultra Healing Cream

Source: Shape

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Personalization format: Product leads to self-transformation

This ad promotes Jergens Ultra Healing Cream. This is an example of an ad for a product that leads to a self-transformation. According to SCIA, in these types of ads, "people change-make themselves better-through the possession or use of the product." (p.190) The cream is “The difference between dry skin and divine skin” and shows a classic before and after image of the self-transformation.

The before image shows a self-conscious woman who is trying to hide her body. Her eyes are gazed at the floor and she is avoiding eye contact with the audience. Her hair is dull and she is wearing a simple shirt. Most importantly, her skin seems dry and even more dull than her hair and clothing. In the after shot, the woman oozes confidence and seems radiant with her skin and hair glowing. She captivates the audience with her stare, as if saying, “Hey, I am talking to you.” She is wearing a much more revealing top that is a much brighter color. By using Jergens’s Healing Cream, the advertisers are implying that not only will your skin look better, but you will be a much more confident and radiant person. 

Brand and product: Orajel cold sore medication

Source: Us Weekly

Publication date: November 2010

Category: Personalization format: Product solves a social problem

In this advertisement for Orajel, the text, “The cold sore made me think of calling off the date. Instead I called on instant relief...” is reminiscent of the vintage ad viewed in class about the woman who had to cancel all the dates in her planner because she had a social problem of bad breath. Interestingly enough, like that old ad was in black in white, the above ad is also in black and white. Perhaps this was done to connect it back to those types of classic advertisements. 

This personalized formatted ad claims that the product, in this case, Orajel, will solve a social problem of cold sores. Orajel is trying to make the consumer believe that it would be socially unacceptable for them to go out on a date if they have a cold sore. Their product is then there to save the day and the woman in the ad thanks the product as it has rescued her from a night home alone. This dialogue between the user of the product and the product itself has been a traditional part of advertising and builds a relationship between people and the product. It creates dependability and reliability on the product. 

The advertisement seems  to be broken up into two parts. The first part is the upper half that contains the image and sets the story of what is going on in the ad: the woman was able to proceed with her date because she used the product Orajel to heal a cold sore. Now she is having a great time with her date. We see the full profile of her, but only the side profile of the man, alluding to the fact that this problem was about her, not him. The second half of the ad focuses on the three Orajel products. Rather than having them contained in that blue area, the products seem to overlap the image and suggest that these products are interacting with the woman in the ad. They did, after all, save her date. 

The text below the Orajel products also goes back to the traditional type of somewhat cheesy advertising: "So the next time you need immediate cold sore relief, give Orajel a try." The product also claims that their product is not only better than the leading brand, but it is half the price.  

Brand and product: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta

Source: Vogue

Publication date: February 2011

Category: Personalization format: Ad that promises class mobility.

An ad that promises class mobility is usually targeted at a consumer who is trying to live a more luxurious lifestyle by making purchases that would make them appear more elite. "It's like 'who are you wearing' for the price of 'what are you wearing'?" is the main caption for this ad. This can be interpreted as buying a designer label dress as opposed to a nameless one. Buying this Jetta would be like purchasing that designer dress for the cost of a dress bought at TJMaxx, per say. Volkswagen is saying that their car will increase your status but will not put a dent in your pocket. The car becomes a symbol of affluence with the clothing reference signifying distinction and wealth.

Having an expensive car can make a consumer feel more elite even though they do not need to necessarily purchase the car, rather than can lease it. A purchaser might consider a more expensive car because they aren't putting all their money down at once.

This ad is extremely simple and highlights the first-class model car with a surrounding bright light. The text is simple, as well: white regular font is against a dark blue background. The price of the car is shown at the lower right part of the page. 

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Product Image Format

Brand and product: Pepsi, Sierra Mist 
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Publication date: 1 February 2011 
Category: Product image format: Product in a natural setting

 This ad for Pepsi’s Sierra Mist is a clear example of a product in a natural setting format. The product is placed in the foreground with a seemingly perfect lakeside landscape in the back. The yellow and green palette of colors on the can of Sierra Mist compliment the depicted scenery which supports Pepsi's claim of the product being very natural.

This ad also contains another advertising technique with the addition of a personification of the lake and its testimonial that appears in the scenery.  Having the lake quoted as saying “It’s the most refreshing thing you’ve seen since me” makes the lake a signifier and signifies a natural and clean environment. This feeling of naturalness is supposed to make the customer feel a sense of refreshness and have a desire to seek out this product.

Brand and product: Louis Vuitton, handbags 
Source: Vogue
Publication date: February 2011 
Category: Product image format: Product in a social setting

This spread from Vogue is an example of a product, in this case a collection of Louis Vuitton handbags, in a social setting. Louis Vuitton is known for having sophisticated and upscale ads that portray the lifestyle of the upper class. In this scene, three women are displayed in a extravagant room with lavish decorations. They are sitting down as if they were meeting there for some sort of function. Interestingly enough, each of the three women are in one or more of the recumbent, body cant or head bend/head lift positions mentioned in the "Gender Codes" documentary about the subordination of women. They also appear to be spaced out like zombies and their makeup makes them look like baby dolls, alluding to the infantalization of these women.

        The audience is expected to observe these handbags and believe these women would use them in a luxurious social setting such as this one. There appears to be a bowl of cherries on the table between the woman on the left and the woman in the center. Cherries often signify decadence and therefor wealth. The fans the women are using are probably not there to cool them off. Rather they are another sign for affluence. These signifiers allude to the rich and luxurious lifestyle one may have if they purchase Louis Vuitton handbags.

Brand and product: Body By Milk “Got Milk?”, X-men Origins: Wolverine tie-in
Source: Rolling Stone
Publication date: May 2009
Category: People or person as symbol in support 
of product-image

This is one of the ads for the popular “Got Milk?” campaign. The point of the campaign is to inform consumers of the benefits of having milk in their diet. 

This ad came out around the same time the film X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released. It features it's main character, Wolverine who is a symbol of strength and resilience. By having Wolverine as a signifier of these qualities, the advertisers imply that drinking milk will make the consumer tough like him (“Milk has protein to help build muscle...”) Wolverine is a popular comic book character and thus appeals to children who are a target audience in the “Got Milk?” campaign. Not only are children targeted, but teens and adults, as well, including both men and women. Teen boys and men will likely see the movie and recognize Wolverine in the ad. Many women will notice the Hollywood handsome Hugh Jackman who portrays the Wolverine. The character takes up almost all of the attention in the advertisement and is standing in a powerful pose that commands attention.