Léa Seydoux staring in Louis Vuitton fragrance campaign.

(Léa Seydouz in the 2016 Louis Vuitton, Rose des Vents, fragrance campaign. Photographer: Patrick Demarchelier)

The semiotic context of visual imagery is vital for non-verbal communication within the content. Therefore, individuals use symbols to express or convey something. For this reason, they appoint suggestions to symbols and words, which are reliant on the anthropological, cultural, social, and psychological elements for responders to understand. (Leeuwen, et al. 2001).

This advertisement for Louis Vuitton demonstrates numerous signifiers that help with passing on significance to the responder. The use of a sensuous woman (Léa Seydoux) with luscious hair in the advertisement connects the product with ideas of flirtation, lust and sophistication, as seen within the glowing nature of her skin, hair and overall confidence. The heavy use of blues and white within the background, contrasting with the small areas of pinkish reds seen from the flower being held by the model conveys delicateness, femininity, sexiness and seduction. The displaying of the fragrance bottle seen in the outer border of the image expresses a message of class, style, sophistication and attractiveness as the fragrance is a reflection of the brand Louis Vuitton which is a French brand with a penchant for all these ideas. “Beyond Perfume” suggests that this fragrance is for younger women who subscribe and or aspire to the Louis Vuitton name and or brand identity.

 

The flower held by the model is the main point of view, creating a vector within the image. The flower’s petal yellows and pinkish reds generate a contrast against the model’s skin tone and the darker areas of her hair and the background. The vector points from the model’s sidearm which drives the responder’s eye up from the flower towards the model’s vibrant blue eyes which leads the eye towards the perfume bottle, where the product is in full view. The white border surrounding the imagery creates harsh, straight, edges which leads the responder’s eye straight back to the product and the name of the brand in bold black print (Louis Vuitton). The sharp contrast between the black text and the soft dark undertones of blues and whites, with the mixture of pinks and palish yellows, allows the writing to stand out through the imagery. Well, overall this is only one interpretation or analysis of this image. This image could be interpreted, in many ways. As the transmission of messages from the image is carried out, from may signs, which affects its receivers. Perhaps the most fundamental areas of semiotic analysis are the condition of understanding the capacity for making and using words, gestures, drawings, and so forth for thinking and communicating. (Danesi, 2000).

So how do you in interpret this advertisement? What is your comprehension of this image? Please further this discussion on the topic in the comments. I look forward to reading your interpretations of this advertisement.

References

Danesi, M 2000, ‘Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics, Media, and Communications’, Toronto, Canada

Leeuwen, T, Jewitt, C, ‘The Handbook of Visual Analysis’, London, England