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Vogue
Component 2, section B - Coggle Diagram
Vogue
Component 2, section B
context:
- published by conde nast - one of the biggest publishing companies based in London and New York
- a monthly 'glossy' magazine - high production values, aimed at a affluent market
- primary focus on fashion and style
history on vogue -
- first published in 1916
- carried on throughout WW|| - a constant throughout people lives
- stand for championing bold fearless women
background info on Sophia Loren -
- Italian actor
- won oscar for best actress in 1962 (three years prior to fc)
- voted 21 on top 25 American screen actresses of all time in 1999
- beauty queen and pageant winner before she moved into acting
-
theory:
Levi-Strauss -
the idea that narratives may be constructed around pairs of opposing force, with something being promoted or privileged over the other (binary oppositions)
- masculinity vs feminnity
(blue costume, adams apple, lack of hair, facial expression) vs (pink lips, jewellery, heavy make up) - liberating that she isn't extremely either
Barthes -
all cultural forms are essentially made up of a system of signs
- front cover - direct gaze, mode of address connotes star status and sense of mystery/mystique - embodies the 'mythic' notion of femininity that is aspirational
- turquoise colour platte connotes glamour, luxury, wealth - emphasised by shimmering scarf, feathers, pearls, jewels
Baudrillard -
the idea that in postmodern culture it is no longer possible to distinguish between reality and simulation
- representations of sophia loren's movie may be seen as a reality (glamour, wealth +beauty) when in reality this is seen as very unrealistic/hard to maintain
marjorie ferguson -
explored representations of women in media texts (magazine covers) - identified facial expressions and suggested different encoded meanings
romantic or sexual - romantic, sexual expression, looking available
- vogues intention of achieving the 'romantic or sexual' category
- to liberate her + look potentially invitational
gilroy -
the idea that colonial discourses continue to inform contemporary attitudes to race and ethnicity in the postcolonial era
- the use of traditional Egyptian clothing defines what Egypt/Africa is like through a colonial vision - echoing a postcolonial view
butler -
adverts present and reinforce ideals of 'how to be a women' and how to perform within society
bell hooks -
The idea that feminism is a struggle to end sexist/patriarchal oppression and the ideology of domination
- vogue actively represents empowered and independent women in articles and cover cover - as hookes argues you have to commit to fighting against oppressive patriarchy
- however adverts contradict this - suggesting its struggle
van zoonen -
the idea that all ideas about gender come from the media that women are objected in the media, to be looked at as commodities
- vogue supports the underlying frame that women belong to the family and domestic life, and that femininity is about care, nurturance and compassion through codes and conventions (portrayed in adverts such as imperial leather)
- given the social and historical contexts of vogue, we can understand why these representations have been constructed in such a stereotypical way
hall (reps) -
the idea that out understanding as viewers of representations are enhanced by our understanding of signs and symbols
- imperial leathers advert - idealises the image of a women in the home as a motherly nurturing figure - blonde and slender (stereotypical notions of female beauty)
- repeated use of 'soft' and 'gentle' reinforces stereotypes of women as weaker/dependant
- revlon advert - use of language, 'velvet' reinforces women as weak/gentle, 'brow, beautiful' sense of desire to look attractive
Gauntlett -
vogue allows women to 'pick + mix' ways to construct their identity - either masculinity, femininity, sexy, mother, make up, financially independent
hall (reception) -
the idea that there are three hypothetical positions from which messages + meanings may be decoded;
the preferred reading - producers intended meaning
the negotiated reading - audience understands intended message but adopts it to suit their own values
the oppositional reading - audience disagrees with preferres meaning
Preferred - well cultured +financially stable, also want to go on a picnic
negotiated - the idea the ,am next to Sophia Loren is paying/working for the trip, that women can travel just with the help of men
oppositional - stereotypical Egyptian costume 'others' her
Gerbner -
the idea that exposure to repeated patterns of representations over long periods of time can shape and cultivate ideologies within the audience, constructing mainstream values
- attempting to cultivate a new narrative for women to be sexually liberated, wear bold make up, be financially independent and handle travel (through make up advert and money article)
- however imperial leather advert may be seen as placing women in a maternal role and childbearing (a trend within 1960's magazines)
Blumler and Katz -
Knowledge -
- money article (step by step)
- adverts
personal relationships -
- articles / adverts creates conversation between liberating women
hesmondalgh -
the idea that cultural industry companied try to minimise risk and maximise audience through using typical formats (stars/genres +serials/horizontal and vertical integration)
- adverts conforming to stereotypical conventions - minimising risk
- star appeal (sophia lorren) - minimising risk
- masculine look, serious tone on front cover - maximising risk
livingstone and lunt -
the idea there is a conflict between the desire to offer freedom of choice and to protect audience
- the increasing power of conglomerates puts regulation at risk - the rise of digital convergent platforms limits the use of regulation - harder to control
- with the magazine industry being self regulated, they are able to publish what they want with certain boundaries
- during the 1960's, this role was performed by the monopolies commission, who ensured that there was fairness and one company did not dominate too much over others
curran and seaton -
the idea that the media controlled by a small number of companies that primarily limits variety, creativity and quality
- if we had more socially diverse patterns of ownership, it would help create variety
- with vogue/conde nast being a large conglomerate their concentration of ownership is driven by profit
- built power by merging with rival companies - reducing competition as power is concentration in fewer companies - limits variety, creativity, quality and choice to audiences (whitewashing on front covers)
-
audience:
targeted demographic -
- ages 18-35 - adverts promoting motherhood / make up / sofia loren's mature age, her being an aspirational figure
- women - mature adverts targeted, edited by women for women
- white - white models, western cultures
- ABC1 - articles targeting upper socio economic audience
targeted psychographic -
- mainstreamers -
- aimed at a large group/audience
- well known actor/models
- the advertising of mainstream products
- writer of the financial times
succeeders -
- advertisement of high end products
- magazine being a monthly 'glossy' magazine - high production values, aimed at a affluent market
aspirers -
- aspirational content / aspiring to be the representations within the magazine (mothers, Sofia Loren)
explorers -
- Sofia Loren's Egyptian article allows to explore a different culture
Industry:
overview of magazine industry -
- the 60's and 70's focused on celebrity and entertainment magazines
- uk magazine market remains a major media sector - annual value of the magazine industry in 2012 to be £3.55 billion
- consumers spend £1.8 billion on magazines at retail
- print magazine advertising totals a further £750 million
overview of vogue's industry -
- published by Conde Nast and was launched in 1916 (a time of heyday from magazine publishing)
- developed in response to paper shortages in the us during ww2
- magazines became to cover more issues than just fashion - by the 2nd ww vogue was reporting on the events of the conflict