West Visayas State UniversityCollege of Arts and Sciences

La Paz, Iloilo City

Calvin Klein Jeans

Semiotics and Critical Discourse Analysis

In Partial FulfillmentOf the Requirements in

Bachelor of Arts in English

Presented to:

Claudette Baluran Ph.D

By:

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Francis Mae Adelina P. AumanAB-English 3B

October 2014

Table of Contents

I. Introduction………………………………………………3

II. Body ……………………………………………………..6

III. Conclusion……………………………………………….13

IV. Reference………………………………………………...16

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I. Introduction

Calvin Klein Inc. is an American fashion house founded by

the fashion designer Calvin Klein. It is famous because of its

luxurious and fashionable clothes, lingerie, youthful and

understated coats and dresses and now there famous line their

very own Calvin Klein jeans. The CK jeans are very famous

because of its chic and classic style. Well except from being

famous Calvin Klein has a very good taste in advertising that

they can lure and convince their consumers to keep on

patronizing their product and even gather more buyers.

Advertising is the business of trying to persuade people to

buy a product or services. Also "Advertising is the art of convincing

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people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need." – Will

Rogers. Yes, it’s true; we consumers usually fell to this

marketing trap of companies. Well we can’t blame them it’s

their strategy to sell their products and convince us to buy

it. Advertising is an art and if you have mastered it you can

really gather a bunch of loyal consumers.

With Calvin Klein jean’s advertisement to the public appears

only as an ordinary thing, like a man and woman standing on

the photo promoting the clothes they are wearing without us

knowing that there are hidden meanings in everything that is

printed on the newspaper, tabloids and the internet, also you

never know that there can be biasness in the advertisement.

Maybe it’s indirectly insulting the rights of men and women or

maybe there is inequality in the advert. As an ordinary

consumer you will not easily point it out so we will decipher

it with the help of Semiotics and Critical Discourse Analysis.

What is semiotics? It is the study of signs; it can be

related to anything that can be seen to signify a meaning or

idea. It is how the advertisement or commercial gets their

message across to the viewing public.  We owe the beauty of

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Semiotics to the brilliant minds of the American philosopher

Charles Pierce and the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure.

In Saussure’s book A Course in General Linguistics (1915) he mentioned

that “The linguistic sign unites not a thing and a name, but a

concept and a sound image. I call the combination of a concept

and a sound image a signs.” (pp. 66-67) He divides the sign

into two components, the signifier and the signified. The

signifier refers to the sound image while the signified refers

to the concept or the idea. These two components are

inseparable. In the other hand Pierce’s idea is a bit

different. He focused on the three aspects of signs. In his

view the word signs indicate anything that stands to somebody

for something in some aspects. Pierce comes up with the idea

of the Triangular Relation. This Triangular Relation is

composed with the Sign or the representation which means something

that used to mean for something, Interpretation or the other

person’s comprehension and understanding, lastly object or what

is referred to by the sign. He believed that it is possible to

find different connotations with a single sign.

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What is Critical Discourse Analysis? Critical discourse

analysis (CDA) is a branch of critical social analysis, which

contributes to the latter a focus on discourse and on

relations between discourse and other social elements (e.g. on

how discourse figures in ideologies and power relations).

Critical social analysis is normative and explanatory

critique: it criticizes existing reality on normative grounds

and seeks to explain it in terms of the effects of posited

structures, mechanisms and forces. There is a long tradition

within critical social analysis of viewing social reality as

conceptually mediated: it is events and practices, but it is

also ‘ideas’, and theories, conceptualizations and construal’s

of these events and practices. From this perspective the

‘objects’ of critical social analysis are we might say

‘material-semiotic’, and its concerns are with dialectical

relations between the material and the semiotic (or

‘discourse’). A consequence is that critical social analysis

is interdisciplinary or ‘trans-disciplinary’ in character. CDA

is best seen as contributing a semiotic emphasis and ‘point of

entry’ into trans-disciplinary critical social analysis. I

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shall present one version of CDA, and a trans-disciplinary

research methodology associated with it, and illustrates it

through a discussion of aspects of the current financial and

economic crisis. Critical discourse analysis (CDA) brings the

critical tradition in social analysis into language studies,

and contributes to critical social analysis a particular focus

on discourse, and on relations between discourse and other

social elements (power relations, ideologies, institutions,

social identities, and so forth)

The aim of this paper is to investigate the inherent

uniqueness of adverts as discourse technologies using

Semiotics and Critical Discourse Analysis and to look at the

ways in which the self is constructed in relation to the

other, through the texts, models and representation of

everything in the Calvin Klein Jean’s adverts using their

August up to October 2014 collection printed ads.

Let us now turn to the advertisements in question.

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II. Body of the Research

This is the CK Jeans’ printed advert for the month of August

2014.

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If you look closely you can see 3 male models and a female

model at the center. Obviously it is a group pictorial. Let’s

first have the semiotic analysis of the advert. The denotative

meaning is that the male models are getting frisky on the

female model. The connotative meaning is that she is very

irresistible considering the fact that she is surrounded by

men. The signifier is the group of men half naked surrounding

a woman also half naked. The signified in the photo is lust

and seduction. The female model is positioned at the center

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with her head on the lap of the first male model as she laid

her legs in between the thighs of the second male model while

the other male model is pushing his back against the legs of

the female model. The jeans used in this advert are denim.

There is no eye contact among the models. You can see that the

female model is carefree about what the male models are doing

to her. The two male models are eagerly looking at her body

while the other one is simply sitting whom I assumed that he

is waiting for his turn to savour the female model. The place

and background is not that obvious to know if where they are

but I assumed that they are in an abandoned place or maybe in

a rooftop based on the railings at their back and the

vandalism below the female model and at the back of the third

male model sitting on the floor. The ads used dark materials

as the background which is in accordance to the male models’

dark hair and to emphasize their built body. Also with the

female model’s blonde hair and a good contrast with her

smooth, flawless and exposed skin. Below the picture is the

text “Calvin Klein Jeans” with a big red marked X. The Text

“Calvin Klein Jeans” blends with the background which means

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that the text and the background is one with unity and the X

that stands out signifies exposed because of its red colour

which makes it standout. Now let’s proceed to the CDA of this

advert. The female model is at the center of the male models.

In this ad the woman is represented as liberated and carefree,

she doesn’t care if what can the men do to her. She is

fearless because she knows that she is irresistible and these

men are ready to take her anytime and she is willing to do

that to satisfy their needs, also her cravings be satisfied as

well. But there is dominance in this advert, as you can see

the woman is surrounded by men and she is trapped at the

center. It seems that she can’t do anything so she just

submits herself because she has no power over with them when

it comes to strength but if she allows the men to own her in

that moment she can find a way to escape but she chose to

enjoy it first. If you look closer you can see that the female

is emotionless while the two men are eagerly looking at her,

not in the eyes but at her body and the other man is sitting

with his cranky face maybe because he can’t but in and express

his sexual desires to the woman. The woman is sophisticated

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and appeared to be a sex stimulator. The woman here is

worshipped and desired by the men. It is simply the aim of

this advertisement. That as a woman if you want to be sexually

dreamed by men you must have a Calvin Klein Jeans. If you want

to be exposed in public as sexually potential you need to buy

their product. The models in the picture are maybe in their

mid 20’s, so the target age of consumers are the same with the

models.

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This is the CK Jeans’ printed advert for the month of

September 2014. There are three models in this advert; two

males and a female. The denotative meaning of this advert is

that the men are overpowered by the woman. The connotative

meaning is that the female is hot and irresistible. The

signifier is that the two male models are cowed by the female

model. The signified is that there is dominance and

submission. The female model is placed at the center standing

with one foot on the stairs and the other one at the floor.

She is wearing a leather jeans and a leather jacket without

wearing any inner garments to cover her top part. Only a

leather jacket to conceal her voluptuous breasts. Her left

hand is holding the rails of the stairs while her right hand

is holding the other side of the leather jacket to help cover

her breasts. She wears a nude make up that perfectly suits her

messy hair. It adds to the fierce look of her personality in

the advert. She is looking straight at the camera with her

mysterious eyes. The first male model is doing something on

the floor with his arms supporting his self and his left knee

to support his upper weight while his right leg is extended to

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the floor. He is half naked. In his right hand he is wearing a

leather accessory which matches his leather pants. There is

also somewhat a worn out belt on his pants that adds drama to

his appearance. He is also wearing a worn out shoes which

pairs perfectly with his belt. I assumed that he is looking at

his shoes because his eyes and gaze are looking downwards. His

hair is raggedly arranged. The other male model is standing

farther than the first male model and the female model. He is

like a silhouette in the dark. His attire has similarities

with the first model only that he is wearing a leather jacket

but no inner garments. He is standing and leaning on the wall,

with his right hand tucked in the right pocket of his pants.

His weight is somewhat shifted on his left leg because his

right leg is slightly raised. The background is dark with few

accents of bronze and maroon. This dark background helps

emphasize the glorious body of the woman and the Hercules like

body of the men. It also helps add the mystery behind each

model and their motifs with each other. The Text “Calvin Klein

Jeans” is catchy, because the colour of the font contrasts to

the background which makes it standout; also it is place on

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the middle right position of the advert which is very visible

to the eyes of the consumers or buyers.

In this advert the dominance of the woman is very noticeable,

for she is standing confidently among the two men. She appears

fierce and fearless. The men felt her superiority and they

looked intimidated by her presence. With her physique she

appears sophisticated yet not inviting. She is indirectly

showing the men that she is not just the girl the used to

know. She is bold and independent. The two men appear to be

overpowered by her and they can’t look directly at her. Both

are slightly leaning their head to show as if they are not

interested with the woman but they are silently stealing a

glance at her. There is somewhat a hidden agenda with the men,

lust and desire maybe for the woman yet they can’t express

because they were swept over by the charm of the woman. The

woman is sophisticated and appeared to be very attractive. The

woman in the advert is worshipped and desired by the men. That

as a woman if you want to dominate a man and make him appear

intimidated with your presence you must buy Calvin Klein Jeans

specifically their leather jeans. The models in the picture

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are maybe in their mid 20’s, so the target age of consumers

are the same with the models.

This is the CK Jeans’

printed advert for

the month of October

2014

There are two models

in this adverts. It

is a male and a

female model. The

denotative meaning of

this advert is that

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the two models are craving for each other or is engaging in

foreplay. The connotative meaning is that the female is

sophisticated and irresistible. The signifier is the couple

and the signified is that there is urge and lust. If you look

closely, there is an amplified color contrast on the eyes of

the female subject showing the audience that there is a

somewhat youthful appearance however a very sexy and deviant

individual. She is positioned confidently even though she is

trapped with the embrace of the male model. Her legs are

intertwined between the thighs of the male model. The female

model is directly looking at the camera in a very confident

way. It shows the reflection of the consumers that they are

assured with the product of the company. The male model is

captured by the charm of the female model. He is hugging the

female model with passion. As you can see his eyes closed and

it seems like he is savoring the moment. His embrace towards

the female model is smooth and at ease showing his care and

respect for the woman. The background is dark which is giving

more emphasis to the complexion of the models. It emphasizes

the smooth and flawlessness of each model. There is a text

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“#mycalvins” and “Calvin Klein Jeans” which is very visible to

the eye of the consumer, because the font is white and it is

contrasting the background. The jeans that both models used

are skinny jeans which are very popular nowadays.

With the last advert, the dominance of the woman is obvious,

and the submissiveness of the man is also obvious. The woman

is confident and is sophisticated. With her body on top of the

man and the man who is enchanted by her guts. The man seems to

own the woman but the woman doesn’t want to be owned so the

man submits himself to the woman to decide on whatever her

plans may be. There is a fast cut to her and a male

counterpart making out roughly and vivid silhouettes of her

undressing. The fact that they are mid to late twenty’s,

implies that their target consumers would be within the same

age range.

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III. Conclusion

Judging each image, and from what I already know of fashion

advertisements, the ads for Calvin Klein falls into the category

of "haute couture," or "high fashion." How the audience

interprets a particular advertisement depends largely on its

syntagmatic and paradigmatic structure. A paradigm can be defined

as anything which can be used as a substitute for the present

signifiers; it relates to the choice and selection of particular

signs. While syntagmatic analysis relates to the sequential

structure of the sign hence the combination of signs. An

important element of syntagmatic analysis is the study of

montage, which concentrates on the relationships of the spatial

elements of the advertisement. For example, when in figure 2 the

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model is positioned in front of the open birdcages, it is done in

such a way as to create a relationship between them so that the

reader automatically assumes that the model has escaped from one

of them.

Each advertisement holds its own set of paradigms. In the case of

those featured above; the medium is that of advertising in

magazines, the genre of magazine is a women’s magazine and the

theme is that of fashion and beauty. Any change of paradigm

within this context would undoubtedly change the meanings

created, to a greater or lesser degree. Substituting one

signifier for another in this way demonstrates the use and

function of the commutation test, which identifies how the

signified meanings differ when changes are made within the same

sytagmatic sequence. This exercise therefore serves to identify

the main features of an advertisement and defines their

significance.

Finally, I would like to note that the study using semiotic

analysis and critical discourse analysis of advertisements is

both interesting and beneficial. Over the course of this

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assignment it has become apparent that a lot more thought and

effort goes into the production of advertisements than is often

ever realized or appreciated. Advertisements contain many

messages, both obvious and covert, making their analysis both

complex and, sometimes, surprising. It is clear that

advertisements do much more than merely sell products, for

advertising "has another function….. It creates structures of

meaning". (Williamson 1978:11-12). Advertisements serve, not only

to entice us to buy products, but that they also ask the reader

to "participate in ideological ways of seeing ourselves and the

world". (Bignall 1997:33). Advertisements "evoke emotions and

feelings through promises of pleasure connected to the purchase

of the product" (Dyer 1982:126). Due to constraints of time and

space, and the complexity of the task, it is difficult to make my

semiotic analysis any fuller, however although it may not be

conclusive, it has given me a great insight into the art of

advertising products successfully.

From the critical discourse analysis tradition – where social

semiotics may be located – authors like Fairclough (1989: 25 and

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passim ; 1995b: 203-204) consider discourses – including their

textual dimension – to take part of social interactions among

individuals comprising processes of textual production,

interpretation, distribution and consumption. Such discourses

could likewise be taken as being part of wider socio-cultural

processes with a social matrix, involving power relations,

embodying ideologies and positioning individuals as social

subjects. In this context, authors like Edwards (1997) or

McInness (1998) echo the progressive constitution of a certain

`crisis´ of traditionally hegemonic masculine-identity models

over the past few decades as a result of various factors, to wit,

the impact of the feminisms and their calling traditional social

structures into question, women’s deeper access to power, and the

impingements of consumerism on men. Popular-culture vehicles in

Britain like television, the press and advertisements in men’s

adverts – like the ones examined in this contribution – have

greatly contributed to the articulation of discourses on

masculinity projecting new models of masculine identity or

subject positions available for individuals to negotiate their

identity as men. In particular, the `new man´ appears recurrently

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in these discourses representing an ideal and more caring form of

masculinity who is also more willing to satisfy women’s

requirements and demands, has come to terms with feelings and

emotions, become a more committed father, and grown remarkably

concerned about personal looks: “the ideal partner for the

modern, liberated, heterosexual woman […] a softer, more

sensitive and caring individual, who also avoids sexist language,

changes nappies and loves to shop all day for his own clothes”

(Edley and Wetherell, 1997: 204, emphasis added).

As remarked above, various features of the visuals examined turn

out to be consistent with this new image of masculinity. On the

one hand, the visual structure of images highlights the

impeccable personal looks of the masculine participants

represented in the advertisements – the prominence of clothing

line is significant in this respect – and men’s closer attention

to women and their fathering dimension. This renovated

construction of masculinity is significantly underlined by the

informative structure of the composition in the advertisements.

On the other hand, we have to stress the fundamental role played

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by the realm of the private and the intimate in this form of

printed advertising, together with an actual `devotion to the

others´, which materializes in participants’ closer rapprochement

with the viewers and potential consumers of these perfumes for

men.

It is also relevant to see these groups as constructed

consumption communities. These are idealizations of what people

are really like, and advertisements based on these idealizations

might therefore be argued to be performing ideological work in

bringing these groupings into being through the messages they

convey (Delin, 2000: 124).

IV. Reference

http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/gmcb_v08/CP%20paper%2014%20Laura%20R.%20Oswald.pdf

http://explore.calvinklein.com/en_US/explore

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Klein

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Chiapello, E. & Fairclough, N. 2002 Understanding the new management ideology. A transdisciplinary contribution from Critical Discourse Analysis and New Sociology of Capitalism. Discourse & Society 13.2.

http://www.harpercollege.edu/libarts/eng/101/cpadgett/ad_analysis.html

Thibault, Paul 1991: Social Semiotics as Praxis. Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press.

Van Leeuwen, Theo 1987: “Generic strategies in press journalism”.Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 10.2: 199-220.Notes

Hodge, Robert and Gunther Kress 1988: Social Semiotics. London : Polity.

Jaworski, Adam and Nikolas Coupland 1999: “Introduction: Perspectives on discourse analysis”. The Discourse Reader. Eds. Adam Jaworski and Nikolas Coupland. London : Routledge. 1-44.

Fairclough, Norman and Ruth Wodak 1997: “Critical Discourse Analysis”. Discourse as Social Interaction. Ed. Teun van Dijk. London : Sage. 258-284.

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