Semiotics

Semiotics 

What is semiotics? Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and what they are trying to portray about a product or service. Within advertising semiotics is used to have messages within the advert, messages that will appeal to different consumers and how different consumers will interpret those messages and based on their understanding this could lead to the potential consumer purchasing the product or service. So basically semiotics is the relationship between symbols and language and by using these different symbols and language this will increase the potential consumers likeliness of purchasing the product pr service.

Things such as gaming has a very certain image that represents your typical gamer, this stereotype tends to be a male and some would labeled them lazy due to the fact that they would rather play games rather then doing psychical activities. 

Prior to the launch of the Nintendo Wii, people viewed gaming for those who have to much time on their hands. Gaming is also strongly symbolized with the youth and very male dominated some of the most successful games are strongly targeted towards males the likes of FIFA and Call of Duty have seen massive success of the years due to the following from the male consumer.

Also before the Nintendo Wii, many would relate gaming to people which you could describe as “Couch Potatoes” i.e. those who don’t have a lot going on throughout their day and therefore use gaming to pass time and also as a means of entertainment, therefore this also relates gamer as lazy of having a “Lazy” culture.

Nintendo has realised that this was occurring and therefore generated a solution, by creating a new console, which would not have such a male dominant following and that would also appeal to all ages. It combined gaming with human interaction and creating activities, which the users would need to complete in order to get to the next level. Research into the consumer wants a needs would have properly concentrated on “More” of everything, better graphics, more levels, better gameplay and so on, But Wii want against this and concentrate less on the graphics they were still very acceptable by they trainer to create and experience rather than just a game.  The Wii for the first time allowed consumers to use the controls and a way, which they had never been used before, playing tennis games would involve moving the controller as if you were to move a tennis racket to a hit the ball, so this just created an experience and an experience which could be shared with the family.

So the Wii changed the semiotics, the stereotypical gamer, and it did this very effectively, Wii proved to be a really good selling console which was more family and fun orientated. Yes most of the people that purchased the console also had other consoles such as PlayStation 3 or Xbox but this console was when the user just wanted to have fun.

Lucozade used semiotics very effectively within their “YES” campaign, Lucozade is an energy drink and to portray the energy in which Lucozade provides its consumer within Lucozade launched the YES campaign, which wasn’t totally focused only on sport but was also focused on music.

Those within the 16-24 age group, stats show that 16-24 year olds are the largest consumers of energy drinks with 73% of those ages within the age group being regular consumers of energy drinks (Daily Mail, 2011).  To target the younger audience which are very much into their music, Lucozade created the YES campaign using 3 main adverts which shows the brand remarketing itself into the younger age group using music to target the younger audience as they can relate to the chart topping current artists. 

Lucozade attempted to change the opinion and the attitude of its consumer towards the product. In the Tinie Tempah advert the energetic ad shows the energy in which Lucozade “would” provide the consumer. Within the ad there is a shot of the drummer “Travis Barker” drumming to the beat and the I focuses on the drum sticks which show to be heavily marked which would have been caused by the amount of energy the drummer is being given from Lucozade in performing to the best of he’s ability.

Lucozade attempted to change the opinion of the drink i.e. symbolizing that Lucozade can also be used by those who are not only interested within sport but also those who just need an energy boost throughout the day.

The YES campaign proved to be very popular and It allowed Lucozade to target a different market, not only with a different age group but also target those who may not be totally into sport but are in need of an energy boast throughout the day.

Semiotics is a very useful tool to use different tools to inform the consumer about a product and in Lucozade’s case the energy it proves the consumer, and taking into account the advert, analysing the lighting the tempo of the advert and other factors within the advert, which portray the effect in which Lucozade provides its consumer with. Nintendo Wii also changed the semiotics of the typically gamer by creating a new console, which wasn’t totally dependent on graphics but concentrating on it unique selling point i.e. the involvement it has with the consumer and also with the family orientated gaming and getting everyone involved in playing these games.