Do you buy it?

"Yes".

If it was solely this word up on a billboard it would be ineffective, but there's more to this advertisement than just a word. There is a picture which induces, and a logo which convinces, which makes people say, "yes... I'll buy that".

Coca-Cola was founded in 1886, and since then has grown into one of the largest corporations in the world. Its logo is one of the most commonly recognized symbols in the world, second (probably) only to McDonald's. How is it that Coke has become such a huge and successful company? Advertising.

Let's look at this ad: a woman, a word, a logo, and most importantly, a fresh bottle of Coca-Cola. The most prominant figure in this ad is the woman. She lies there, legs perfectly straight, exposed and free in the sunlight with a smile that both teases and claims innocence. Her hands are flat behind her and her blonde hair is flowing. Being offered to her: a bottle of Coca-Cola, because this blonde beauty would love nothing more than a Coke on this hot, summer day.

Roland Barthes distinguished between the signifier (a sign) and the signified (what the sign represents) in his book, Mythologies. What we plainly see is the signifier. In this case we see the woman, we see "yes", and we see the bottle of Coke. However, the signifier is not what makes the ad effective; It's not what makes millions of people worldwide choose to buy Coke at their local grocery store. It is the signified, or what the images represent that creates value within the ad and conveys what a symbol stands for (1). The woman represents beauty, a seductive being that will convince the consumer that the most beautiful people love to refresh themselves by drinking Coke. Her enticing pose is topped off with "yes", conveying the message that this moment could not be any more perfect.

Advertisements all follow the same structure, with the ultimate goal being to SELL A PRODUCT, something that the experts at Coca-Cola have been doing effectively for years. Barthes myth-related ideology surrounding the sign, signifier and signified should be taken into consideration when looking at ads. They require more observation than just that of the signifier; it is the signified that helps to explain what the signifier represents. Is this just a Coca-Cola ad? No, it's a complex and structured series of symbols designed to sell.

Do you buy it?

Works Cited

1. Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. New York: Hill and Wang, 1972.

Image courtesy of Google Images.