Meaning in advertising is created through our understanding of what is implied or shown in the advertisements. Generally, there are 2 stakeholders involved in determining meaning in advertising. On one hand, the advertising companies control the ‘meaning,’ because they display their ads in a way only they deem fit. If they choose to represent women as skinny, flawless, tall, beautiful women along with condescending or demeaning messages placed beside the image, they are intentionally creating a suggestive meaning that leads the audience to think in a certain way, perhaps creating false impressions in the reader’s mind that this is how women should look like and feel. Therefore, through their manipulative ways, companies are one of the main perpetrators in controlling meaning and only displaying the meaning they choose.
On the other hand, consumers are very large stakeholders in terms of how they choose to interpret the ad shown. Often, ads are simply suggestive, however, due to the already established notions and social conventions, our brains tend to perceive things as culture dictates, thereby, creating our own meaning. So, it isn’t always the company that controls meaning, however, the public does too. In fact, our behaviours are the influence on any advertising shown. If demand increases for jewellery, so will advertising. If public opinion changes about political issues for example, the new opinion is the one advertised.
