Light My Lucky – R. Scholes, N.R. Comley, and G.L. Ulmer
This is a discussion of a “Lucky Strike” Cigarette ad. It points out how clever the ad is and how important it is for consumers to learn how to make a critical scrutiny (review) of ads or any text made for promotional purposes.
Writers describe an advertisement for Lucky Strike cigarette. Cigarettes ads are cleverly presented. The ad looks very simple. It presents a photo of a young, healthy woman, holding an unlighted cigarette in a hand that rests on her head. She is outdoors perhaps suggesting cigarettes can be smoked openly. The words “Light My Lucky” appear in quotation marks perhaps she says this or wants. At the bottom of the photo, there is a surgeon general’s warning: “Smoking by Pregnant Women May Result in Fetal Injury, Premature Birth, and Low Weight.”
The writers examine the meaning of light and surgeon warning. The word light gives two meanings. It is used in a punning way in the ad. One meaning is fire and another is weightless (opposite to heavy). If we take the word light as fire, it is metaphorically suggesting for sex. Similarly, if we relate the meaning of light with weightless then it means the cigarette is very useful, free from bad ingredients, light cigarettes have less tar and nicotine.
The “light” in Light My Lucky thus refers to both the sexual approach and the healthiness of the light cigarette. Similarly, the Surgeon’s warning is so tricky, that it only warns pregnant women effects of taking Lucky Strike cigarettes. It means others will not be affected by smoking it.
The ad thus shows metonymic associations
of the cigarette with beauty, health, and erotic pleasures. This is an
extremely clever and well-made ad. Consumers simply come under the influence of
pictures and words. They may easily believe that taking Light Strike cigarettes is
a symbol of dignity and splendor.
*Pun means bringing two meanings in a single word.
*Metaphor
is a comparison between two
things that are otherwise unrelated. A direct comparison Ex- he is a snake.
*Metonymic
- It is a way of replacing an object or idea with something related to it
instead of stating what is actually meant. Ex -"Give me a
hand" means to give someone help.
Click Eveline summary
Useful
ReplyDeletequestion ko answer haru pni sngai vy ramro hunthiyo
ReplyDelete