Blog task 3: Connotations and Denotations

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In the advert the image features a young boy standing outside near a mud wall, wearing a worn blue shirt. He looks directly at the camera with a calm but serious expression. The words “Dig toilets Not graves” are written in bold white letters on the left side of the image. The WaterAid logo is displayed at the top left corner.

This advert uses the boy’s serious gaze and the stark message to highlight the deadly consequences of poor sanitation. The phrase “Dig toilets Not graves” implies that a lack of proper toilets leads to preventable deaths, making sanitation a matter of life and death. The background and the boy’s simple clothing suggest a community struggling with poverty and basic needs, encouraging viewers to recognize the urgent need for improved hygiene and sanitation to save lives. The advert emotionally appeals for support and awareness around this critical issue.

Extension

This Pedigree advertisement is highly successful because it uses powerful visual and emotional connotations to communicate its message about dog adoption. The image is split into two halves: on the left, a man walks alone on a deserted beach under a cloudy sky, creating a mood of loneliness and emptiness; on the right, the same scene includes a dog beside him, immediately transforming the atmosphere into one of warmth and companionship. The subtle shift in the man’s posture, now facing the dog, connotes connection and affection, while the unchanged background highlights how the dog’s presence alone brightens the mood. The simple slogan, “A dog makes your life happier. Adopt,” reinforces this transformation through emotionally charged language, associating adoption with joy, kindness, and fulfillment. By contrasting isolation with happiness in such a relatable and visually clear way, the advert effectively appeals to empathy and encourages viewers to consider adoption, making it both emotionally engaging and persuasive.