Assignment 6

Here is our analysis of the photo we chose, its an ad for a Volvo car...

Ok firstly the type of photo this is

Commercial photography, idea to sell.

• Chess being a game that signifies intellect i.e. Chess = IQ, chess pieces cant move unless someone is there to drive them. In a game of chess everything is built around the king, just like in the ad. Chess is a game normally associated with people of class and intellect as well and people would thus want to associate themselves with these kind of people in the upper crust.
• Metaphor here is the car being the KING. King refers to: Position of power, royalty, wealth says that if you drive this, it places the driver in the position of the KING.
• The photo of the car is taken from a lower view point, which enlarges and makes the subject seem bigger and more menacing than it really is, which emphasizes the power. The rest of the chess pieces are taken at eye level and thus seem less intimidating.
• Black – Classy, stylish, powerful, sexy. Appeals to both East and West. In Japan, nobility experience.
• Shiny – glittering effect, like jewels, also shows the idea of something well polished and worth the viewers attention.
• Ad entirely in B&W – contributes to the idea of “chess” since these are the only two colours in chess
• Brand – Volvo’s target: males in their 30s-40s. Tradition of big and manly cars. Main idea – safety first – lots of testing for safety. – relate back to idea of idea of protection? Chess is a slow thinking mans game.
• Black and white:: stable colour also, supports the middle age man.

Oppositional readings

• But in the end, the ad is very western in nature, everything from the cars to the use of material and even the analysis we use is Western. The game of chess is especially alienating.
• Others have interpreted the ad with the king being the slowest piece on the board, others have felt that the IQ was a moot point. Why King and not Queen? Feminism.
• Chess itself is a very slow game which contrasts with the idea of a “fast” car.
• The ad is very clean cut and to the point, no clutter and serves to focus the viewer on the car.
  
• Created in Saudi Arabia, over there black is also a symbol of nobility. But it’s a more male dominated society which would influence the choice of audience