Denotation and connotation

 Denotation: the literal meaning of something

E.g. A rose is a garden plant

Connotation: the suggestion behind this literal meaning (reading between the lines)
E.g .The rose suggests romance and love.

When writing media analysis, you need to consider the following questions:

Denotation: what do you see?

Connotation: what is suggested? What does it mean?

Analysis: what is the effect on the audience? How is this effect created?

P - Point - Clear opening sentence where you establish your idea
E - Evidence - Referring a specific detail from one of our CSPs/Texts
T - Terminology/Technique/Theory - Apply media studies language to your chosen reference
A - Analysis - Analyse the effect of your chosen reference, linking it back to the question.

Example: Skittles


The Skittles print advert communicates meaning to an audience through the use of a symbolic media code. The symbol of the fist is being used to draw audience attention to the anchorage text (key information). The use of the word ‘fist’ is repeated in the text which could connote that this flavour is extremely sour and not everyone can handle this extraordinary taste. The producer’s message could be to communicate that this product is quite unique and their advertisement techniques are quite playful and add humour.


Denotation & Connotation blog tasks: Advert Analysis

















Create a new blogpost in your GCSE Media blog called 'Denotation and connotation'.

1) What can you see? 

I can see a black kid staring at the camera with the headline 'Dig toilets Not graves' next to him. Looking at the background they are probably outside.

What are the deeper meanings in the advert? What does the advert communicate to the audience?

It could be implying that whatever is in a toilet could be more valuable than what you can find in a grave. Also considering that the advert was created by WaterAid it's most likely saying that water from toilet bowls specifically are precious in some areas. They could also be choosing the black kid to stand in the advert because of the criminal/poor stereotyping.

How might an audience react after seeing the advert?

It took me a while to actually understand the advert so presumably confused.

Now choose your own choice of advert from Google images. Save it to your documents, insert it into your blogpost and write an analysis using denotation and connotation (point, evidence, terminology, analysis), explaining what the advert is communicating to the audience.



What is shown in the advert? Setting/image/posture/costume?
What is the message of your advert? How do the colour(s) of your advert reinforce the message and suggest the mood?

The Heinz advert shows a ketchup bottle with the tagline "No one grows ketchup like Heinz." The message is obviously the tagline but as a clever design choice they made the bottle look like tomato slices stacked atop of each other and put a calyx at the top. Heinz made the entire advertisement red to reinforce the comparison and maybe add some subliminal messaging into the advertisement.









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