CMNS 223 - Week 2

Semiotics: Commodity sign

Transcript

2. The identity of anything (people, things) depends more on what it is not than what it is, since boundaries are primarily distinctions: and there are no ‘natural’ distinctions between most products One thing cannot mean in itself: it has to be in relation to others.
7. Products as Signified: a product which initially has no ‘meaning’, must be given value by a person or object which already has a value to us, i.e., already means.
8. Products as Signified: a product which initially has no ‘meaning’, must be given value by a person or object which already has a value to us, i.e., already means. Products as Signifier: after a product has had meaning transferred to it from another object, is that the product itself comes to mean. It may start off as a reflection of something exterior, but will soon come to represent it.
9. Products as Signified: a product which initially has no ‘meaning’, must be given value by a person or object which already has a value to us, i.e., already means. Products as Currency: Products are set up as being able to buy things you cannot buy. You cannot buy cool. Jordan shoes can, and you can buy them.
10. Meaning is produced in the relations of the sign system. As a group, identify a specific product category. Within that market, pick two brands which are identifying their products with two different value systems (or, that aren’t).
11. Examples: Ford Vs RAM: Same value system Redbull Vs Monster: ? Playstation Vs Nintendo
12. Advertisements create their own consumers. They tell you what you are like. The function of ideology in all this? It gives us the assurance that we are ourselves, separate individuals, and that we choose to do what we do.
14. Split into groups of 3 ppl max and identify one brand particularly good at providing us with a sense of identity. Try to avoid the usual suspects: Red Bull, GoPro, Nike, …
15. twitter.com/albertolusoli alusoli@sfu.ca Office hour: Mon + Wed, 12.30-13.20, room K-8661