Tide - Responses

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

• Stuart Hall, ‘audiences are no longer passive but active when responding to the media’
• development of digital convergence, can discuss how audiences respond to the media in different ways

Question 2

Critical Acclaim and promise of pleasure

Answer 2

• advertising and marketing is designed to encourage audiences to respond with a preferred reading
• strategies are used to influence this e.g. critical acclaim and promise of pleasure
• e.g. “good housekeeping seal of appoval” shows experts trust tide and recommend it
• increases audience appeal

Question 3

Uses and Gratifications

Answer 3

Blumler and Katz - how audiences actively engage with media, audiences are active
- diversion is created by cheerful and idealised representation of domestic life e.g medium close up of woman embracing product
- vibrant visuals, smiling model and optimistic language provide a temporary escape, portrays housework as rewarding and enjoyable
- target audience (middle-class women) identtify with text through its focus on doemstic perfection
- text refelcts their aspirations in keeping a clean household (aligns with societal expectations)

Question 4

Preferred Reading

Answer 4

• illustration via long shot, aligns with lived experiences and cultural norms of 1950s
• portrays doemstic work as a source of pride
• language, ‘tides got what women want’ and visuals reinforce roles as domesticated housewives
• persauded to view tide as a helpful tool in achieving domestic perfection

Question 5

Oppositional Reading

Answer 5

• outdated and traditional representations of femininity
• context of an advert can change response
• a contemporary female auidience may take an oppositional reading due to gender stereotypes and idealisation of domestic work feeeling opppressive
• modern consumers are more critical of advertisements that show steretypical gender roles
• adverts now have to factor in individual ideologies to cater for diverse demographics

Question 6

Cultivation Theory

Answer 6

George Gerbner
- cultivates brand leadership by repeating claims like “tide gets your clothes cleaner than any other wash day product”
- repetition enforces superiority and reliability, synonomous with high quality
- superlatives like “whitest”, “brightest” and “cleanest” represnts the ultimate standards of cleanliness
- audience internalise these messages and align their perception of cleanliness and domestic success with the brand

Question 7

Conclusion

Answer 7

• demostrates how media strategies, aligned with societal norms and supported by critcal acclaim encourage audiences to adopt a preferred reading
• repetition and superlatives help to cultivate brand leadership
• embeds its ideology of cleanliness and domestic success
• showcases evolving interaction between media and audiences