Reception Theory

 

1) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the RBK 50 Cent advert?

Preferred:

The preferred reading would be that RBK support and promote change/identity and black culture/heritage. They also may be raising awareness on social injustice. This is due to having a black celebrity and having the influential quotes from himself.

Negotiated:

The negotiated reading would be that we can understand their point or what they might be promoting. However we can't understand what they are gaining and what they are trying to advertise. It isn't fully clear as to which RBK product they are promoting.

Oppositional:

The oppositional reading would be that, Reebok are exploiting black people for their own monetary gain and that they are using him to gain attention from others so that they get the publicity. Reebok are reinforcing stereotypes that black people are associated with crime, due to having a black actor with images of fingerprints ( which look like they are from a criminal record). 

2) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the advert of your own choice that you analysed for last week's work?

spice.jpg (267×401) (weebly.com)

Preferred:

The preferred reading would be that you should get the aftershave he has in his so you can be like him and be a "SPICEBOMB", therefore buy the fragrance and be irresistible to all women.

Negotiated:

The negotiated reading would be that why have they only used one person in the ad, usually in fragrance ads they will have a male and many females or a female and many males to promote it. So this ad may be reinforcing that gender nowadays isn't 2 sides but many more.

Oppositional:

The oppositional reading would be that you are only allowed to buy the product if you have his body structure (muscular body), and that its only exclusive to white people due to having a white actor as the model. 

3) How useful is Reception theory when analysing media products? 

In my opinion, reception theory is really useful when analysing media products as it covers all the areas when someone thinks about something. This is due to having multiple meanings which start to question an audience.

Preferred - they agree with subject. The producers will structure their product in a specific way using signs and signifiers. For example using a powerful centralised image to connote a specific meaning, for example  the "SPICEBOMB"  advert may suggest how the fragrance gives you power. A target audience will understand the message straight away.  Negotiated  - they have a neutral feeling towards the subject (midway). The structure and the main topic may be understood but the audience won't understand what some images/texts are trying to represent. For example, the fingerprints on the Reebok 50 cent advert. Oppositional - they disagree with the subject. It shows how we as an audience are entitled and freely think about the media products in our own perspective. 

Overall, media texts are polysemic and ultimately it is up to us, the audience, to interpret it in any way,  (de Saussure)