Textual Analysis 1: Cactus kid.

 

This image is an advert about ‘Cactus kid’ and his girlfriend for an Oasis soft drink. However it was banned because the public felt it condoned teenage pregnancy. In the advert, ‘Cactus Kid’ runs away with his girlfriend after she argues with her mother, and the two are chased by police.

The denotation of this image is that it is a photograph of the ‘Cactus kid’ sitting on an old rusty car in a very relaxed position with his girlfriend beside him. They are both holding an Oasis bottle in their hands. The connotation of this image would be; in a dessert, when you are thirsty, you drink water from a Cactus plant. However, in this case, ‘Cactus kid’ isn’t drinking water neither is his girlfriend. They are both holding an oasis bottle which suggests that Oasis can fulfil the same needs as water does when people are thirsty or dehydrated.

In the photograph, ‘Cactus kid’ is wearing a cactus costume to show that he is the ‘Cactus kid’. His also wears Black jeans trousers and a White vest top with old Black shoes. This gives him the look of a rebel that he symbolises in the advert. The girl is wearing a Pink dress and rough Brown boots. Her hair is in bushy curls which gives her a rough runaway country girl appearance. This image is proper for her character as that is whom she plays in the advert.

The props that are used in this photograph aren’t that many. An old and rusty car is used so is an Oasis bottle. The bottle suggests that it is an Oasis bottle advert. The old car gives the photograph an old country fashion picture. The scene is set in a desert that is based in Texas. We know this because of the style of the signposts that are in the photograph. The lighting that is used in this photograph is high-key lighting. It is set outside in an open space so everything becomes brighter.

The body language of both the ‘Cactus kid’ and his girlfriend shows that they are relaxed. They are pictured sitting closely together and they both have strong eye-contact. This shows the passion that they both share. The ‘Cactus kid’ and his girlfriend are both holding an Oasis soft drink bottle; thus suggests that they are advertising Oasis.

The anchorage that is used in this picture is a Serif font. This is the font that the ‘Cactus kid’ is written in. This has been placed on a sign board that looks like the ones that are usually from a city like Texas. In the photograph, the Oasis Company is asking their supporters to vote for the ‘Cactus kid’; by doing this they will be buying Oasis soft drinks as this is what the ‘Cactus kid’ is promoting.

The photograph uses the rule of thirds because it can be divided into nine equal parts. This creates more tension in the photograph as everything isn’t just placed in the middle; it’s placed on the left hand side of the image itself. This image also has a connotation of imbalance because it has the character of the ‘Cactus kid’ but it actually is an Oasis advert promotion.

Finally, this photograph contains juxtaposition because the ‘Cactus kid’ and his girlfriend are really different characters entirely. The ‘Cactus kid’ has the body of a desert plant but characteristics of a human being. This could mean that like you need a Cactus in the dessert when you are thirsty; the Oasis soft drink can replace your liquid needs.