Advertising,
Communication and the Internet

Satirical parodies such as this spoof Calvin Klein ad may seem to be a special case, but actual ads often refer to each other. This kind of reference from one 'text' to another semioticians call intertextuality. Some of the most effective images on the Web are self-consciously intertextual. That is, they refer to (and often parody) other texts and expect the viewer to notice the allusion. Whilst viewers may simply experience this as flattering (since it acknowledges that they are clever enough to make sense of such images) this technique also 'positions' the viewer insofar as such images are only understood by those with a particular range of cultural experiences.

Long-running advertising campaigns often assume that the viewer knows at least some of the preceding ads. Smirnoff vodka ads in print and in the cinema are a good example.

Intertextuality relates to the related phenomenon of reflexivity. Intertextuality tends to be quite self-conscious and draws the viewer's attention to the medium. Recent ads in a variety of media have drawn attention to their status (and even parodied themselves as) advertisements. What kind of target viewer might you expect such ads to appeal to?

Reflexivity is a key feature of ads produced by the 'jeans and workwear' company, Diesel.

'Man, who needs two lungs anyway?' asks this advertisement for Diesel, the cheeky Italian fashion company. Well, clearly, we do, especially if we are to learn the art of successful living, which is the promise made by Diesel. This is a postmodern brand because it regurgitates sources for its clothes, advertisements and shop interiors scavenged from twentieth century popular culture. It is an Italian brand masquerading as an American brand, mixed with a healthy dose of Europop. In this context, succcessful living is about irony. Being in on the joke and having a prior understanding of the conventions of taste, culture and even the mechanics of branding itself, is essential for the consumer to appreciate Diesel. If brands are about promises, then Diesel makes ludicrous, comical promises to its consumers that highlight the superficiality of all brand messages. It simultaneously ridicules clichés (sexy girls, money, 'how to...' guides) and the political correctness that banished the benefits of smoking from advertising. Diesel is always rebellious and irreverent, seeking to appeal to free-thinkers and independent souls. However, there is one cliché even Diesel cannot resist. Its models are always gorgeous and so, like all fashion brands, Diesel carries the promise of sophistication and sex appeal. Source: Gareth Williams (2000): Branded? London: V&A, p. 55

How such ads are interpreted depends in part on how the advertising of the brand is different from the advertising of rival brands (an aspect of brand positioning). A separate webpage on this site is devoted to the positioning of jeans.

Perhaps because it's a relatively new medium, reflexive texts seem to be quite common on the Web and we might expect to find this in 'hip' Web-base ads. Have you found any examples yourself?

A webpage which is annoyingly familiar to users of the web is '404: Page Not Found'. Parodies of this abound. Here are some examples:

• PolterCow's Home Page
• 404 Error
• A Directory of 404 Parody Pages