SEMIOSCREEN: A NEW POWERFUL ANALYTICAL COCKTAIL
Semioscreen is a convergence between two particularly suitable ways of studying stories:
a) the Semiotics of the French school (École de Paris), which Alphabet has adopted over
many years as its main method of analysing advertising; b) the theories concerning the
creation of myths born in the place which, more than any other, feeds the contemporary
imagination: Hollywood.
In Semioscreen the basic analytical grid is inspired by the principles of ‘generative
semiotics’ and has four fundamental levels (each of which is sub-divided further): surface
level, figurative level, narrative level, and deep level. For instance, the narrative outline
seeks to examine the role of the main ‘actants’, which are the following: Addresser,
Subject (or Hero), Object of Value, Helper (often Magic), Anti-Subject (or Anti-Hero),
Opponent. It would be easy to show that, in advertising, the product typically covers one of
these three roles: Subject, Object of Value or Helper. This does not mean that in ads the
role of the Anti-Subject is irrelevant (on the contrary, it is very important to dramatise the
action of the product – but the product itself is never in that role). Which particular role a
product should play depends on its commercial category, its functions and its strategic
positioning. However, in our method the previous categories are enriched by the narrative
archetypes suggested by American screenwriting experts – which partially coincide with
the same actants and offer a wider array of options. These are the basic differentiations of
some of the principal archetypes:
SUBJECT/HERO
HELPER/MENTOR
ANTI-SUBJECT/SHADOW
Hero of growth
Hero of action
Involuntary hero
Sacrificial hero
Solitary hero
Group-oriented hero
Catalysing hero
Master
Bearer of magic gifts
Inventor
Shaman, initiation wizard
Ex-hero
Internal mentor (conscience)
Comic support
Bad, enemy
Antagonist
Femme fatale
Projection (Mr. Hyde)
Monster, alien
Humanised villain
Force of nature
In movies as well as in ads, each of these archetypical characters has a precise narrative
and psychological role and can be developed in a variety of ways.
But even more interesting is how these roles are played out in a narrative sequence.
According to the French school of semiotics, in the development of stories there are four
fundamental steps and three trials connected to them. In the perspective of American
screenwriters there are more narrative steps (about a dozen), which correspond rather
well to the semiotic model – and above all enrich it. To name just a few: the Call to
Adventure, the Meeting with the Mentor, the Approach to the Inner Cave, the Great
Ordeal, the Return of the Hero. In novels or movies all steps may be fully represented. In
advertising some messages (especially commercials) expand on several of them; other
messages (especially press ads) may focus on one single step but evoke other steps
implicitly. This way, even a simple image can convey a powerful, mesmerizing story.
WHAT THE AUDIENCE IS EXPECTED TO GAIN FROM THE SESSION
The presentation will clarify several theoretical concepts, but also refer to many examples
of how this method actually works. The audience will get a set of notions and clear
indications about:
– how to use semiotics in ad analysis
– how to widen the usual semiotic perspective with fascinating tools coming from the
great American experience in making movies that can enhance the ability to
understand, study and develop advertising stories.
The presentation will include some real time interactive analysis of specific ads, based on
the method assumptions.
SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Joseph Sassoon was professor of Sociology of Mass Media at the Sociology Department
of Milan State University from 1985 to 2000.
From 1982 to 1995 he headed the Communication Research Department of CRA, the
Nielsen ad hoc research institute in Italy.
In 1995, he founded Alphabet, a Milan-based research agency which specialises in
qualitative research and communication analysis.
He graduated in Economics at Bocconi University (Milan), and in Political Sciences at
Milan State University. He published many essays on sociologic and economic subjects in
Italian and foreign academic reviews and books.
In his marketing research activity he has worked for the most important local or
multinational companies and advertising agencies doing business in Italy. He also
conducted extensive qualitative research in the US, several European countries and Asia
(Japan, China).
He is often invited as speaker to national and international conferences. Some of the most
recent ones:
– the Swarovski conference on the perception of crystal, Telfs-Buchen (Austria), October
2005
– the Alviero Martini conference on the fashion industry, Rome, March 2006
– the Ambrosetti European House conference on the motorcycle industry, Milan (Italy),
November 2006
– the Legal Marketing Italia conference on communication in legal services, Rome (Italy),
July 2007.