So You Are Analyzing The Nesbit Larking Model Choose A Media

So You Are Analyzing The Nesbit Larking Model Choose A Media Product

Choose a media product. It cannot be analyzing the role of government in media. Analyze the media product through the Nesbit-Larking model, which includes components such as media organizations and technology, text form and codes, audience perception, and the socio-political environment. Provide an argument about your media product, then analyze it using the model, supporting your analysis with evidence. The analysis should include descriptions of who produced the media, what symbols and codes are present, how audiences perceive it, and how socio-political factors influenced its creation. The purpose is to demonstrate how to apply the Nesbit-Larking model to a media product by providing detailed analysis with evidence and avoiding personal opinion as the basis for interpretation.

Paper For Above instruction

For this analysis, I have chosen a television advertisement (ad) campaign by Dove titled "Dove Evolution," which was released in 2006. This media product exemplifies a powerful symbolic message about beauty standards and societal perceptions, providing an excellent case for applying the Nesbit-Larking model. The analysis will explore the ad through the components of the model: media organizations and technology, text forms and codes, audience perception, and the socio-political environment, to understand how the message is constructed, transmitted, and received within a socio-political context.

Media Organization and Technology

The "Dove Evolution" ad was produced by Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company known for its beauty and personal care products. As a corporate entity, Unilever is the primary media producer, utilizing its marketing and advertising departments to develop and disseminate the campaign. The technology used for the distribution was primarily digital, with the advertisement uploaded to YouTube and shared across other social media platforms. The proliferation of internet technology facilitated wide accessibility, enabling the ad to reach diverse audiences globally. The creation of the ad leverages contemporary media technology, utilizing high-definition video, editing software, and digital distribution channels. This indicates that the media organizations involved are corporate marketers deploying digital tools to craft and circulate messages aimed at influencing societal perceptions of beauty.

Text Forms and Codes

"Dove Evolution" is a short, one-minute and thirty-second visual advertisement. The ad features a young woman undergoing a transformation, manipulated through digital editing to enhance her facial features, smooth skin, and slim figure, culminating in her appearance in a highly stylized, conventionally attractive form. The literal interpretation of this media product is a visual depiction of beauty transformation through cosmetic enhancement and digital manipulation. The symbols within the ad—such as the transformation process—serve as metaphors for societal pressures to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. The denotative message appears to critique the unrealistic portrayals of beauty in media, but the connotative meanings imply a critique of the beauty industry's role in promoting narrow aesthetic ideals. The symbols convey themes of societal beauty expectations, the artificiality of media representations, and the impact on individual self-esteem.

Audience Perception

Research indicates that audiences interpret the "Dove Evolution" ad as a commentary on media's role in shaping unrealistic beauty standards and the harmful effects on self-image, especially among young women. Some viewers appreciated the message, perceiving it as empowering and a call for more realistic beauty representations. Others criticized the ad for potentially reinforcing the very standards it aims to critique, suggesting that it still relies on conventional beauty symbols and may perpetuate societal obsession with appearance. Evidence from social media comments and media analyses supports this dichotomy of reception. Audience interpretation is based on prior knowledge of media influence theories, as well as personal values and cultural contexts. For instance, a study by Choi and Rifkin (2015) demonstrated that viewers' perceptions of beauty ads are heavily influenced by cultural norms and media literacy levels.

Socio-Political Environment

The production of the "Dove Evolution" ad occurred within a socio-political context emphasizing body positivity and challenging traditional beauty norms. The mid-2000s saw growing consumer and advocacy movements demanding more inclusive and realistic portrayals of beauty in media. The campaign aligns with societal debates around gender, beauty standards, and the commercialization of body image. The ad's message was, in part, driven by increasing social awareness and pressure on corporations to adopt socially responsible marketing strategies. Moreover, the socio-political climate of rising social activism around body positivity and gender equality influenced the ad's creation and reception. The campaign also reflects corporate attempts to align with this environment, leveraging social discourse to enhance brand image and consumer trust.

Analysis Using the Nesbit-Larking Model

Applying the Nesbit-Larking model reveals the interconnectedness of these components. The media organization (Unilever) utilized advanced digital technology to produce a culturally relevant message that critiques societal beauty standards. The text—visual symbols of transformation—encodes complex meanings that resonate with societal debates about beauty and authenticity. Audience perception is shaped by socio-cultural norms, media literacy, and personal experience, which influence how the ad is received—either as empowering or problematic. The socio-political environment acts as a backdrop that both informs production choices and influences audience interpretation. The arrows in the model illustrate that media producers are influenced by societal values, which are embedded in the texts, and these texts, in turn, influence and are received by audiences within their socio-political context. This dynamic illustrates that media products are both a reflection of and an influence on societal norms, reinforcing the importance of considering all components of the model when analyzing media.

Conclusion

The "Dove Evolution" advertisement exemplifies a media product that is deeply embedded within its socio-political context, created by a corporate media organization utilizing advanced digital tools, and conveying symbolic messages that shape and reflect societal perceptions of beauty. Its reception varies depending on audience backgrounds and cultural norms, illustrating the complex relationship between media texts, producers, audiences, and social environment. Through the Nesbit-Larking model, it is evident that understanding these interrelations is crucial for critically analyzing media messages and their societal implications.

References

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  • Morley, D., & Robins, K. (2012). Spaces of identity: Global media and cultural boundaries. Routledge.
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  • Zimmerman, A. (2016). The cultural politics of beauty: A sociological perspective. Sociology of Culture, 32(4), 155-175.

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