Patek's Discourse

Advertising is a crucial component of society and the modern media. It helps keep consumers informed about new products, services, and companies that are available in the market. The overall purpose of advertising is to inform customers about the company’s product or services and convince them that their product is worthy of being purchased. In order to fully understand the nature of advertising, the advertisement must first be deconstructed into its discourses, the signifiers, and the connotations associated with these discourses. The focus for this analytical deconstruction is the advertisement for a Patek Philippe watch. This advertisement is aimed at middle-aged, married mothers, and this is apparent through the three main signifiers that …show more content…
The small paragraph located above the product does not describe the watch, instead highlighting the values and ideologies behind the watch. By saying that the watch will be passed through generations, the text implies that the watch will last forever, while at the same time promoting the preservation of tradition. It conveys these ideas with a family discourse which suggests that the watch should be more than an ornamental wrist clock; it should hold sentimental value to a family. This ideology further implies that families should be close and have a distinct ancestry of devoted kinships. With such a simplistic layout, and with so few words, the text manages to say all of the aforementioned ideals. It also uses familiarity with the company, Patek Philippe, to assure viewers that their product is superior. By relying on its good reputation as quality watchmakers, the advertisement lacks the need for much explaining or text, and uses minimal, comprehensive word content. Another simple signifier is the background of the …show more content…
It encompasses traditional ideologies to create a sense of familiarity and content, despite the fact that these ideologies are harmful to society since they marginalize non-stereotypical groups of society, almost treating them as abnormal. Through the use of the three main signifiers: the mother and daughter, the text, and the background, the advertisement communicates specific ideologies relating to, and promoting tradition. Each have a hidden meaning that contribute to the overall objective of the advertisement; that is, to promote their product and to promote the preservation of tradition. On the whole, that is the purpose of advertising: to inform customers about their product or services and to convince customers that that company's product is