Graphic Symbolism in Red Bull – Light Bulb
Graphic symbolism is much used in the Design world. From tv commercials to printed layouts, Graphic Symbolism makes its presence by giving the viewer ways of understanding something about the design or ad. Symbolism is described as “the practice of representing things by means of symbols,…. or significance to objects, events, or relationships.” The most common definition would be something that represents something else. In the Design world, I have found Red Bull cartoon ads to have symbols which make the viewer want to buy the product. For example, the Red Bull ad called “The Lightbulb” is a example of this.
According to the short article French theorist Jean Baudrillard – Symbols, Baudrillard claims, “commodities are not merely to be characterized by use-value and exchange value, as in Marx’s theory of the commodity, but sign-value — the expression and mark of style, prestige, luxury, power, and so on — becomes an increasingly important part of the commodity and consumption.” Baudrillard explains that in order for a product to be consumed it should promote a better life style, luxury, power, and anything that makes the user of that product feel better towards themselves and for a better commodity. I believe that this tv ad by Red Bull shows this because Red Bull’s main concept is to provide various benefits for those who use it. Red Bull allows someone to be focused, boosted with energy, satisfied and many more. In this specific commercial, the guy who is tying to invent light for the world drinks Red Bull and gets an idea, it comes from the light bulb that lights up as a symbol for a idea, then he uses that idea to create light for the whole world.
Another way of describing this ad is to look it from the point of view of the people who consume it. Many advertising companies have specific target audiences from which they can direct their product too. Therefore they put themselves in the users shoes and create the ad displaying what will make the user satisfied when using the product. This is said in the short article French theorist Jean Baudrillard – Symbols “For Baudrillard, the entire society is organized around consumption and display of commodities through which individuals gain prestige, identity, and standing.” In this Red Bull ad, the main target audience would be people who do sports, people who are in constant movement either at work or school, or people who need a boost in energy to get by their day. One metaphor used in this ad is the slogan Red Bull uses “Red Bull gives you wings” doesn’t exactly mean that if someone drinks Red Bull they will grow wings however is states that when having this drink, they will either have more energy, have new ideas, have new ways of thinking, be more awake, do things faster, and many more.
In the short article it is also stated that “His argument is that in a society where everything is a commodity that can be bought and sold, alienation is total. Indeed, the term “alienation” originally signified “to sale,” and in a totally commodified society where everything is a commodity, alienation is ubiquitous.” This quote states that in a society where everyone has their commodity mean new things such as cars, houses, products, anything that can make a person satisfied it is easier to be sold. Therefore advertising companies have it easier to promote products as commodities for the user. The product or commodity beings sold in the Red Bull ad is the drink itself and what the effects of drinking can cause the user. Effects such as new ideas, smart thinking, new ways of creating things as well as energy and recognition.
In conclusion, Graphic symbolism has been used throughout many tv ads by giving the viewer ways of understanding the ideas behind the ad. Many of us watch tv ads on a daily basis but what we don’t realize is that there are many symbols we can understand from some of this ads. These symbols usually help the company who created the ad to see the product they are showing. Most of the times these products are shown as commodities telling the viewer the need to buy these products. I have chosen the Red Bull ads because they show the idea of drinking a Red Bull in a different way. The main concept they work on is the slogan “Red Bull gives you wings” where it does not practically give a person wings but it gives a boost of energy for everyday work.
Other Red Bull commercials:
http://cartoons.redbull.com/us-en/archive/
