Week 4 WOII (6 Feb 2025) - Semiotics
I thought Semiotics was an interesting topic as it is quite subjective, and it was intriguing to me to make connections about how we interpret certain things. There is the denotation part, based on what we see, that is more literal. However it was the connotation part which was interesting, as everyone can make their own judgements on what they see.
For example, taking this poster from Mahatma Gandhi hospital, they are trying to show a message that smoking and drinking is similar to being “trapped”. The denotation would be that the cigarettes are shown as jail bars, and you can also see a silhouette of an alcohol bottle around it. However the connotation would be very different. The reason why cigarettes are shown as jail bars is because they want to show that just as inmates are trapped in jail, cigarettes can also have the same effect. The alcohol bottle may not be as prominent, but also enhances the connection to the jail cell concept.
While the poster connotation is pretty literal, some people may not have the same idea. If the caption below was removed, I think that the poster can also be interpreted that cigarettes have the same consequences as drinking perhaps. Both interpretations are valid, and just goes to show that elements of a poster are both inherent to add clarity and meaning to the design.
Overall Semiotics are part and parcel of the design industry, and I think as designers we need to be mindful about the different interpretations that can come out of our works, and how we can make it as clear as possible towards our intended audience.
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