Commercial Break

Semiotics, as a science, attempts to discern and understand the different types of signs that exist in the media and within individual's lives.  These signs are most cleverly portrayed in things like movies, television shows, and music videos, as the visual aspect of the sign often eludes to things that cannot be audibly understood.  A fantastic example of use of signs are the Super Bowl commercials every year.  With the Super Bowl taking place yesterday, the advertisements that were aired used signs to get readers to understand things that weren't understood in the visual aspect of the commercial.  

There were many good commercials this year, as there are every year, but the one that stood out the most to me was the Heinz commercial.  The ad could be summarized as a stampede of wiener dogs, all dressed up as hot dogs, and running directly into the arms of a family, who all happen to be dressed up as Heinz products.  The people all stand together, but it is the signs that the commercial gives that allows the viewer to interpret the individuals as a family.

The commercial dresses up the immediate family members as the most recognizable Heinz products, the other members of the family, for example the uncle - who I assume is dressed up as the BBQ sauce - is dressed up as a product that is related, but also slightly less important in the full scheme of the commercial.  The costume that each individual is wearing is a sign of their relation to the main ketchup bottle.  There is the uncle as the BBQ sauce, the grandfather as the old glass bottle of ketchup, the wife, as mustard, and a son as a small ketchup packet.  As the other three individuals are different types of ketchup I would assume that they are brothers to the regular ketchup.  Without analysis of these signs it is evident that the family is related, but the signs elude to the exact relation.

The commercial isn't only centered around the family however, there is also an emphasis on the dogs that are running towards the family.  I think that the Heinz advertising company did a very good job of incorporating signs of a family event.  Not only do they bring together a family, immediate and extended, they also incorporate the aspect of a family animal, which not every family has but many do.

The entire advertisement can be seen as a sign for Heinz being something that brings families together.  The combination of the family that stands together and the use of hot dogs emulates the sign of a family barbecue or gathering.  Which is all about being close with family and friends and spending time together.