Image Analysis

We all look and absorb images. It is our human nature to try and break down an image in order to validate it within our minds. This means that any advertising campaign must carefully walk the line between overtly obvious and crudely mysterious.

This trick was taught to us in a seminar last week. Bringing in two magazines, one familiar to us and one unknown, we were to pick an image and following 5 steps, analyse it.
Step 1: what is in the image? Literally break it down.
Step 2: what image is it? Photoshoot? Ad campaign? Advertising what?
Step 3: what is in the image but with a little more detail. What kind of sofa? What colour are the shoes? The perfume bottle?
Step 4: what message is the image trying to convey?
Step 5: who created the image? When? For what purpose?