Conjunction Junction

Red Delicious

In the September issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, DKNY brand featureed an ad for a new perfune called Red Delicious. The tag line is "a temptation in fragrances." The ad is a photo of a man and a woman sitting on a motorcycle. The woman is holding an apple in one hand, and reaching back to touch the man's thigh with the other. The man is sitting behind her, leaning into her, with his face next to her neck. In the background is a scene of New York city. Although there are several things at play in this advertisement, the two areas I will focus on are the semiotic factors, and a feminist analysis of the ad.

There are several signs in this ad which have a social and cultural meaning behind them. The first is the apple which the female is holding. Apples are a fruit which is traditionally associated with temptation. The biblical reference of Eve giving into the temptation of the apple is present in this ad. Secondly, the woman in the ad is wearing a red dress. The color red is often associated with passion. By clothing the woman in red, she becomes a symbol of sex and passion. These are two of the semiotic references in this ad.

It is also interesting to look at this ad through the lens of a feminist analysis. Here, the woman is certainly being presented as an object of sexual desire. Her dress is very short and revealing. Secondly, the man in the ad is looking directly at her, making her the center of attention in the ad. Also, the woman's hand is resting on his thigh, suggesting sex. This ad presents women as an object of sexual desire, and Red Delicious perfume as a means of becoming wanted.