dr. d. nivedhitha

301 Pages·2016·3.19 MB·English

AUDIOVISUAL RHETORIC IN PRACTICE: A SEMIO-
IDEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TELEVISION COMMERCIALS OF
FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS IN INDIA
Thesis submitted to
PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY

For the award of the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

in
ELECTRONIC MEDIA & MASS COMMUNICATION

by
Mr. SMARAK SAMARJEET
(Reg. No: R27333)

Under the Supervision of
DR. D. NIVEDHITHA
Associate Professor

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA & MASS COMMUNICATION
SCHOOL OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATION
PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
PUDUCHERRY- 605014
INDIA
APRIL 2015
i

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND MASS COMMUNICATION
SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION
PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY
PUDUCHERRY - 605014, INDIA

Dr. D. NIVEDHITHA
Associate Professor
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the thesis titled “Audiovisual Rhetoric in Practice: A Semio-
Ideological Analysis of Television Commercials of Fast Moving Consumer Goods in India”
submitted to Pondicherry University in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy in Mass Communication, is a record of original research work done by
Mr. Smarak Samarjeet under my supervision and guidance. This thesis has not previously formed
the basis for the award of any Degree/Diploma/Fellowship or similar titles and it represents
independent work on the part of the candidate.

Place: Puducherry Dr. D. Nivedhitha
Date: Associate Professor
ii

Ph.D. Research Scholar (Full - time)
Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication
School of Media and Communication
Pondicherry University
Puducherry – 605014

DECLARATION

I, SMARAK SAMARJEET, hereby declare that the thesis entitled “Audiovisual
Rhetoric in Practice: A Semio-Ideological Analysis of Television Commercials of Fast
Moving Consumer Goods in India” submitted to Pondicherry University in fulfillment of the
Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in ELECTRONIC MEDIA AND MASS
COMMUNICATION, is a record of original research work done by me under the guidance
and supervision of Dr. D. NIVEDHITHA, Associate Professor, Department of Electronic
Media and Mass Communication, Pondicherry University.

I further declare that the thesis has not previously formed the basis for the award of any
Degree/Diploma/Fellowship or any other similar titles of recognition.

Place: Puducherry SMARAK SAMARJEET
Date:
iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research acknowledges the assistance extended by the following people and
organization.
Foremost, I would like to acknowledge Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy for
allowing me to access their database.
My sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr. D. Nivedhitha for her constant support and
encouragement at every step. She not only guided me but also provided me with the kind of
space where I could nurture my own critical thinking. She has witnessed and refined my early
disposition towards my field of research. One simply couldn’t wish for a better or friendlier
supervisor.
I thank my Doctoral Committee members Dr. Surendra Kumar Sia, Associate Professor,
Department of Applied Psychology, Pondicherry University and Dr. Shuaib Mohammed
Haneef, Assistant Professor, Department of Electronic Media and Mass Communication,
Pondicherry University, for their timely guidance. I would like to specially thank my previous
Doctoral Committee member Dr. Pradeep Krishnatray, Director (Research and Strategic
Planning), Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, for his unwavering
patience. He has been a constant source of motivation and positive energy. Apart from his busy
schedule, he has always found time for me and has been the guiding light ab initio.
I thank all the faculty members of the Department of Electronic Media and Mass
Communication for their support and quality interaction in symposiums and weekly lectures. I
would like to thank the members of the staff at the department, at the central library, and at the
administrative section of the Pondicherry University, for their continuous assistance.
I owe a lot to Jason Chris for his tireless proofreading work. He never flinched from the
burden of editing the entire dissertation. Without him, the entire matter would have been a
chaos. He did save the day.
iv

Finally, I would like to thank my father for allowing me to indulge in ideological
discourse with him. He made Karl Marx an easy one to deal with. My mother’s constant support
was motivating.
One enlightening journey it was!

Place: Pondicherry Smarak Samarjeet
Date:
v

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
LIST OF TABLES x
LIST OF FIGURES xi
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xii
ABSTRACT xiv
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
Introduction 2
Advertising: An Overview 2
Advertising around the World 3
Advertising in India 4
Multinational Corporations in India 6
Television Industry in India 8
Advertising as an Ideology 11
Globalization and Hegemonic Cultural Inflow 13
Need and Significance of the Study 15
Organization of the Study 15
Summary 16

CHAPTER 2 – LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction 19
Related Studies 19
vi

Research Specific to India 19
Research in Other Countries 23
Research Gap 29
Theoretical Framework 30
Commodity Fetishism and Narcissism 31
Creative Labour and Ideological Apparatus 36
Cinematic Apparatus 39
Camera and Psychoanalysis 40
Summary 41

CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY
Introduction 43
Rationale for Choosing FMCGs 44
Research Problem and Research Objective 44
Data Collection 45
Universe Selection 45
Sample Design 46
Criteria for Selecting Television Commercials 47
Method of Analysis 50
Factors to Determine a Shot 51
Analysis of Data 52
Limitations 56
Summary 57
vii

CHAPTER 4 – ANALYSIS
Introduction 59
Camera and Celebration of Body 62
Commercial (Ponds Cream) 63
Commercial (Fair & Lovely Cream) 70
Commercial (Lux Soap) 78
Commercial (Dove Soap) 85
Summary 93
Camera and Celebrating Youth 95
Commercial (Close Up Toothpaste) 96
Commercial (Pepsi Beverage) 103
Commercial (Cadbury Chocolate) 111
Summary 118
Camera and Celebrity Address 120
Commercial (Pantene Shampoo) 121
Commercial (Head & Shoulder Shampoo) 126
Commercial (Coca-Cola Beverage) 132
Summary 141
Camera and Happiness 143
Commercial (Kurkure Cheese Puff) 144
Commercial (Whisper Sanitary Pad) 151
Summary 160
Camera and Male Eroticization 163
Commercial (Axe Deodorant) 164
viii

Commercial (Gillette Shaving Blade) 174
Summary 180
Camera and Middle Class Frustration 182
Commercial (Surf Excel Detergent) 183
Commercial (Sunsilk Shampoo) 189
Commercial (Ariel Detergent) 195
Summary 204
Camera and Sexuality 206
Commercial (Lakme Lipstick) 207
Commercial (Slice Mango Drink) 215
Commercial (Liril) 222
Summary 230

CHAPTER 5 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction 233
Narrative of Success, Achievements and Transformations 233
Dominant Signs in the Narrative 236
Ideological Practices 239
Ideology driven Visuals 244
Summary 248

CHAPTER 6 – CONCLUSIONS
Conclusions 249
Suggestions 256
ix

Scope for Future Research 257
REFERENCES 260
APPENDICES 280