Illuminating Feminine Pulchritude in Contemporary Advertisements of Cosmetic Products: A Semiotic Analysis

This semiotic analysis aimed to explicate the underlying concepts used by advertisers in promoting cosmetic products. This is also to signify how females are more concerned and sensitive about their beauty through analysing the language of advertisements. Also, this study aimed to reveal the extent to which the language employed by the advertisers exploits the whims and weaknesses of which people, mostly females, have with regards to beauty concepts. The linguistic corpora revealed that advertisers illuminate the concept of beauty by emphasizing the confidence and contentment women can get when they use the cosmetic product. With women as the target market, advertisers focus on enhancing the hegemonic qualities of women such as confidence and sex appeal. These concepts and qualities are made more sensitive to women to persuade female consumers that they can achieve anything they want for a limited price. Advertisers have communicated with female consumers by portraying their ideal selves, alongside with colours and slogans. One can see the value of conceptualizing the desires of people as object of attraction.