Human communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human communication - Essay Example According to Saussure, a signifier is a label attached to an object under discussion, and the signified is the object or mental concept of the object. The two units form the sign, but no absolute rules connecting the signifier and signified exist. This creates an arbitrary relationship with the physical impression often contradicting the mental concept (Signs 2007). Toyota has applied this concept to the extreme with an advertisement that shows an idyllic country scene with a lush green landscape. The focus, however, is on one tree, entwined with almost naked human bodies ( Zero 2007). In this very visual ad, denoting, according to the accompanying text (which is so tiny, it is difficult to read), the need for balance between man and nature, the signifier, or label, is the title of the adZero Emissionsè ¬ ¡hich has no real connection to the pictorial aspect of the ad. Charles S. Peirce was a theorist of logic, language, communication and the general theory of signs. He expanded Saussures theories of signifier and signified, adding more theories to the communication process (Burch 2007). The scene in Toyotas ad follows Peirces concept of Icon, Index and Symbol. The object is zero emissions depicting its message of mans concern for nature, and the tree of life is an icon showing the connection and thereby creating the index. The symbol, however, is the arbitrary connection, the word TOYOTA printed in red . The word Toyota calls forth a picture of a car, which represents damage to the environment through harmful emissions. Toyota, however, in the text for the ad, promises zero emissions as a future goal. By combining visual and verbal, the company manages to create a positive image for its customers from an arbitrary connection, with a hybrid automobile representing the present global emphasis on green. The scantily clad men and women in the ad brin g to mind the Garden of Eden and this creates a mental image of