What do you see?

Lebron James and Gisele Bundchen right? 




See the resemblance?

A picture is just a picture but when someone looks at a particular picture they give it a meaning based off of social constructions that they have been surrounded with throughout their life.  Perceptions vary from person to person and each individual gives a certain picture a different meaning.  Pictures are complex and open ended.  Pictures sometimes say more than words itself.

This is especially important in the world of advertising.  Companies must interpellate the viewer, meaning that their advertisement must be meant for understanding even if the viewer does not like or goes against the grain of a particular picture.  They must be conscious of the wide range of perceptions and meanings they may be associated with the advertisement because their brand relies on this. Why is this important?

Images also leave lasting impressions that can associate things together.  Look at this image of a smoking ad:



Someone can associate smoking as good with a doctor holding cigarettes with a smile. Without reading the words we see a healthy doctor, smiling, white teeth, and eye glasses that may give perceptions of a wise man.  One can look at this same picture and associate an old man with cigarettes, grey hair and a red background as something negative to associate with these cigarettes.

Should some respect be reserved for the producers of the images and their intended meanings? Most illustrators of an image envision one meaning that they want to be represented with their image.  How can they protect this? Can it ever be protected? A picture is really worth a thousand words.