First glance at this poster makes you take a second look as everything in this picture is clearly set up to look like a magazine product advertisement except that when you look at the model and the background, it’s clearly more than that. We’ll now use Barthes’ three message approach to have a better understanding.

Barthes’ Three Message Approach

1. Linguistic Message: $$$ vs $
   The copy highlights the of pricing point between, say, sunglasses and access to water which are $24 and $8 respectively. The product names on the ads are bolded and capitalised so the reader sees them before they move on to the second line that reads a basic survival necessity. The difference of a ‘want’ and a ‘need’ is clearly seen.

2. Connotated Message: Juxtaposition
   On face value, we understand that this ad is not alike other product ads as the model and background reflect what majority of us understand as people who are malnourished with little access to food and water in third world countries. Which is juxtaposed with the idea of an advertisement selling branded products typically targeted to middle-class people in first world countries.
3. Denoted Message: Place your money where it matters
   The juxtaposition tries to place guilt in its audience who are aware of their own purchasing habits. It does so by showing them how privileged they are, coupled with showing the difference they could be making.

Image Analysis

Model:  Instead of picking a model typical height and build, the models in this ad look and dress like stereotypical images of how our brain sees underprivileged people in third-world countries. But their pose mimics those of fashion models. This ad would not have worked the same if healthy and good-looking models were used instead.

Setting: The background goes hand-in-hand with the model to portray the image of a barren land with little access to food and water.

Objects: Products shown are those that majority of the audience owns or would have bought in some time in their life. The objects chosen must also be of little necessity to one’s life, or objects that people buy to treat themselves.