Image Analysis Context of Practice Task 4

The image above shows a promotional poster for an M&M campaign in Australia. The campaign was an election parallel where each colour would stand for an election and be voted for according to which colour the public wanted to have its own separate pack. The purpose of the text was to draw attention and interest to the product and entertain people with the campaign. The dominant red colouring in the design, mixed with the contrasting colours of black and purple not only makes a clear reference to the soviet Union but also has deeper connotations and connections in our society. Red is a threatening colour connoting danger and violence creating humor via juxtaposition between the connotations of the colour and the obvious harmlessness of a chocolate coated peanut. The high contrast silhouette illustration style has an elegance but also a crudeness to it which emulates the style of the soviet union propaganda but also fits with the layers of solid colour required for screen printing, which could have been the chosen production process at the time.

There are also numerous signs which feed into the overall message of the text. For example, the red M&M at the back of the poster has a raised fist, his denotes simply a hand in a certain position but its connotes victory, violence and strength. In a similar manor the angular lines and sharp corners of the glyphs connote vicious movements of the hand while writing. All coming together to create an almost hyperbolic version of the soviet identity to contrast all the more with the identity of the M&M brand. This could be considered an example of the othello effect. This can also be seen in the copious amount of signs in the poster. The 'mob' or 'rebells' at the bottom of the poster are all agricultural workers or laborers of some kind, suggesting a rearranging of the social order, fitting with the marxist ideals of the soviet movement. The rays of red sunlight that shine from behind the red M&M connote the idea of a 'guiding light' or someone held in such high regard as to be beyond human. They have taken this idea and made a mockery of it by placing a sweet at the focus of it.

Arguably the clear reference to the soviet union through the coloring and other deign aspects of the poster enforces the myth that the soviets were violent thugs with no intelligence or culture. This myth is something that can be found repeated throughout western media, especially in the 60s. It has been repeated so many times that it is seen as natural by modern audiences. This hyperbole created by associating the soviet union's identity with that of a sweet creates a comical tone intended to entertain the audience and sell more.