Supermarket Aesthtics

Essay Considerations

1. Using supermarkets as a social frame to understand the methods used to maintain a hegemonic capitalist state.

2. The roles of workers and those who control the means of production.

3. Determines, the political, social and cultural shape of society and its future.

The base and the superstructure.

4. How a society produces its means of existence.

5. Relationship between ones class position and the mode of production.

6. The ruling class must represent their interests as the common interest of all members of society. (Through branding, and ideology).

7. Focus of economical changes, which produced it audience/market. Credit crunch, advertising cheap alternatives to the working class, while the middle and ruling classes remain largely the same. However the ruling class must suggest that it effects them also, in order to maintain control. (6)

Essay Proposal

Proposed essay title or topic
A semiotic reading of branded and supermarket own brand food packaging.
(beans, soup, tined food).

or

A semiotic reading of supermarkets and their intended markets.
(Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Iceland.)

or

Something completely different.


Main issues addressed in essay
- How supermarkets have their food packaging to be aimed at specific markets.
- Class Distinctions (how are the views of the markets shaping the markets, how can these be altered?)
- Language, and visual language. How the branding of the supermarkets aims toward specific class markets.
- How some supermarkets aim their branding at a specific market, rather than by promoting products. I.e. Iceland Vs M&S

Visual material
Food Packaging
Branding material from supermarkets

Theoretic Approaches
Critical Theory, Semiotics

Theorists to refer to
Adorno, Althusser, Foucault, marx


Books
Crow, D (2003) An introduction to semiotics: Visible Signs
Silverman, K (1983) The Subject of Semiotics
Chandler, D ((2002)The Basics, Semiotics
Hall, S (2007) This means this, This means that: A users guide to semiotics
Storey, J (2006) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture