The Color Purple and Other Signifiers: Decoding Popchips Ad with Katy Perry

Deciphering Colors: The Power of Red, Elegance of Purple, and Purity of White in Advertising

The text and images of this advertisement use signifiers to communicate a signified message. The first signifier in the advertisement that the consumer encounters is the color red. This color takes over the entire background, with the pop-up bag also being red. The signified message conveyed by the color red is powerful. According to the color-wheel-pro, red is associated with desire, power, strength, energy, and most importantly, it enhances human metabolism. The color purple is another signifier used in this ad, and it is seen in Katy’s headband and exercise ball. Again, the color purple delivers another signified message to the viewer.

The color-wheel-pro suggests the color purple is associated with royalty. Katy Perry is a famous celebrity. It could be said that many people look up to her as a role model. The color purple is also associated with luxury, power, and wisdom. Those who admire Katy Perry are prone to go and buy Popchips just to be like her. Another signifier seen is the color white. The message of the advertisement is printed in white, making it stand out and sending a signified message to the viewer. The color-wheel-pro describes white as purity, goodness, perfection, and innocence. This could be interpreted as the message being true, that chips are healthy. All the words of the advertisement are in white, which convinces the viewers of a truthful and honest message.

Beyond the Color Purple: Decoding Linguistic Signifiers and the Illusion of Health in Popchips Promotion

Furthermore, the words in the text are the strongest signifiers. The words are: “love. without the handles” and “I curl pop chips straight to my lips. good thing they don’t go straight to my hips”. Also, “think popped! never fried. never baked”. The signified message in the text is simply that the chips are a healthy choice. By eating these chips, no excessive fat will go to the hips of the consumer. But are they really healthy? According to the article “Food Review: Popchips,” “As for nutrition, yes, these chips have fewer calories, total fat, and saturated fat as compared to Lay’s and Kettle chips, but they also have more carbs and sodium and less protein.”

With Popchips, the consumer is ingesting a higher amount of sodium and carbs compared to other well-known brands of chips. Popchips also lack protein that can be found in other chip brands. Less protein in chips means the consumer will find themselves snacking more often because they are not full. Finally, Katy Perry herself is a signifier of the ad. She is a white woman, fit, and a celebrity. The signified message being conveyed is whoever eats pop chips will be like Katy Perry. There is no need to exercise to be fit because people can just eat popcorn chips.

References

1. Lüscher, M. (1969). The Lüscher Color Test. Simon and Schuster.
2. Zettl, H. (2013). Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics. Cengage Learning.
3. Gage, J. (1999). Color and Meaning: Art, Science, and Symbolism. University of California Press.
4. Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design. Routledge.