In-Lecture Exercise C

 

According to the lecture slides, the signifier is the physical form of the sign whereas the signified is the idea or concept that it represents. 

In this advertisement, the signifier is the red tomato slices stacked up in the shape of a Heinz bottle, with the Heinz Ketchup packaging stickers on the tomato slices. The tomatoes are very red and nicely sliced, which suggests that they are very fresh and delicious. It signifies that Heinz could be trying to say that they are one of the only manufacturers who make ketchup out of natural, fresh tomatoes, as compared to other manufacturers who may be using preservatives, tomatoes that are not so fresh, or not using natural flavors of tomatoes. Hence, Heinz has the best ketchup manufactured using the freshest tomatoes. It can also suggest that Heinz Ketchup is healthier than other brands as they make use of actual tomatoes to make the ketchup, rather than artificial tomato flavors.

The sentence in the poster “No one grows Ketchup like Heinz” is also a signifier. It signifies that Heinz Ketchup is the best, one-of-a-kind, and contains the freshest tomatoes. It also suggests that other ketchup brands cannot compete with Heinz due to their competitive advantage of manufacturing using only the freshest and tastiest tomatoes. Not only that, but it also connotes that Heinz grows and manufactures their tomatoes and ketchup from scratch, rather than obtaining from other sources.

Overall, the advertisement is trying to market Heinz Ketchup in a very unique and interesting manner. It makes use of various signifiers and connotations to bring across a deeper message that Heinz Ketchup is natural, fresh, and one-of-a-kind.