Visual analysis of Guerlain's Shalimar perfume advertisement

Perfume Ad

Image Analysis of the Shalimar by Guerlaine

Description of the Image

This image analysis is of the Shalimar by Guerlaine perfume advert which is represented on the title page. The image is of a young attractive woman who is in a seated position. She is sitting with both legs extended on the ground. She is dressed in a lighter color formal gown that has a luxurious appearance. One of her hands, the hand closest to the viewer, is positioned on the ground while the other appears to be holding some of her hair and is elevated almost to the level of her head. The image of the young woman herself is clear and has great detail however the background is fuzzy and hard to make out.

The perfume bottle that the ad is trying to sell is shown in color, positioned on the bottom right hand side of the image. The image of the perfume bottle is about the same size as the woman's torso and slightly covers a small portion of the woman's forearm in the advertisement. The pinkish color of the perfume is the largest amount of color shown in the image and the blue lid and tassel on the neck of the bottle is the brightest color shown in the image. There is also a gold button that is attached at the base of the tassel. The bottle itself is sort of a V shaped container that is narrow at the base and wider at top. The lid to the bottle looks something like a blue glass cork that is round on the top. The bottle is labeled as Shalimar in uppercase black lettering with the phrase "parfum initial." Above the image of the bottle in the top right hand corner is the brand name, Guerlain, which appears in bold black lettering.

The woman's facial expression is something of a cold blank stare. The look that she is giving serves as the focal point of the image. What the artist was trying to convey with the look is subject to subjective interpretation. The woman in the image is named Natalia Vodianova and was photographed by Paolo Roversi (Amby, 2011). The photographer shot the woman in clear detail while the rest of the image is blurry and out of focus. Furthermore the image is dark with light greys and almost a black and white image with a sort of glow.

Interpretation

Natalia Vodianova, who was typically portrayed naked in the advertising campaign for Shalimar Parfum Initial, is supposed to represent innocence and chastity of woman's body. The model's youth also supports this interpretation. In this image the cold blank stare that the model is giving represents a sense of boredom and innocence. The model is portrayed as very feminine and in a comfortable yet vulnerable pose. The formal dress, which appears to be tattered, coupled with the pose and the background, makes the model appear to be seeking some kind of excitement; like she is just waiting to be whisked away by something or someone. Therefore, the artist is trying to associate the qualities of the woman and the image with the perfume that is being marketed. These qualities are femininity, elegance, chastity, youth, beauty, and vulnerability.