For this weeks prompt, we will focus on components in advertising and what they mean from a semiotic perspective. It may be helpful to recall that from a semiotic perspective, every marketing message has three pieces: an object, a sign (or symbol), and an interpretant. As outlined in your text, the object is the product that is the focus of the message (e.g., Burger Kings menu items). The sign is the sensory image that represents the intended meanings of the object (e.g., a funky King). The interpretant is the meaning derived (e.g., quirky, cool). Ultimately, it is up to the advertising team to determine the format of the marketing message as in what order the message will appear.

Consider the following scenario:

Do you ever get much sleep when youre on an airplane? Most people dont, and thats a problem for airline commuters who travel the globe. With an eye toward serving the public better, Continental Airlines has decided to retrofit many of its planes with new lie-flat seats. The new seats will be in premium sections of aircraft and will allow passengers to lie completely flat. Another feature of the new seats is their sizethey will give customers six and a half feet of sleeping space without appreciably impacting cabin space. Continental hasnt forgotten gadgetry for the new seats and their occupants. Each seat will be equipped with laptop power, headsets, and USB ports.

Initial Post:

For your initial response answer the following questions:

Considering that Continental wants to introduce its new seats this year,

1. What would you include in your message?
2. How would you format your message using the semiotic perspective (make sure that you include all 3 components).
3. What target customer is likely to receive the first messages about the new seat? Explain.