Advertiser's Meaning: They want you to believe that if you propose with their rings, you are going to have a wonderful and excited "Yes" as this ad implies. They also make the ring stand out in 2 ways. The first way is putting them right in your face to the right. Then, they show you how it looks on her hand. It actually looks pretty big comparatively. The couple looks extremely happy, but for some reason her face is giving off another expression outside of the happiness. (I'll discuss this later in the blog). The rings are sparkly, and that also helps them to attract customers (or maybe it's just me) that get distracted by shiny things.
Cultural/Ideological: These people are suppose to represent the perfect couple, but there are "perfect" looking couples in every race. The look on her face looks faked almost. Either that or she's excited to show it off. It looks like the agenda they are pushing is "buy this ring, she'll say yes, and you'll get the girl" but the ideological ideas suggest that she's even more excited about how big it is because she is keeping it within her peripheral vision, and she isn't even looking at him. He is dominant in this picture if you look at the hand placement. She has her hands on his chest, but his arms are wrapped around her. Reminiscent of protection, saving, and not letting go any time soon. He's the hero, he has saved her from a life time of single-hood. Also, this is directed at people that can actually afford this designer's rings. I did a little digging on Ritani's website and found that the bare minimum for a ring from them is around 1,440 dollars. (Nearly passed out at that price) and their bands, just a BAND was over a thousand dollars. Quite frankly, most people can't spend that kind of cash on a ring. The one in ad, by the way, was over 2 thousand dollars and that was EXCLUDING the center stone price. A stone made to fit that setting is at least a carat diamond and don't let me get started on those prices.
Problems I had with this ad: Well, first off, these people are white. They look like an All American type, but see, this is where my advertising instincts kick in... Wouldn't the ring look even bigger on a contrast of darker skin? Sure, she's bronzed but not really enough to make the ring "pop". Anyway, they say that this is a real moment, but it looks way to posed. Also, the look on her face seems too strained. She's looking like "I can not wait to brag about this huge rock on my finger" and he's got this look of "Ha ha, now I've got you. You're pretty, and I finally snagged you" either that or something a little more racy than what I would say on here. Another thing, if this is such a "real moment" why do these people look like the ideological perfect couple. Sorry to be blunt, but give me a real couple. Something a little more diverse than the former linebacker for the High School/College football team and his cheerleader girlfriend. Hell, I will take the dorky looking nerd and his pimply faced fiance over this.
Okay, so let's review: I'm distracted by shiny things, this advertisement is directed at Upper Middle-Middle Class White America who can afford to spend over a couple grand on rings for their women. Their motive is to show a "real couple" having a "real moment" which may have happened, but it looks far too posed. The male is still dominant even though the female's hand is what is selling the ring. That about covers it.
