Applying semiotic to the real world

An example of semiotic in a print ad could be the Garnier Fructis pages. In these ads we typically see a pretty girl with long, shiny, healthy, voluminous, luscious hair. The signifier would be the bottle of shampoo and conditioner in the ad, but the signified is the way the girls hair looks. Garnier Fructis is implying that when you use their shampoo your hair will be like the models hair in the ad.

A television add that uses the method of semiotics would be the Old Spice deodorant commercials. In these ads we see a manly man doing things like riding a horse on sunset beaches. Old Spice is signifying that you can be a manly man and do rugged things but you can also smell good while doing them. The signifier could be the actual  bottle of deodorant while the signified is what comes along with the bottle, which would be smelling good while still being manly.

An outdoor symbol could be those signs in neighborhoods that read "children at play". This is letting people know to be a little more careful about their driving because more than likely there are kids around the area. When there are little kids playing outside they do not always tend to be aware of their surroundings so it is your job to be cautious. The signifier is obviously the sign and what is says but the signified is what the sign implies, and that is to more careful and cautious.