Nima Shiralizadeh - Media Studies
M edia S tudies: CSP - ‘ T hat B oss L ife’ P art 1 A dvert (Language,
Representation, Context)
Context
● Established in 2017, the advert is part of a marketing campaign for a
new mascara by Maybelline; a multinational cosmetics company
based in New York City
● It is endorsed by prominent social media in uencers; Manny
Gutierrez, aka ‘Manny MUA’ and Shayla Mitchell, aka
‘MakeupShayla’
● It communicates a simple message: by purchasing and applying
this product, your lifestyle will be lled with riches and
opulence; a transformative effect
● Manny was the rst male ambassador for Maybelline. Thus, the
advert re ects the profound social and cultural changes, in
addition to the acceptance of gender uidity and identity in an
alternating ideological capacity
● Consequently, this signi cantly broadens the target market,
instead of the traditional xation on a young female demographic
The Advertisement
1. The advert commences with a hermeneutic/enigma code for audiences
(Barthes) since it captures MakeupShayla and Manny MUA observing an
unknown source with awe and admiration - in relation to AIDA: immediate
establishment of ‘INTEREST’ for the audience
2. Manny MUA and MakeupShayla enter a room, atop a high-rise building. An
establishing shot captures New York City, which connotes a luxury and
expensive lifestyle. The in uencer’s reactions could be mirroring the
audience: awe and amazement
3. A bellhop delivers a gold suitcase (an intertextual reference to ‘Pulp
Fiction’ 1994). This would develop a short-term enigma for the audience
4. The enigma is diminished; turns out the gold suitcase contained a profuse
amount of mascara. Manny and Shayla distribute it across the bed (like it’s
cash) coupled with cavorted adulation - a money fetish trope
5. Todorov would describe this stage as ‘realisation’. Manny and Shayla
have prescribed this mascara, which causes them to apply it. Audiences will
arguably begin anticipating the ‘new equilibrium’
6. The awaited ‘new equilibrium’ has been achieved. By applying the
mascara, MakeupShayla and Manny MUA’s lifestyle has shifted to luxury,
opulence and monetary values
Semiotic Analysis of ‘That Boss Life’ (LANGUAGE)
● Colour codes: a predominant signi er is the colour gold. It has been
embedded throughout the advert
M edia S tudies: CSP - ‘ T hat B oss L ife’ P art 1 A dvert (Language,
Representation, Context)
Context
● Established in 2017, the advert is part of a marketing campaign for a
new mascara by Maybelline; a multinational cosmetics company
based in New York City
● It is endorsed by prominent social media in uencers; Manny
Gutierrez, aka ‘Manny MUA’ and Shayla Mitchell, aka
‘MakeupShayla’
● It communicates a simple message: by purchasing and applying
this product, your lifestyle will be lled with riches and
opulence; a transformative effect
● Manny was the rst male ambassador for Maybelline. Thus, the
advert re ects the profound social and cultural changes, in
addition to the acceptance of gender uidity and identity in an
alternating ideological capacity
● Consequently, this signi cantly broadens the target market,
instead of the traditional xation on a young female demographic
The Advertisement
1. The advert commences with a hermeneutic/enigma code for audiences
(Barthes) since it captures MakeupShayla and Manny MUA observing an
unknown source with awe and admiration - in relation to AIDA: immediate
establishment of ‘INTEREST’ for the audience
2. Manny MUA and MakeupShayla enter a room, atop a high-rise building. An
establishing shot captures New York City, which connotes a luxury and
expensive lifestyle. The in uencer’s reactions could be mirroring the
audience: awe and amazement
3. A bellhop delivers a gold suitcase (an intertextual reference to ‘Pulp
Fiction’ 1994). This would develop a short-term enigma for the audience
4. The enigma is diminished; turns out the gold suitcase contained a profuse
amount of mascara. Manny and Shayla distribute it across the bed (like it’s
cash) coupled with cavorted adulation - a money fetish trope
5. Todorov would describe this stage as ‘realisation’. Manny and Shayla
have prescribed this mascara, which causes them to apply it. Audiences will
arguably begin anticipating the ‘new equilibrium’
6. The awaited ‘new equilibrium’ has been achieved. By applying the
mascara, MakeupShayla and Manny MUA’s lifestyle has shifted to luxury,
opulence and monetary values
Semiotic Analysis of ‘That Boss Life’ (LANGUAGE)
● Colour codes: a predominant signi er is the colour gold. It has been
embedded throughout the advert
