LACANIAN AND FREUDIAN PSYCHOANALYTIC PERSPECTIVES ON ADVERTISING ANALYSIS: DESIRE AND SOCIAL ROLES

ABSTRACT

This study includes an analysis of the Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement from Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic perspectives. Freud’s psychoanalytic approach examines consciousness in three stages: id, ego, and superego. In this context, it interprets the behaviors of individuals. Lacan, however, adds a different dimension to the psychoanalytic approach by defining three different levels: the real, the imaginary, and the symbolic. Lacan, who reinterprets Freud's psychoanalytic approach, has approached the topic from a broader perspective. Both Freud's and Lacan's approaches are highly functional from the perspective of psychoanalytic analysis.

Within the scope of this study, the Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement has been analyzed primarily through Freud's and subsequently Lacan's approach. The male and female figures in the advertisement allow for an examination within the context of Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic approaches. In this context, both the psychological and social dimensions of the advertisement have been explained.

АННОТАЦИЯ

Это исследование включает анализ рекламы парфюма Yves Saint Laurent Cinema с точки зрения фрейдистской и лакановской психоаналитических перспектив. Психоаналитический подход Фрейда рассматривает сознание через три стадии: ид, эго и суперэго. В этом контексте он интерпретирует поведение индивидов. Лакан, однако, привносит новый аспект в психоаналитический подход, определяя три разных уровня: реальное, воображаемое и символическое. Лакан, переосмысливая психоаналитический подход Фрейда, подошел к теме с более широкой перспективы. Оба подхода — как Фрейда, так и Лакана — являются весьма функциональными с точки зрения психоаналитического анализа.

В рамках данного исследования реклама парфюма Yves Saint Laurent Cinema была проанализирована в первую очередь через подход Фрейда, а затем Лакана. Мужские и женские фигуры на афише позволяют провести исследование в контексте фрейдистского и лакановского психоаналитических подходов. В этом контексте были раскрыты как психологические, так и социальные аспекты рекламы.

Keywords: Jacques Lacan, Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, Poster analysis.

Ключевые слова: Жак Лакан, Психоанализ, Зигмунд Фрейд, Анализ постера.

INTRODUCTION

Sigmund Freud, who is considered the precursor and even the founder of the psychoanalytic approach, views the cause of an individual's thoughts and behaviors in the unconscious. According to him, in order to understand a person's true thoughts and the actions they perform, the unconscious must be examined. Freud also sees dreams as a reflection of repressed impulses in the unconscious. According to him, any sexual impulse repressed by a person throughout their life appears both in dreams and in conscious behavior. In this context, Freud's categories of consciousness, which he divides into id, ego, and superego, are also significant.

After Freud, many psychiatrists and psychologists have interpreted psychoanalysis from different perspectives. The most interesting and comprehensive of these interpretations is the psychoanalytic approach of French psychiatrist Jacques Lacan. According to him, psychologists and psychiatrists after Freud misinterpreted him. He claimed that the correct interpretation was his own. However, by making a broader reading of Freud, he approached psychoanalysis from a more comprehensive framework. In Lacan's psychoanalytic approach, there are three stages: the real, the imaginary, and the symbolic. Each of these stages is significant in the individual's development. Unlike Freud, Lacan creates a different conceptual framework and attempts to examine the individual within the social structure.

The aim of this study is to present a Freudian and Lacanian analysis of the Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement. There is a specific reason for choosing this advertisement. Gender roles, social norms, and moral values are reflected in a way that can be examined through both psychoanalytic approaches. The relationship between men and women conveys messages to the viewer about societal expectations. In other words, the advertisement highlights the specific roles assigned to women and men. The sexual attractiveness of the woman and the desire and wishes of the men are presented in accordance with socially accepted norms. In short, the main reason for selecting this advertisement is its suitability for analysis through both Freud's and Lacan's theories.

In the study, the psychoanalytic approaches of Freud and, subsequently, Lacan are first explained in general terms to establish the basic foundation. Then, the Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement is analyzed from both Freudian and Lacanian perspectives, and the study is concluded.

METHODOLOGY

In this study, a qualitative method was used. The books written by Freud and Lacan were used as primary sources, and works related to their theories were used as secondary sources. The psychoanalytic analysis of the aforementioned advertisement was conducted through Lacan's approach.

FREUD'S PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH

When psychoanalysis is mentioned, the first name that comes to mind is Sigmund Freud. Lacan, influenced by his theory, developed his own psychoanalytic approach. According to Freud, the unconscious plays a significant role in an individual's behavior [5, 386]. In this context, it is important to explain Freud's concepts of the id, ego, and superego. According to him, the development of consciousness is divided into three main categories: the id, ego, and superego. Freud evaluates human social development through these categories. The id is primitive, composed of unconscious impulses, and is characterized as instinctual. It is always directed toward pleasure. In this sense, it seeks to satisfy basic human instincts such as hunger, sexuality, and aggression. Furthermore, according to Freud, the id originates from the libido and the death drive, and is made up of psychic energy. The id always prioritizes pleasure and does not consider moral values, societal rules, or social norms. What matters for the id is immediate gratification. In his work "Five Lectures on Psychoanalysis," Freud defines the id as follows:

We refer to the oldest of the psychic regions or systems as Es (id); all the innate bodily characteristics that the individual inherits from their ancestors and brings with them at birth constitute the content of this Es. In other words, the Es primarily includes instincts that originate from the bodily organization [1,76].

The ego prioritizes the reality principle. It tries to regulate the primitive desires of the id in accordance with the rules of the external world. Although the id is directed toward pleasure, the ego emphasizes conscious thinking. In this context, it ensures that the satisfaction of desires is important, but it must be done in a rational and acceptable manner. According to Freud, the ego is identified with consciousness and internalizes the laws of the social structure. He believes that the ego operates according to these rules. At this point, the pleasure principle of the primitive id gives way to the reality principle, which integrates with the ego [2, 37].

The superego represents social rules, societal norms, and moral values, and it not only controls the primitive desires and wishes of the id, but also directs the ego towards rules, norms, and moral truths. It shapes the individual's perception of right and wrong within society. In the "Dictionary of Psychology" written by Masaroğlu and Koçakgöl, the superego is defined as follows:

The superego represents the values and judgments of society and parents, and imposes limitations on what we can and cannot do. The primary function of the superego is to control the id's impulses, particularly those related to aggression and sexuality, which may be in conflict with societal rules or pose a danger to the individual, through the ego [4, 159].

To briefly summarize, the id is the primal self, driven by basic impulses and the pursuit of pleasure. The superego, as the higher self, prioritizes societal norms and moral values, shaping the individual's social behavior. The ego, at the self level, balances these two mechanisms. To explain this with an example: a student studying for exams during exam week may be invited by a friend to go to a café, and their decision to accept the offer and go is influenced by the id. Despite it being exam week, meeting a friend and going to a café, cinema, or any entertainment venue is a behavior driven by the desire for pleasure. On the other hand, rejecting the friend's offer and focusing on preparing for the exam comes from the superego, as it is guided by social rules and moral values. The superego will direct the individual in this context based on societal norms. The ego, as a balancing mechanism, will guide the individual to meet with the friend for a set period of time and then return home to continue preparing for the exam. This scenario is the healthiest option for the individual.

LACAN'S PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH

Jacques Lacan, a French psychiatrist, interpreted Freud's psychoanalytic approach from a different perspective. According to Lacan, the individual's cognitive development process consists of three stages: the Real, the Imaginary, and the Symbolic. The Real stage is the phase that occurs when a person is in the womb or just after birth, before encountering any images. From the moment the child is born until they see themselves in the mirror for the first time, they are in the Real stage. In this stage, there is a sense of unity with the mother. The breaking point of this stage is the moment the child first sees themselves in the mirror. After this, an image forms, and the individual transitions from the Real stage to the Imaginary stage. Additionally, the development of language begins in the Imaginary stage. The turning point of this is the moment the child begins to engage with society. As behaviors appropriate to society are learned, the transition to the Symbolic stage occurs. Lacan places significant emphasis on language in his psychoanalysis. He associates this mainly with the Symbolic stage. According to Lacan, in terms of communication, the exchange of symbols is a gift of language [3, 256].

Lacan himself explained these stages as follows:

The child in the stage of infancy, who is dependent on care and has undeveloped motor skills, enthusiastically identifies with the mirror image (specular image), much like in a similar situation where the Ego is objectified in the dialectic of identification with the Other, before language gives it the universal function of subjectivity. This reminds me of the symbolic level [3, 76].

It would be clearer to explain these stages specified by Lacan through an example. If a person who has had eye surgery is observed by someone from the outside, the observer may feel disgusted. The reason for this is that the eye is no longer performing its function of vision. Here, the eye is simply an organ. The person undergoing surgery is in the Real stage because they are unable to perceive anything clearly. The doctor or nurse who observes the person, looking at them through images, is in the Imaginary stage at that moment. This is because they do not know the patient's social status, etc. However, if one of the doctors is a close friend of the patient, they are now in the Symbolic stage. This is because, in the Real stage, they see the eye as an organ and feel disgusted by it, but they know that in the Imaginary stage, the eye serves the function of vision. Additionally, being the patient's friend allows them to know who the patient is in society, which leads them to view the situation from the Symbolic stage.

According to Lacan, a person is in the Real stage once again after birth, and that time is when the person dies. This is because, upon death, they will no longer be able to form an image related to it, nor will they be able to comprehend how it is symbolized in society.

FREUDIAN ANALYSIS OF THE YVES SAINT LAURENT CINEMA PERFUME ADVERTISEMENT

From the perspective of Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, the "Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume" advertisement should be evaluated in terms of the id, ego, and superego. In the previous sections of the study, the meanings of these concepts by Freud have been explained. In this context, when we examine the advertisement, the first thing that stands out is the presence of both women and men in the poster. The id, being primitive and representing unconscious drives, shows sexual orientation. The men's sexual attraction to the woman and their desires in this regard are depicted in the advertisement. When evaluated in the context of the id, the woman becomes a sexual object. The woman's allure and the interest the men have in her can be interpreted as a reflection of the id. The men's attention and eroticism in the advertisement show the id’s primitive, instinctual, and pleasure-seeking drive. The men are being drawn after the woman both consciously and unconsciously. The woman, under the influence of the id, becomes no longer a subject but an object of desire.

Image 1. Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement

https://boisdejasmin.com/2011/11/yves-saint-laurent-cinema-perfume-review.html

When we evaluate the advertisement through the lens of the ego, it is noticeable that the interest shown in the woman aligns with social norms. In other words, the men do not express their interest in the woman solely based on instinct and pleasure, but in a way that is socially acceptable. Indeed, the ego is a structure that balances sexual impulses and desires, shaping them in accordance with societal norms. In the advertisement, the woman is placed at the center in a conspicuous position. This position reflects the woman's place in society and the role assigned to her as elegant, attractive, and seductive. The men's interest in her allure and charm is shown in a way that society approves of. At this point, the men do not simply emphasize their desire and wish for the woman; they also take into account societal acceptance. In other words, they move beyond seeing the woman as merely an object of desire and attempt to present this sexual wish in a way that the social structure will accept. Here, the ego ensures that primitive impulses, pleasure, and desires are transformed into a socially acceptable form.

Since the superego represents societal norms, social rules, and moral values, when viewed from this perspective, it is seen as a mechanism that regulates the interest and desire directed toward the woman in the advertisement. The men try to express their sexual interest in the woman in a way that aligns with social rules and moral norms. In the advertisement, the men's desire and attraction toward the woman are based on role distinctions defined by society. The social structure has assigned specific roles to both men and women, expecting them to behave accordingly. Here, the woman is portrayed as a figure who can influence the man by using her charm and elegance. The superego, on the other hand, dictates how men should behave toward women, in line with the rules established by society. In other words, it suppresses the id’s desire and pleasure-driven tendencies, establishing social and cultural boundaries.

When the advertisement is evaluated through Freud's perspective, the psychological background emerges. The concepts of id, ego, and superego allow for the analysis of the male and female figures in the advertisement in three stages. Through the id, primitive desires and instinctual urges are examined; through the ego, adjustments made for social norm compliance are considered; and within the context of the superego, moral regulation shows how social roles and sexual identities are shaped in the context of Freud’s psychoanalytic approach.

LACANIAN ANALYSIS OF THE YVES SAINT LAURENT CINEMA PERFUME ADVERTISEMENT

When analyzing the "Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume" advertisement from Lacan's theory perspective, the first thing that stands out is the presence of five men and one woman in the image. In terms of the Real stage, it can be said that everyone is a born human. The man and the woman, in the Real stage, represent opposing poles. Both have their own distinctive sexual organs and physiological differences. In the Imaginary stage, however, the man and the woman also exhibit differences in terms of thoughts and behaviors. The woman’s dress is worn because it is specifically associated with her gender in the Imaginary stage. Similarly, the suit worn by the men is specifically associated with them as well.                    

From the perspective of the Symbolic stage, the woman is placed in the center and shown alone because, in society, she is typically seen as delicate and weak, and only a man can be seduced by her beauty and charm. The men, on the other hand, are depicted as stronger and more masculine because of the patriarchal system’s perspective. However, all of them have been turned into her slaves in the face of her allure. The roles assigned to men and women in the patriarchal regime are visible in the background when performing a Lacanian psychoanalytic analysis of the ad. Additionally, the man having short hair and the woman having long hair are societal requirements imposed on them. Furthermore, the emphasis on the sexual aspects of both the man and the woman shows the roles society assigns to both genders.

Conclusion

The Yves Saint Laurent Cinema Perfume advertisement, when analyzed through both Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalytic perspectives, sheds light on psychological and social dimensions. In this context, the complex interaction between identity and social roles, desire, pleasure, and sexual orientation is highlighted from both theories. Freud's central concepts of the id, ego, and superego provide a broad framework to understand how unconscious drives, desires, social expectations, and moral values shape gender roles. In the advertisement, the woman's sexuality and allure are shown through the id's primitive desires and urges. In the context of the id, the woman evokes a sexual object. The men's efforts to behave in accordance with social norms are evaluated through the ego. The superego, as a regulating mechanism, shapes these sexual desires and urges in accordance with culturally and morally accepted norms by society.

From a Lacanian perspective, emphasis is placed on the three stages in his theory. The advertisement is evaluated in terms of the Real, Imaginary, and Symbolic, and the messages conveyed through the characters and themes are analyzed from a psychoanalytic perspective. Here, the roles assigned to women and men by society emerge as a reflection of the patriarchal regime. Additionally, the images and symbols in the advertisement illustrate how gender inequality is reproduced both individually and socially. In this context, Lacan's psychoanalytic approach facilitates the understanding of the psychological and social dimensions of the advertisement.

In conclusion, the study analyzes the Freudian and Lacanian approaches of psychoanalytic theory through the gender roles, sexuality, social rules, and moral norms in the advertisement. As a result of these theoretical approaches, it is understood that the specific advertisement discussed, and advertisements in general, serve the function of reflecting social rules and cultural norms.

References:

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2. Freud, S. (2002). Metapsikoloji. (E. Kapkın, & A. T. Kapkın, Çev.) İstanbul: Paye Kitapevi.
3. Lacan, J. (2005). Écrits (Trans. Bruce Fink and Russell Grigg). New York, London: W. W. Norton & Company.
4. Masaroğulları, G., Koçakgöl, M. (2011). Psikoloji Sözlüğü. Ankara: Nobel Yayıncılık.
5. Talyshinsky, E. B. (2012). The Essence of Information Warfare in Globalization Processes. University Scientific Notes, (2), 385-389.