'Reading an image'

Print advert analysis - readings 

ClearChannel - iTV Footballers Wives Billboard Print Advertisement

This print advert was published in 2004 for iTV's controversial drama television show. The image features a monochrome colour scheme, not to mention the copy of the text being in trademark colours of iTV and the show; below the image's framing in the entirety of the poster. The picture generally has a shadowy effect to it, which doesn't just accentuate the spherical shape of the footballs but could also suggest ambiguity in the lives of the footballers' wives as a particular shade of colour doesn't need to be added to narrow-down associations to their lives.
The displayed denotation is exhibited by the composition of two footballs placed horizontally aside with the holes for the ball-pump facing towards the camera - being the subject matter. It may also be noteworthy that the footballs are only partially shown vertically (and horizontally too). The representation is however of a sexual innuendo, with the context of the professional career intact with the stereotyped image of the wives of footballers' to be sexually appealing. This is the dominant reading of this image as it cleverly associates the sport with the female assets of the wives of the footballers who are most commonly attractive supermodels. A reading in opposition however would be that this objectifies women and is degrading in a way that the wives are only reputable for their sexual assets, rather than their personalities and views/morals. These opposing readings could be negotiated however, concluding that the footballers' wives take pride in their bodies and accept it as an attribute to their reputation, also complimenting the lavish lifestyles of footballers.