OUGD501: Communication theory task

Following on from last weeks session we were asked to identify a piece of visual communication and apply it to Shannon and Weaver's communication model.

Task:

Apply Shannon & Weavers model to an example of communication. How widely is this applicable? How useful do you find this sort of exercise?

What are the main communicative functions of redundancy? What do we mean by saying the English language is 50% redundant?

Discuss the ways in which convention can be said to facilitate understanding. Think of visual communication that breaks or extends specific conventions. How does this affect the desire to communicate or the audience they reach?

For this task I will be looking at the McDonalds saver menu advertisements. Due to the brand already being so popular and a global success it is expected that the information be redundant.

Applying this to the Shannon and Weaver communication model the information source, in terms of design, would be the brand McDonalds. There prime directive is the promote their new savers menu to their already large target audience.

The second stage of the Shannon and Weaver model is the transmitter or encoding of the message. In order to do this successfully McDonalds have used the phrase ‘Can’t argue with that’, which is humorous and makes a rhetorical statement. In the case of McDonalds advertising it is a very effective way of making their point whilst making the target audience laugh and relate/engage with it.

When producing the design, which is known as the channel in Shannon and Weavers communication model, the use of real life situations such as a baby scan enable the target audience to emphasize as it might be something they do on a regular basis. Along with this technique they are also in keeping with the rest of McDonalds branding.

In terms of the receiver for this advert it would be consumers who like McDonalds and eat there regularly. It could also be aimed at consumers who might prefer other fast food chains such as Burger King, by using the phrase ‘Can’t argue with that’ McDonalds are competing with the other chains and stating that they are the best hence no-one can argue with it.

The final stage of the Shannon and Weaver model is the destination, which in this case would be reception the target audience have to the message that is being portrayed. 

Possible forms of noise which could affect the correct transmission of the message would be groups which are against unhealthy foods and any entropic messages which they might put out there which could alter the opinion of the target audience.