Mira 1

Hamida Akter Mira

242055007

Oliur Rahman Sun

Literature and Media (ENG 504)

21 September 2024

Analyzing Selected Media Texts through Stuart Hall’s Encoding/Decoding Model

Stuart Hall's encoding/decoding model principally expresses the process by which media

messages are created, commonly referred to as encoding, and how such messages are decoded by

the audiences. Encoding explains how the creators use language, visuals, and cultural symbols to

give meaning to the message. Decoding, on the other hand, is the interpretation made by the

audience, which may agree completely with the encoded message, defined by Hall as a dominant

reading; it could partly agree, which he calls a negotiated reading, or it may oppose it, known as

an oppositional reading.

This paper will discuss two very well-known Bangladeshi advertisements: one by Aarong

and the other by Grameenphone. Aarong happens to be one of the leading lifestyle brands in

Bangladesh, known for its endeavor to introduce traditional crafts and support rural artisans. The

Aarong ad for Eid titled “Aarong.com makes Eid shopping fun and easy” depicts a family get-

together that becomes monotonous until it is transformed into a colorful meeting after shopping

on Aarong's website. On the other hand, Grameenphone, the largest telecom operator in

Bangladesh, positions connectivity. It is perfectly encapsulated by their Eid ad “Shopno Jabe

Bari” - Dream will go home - capturing the thrill of going home to celebrate Eid with families.
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The opening scene of the Aarong’s ad shows a family gathered for an Eid celebration.

The scene starts off dull with someone singing a boring and unenjoyable song. Then comes one

lady using her phone to browse the Aarong website, and she gets excited and changes the

family's plain clothes into colorful and vibrant ones from Aarong. The atmosphere of the party

completely shifts from dull to lively and exciting as everyone’s attire transforms into traditional

but stylish Aarong clothing. The ad ends with everyone enjoying the party in their new outfits

which highlights Aarong as a solution to making Eid vibrant and fun.

Through this ad, Aarong is encoding a clear message of modernizing tradition. In

Bangladesh, the family gathering is a very familiar cultural practice while Eid is a big religious

and social event, often centering on the traditional: the dull atmosphere-one of stagnation-

implying that the old, conventional outfit may not evoke the festive spirit. Aarong, through the

thrill of the young woman and her colored clothes, brings a dash of modernity to this supposedly

traditional setting. It is in the encoded approach that Aarong has with respect to being a forward-

thinking brand, meshing modern technology with deeply set cultural values, through online

shopping using a smartphone. The bright-colored transformation of the clothes insinuates that

Aarong's clothes can make even a traditional family gathering vibrant and up-to-date.

On the other hand, as far as the ad is concerned, it might be that many viewers

uncritically accept its encoded message. Aarong is a brand perfectly balancing modern

convenience with traditional values. It may find them interpreting the shift from dullness to

vibrancy as a somewhat proper representation of how Aarong's clothes can boost their Eid. The

message, however, may partially resonate with viewers who feel the perpetration of traditional

attire as "boring" was an overstatement. While they would appreciate the ease and fashion

Aarong has to offer, they would consider that other forms of traditional clothing could be just as
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meaningful. Others may feel this is too commercialized, with an emphasis on material goods

when the occasion of Eid is so culturally and religiously significant. For this audience, the focus

on branded clothing could overshadow the true essence of Eid, which is centered on family,

spirituality, and togetherness, not consumerism or branded clothes.

Whereas in the Grameenphone Eid ad, “Shopno Jabe Bari” (স্বপ্ন যাবে বাড়ি) or

“Dreams Will Go Home”, one would feel a glimpse into the tour of emotions around people

traveling to their hometowns for Eid. These show students, professionals, and families using

different modes of transport: buses, trains, motorcycles, and even trucks-something that

symbolizes the communal effort of homecoming on Eid. Packed highways and public vehicles

are shown as part of the advertisement, capturing the foment of reunions when family members

are brought together after many months. In one heart-wrenching scene, the ad has a boy running

on a muddy village road, panting to join his family, while another depicts a young couple falling

into the arms of their aged parents. The background song “Shopno Jabe Bari Amar” (স্বপ্ন

যাবে বাড়ি আমার) or “My dreams will go home” is an evergreen track of Bangladesh, which

creates a feeling of homesickness; it is continuously playing in the background to force the

emotional tone of the ad. The final voiceover becomes the emotional core: “কাছে থাকার আকুলতার
কাছে, দূরত্ব বলে কিছু নেই। কাছে থাকার উৎসবে, এই আকুলতার প্রতি রইলো, আমাদের সব

ভালবাসা।” or “There is no such thing as distance to the yearning to be near, in the festival of

being near, we have all our love for this yearning.” before ending with Grameenphone's tagline,

“Stay Close.”

Here, Grameenphone encodes a message of connectivity, not just through technology but

through the emotional links that bind. Imagery of filled-up buses, bikes, and jammed trains

impart the scale of migration that happens during Eid, highlighting the importance of family
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reunions. The tagline “Stay Close” is encoded to position Grameenphone as a service that

bridges physical distances, helping people stay connected with their loved ones no matter how

far they are. The use of characters-from students to young couples-representing the different

sides of society showcases that the service of Grameenphone serves all, be it rich or poor, city or

village.

The emotional resonance of this ad hits home for most. They may fully buy into the

message that Grameenphone, by enabling communication and connectedness, plays an integral

part in making those reunions a reality. This ad will also strike a chord among viewers who

cannot stay with their families because of work or study, as technology has been posited here as

the connector between family members. Some would agree with the emotional appeal, yet find

that the travel is portrayed somewhat in an idealistic sense. While the reunion is heart-touching,

in real life, such Eid travels are marked by repleteness in transporters and delays, which the ad

avoids. Such viewers might identify with the linkage between Grameenphone services and

family reunions but find the ad portrayals of the travel hard to believe. Other viewers could

refuse to buy into the sentiment that a telecommunications company can actually help people

connect emotionally. They could say that the ad commercialized something as personal as

reunions, and it is an appeal to emotions to peddle more products.

While both Aarong and Grameenphone's ads use the cultural significance of Eid to

encode messages that appeal to target audiences, they do so in vastly different ways. In the

Aarong ad, a lighthearted narrative of visual transformation demonstrates how its products will

enhance the traditional celebrations. It decodes a message that fashion-a trend introduced by

Aarong through traditionally modernized cloth-wear-can heighten the thrill and fun of Eid. The

ad by Grameenphone is much more emotive in character, instilling the feeling of home and
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family. The ad decodes the message that Grameenphone is not about technology but rather the

bonding of the heart that can be preserved even over distances of space. Aarong's ad was more

stylized and material transformation-oriented; for Grameenphone, it is much more realistic, an

everyday life approach to the emotional journey of reconnecting with loved ones. Aarong shows

more vital colors and rapid alterations in their advertisements to symbolize revitalizing traditions

through their products. Grameenphone is more naturalistic, showing scenarios like public buses

and trains jam-packed with people to an emotional effect. Aarong relates consumerism to

tradition; it suggests that buying their attire is an essential component in making Eid trendy and

modern. On the other hand, Grameenphone identifies its brand with the emotive feel of Eid and

advertises itself as a way to maintain family bonding when one is away from home.

Utilizing the encoding/decoding model by Stuart Hall in this respect, it becomes clear

that both ads effectively encode messages which strike a chord within their targeted audience.

Aarong strongly focuses on the blending of tradition and modernity, whereas Grameenphone

focuses on emotional attachment and bonding. Various audiences might decode these messages

differently according to their cultural experiences and positions regarding broader social themes

in which consumerism, technology, and family interact in modern Bangladeshi culture.

Works Cited

Aarong. “Aarong.com makes Eid shopping fun and easy.” YouTube, Aarong, 4 April.

2023, https://youtu.be/Jme_gqQcUsk?si=8cUVEuoK--fnUMd5. Accessed 21

September 2024.

Grameenphone. “Shopno Jabe Bari.” YouTube, Grameenphone, 29 August. 2021,

https://youtu.be/SzBy17xivNs?si=0R1hIhu_ba6HJAmM. Accessed 21 September

2024.