A Real Life Fairy-taleOnce upon a time there was a woman who had no power; so she decided to take control and own the throne. What comes to mind when you think of Katy Perry? Determination, passion and confidence. This is precisely what is being sold within Katy Perrys new perfume advertisement. Even though this ad is for the fresh fragrance Killer Queen the advertisement has several layers of symbolism and cultural meaning for its target audience of teenage girls. This ad challenges the feminine stereotype by begging girls to take control of their lives and to be their own queen.The ads design is not only clever, but is also cunning and catches the eyes of the target audience. Katy Perry is conspicuously set inside the story of Snow White. This fairy tale underlines the motivation for this ad. We see the magical mirror in the background, the setting of the luxurious, royal castle with walls decorated in gold, the throne and kings crown discarded on the floor. The protagonist is Katy Perry playing the role of the killer queen, sitting directly in the middle with the perfume bottle appearing twice; in the staff and the bottom corner. The slogan, Own the Throne subtly appears while the name of the fragrance Killer Queen is very apparent. What makes this ad interesting is that it uses the Snow White story to challenge the fairy tale ending of the man having the authority over the woman. The ad shows how strong a girl can be that perhaps its better to be the queen than the vulnerable Snow White. The queen takes charge of her own destiny. Beyond the image of the ad lies the way it signals its meaning. There are a variety of clearly placed symbols that are associated with certain references. For example, the fragrance is depicted in a diamond shaped bottle, which it promotes the idea that the fragrance is expensive and of high quality. The colour scheme of reds and golds, suggests strength, power, royalty and wealth. The signifiers like the name of the fragrance, Killer Queen and the slogan that reads, Own the Throne, implies that if someone wears this fragrance it will turn them into a fearless, powerful figure that has complete control. Furthermore, thepower notion comes from the depiction of the throne knocked down and the way that Katy Perry is sitting on top with her legs crossed at ease, holding a staff, presenting her authority and control. Katy Perrys outfit of the corset, heels and crossed stockings suggests a tendency towards sadomasochism known as S+M. Sadomasochism can be defined as sexual pleasure from the infliction pain or humiliation; this signifies that she doesnt want to be used anymore as a toy for pleasure. The advertising myth of beauty promotes the concept of femininity that links to the stereotypical woman shown in most advertisements. This ad defies the common idea of female beauty the soft and dainty girl by portraying Katy Perry in an influential and conquering position. By Katy sitting on the over-thrown throne with the kings crown at her feet, it suggests that she is stronger than the male counterpart. The subvert of the myth which is a woman of substance, a woman that knows what she wants and takes control of her own future like the queen from Snow White. It demonstrates the power within you and this is what femininity should be about. Katy Perry is not only clever in the way she has marketed her product, but was very successful in pitching a creative and self-empowering advert. Sure, using Katy Perry as the star of the ad could be seen as vain but honesty she displays many attributes of a successful woman; happy, free, determined, passionate and caring. But in particular she stands up for what is right for her without needing a man by her side. I believe that what Katy Perry has done in this advertisement is amazing; the way she shows teenage girls that it is great to be strong and independent and to know what you want. 9/10Yours truly, The Voiced Opinion.