This paper aims to analyze the meanings that are attributed to the female body and are transferred through dietary supplements' advertisements. The body became a research theme for researchers interested in exploring the construction of meanings of consumption in many areas. Its expression as a commodity has already been pointed out by researchers as Malysse (2007) who proposed the objectification of the body and Goldenberg (2007) who built the concept of the body as a capital. According to MacCracken (2003), advertising works in the transfer of meaning from the culturally constituted world to the individuals. Nine ads were collected and analyzed through the advertising discourse analysis proposed by Pinto (2002). The functions of showing (mostração -the construction of the universe of discourse), interaction (interação - social and cultural linkages set) and seduction (sedução - distribution of positive and negative affects) were used as direction for researchers to seek ways to understand the meaning transfer of the female body through the ads. Some components of the advertising discourse were common to all materials collected and showed the body as an object that can be modified to what is transmitted as desirable (without a body fat, lean and firm). However, it could be distinguished four discourse categories of body meanings transferring. The first category shows the body as an object of power that is overvalued as an object. In this category, the interaction with individuals is based on the status provided by the body and deal with the emotions involved raise the self-esteem of the individual. The second category gathers advertisements that feature the body as site of action of the product. The interaction in this case is based on technique and the emotions involved emphasize sensuality and femininity. The pieces comprised in the third category treat the body as a confirmer of the product's action. The gesture-based interaction is reproduced in images and emotions associated with pleasure and practicality. The fourth category deals with different meanings for the female body, treating it as an object subordinate to the event, well behaved and happy. In the end it became clear the treatment of the body is treated as an object that can be modified, altered, turned appropriate according to the intention of its owner, which helps explain how the body meanings are socially constructed and transferred from the culturally constituted world to the space consumption of individuals.
consumption meanings; advertisement discourse; culture and consumption; female body; advertisement; marketing
