The High Class Society of ‘Gossip Girl’
Film and television posters are everywhere, from humongous billboards to the front cover of magazines. The goal of a poster essentially is to “sell” the movie or show- to make you want to see it. The poster of the television show ‘Gossip Girl’ uses glamour and drama to sell the show to entire generations of youths. The entire poster is constructed so thoughtfully to emphasise the privileged lifestyles of the Upper East Siders. The image significantly reflects our culture’s desire to be a part of the wealthy and high class society.
By using Manhattan and its nightlife as a background, the poster effectively conveys the never ending social atmosphere surrounding the privileged characters of the show. The six lead characters on the show are portrayed with decadent and sinful lifestyles. The image portrays the six of them standing so close to each other which ultimately indicates their scandalous and intertwined personal lives and drama. It also engages teenagers with the idea or fantasy of this high class clique or friendship that everyone would want to be a part of.
The characters appear to have individual personalities or traits which is suggested by the words written in the background such as wealthy, beautiful, dangerous, young, charm and more. The personal style of dressing of every character successfully depicts their distinct identities. For example, the red cocktail dress with red pumps worn by Blair Waldorf depicts power and influence while the yellow minidress dress worn by Serena Van Der Woodsen embraces her free spirit. Chuck Bass’s formal white shirt with loose tie suggests danger while Jenny Humphrey’s white dress represents innocence and naivety. Their outfits and appearance suggest that the characters are high up on the fashion and social ladder and have the power to define trends for the society to follow. They have real socio-cultural capital. High fashion could be considered a strategic move for them to meet the capitalist and materialistic expectations of the society. The costumes are elite and glamorous, which conveys the character’s wealthy and envious lifestyles. This lifestyle is a dream for many and makes the show more relevant and engaging for individuals.
The tagline on the poster is, “You’re nobody until you’re talked about.” By using this quote, the creators of this poster targeted our society’s undeniable need to be seen, and to be heard. The texts in the background of the poster appear to be written digitally, suggesting the current era of technology. The digital texts with the cityscape reflects the modern tone and aesthetic of the show. In this age of technology and social media, teenagers and individuals want to be known and to be talked about.
The ‘Gossip Girl’ poster depicts the modern drama and gossip revolving within this group of wealthy and elite teenagers. It represents how the characters are living a life that most others would wish they have and it essentially creates hope among teenagers for this kind of glamorous lifestyle in New York City. Thus, the fantasy or desire of obtaining social status and influence is evident with our culture’s inclination towards money, fashion and fame. The poster effectively reflects the themes of identity, wealth and class among society through its display of lavish clothing and modern aesthetics.
