Bad Habits

How do the elements of media language combine to create meaning in Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran? Make reference to 

• intertextuality/referential codes 
• Ideologies 
• Editing 

Bad Habits creates an unusual and exciting set of meanings for its target audience 

Bad Habits presents a range of unconventional ideological perspectives by using intertextual references and unusual editing techniques

• Warm colour palette
• Stereotypically feminine colours are used such as Ed wearing a pink suit 
• Ed is wearing some sort of makeup subverting gender expectations 
• Ed is hanging out in a salon which is a subvertation of gender expectations 
• An atypical representation of vampires, instead of wearing dark clothing they are all wearing bright clothing 
• Subversive gender norms - pink 
• close up shot - typical vampire makeup 
• unconventionally dressed 
• Sterotypically feminine mES 
• BEV 
• establishing montage 
• innercity setting 
• mise en scene of concrete and shops 
• binary opposition between men and women 
• salon: stereotypically female space 
• use of bright neon colour 
• 80's icongraphy 
• subversive gender norms 
• pink suit 
• glittery makeup 
• queer iconography and makeup 
• subversion of heterosexuality 
• target gay audience 
• ketchup: symbolic of blood 
• punk, drag, queer references 
• much younger supporting characters 
• attract younger audiences 
• ethnically diverse 
• wilting flower symbolises death 
• death is a gift?
• identity 

Introduction

Media language refers to the codes and conventions used in a media product to convey the producer's ideology. In this essay I shall argue Bad Habits uses subversive and postmodern representations to present an unconventional ideology using intertextuality and unconventional editing. Ed Sheeran is a pop musician with an enormous fanbase 

Content

The video makes heavy use of intertextual references to vampire films. MES of Sheerans's fangs are a clear reference to the conventions of the vampire film. Vampires are often represented as violent, sexual and exciting beings, which associates Sheeran with this ideology. Additionally, the reference to vampire iconography will particularly appeal to teenage girls: sheeran's target audience 

Representation of queer/punk.drag characters, represented through the elaborate and eccentric MES of brightly coloured costumes constructs a specific appeal to young queer audience and those into drag culture. 

This is further reinforced through the highly ethnic diverse repr´esentation of the vampires, which repesents people of colour as being powerful, confident and sexy. This is a very clear example of stereotyping

Postmodernism: deliberately challenging and confusing use of iconography. By combing a range of referenical elements, this video is creating a deliberately confusing and exciting mode of address. W whole range of media language is combined with apparently little thought of the meaning it creates

Representation of queer/punk/drag