Semiotics

Karthik JeganathanPGDAM [email protected]

What is Semiotics?Uses of SemioticsSemiotics at WorkSignificance to MarketingHow to read ads?Class Objectives

Study of Signs and the way they work- Saussure’s “a science that studies the life of signs within society”

“A semiotic ‘reading’ acts as an interpretive example of what the typical member of the target audience is likely to derive from an ad, given its signs and her or his socio-cultural background.” (Domzal and Kernan, 1993)

“All successful marketing works because it hits the right cultural button, creatively harnessing the power of culture - the greatest influence in all our lives and purchase decisions.” (Semiotic Solutions Website, 2000)

1. Begins with examination of market communications of both client and competitors

2. Reviews relevant areas of the popular culture of the day

3. Analysis relates marketing communications material to these surrounding cultural contexts

4. Identification of communication codes of the brand to project future developments that the brand can tap into.

A major goal of an advertising campaign is to increase, in the consumers’ minds, the value of the product for sale. Since advertising campaigns have no influence on the real values of the products which they present, their strategies of increasing the values to the product are semiotic ones

Marketing seeks to ‘link’ products /services with particular meanings“The task of the advertiser is to favorably dispose viewers to his (or her) product, his means, by and large, to show a sparkling version of that product in the context of glamorous events.” (Goffman, 1979)“The implication is that if you buy the one, you are on the way to realizing the other - and you should want to.”

Learn how to decode the Cultural or Ideological meanings in a campaignDemonstrate that they understand of the culture in which a specific ad exists.Compare and contrast ads aimed at women with ads aimed at menCompare and contrast ads aimed at two very different demographics

Frith's Level of Analysis Description of the Ad Level

The Surface Meaning "consists of the overall impression that a reader might get from quickly studying the advertisement...you can describe this surface level of meaning by simply listing all the objects and people in the ad" (1998:5).

The Advertiser's Intended Meaning "is the sales message that the advertiser is trying to get across. Some marketers refer to this as the strategy behind the ad. It is the 'preferred' or expected meaning that a reader might get from the ad; the meaning that the advertiser intends for the reader to take with them" (ibid..

The Cultural or Ideological Meaning "...relies on the cultural knowledge and background of the reader. We all 'make sense' of ads by relating them to our culture and to the shared belief systems held in common by most people" (ibid.).

Show understanding of the Surface Meaning of adsDemonstrate understanding of the “overall impression that a reader might get from quickly studying the advertisement…”Describe this surface level of meaning by listing all the objects and people in the ad”Be able to decode an Advertiser’s Intended MeaningDescribe the “sales message” that an advertiser is trying to get across.”

Learn how to decode the Cultural or Ideological meanings in a campaignDemonstrate that they understand of the culture in which a specific ad exists.Compare and contrast ads aimed at women with ads aimed at menCompare and contrast ads aimed at two very different demographics

Monty Alexander; Max Burt and Andrew Collinson (1995) ‘Big talk, small talk: BT’s strategic use of semiotics in planning its current advertising’, Journal of the Market Research Society, Vol.37, (2), pp.91-102.Stephen J. Arnold, Robert V. Kozinets and Jay M. Handelman (2001) ‘Hometown Ideology and Retailer Legitimation: The Institutional Semiotics of Wal-Mart flyers’, Journal of Retailing, Vol.77, pp.243-271.Michael Harvey and Malcolm Evans (2001) ‘Decoding Competitive Propositions: A semiotic alternative to traditional advertising research’, International Journal of Market Research, Vol.43, (2), pp.171-187.Rachel Lawes (2002) ‘Demystifying Semiotics: Some Key Questions Answered’, International Journal of Market Research, Vol.44, (3), pp.251-266.Rachel Lawes (2002) ‘Demystifying Semiotics: Some Key Questions Answered’, International Journal of Market Research, Vol.44, (3), pp.251-266.