This Means This, This Means That: A User’s Guide To Semiotics

HALL, SEAN. THIS MEANS THIS, THIS MEANS THAT : A USER’S GUIDE TO SEMIOTICS, LAURENCE KING PUBLISHING, 2012.

Question/Prompts

  • How has language shaped design historically?
  • Can visual design accomplish things that language cannot? Why?
  • How are signs, signifiers, and the signified employed in visual communication? Provide examples from contemporary or historical advertising.
  • How are non-literal devices used to convey meaning in advertising? Provide examples from contemporary or historical advertising.

Reading Response 2

Historically language has shaped design by being sometimes too literal. Instead of leaving something to be interpreted it most of the time explains itself. Design is the same usually most of the time as designers when we create we usually have a message to display or a message that we want to be displayed.   

But of course, visual design can accomplish things that language cannot as visuals usually have a message that they want to convey but they usually can have different interpretations or other messages that they want to send as well. It’s like the Adam and Eve painting. Although it has a direct message there are other interpretations about the painting.

Signs, signifiers, and the signified are employed in visual communications one specific example is McDonalds advertising. The example I specifically think of when thinking of signs, signifiers, and the signified is McDonalds advertising. When the gold arches are forming the M which is the signified, it represents McDonald’s and makes us think of the food served there. We also expect the signifier to continue with it, which is the “I’m loving it” and evokes emotion, it all comes together to form the sign.  I would also say that the M is an icon as it is directly connected to the signified and signifier as it is directly representing McDonald’s.

Non-literary devices are used to convey meaning in advertising by making the viewer interpret the message so they are reminded of it or made to think about it. They can also be used to create a jingle, slogan, and/or something that is memorable. An example is Wether’s hard candy, its use of a simile which is “What comfort tastes like ” to evoke a feeling of warmth, solace, and cheer all things associated with comfort. 

Hypothesis Annotations 

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