Hall, Sean. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics, Laurence King Publishing, 2012 (Chapters 1 & 2) pgs 21-67.

Questions

  • Using an example, define Saussure’s terms sign, signifier, and signified in your own words.
  • How are signs employed in visual communication? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain why the example is considered an icon, index, or symbol in Peirce’s terms.
  • How are non-literal devices used to convey meaning in advertising and/or social media? Provide a visual example from contemporary or historical advertising and explain which type of non-literal device (simile, metaphor, metonym, synecdoche, irony, lies, impossibility, depiction, or representation) is being used and why.

Response

A sign is a symbolic representation of something else. It might be a tangible thing (like a flag) or an intangible idea (like a feeling).
Signifier: The physical manifestation of a symbol, such as a flag’s design, color, and texture, is known as a signifier.
The meaning attached to the sign, such as patriotism, pride in one’s country, or unity, is known as the signified.

Signs are a quick and efficient technique to swiftly and effectively communicate a message visually. Signs can be used to direct traffic, give directions, or issue warnings. They may also be utilized to promote a good or service. Symbols, shapes, colors, and text are just a few of the many various formats that may be used to construct signs. They might also be used with other visual components like text, animations, and photos. The Nike swoosh is one example of a modern advertising emblem. The Nike swoosh is a recognizable trademark icon that is used around the globe. Its instantly identifiable depiction of the business and the message of power, achievement, and excellence make it an iconic emblem. The Nike swoosh may also be thought of as an index because it is connected to and makes direct reference to a certain brand. The Nike swoosh, which communicates a message of strength, success, and quality without specifically mentioning the company or its goods, may also be considered a symbol.

As they encourage creative expression and draw viewers’ attention, nonliteral methods are frequently employed in advertising and social media to communicate the message. Some of the most common non-literal devices used in advertising and social media are metaphors, similes, and personification. In order to indicate a similarity between two disparate items, metaphors are employed to compare them. When two objects are compared using the terms “like” or “as,” a simile has been created. Personification is the practice of imputing human traits to inanimate objects. These tools may be used to produce striking images that grab customers’ attention and effectively communicate the message of an advertising or social media post. Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign is an illustration of modern advertising that uses a metaphor. The catchphrase is intended to inspire viewers to act and achieve their goals by implying that everyone has the capacity to “just do it.” The metaphor is employed to draw in customers and highlight the campaign’s key message—that everything is possible if you put your mind to it.