Sign is basically anything that symbolizes meaning whether it is a word, image, sound or body language. An example is handicap sign. That sign means that something is handicap friendly. The signifier is the physical form of the sign hence the handicap sign. The blue squared sign with a person with a wheelchair design which our brain automatically picks up on. The signified is a concept that the signifier represents. In this scenario, the idea of either allowing parking in a specific area, using ramps to go up and down somewhere instead of stairs, means handicap availability.

Signs in visual communication could be employed in many ways such as direction for guides,warning for caution, symbols that are inspiring and bring ideas and ads for promotional purposes. An example of an Ad is when I went to an Amazon protest in Long Island city. For my Cultural anthropology class I took back in 2018, the professor took us to an Amazon protest for planning to have a corporate office in Long Island City. 

There were many interesting ads, but this one piqued my interest the most. This is the amazon logo but flipped the arrow upside down with angry eyes. This ad to me is considered an icon because it connects to the signifier by immediately indicating something bad about Amazon. The visual communication supports the protest and the message protesters were trying to convey. 

Non-literal devices are used in advertising and social media to convey meaning in order to grasp the audience. For example, Skittles; Taste The Rainbow. The slogan is a metaphoric phrase to tell the audience how it feels when you eat a skittles no matter the flavor. Overall, all of these components communicate things in numerous ways. The perception could either be factual or subjective depending on what you hear and see.

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