The Usefulness of Social Semiotics
International Journal of Industrial Marketing ISSN 2162-3066 2011, Vol. 1, No. 1
Advertising Social Semiotic Representation: A Critical Approach
Maryam Najafian (Corresponding author) Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Language Hezarjarib Street, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Email: m.najafian56@yahoo.com
Saeed Ketabi Assistant professor of Applied Linguistics Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Language Hezarjarib Street, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Email: ketabi@fgn.ui.ac.ir
Received: July 05, 2011
Accepted: July 14, 2011
DOI: 10.5296/ijim.v1i1.775
Abstract The aim of this article was to show the usefulness of a Social Semiotics approach proposed by Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) in analyzing advertising discourse to achieve the aim of uncovering the ideology behind choosing different resources (verbal and non verbal). Two examples selected from 'Time' magazine showed that both textual and visual signs are among social semiotic resources which could help advertisers to convey persuasive messages under ideological assumptions. The result of this study revealed that social semiotic reference occupies a pivotal point in the relationship between advertising discourse and ideology. The image, word and color, seen in this way as the product of social practices, are just three of the many semiotic modes through which social meanings of advertisements are coded. Keywords: Print advertising, Social Semiotic Analysis, Ideology, Critical Approach
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www.macrothink.org/ijim
International Journal of Industrial Marketing ISSN 2162-3066 2011, Vol. 1, No. 1
1. Introduction Williamson (1978: 19) believes that an advertisement does not create meaning at the first time but invites us to make a transaction where it is passed from one thing to another. This claim is supported by Saren et al. (2007: 128), "advertisements utilize a pre-existing referent system of meaning, because
Advertising Social Semiotic Representation: A Critical Approach
Maryam Najafian (Corresponding author) Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Language Hezarjarib Street, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Email: m.najafian56@yahoo.com
Saeed Ketabi Assistant professor of Applied Linguistics Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Foreign Language Hezarjarib Street, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran Email: ketabi@fgn.ui.ac.ir
Received: July 05, 2011
Accepted: July 14, 2011
DOI: 10.5296/ijim.v1i1.775
Abstract The aim of this article was to show the usefulness of a Social Semiotics approach proposed by Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) in analyzing advertising discourse to achieve the aim of uncovering the ideology behind choosing different resources (verbal and non verbal). Two examples selected from 'Time' magazine showed that both textual and visual signs are among social semiotic resources which could help advertisers to convey persuasive messages under ideological assumptions. The result of this study revealed that social semiotic reference occupies a pivotal point in the relationship between advertising discourse and ideology. The image, word and color, seen in this way as the product of social practices, are just three of the many semiotic modes through which social meanings of advertisements are coded. Keywords: Print advertising, Social Semiotic Analysis, Ideology, Critical Approach
63
www.macrothink.org/ijim
International Journal of Industrial Marketing ISSN 2162-3066 2011, Vol. 1, No. 1
1. Introduction Williamson (1978: 19) believes that an advertisement does not create meaning at the first time but invites us to make a transaction where it is passed from one thing to another. This claim is supported by Saren et al. (2007: 128), "advertisements utilize a pre-existing referent system of meaning, because