THE SEMIOLOGY ANALYSIS IN ADVERTISING
1.0 Introduction
The role advertisement plays in our life on daily basis is perceived to be significance due to effects it has on human race through various functions and also occupies a significant part of human life. Semiology is regarded as a well-known subject matter and furthermore, considered as a movement, a philosophy or science which is mostly made use of in multidisciplinary methods. Semiology is known as an advance subject to learn not only the alphabet of symbolic rites, polite formulas, military signals and religious symbols, but also the study of commercials, soap operas, bulletin boards and now the vast usage of internet and other media.
According to Boulding and Kenneth, (1956,p.44) asserted commercial and consumer world of today is highlighted as an embodiment of concepts and behavioral patterns among consumers and marketers, woven from the symbols and the signs settled in their time, space in the society. The structure and use of symbols in particular can be debated as the ability in the central and make a distinction in the characteristics of human species which is based on human action and interaction are reason for the individuality and the glory of man. Nowadays, signs and symbols play a significant role and have encouraged numerous perspectives on symbolism and created pathway for its region in the lives of the marketplaces and consumers.
Semiology known as a science is related to the word semiosis which is a term used in semiotics assigned to interpretation of signs and production (Hadumod, 2006).
According to Roland (1968) stated that semiology intends to understand or entertain any system of signs no matter what their substance and confines may look like such as; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects and so on. These signs represent a system of significance. Although, Saussure, (1960) suggested semiology as a general science which studies the life of signs within society while Roland, (1968) assumed semiology is a mere subset of linguistics.
Semiology also known as semiotics is used interchangeably. According to Guiraud, (1975) defined semiology as study of signs. This illustration however must be examined as being only basic. A more comprehensive explanation implies that semiotics is the study of the conception of the symbolic and its subsequent signification.
1.1 Conceptual Framework of Semiology
Semiology or semiotics is relevant to all natures of human endeavor which comprises of theatre, dance, painting, politics, religion, history and cinema. Signs are used on daily basis to communicate to people in the community. Different gestures are made used of life on daily basis which are meant to transmit messages to people in our environment, for instance, waving of hands implies bye-bye. Also, text messages are also used as systems of signs such as lexical graphic which add more to their effects during the regular clashes between the systems.
According to Chandler, (2001) asserted that semiotics enables an awareness of what is taken for granted in representing the world, serving as a reminder as we deal with signs, not with a provoked objective reality, and that sign systems are involved in the creation of meaning. Verbal and non-verbal signs in advertisement are used to produce meaning which leads to the creation of social relationships, systems of knowledge and cultural identity (Bezuidenhout, 1998).
Hadumod, (1996) asserted semiology relates to the word semiosis which connotes the term semiotics to assign the production and interpretation of a sign. In addition, Barthes, (1968) declared that semiology aims to take in any system of signs no matter what their substance and restrictions; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects etc. these signs comprise of a system of significance.
Saussure, (1915) postulated semiology as a general science of signs of which linguistics would form only one part while Barthes, (1968) proclaimed that semiology is a mere subset of linguistics.
Semiotics became an important field that studies the life of signs within a society during the growth of linguistics. Barthes analyzed the signs within two main semiotic concepts which are signified and signifier from the Saussurean perspective.
Signified + Signifier = Sign
(Material) (Meaning)
De Saussure’s emphasis on the sign and its components has influenced Roland Barthes as a principal background of structuralism. According to Barthes, identified the semiotic sign with the system of language related sign to language with the aim of connotation; for instance, the sign of fashion which is connected to the verbal language system.
In the study carried out by De Saussure (1915), defined linguistic sign as not a thing and name other than an impression and a sound image and both of the components are well joined together.
De Saussure known as the founder of semiology was the first person to detail the tripartite relationship.
• The signifier: it has a physical existence which bears the connotation. This is the sign as we perceive it: the marks on the paper or the sounds in the air.
• The signified: is a mind impression which bears the connotation. It is mostly found among all member of the same culture who shares the same language.
• The sign is the connection of the two: we speak of it as a signifying construct.
Semiology can be classified into different kind of studies such as meaning-making, the study of sign processes, indication, designation, likeness, signification and meaningful communication.
Semiotics can be divided into three branches:
Semantics: relation between signs and the things to which they refer; their signified meaning.
Syntactics: relations among or between signs in formal structures. It also deals with the systems that preside over how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
Pragmatics: relations between signs and sign using agents or interpreters. It deals with all the psychological, biological and sociological phenomena that occur in the following of signs.
1.2 Theoretical Framework of Semiology
In this day and age, advertising or buyer semiotics is known as the most important branches of the semiotics. Entire semiotics in the marketing and buyer field has two main dominant models that are (Noth, 1990): Swiss Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure’s (1857 – 1913) and Peirce’s Anglo- Saxon (1931 – 1958).
Firstly, Swiss Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure’s (1857 – 1913) theory was majorly on social psychology, incorporates two component model of signifier or sound image and the signified or concept. The link between signifier and the signified is arbitrary. Saussure assumed that language is made up of signs like words which communicate meanings and all kinds of additional things potentially be studied in a similar way as linguistic signs. The similar semiotic approach can be useful in talking about language based media and image based media because in either case we find signs which carry meanings. In view of the fact that language is universally recognized as the most fundamental and persuasive medium for human communication, semiotics takes the way that language works as model for all other media of communication and other sign systems.
Saussure’s linguistics model based on social psychology has led to focus attention on the following:
• The role of the structure in communication, meaning and the nature of them
• The role of the symbolism and its nature
• The cultural relativity of communication and meaning.
Saussure further explained the importance between relations, actions and interactions taken over individual words when meaning is formed or derived. For example, the piece on the chessboard makes relationship with the other pieces on it. Numbers of pieces are vital on the board and their movement from one place to another or as a piece will alter all the pieces and their relations in the game. Relations, actions, interactions, movement and position of the pieces on the board are very vital.
Therefore, language is perceived as an epitome of self-contained relational structural world. According to Saussurean, (1960) sensed the paradigm as a set of signs and syntagm which means signs chosen from various paradigms to form the message. Paradigmatic relation is most important in the message. These relations make the oppositions and contrast known between signs in a set. Scenes and background setting forms are vital factors in developing the key settings in the message of an advertisement. These paradigmatic relations express the significance by distinguishing between the sign which are preferred and those not chosen.
Barthes (1967), Durand (1970), and Peninou (1972) applied the paradigm in their marketing and consumer phenomena. This paradigm cross the Atlantic to influence marketing scholars in North America and simultaneously passed through eastward into Asia.
Secondly, Pierce’s Anglo-Saxon theory is the second dominant semiotic paradigm which strongly based on philosophy and touches some extent physical science (Pierce 1931 – 1958). So far, Pierce happens to be the only person who has far delivered the broadest and most advanced theoretical framework on the semiotics.
Pierce has a phenomenological point of view that situates signification, emotions and perceptions at the basis of his theory of how meaningful signs in cognitions and communications are created. Pierce is recognized as a co-founder of the semiotics along with the Swiss Linguist Ferdinand De Saussure. Pierce defined semiotics as the doctrine of signs which stand for something else and also some meaning for somebody. A sign is used in alternating something which may not be available, and to some extent capable of elucidating such alternation in order to broadcast a message about it (Pierce, 1958).
Pierce theory incorporates three models which are as follows:
ï¶ The representmen (sign proper)
ï¶ The object ( to which the sign refers)
ï¶ The interpretant (interpretation or response with the observer/ communicator.
In support of Pierce’s paradigm, a sophisticated set of distinctions, labels and stages among the three components or objects of his model has been included and further made relations among the components.
Saussure asserted the dyadic relations in his paradigm while Pierce constructed his paradigm on triadic relations (tri-relative influences) (Pierce, 1931 – 1958. P.484).
Figure 1: Triadic Semiosis Concept of Pierce
Sign
Object Interpretant
Pierce semiosis philosophy secured in the real world which is based on people, social institution and culture. He determined the interpreter’s response into the signs which can be transformed and broadcasted through the social environment (Sebeok, 1976).
A symbolic signs relates to its object in a conventional approach, as such it requires the participative existence of an interpreter to construct the signifying link. One of the main focuses of Pierce semiosis was the relationship of sign and interpreter. He argued that cognition is a process of knowledge and meaning generation through signs. This will take three forms which are: deduction, induction and abduction.
Saussure and Pierce’s paradigms and their applications in marketing research and consumer are varied obviously due to the conflicting ontological and epistemological heritage on them. The Saussurian paradigm mostly based on linguistics has been used in structural text interpretive analysis of meaning.
A comprehensive science of signs in the social sciences developed by Charles Morris, stressed that sign has a science and subdivided it into semantics, syntactic and pragmatic.
Syntactic made the way for signs and sign relations. Semantics in the study of the signs and object relations and pragmatic role is to study the signs and its interpretation relations.
On the other hand, the three elements signs which are syntactic, semiotics and paradigmatic are known as the most tolerating area of Charles Morris’s semantic paradigm (Holbrook, 1978).
According to Charles Morris classification, the quality of semiotics entirely can be pure (pure semiotics elaborate a language to talk about signs), descriptive (study actual signs) and applied (utilizes knowledge about signs for the fulfillment of various purpose and tasks of the people and society).
The act of giving gift by consumer stressed that the gift giving is a compensation for various consumers’ pleasure for their past deeds. Measures have been taken by social, personal and economic behaviors on intrapersonal and interpersonal behavior. Gifts are perceived as a symbol and can be classified as aesthetic, educational, utilitarian and so on. Most likely Charles Morris, (1938) endeavored to comprehend the relationship between Saussure and Pierce’s semiotics and the semiotics in North America.
1.3 Advertisement
Nowadays, images are found everywhere in a way it has never existed in the history of advertisement. Every period has expressed images in its own style since the inception. Ever since the inception of images, it has the ability to sell anything such as politicians or the political party, company products and so on, in a simple approach and comprehensive with words displayed. Today, improvement has taken place in the display of images.
Everywhere we go, we are surrounded by images and sounds that communicate in one way or another.
According to MikloÅ„Ãk, (2012) defined advertisement as a form of communication, with the act of sending a message to a recipient with an open intention to sell a product to consumers. This process has its particularities connected to both propagandistic approach of communication defined by McQuail and persuasive concept of communication (Doubravová, (2002, p. 102).
Advertisement is generally thought of as a new concept of our present world in the minds of our people, which is not true but they are actually dated back a couple of thousand years in time. The Egyptians were recognized as the first people to use advertisements, which made outdoor posters and trading messages. Afterward, other continents followed the Egyptians in various forms of ancient advertisement such as Asia, Arabia and ancient Greece. It took a long time before other countries discovered the prospect in advertisement.
Advertisement is a well-known dialogue kind in virtually all modern day societies, and we live in a society where it is well established. A distinctive characteristic of advertisement dialogue is its function because it is meant to persuade people to buy a particular good (Cook, 1992, p.5).
According to Durant & Lambrou, (2009, p.93) asserted advertising expresses information in a way that consumers know what is available, who makes it and where and how they can acquire it. Williamson (1983, p.19) considers that an advertisement does not create meaning at the beginning but only attract transaction where it is expressed from one thing to another.
Saren et al. (2007, p.128) stated advertisement make use of a preexisting referent system of meaning, because the good, prior to signification in the advert, has no meaning.
Goldman (1992, p.2) identifies advertisement as a key institution in create and recreate the material and ideological supremacy of commodity relations. He calls this system good hegemony because the recreate a sense of good relations as a natural and inevitable part of the lives of different individuals (Saren et al 2007, p.129).
Advertisement known as a means of representation and meaning build ideology within themselves through the involvement of external codes which are located in a society; He further suggested that ideology of advertisements is so strong, naturalized by image, the neutral realm of signifier.
1.4 Semiology of Advertisement
Semiotics universally regarded as a hypothetical approach to advertisement, with the aim of establishing relevant principles. It can simply be known as the study of signs. Signs are in different form of images, sounds, words and objects.
Advertisement aims at connecting goods and services to fortify positive feelings of consumers to brands. Achieving this requires experts constructing texts that can be recognized by viewers as ads and also creating texts that are sufficiently compelling and motivates viewer to interpret the texts. Still, the ads cannot imply anything on their own; it will require viewers to comprehend the meaning (Robert et al, 2003).
Advertisement and communication are inseparable concepts in the market consumer behavioral world. Especially, advertisements bring the language, photo graphics, colors and other symbols for its own practice to make consciousness on the production and its grandeur on the customers and outside.
Nowadays, advertisement known as huge level of business and is also a part of the national economy in several countries. Advertisement construct, form and influence the opinion of the consumers and the people outside.
Among the prominent theories, Mick’s schema theory has brought together semiotics and gave an idea to the viewers its potential of specialization of the social structure, processing and involving attitudes, memory and cognition as well as written and spoken messages (Brewer and Nakamura, 1984, Hastie, 1981, Thondyke and Yekovich 1980).
The three types of schema theory of Mick proposed into marketing communication research are known as goal, knowledge and text schemata. The most vital factors are goal and knowledge; probably make the relations with both marketers and consumers. According to Mick, the text schemata mainly involves in the linguistic messages in marketing communication. This schema theory possesses the ability to improve the marketing communication research.
According to Sherry, (1985 p.1) asserted that advertisement is a cultural document, a way of presenting and apprehending the world. Each and every advertisement is included in cultural shadow and enables the readers to negotiate and share the cultural theme. Symbols are made by men to construct the world and make the network of social relations in much the same way as religion, science and arts.
Actions and interactions in a symbolic manner indulge in the social stream to build the shadows of the characteristic behaviors of human.
Symbolic and iconic conversations and conventions in the advertisements convey its audience by means of ritualized enactments through the dimensions of experiences the cultural esteems (Fox, 1984). The recurring practice will facilitate to safeguard the culture by reducing the inconsistency in the cultural performance and possibly assist to lead the cultural opinion to become a natural point of view. Advertisements build a perfect reality in a point of view, this make the goods and services therapy in a competitive marketing world and also communicate powerfully to the consumers (Henry 1959).
1.5 A Guide to a Semiological Analysis of Advertisement
The following guide identifies the key activities that can be undertaken when a semilogical review of a text, such as a TV program, an advertisement, a movie, a painting etc.
Firstly, make provision of a succinct summary of the message to every reader. The idea is to provide a concise picture of the advertisement which will create a message on the mind of the reader.
Secondly, identify the key signifiers and signifieds. Questions that are asked:
• What are the important signifiers and what do they signify?
• What is the system of signs that gives the text meaning?
• What ideological and sociological matters are involved?
Thirdly, identify the paradigms that have been exploited. Questions that are asked:
• What is the central opposition in the text?
• What paired opposites fit under the various categories?
• Do these oppositions have any psychological or social significance?
Fourthly, identify the syntagms that come across.
Question that is asked:
• What statements or messages (directly and implied) can you identify?
This question can be answered by considering the following:
ï¶ The linguistic message: This message is made up of all the words, denotations and connotations.
ï¶ The non-coded iconographic (literal) message: This message is made up of the denotations in the photograph.
ï¶ The coded iconographic (symbolic) message: This message is made up of the visual connotations we detect in the arrangement of photographed elements.
Finally, identify the opinion used in the message or text. Considering the objective of analysis is to determine the expression or the grammar binding together all the elements.
Conclusion
Semiology is an important evaluation for its interaction and role in marking interlinked issues. Moreover, it’s a source of thinking and making decision for individuals such as body language, clothing, facial expression and others are produced by Semiology. Each individual makes effort to see the proper traits or features of others through Semiology; thus, we can say Semiology is a social agreement in society where individuals tend to agree on mutual interests.