Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 1

Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising

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Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 2

Thesis: Advertising is characterized by the use of symbolism, intertextuality, and

polysemy to increase the effectiveness of advertising. Advertising has grown over the years. It is

attributed to the importance of advertising to the success of the business that largely relies on

advertising to attract both current and potential clients. Competition is also seen in advertising, as

many companies rely on television as it provides a large audience. In the US, the television is the

largest media source, with over 90% of households having a television set. Furthermore, these

households spend about 6 hours on average watching television. The use of television

advertisement is advantageous over other forms of media (Ilhan, 2011). It arises from the use of

visual and audio that improves the effectiveness and impact of the advertisement.

Advertising on TV is often an expensive venture, but many companies still prefer

television as the best avenue for advertising. Many companies spend millions on TV advertising,

and this has led to significant advancements in the content used on TV advertising. Moreover,

the money spent on television advertising will be returned once the target audience begins to buy

the goods and services bought. Essentially, advertising on television has influenced many

companies to use creative and innovative ways of advertising to encourage viewers to watch the

advertising, and be encouraged to make a purchase. For instance, this has been characterized by

the use of original ideas often seen in music, film, data, and TV programs (De Iulio, 2010).

Specifically, this is the use of various elements of visual and non-visual cues to increase the

effectiveness and impact of an advert.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is a strategy that seeks to create depth for the fiction used in the medium. It

is achieved using various techniques such as using a celebrity in a movie to advertise the given
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 3

product. It is effective in sustaining and attracting viewers, and often it creates the impression

that the advert is original. The portrayed character makes it easier to attract the audience and

ensures their participation. They viewers will be interested in what the advert is portraying, and

they would link the originality of the advert with the product it is supporting. In intertextuality,

the meaning does not move from the producer to viewer (Sderlund & Dahln, 2010). Instead, it

is passed through a set of filtered or created codes using other texts. It is a technique of analyzing

literary content without following the traditional concept of authorship. In this regard, it evolves

into a three-dimensional space comprised of textures and words. It also involves three elements

of dialogue namely the reader, author, and pre-texts. Additionally, it has vertical and horizontal

dimensions. Essentially, the vertical dimension involves words in the text that follow towards a

synchronized literary function or anterior. On the other hand, the horizontal dimension involves

words that are from both the receiver and the writing subject (Hill & Helmers, 2012). However,

an element that exists in all dimensions is referential. It means that there is a level of self-

reflexivity and preferentiality that goes beyond the general network of what is understood by the

culture. It would mean that the message would greatly rely on the current cultural norms of the

viewers.

Intertextuality also refers to the relationships between texts. Specifically, a text is a

transformation or merging of another text. The texts are repeated and connected. This

relationship is an important aspect that arouses the interest, attention desire, and memory of

people. It leads to a stimulation of their buying action. People will often accept things that they

are accustomed to, and advertising through intertextuality can achieve this (Sderlund & Dahln,

2010).
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 4

Symbolism

In advertising, new cultural meanings arise through symbolism. It emerges from the non-

advertising culture and is then utilized in advertising to create a suggestive association.

Advertising can take advantage of the consumption opportunities to use symbolism. Based on

theoretical assumptions, cultural phenomena are intertwined with consumer advertising.

Advertising exposes the consumer to a variety of aesthetic, dramatic, and literary devices that

apply innovative music, language, and visual language to capture the audience. These devices

can create meaning that applies to a cultural material. It can link to human relations and

symbolize it (Butler, 2010). Over the years, advertising has emerged as a medium that can

normalize consumptions. It is achieved through surveillance of consumer behavior carried out by

advertising agencies.

Hierarchy of effects in advertising

It is possible to theorize advertising to understand the different used of intertextuality,

symbolism, and polysemy in advertising. The use of information theories dealing with linear

information has been vital in communication and advertising. This theory looks at the methods

and assumptions in cognitive psychology. This theory creates a link between information

processing in humans and computers. It creates a hierarchy-of-effects in regards to advertising

persuasion. Specifically, the television viewer or consumer is seen as a personal entity. This

individual resists marketing communication unless there is an accumulated weight of messages

that influence them, encouraging them to make a purchase (Granitz & Forman, 2015). The

resistance is dealt with through advertising effects, which are known as the hierarchy-of-effects.'

The individual is considered to process information in a sequential manner just like a computer.
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 5

Despite this, criticism has arisen that this model is not viable in explaining consumer behavior. It

stems from the fact that it only details a high-involvement spending. Essentially, consumers are

involved in more spontaneous behaviors, and would not follow a rational path when making

purchases.

Emotions also play a role in the decisions made by individuals when buying a product. It

arises from a three-stage conceptualization. These are conative, cognitive, and affective. The use

of thinking or cognition entails the rational appeal that arises from advertising. For instance, a

motor vehicle advert that contains information on utility features and engine performance will

prove beneficial for people who link to think about the given product, its advantages, and

functionalities before purchasing (Hackley, 2010). The affective stage considers the emotional

response to a product. It engaged with the consumer by establishing a positive emotion towards

the product and seeks to influence their rational level. It is achieved by using symbolism and

leading imagery. In this regard, the advert on a vehicle will also contain a picture of the car with

occupants who are happy and enjoying the product. They will often be seated or standing in a

comfortable position, with an appealing scenery around them. In many cases, it will often

involve an affluent family who is happy as they are driving along a scene environment. The

emotional response arises from the identification or appeal of this environment and picture.

Furthermore, the connotation is an action (Hemingway, 2012). The presence of both emotional

and rational appeal in an advert will encourage the person to buy the product, and it acts in a

persuasive manner.
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 6

Figure 1: Car advert with emotive appeal

Source: Gettymages.com

Many adverts are characterized by the use of emotional and rational appeal. It is a clear

conceptualization that follows a hierarchy. It is impossible to determine which form of appeal

would prove beneficial, but there should be a balance between the emotional and rational appeal.

For some consumers, the text in the advertising can emotionally appeal to them if it provides

further information on the horsepower of a powerful car. Among other consumers, the technical

data may not be necessary for them (Yang, 2010). The balance between the two concepts is not

clear. Moreover, the symbolic function is only hinted r highlighted while the intrinsic function is

not stated by rather implied.

Intertextuality references

Intertextuality references are the most common form applied in advertising. It is the case

with ice cream advertising. The whole product category has evolved to be characterized by the

use of a public relations initiative and brand advertising that apply intertextuality references to

celebrity and sex. It also creates the idea that the packaging and pricing of the product are high

quality, and this attracts consumers to purchase the product at the given price. Differentiating the
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 7

emotional from the rational in products has been a strategy to ensure that companies gain profits

from their products (Tahmasbi & Kalkhajeh, 2013).

Based on the linear theory of communication, interactions follow a linear sequence. The

advertisement is intended for a receiver. Encoding occurs by the sender, and this will define the

meaning of the message. Encoding will convert the message into a communicable form such as

gestures, music, words, or a combination of all these aspects. The receiver will then have to

decode the message to define the meaning (Sderlund & Dahln, 2010). Noise is also an element

that arises from the environment. It can affect the message, and would disrupt communication.

For instance, noise facing a roadside advertising is in the form of shops, people, and vehicles that

can distract the person from the advert.

Figure 2: Linear communication

Visual rhetoric in advertising

Advertising is also seen as a visual rhetoric. Advertising if often consumed visually.

Furthermore, the audience does not only consume the promotional images and advertising, but

they also intend to understand the meaning or persuasive intent. Communication used in

promotions seeks to persuade the viewer. In this regard, the implication, and not the overt, is the
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 8

most powerful element. The text used in the advertising can be used to detail the product quality

and value (Scharf & Fernandes, 2013). The sub-text will contain a different message. For

instance, it could mean that the consumers of the given product will be characterized by the

lifestyle and qualities of the individual featured in the advert. The sub-text will contain an

implied a suggested meaning, making the advertising the information more subtle, complex and

attractive for the consumer. For example, the fashion and lifestyle magazines do not directly

refer to the odor when advertising perfumes. Instead, they use an abstract image that is sensuous,

together with a slogan that provides a description of the abstract connotations of the perfume.

The organization of the copy and image is designed in a manner that rhetorically defines the

implicit claim of the product (Robert, 2010). For instance, a perfume ad will often use a woman

with flowing hair. The ad will also have sunlight, scattered flowers and with the copy

Pleasures.

Figure 3: Perfume advert

Source: Gettymages.com
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 9

The advert has a visual impact and easily attracts the reader. The advert contains an

image that was placed in a double-page section of the magazine. The page was located after the

first page. Essentially, the page location and size proved beneficial in declaring through rhetoric

means that the subject matter is vital. Additionally, it can be considered as way more important

than the magazine editorial. The provocative image captures the reader, and they would want to

question or engage in the pleasures that the picture supports. The face rhetoric establishes the

belief that the actor is experiencing a new form of fun (Robert, 2010). The French name also

used concurs with the cultural idiom of style that is often related to the French. It implies

sophistication, and would attract the reader to buy the product so that they can experience the

pleasures through association. However, the consumer will make the decision whether they like

the odor, but this odor is formulated to provide pleasure. Specifically, the ad has a suggestive

content, and it can be seen in both the creativity and the message. It is rhetorically created to

support a given implied definition.

The copy does not always determine the visual rhetoric of an ad. An ad is often a form of

persuasive communication or argument. All aspects of the ad are done to concur with the main

argument. For instance, an ad for a face cream will contain a visual cue that supports the notion

that it reduces facial wrinkles. The ad will often contain juxtaposed images of a woman. One will

show the women before using the product while the other part will display the results of using

the given product. One side of the picture is cracked, similarly to the surface of an old painting.

The other half will be of a smooth face. It creates a symbolic reference, where the cracks suggest

that the person is aged with wrinkles (McKenzie & Kaltner, 2013). It acts as a classical way of

compliment, without demeaning, an aged person. Additionally, old paintings are often linked to
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 10

classical beauty (O'Reilly & Kerrigan, 2013). The ad draws the eyes to consider the aesthetically

appealing imagery and provides the reader with hints about the results of using the brand.

Figure 4: Face cream advert

Source: Gettymages.com

Polysemy in Advertising

The polysemy of meaning that applies to advertising allows consumers to utilize the

license of redefining ads creatively based on their cultural reference point. It enables them to

come up with their sense of meaning and identity. The text used is the least important aspect of

advertising since the viewers cannot accept marketing strategies that seem obvious. Instead, they

will accept brands and advertising that subvert the text used and reflect the consumer social

strategies and values (Malouf, 2012). For instance, consumers in the made negative comments

towards the Skoda company by coming up with jokes about the brand. It influenced the company

to improve its products. Moreover, this opportunity enhanced the brand through negative

advertising. They created ads about the poor image. An example of a slogan used in, It is a

Skoda honest. Many consumers were aware that the brand was mocking how the consumers
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 11

perceived the brand. The company came up with the advertising with the belief that the joke

would be able to portray the seriousness and that the brand had improved.

Many businesses and advertising agencies can take advantage of the intermediacy of

publicity to second-guess their interpretations. Specifically, it will allow brands to be seen as

cool if they subvert the established norms of brand advertising if they create uncomfortably frank

and outrageous brands (Lange, 2010). In this regard, these large brands such as Skoda will

consider that the audience will understand that the outrageous advert is only ironic.

Meaning in Advertising

Advertising does not have the power to force an individual to accept that a given belief is

part of a brand. Instead, advertising only hints suggests or implies. It is done by placing words or

an image within a broad framework to create a meaning that buying a given product or service

will confer certain values and qualities to the buyer. For instance, buying a car will mean that the

buyer will gain a social status (Kenyon, 2006). The ads do not say what the person will gain, but

rather implies the same. The ads allow the viewer to determine the desired implication.

Advertisement affects the target audience in a variety of ways. Despite this, some

individuals deny the effect on them. However, advertisement on television strongly affects the

viewers aural and visual senses. In this regard, advertisers often use intertextuality, symbolic

and polysemy that are easily decoded and understood by the viewers. The adverts have familiar

elements to ensure that viewers can decode them. The target audience should be determined by

the advertiser for them to understand the advert (Knowles & Sweetman, 2004). The use of the

advertising strategies allows the ad to create an emotional atmosphere. It allows the viewers to

identify with the message and feel good. The cultural qualities and values in society are easily
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 12

revealed in the advert. These achievable using lightings and colors have a national significance.

The use of cultural symbols in an advert is of importance to the success of the advert. It can

involve certain features of a country such as common traditions, landmarks, and even elements in

the country that encourage a national identity.

In advertising, hidden meaning can arise in the form of auditory, linguistic, or pictorial

metaphors. For instance, an alcohol advert will often feature a picture of a bottle juxtaposed

among scenes of affluent, young, and fit men, creating a symbolic link. It creates a connection

between the brand and wealth, physical attractiveness and fitness. In reality, drinking alcohol

will have the opposite effect (McKenzie & Kaltner, 2013). Those drinking will often be poor,

unfit and might become fat. Even though the drink is linked to a metaphor that details a good

life, the reality is that the alcohol will often be consumed in social contexts that are far from a

wealthy and good life.

Figure 5: Beer advert

Source: Gettymages.com
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 13

The use of sound and music has a positive effect on the viewers. In this regard, some

adverts can use popular music and sounds. It would ensure that the viewers would be attached to

the product advertised. In the end, they will easily buy the product. The use of special kinds of

music, such as the top music in the local charts, can bring nostalgic feelings. People who are fans

of the particular song can easily choose to purchase the music due to the link with the product. It

would mean that the consumer exchanges the value arising from the music to the product. Humor

is also a form of intertextuality device that is used by advertisers (Sderlund & Dahln, 2010). It

stems from the fact that funny adverts often leave a lasting impression in the minds of viewers.

Moreover, the viewer will relate their happy feeling with the product due to the emotions incited

in them. It is a self-referential device that encourages them to get into a light mood and leads to a

relaxed state. It makes them more permeable to the goals of the advert.

Advertising is also linked to semiotics. It is the study of signs, and how they are

perceived. The meaning of a given sign in an advert is related to the communication codes,

receiver, and the context. The three combine to form the cultural expectations of both the

receiver and sender. Advertising is a complex process, and can contain many messages.

Communicative messages arise from advertising (Ilhan, 2011). Using a marketing campaign that

is clever and thoughtful, consumers can derive meaning that reflects the brands values and

values.

In conclusion, the use of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy is advantageous in

advertising. These are strategies that ensure the effectiveness of an advert, and it encourages an

individual to purchase a product. They appear in various ways in advertising. These techniques

can gain the keen attention of the target audience. Specifically, the viewers are forced to engage
Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 14

actively with the content while coming up with the meaning of the advert. Advertising is an

interactive process that occurs between the audience and the adverts. The success of the

advertising relies on the use of various techniques. Some adverts are characterized by the use of

celebrities or symbolism to supports a given belief in the society. It is up to the viewers to

understand the intertextuality to understand the original goal of the advert.

Analyze the uses of intertextuality, symbolism, and polysemy in advertising 15

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