Semiotics

Introduction

• Storytelling through visuals is not a new concept in branding and advertising, as

there are many different ways to portray a mood or communicate a specific message.
• Using images rather than purely relying on text gives us the opportunity to create
more value by connecting with a target audience on a deeper level as well as
communicate more quickly and effectively.
• Audiences draw from cultural or personal experience to translate these images,
giving a unique meaning to almost everyone that sees them.
• Before getting into how you can use semiotic storytelling in your design, it’s
important to know exactly what semiotics is.
 Introduction

• Semiotics, also called semiology, is the study of signs and sign-using behaviour.

• It was defined by one of its founders, the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, as the study of
“the life of signs within society.”
• Although the word was used in this sense in the 17th century by the English philosopher 
John Locke, the idea of semiotics as an interdisciplinary field of study emerged only in the late
19th and early 20th centuries with the independent work of Saussure and of the American
philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce.
• The concept of semiotics is broken down into three categories: iconic, symbolic, and indexical.
• Depending on how they are used, some can be more impactful while others are more
straightforward in nature.
ICONIC
ICONIC

 
SYMBOLIC
INDEXICAL
SEMIOTICS AND BRAND
DEVELOPMENT

• Semiotics closely tie into culture and what is “trendy” at the time.
• They can also have a big impact on brand development depending on how a
company implements semiotics.
• While the use of these tools can shape a brand, this also gives brands the
opportunity to shape culture.
• Innovative and new ideas can lead trends while the others follow. 
APPLYING SEMIOTICS TO
ADVERTISING

• There are different ways to use each of the three semiotic categories in
advertising, each with its own purpose in terms of storytelling as well as
connecting with audiences on different levels.
• The key takeaway is to consider your audience, what they value, and how you
can translate those values into a visual that is relevant.
• Using these categories is a great starting point for understanding how to
communicate to different audiences.
LIPTON
BURGER KING

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9B9HGQsx0k
BEATS BY DR DRE

• https://youtu.be/h0rfCYy9jbI
APPLE

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji3BchC9beY
DOMINO’S