Brand Semiotics as a Tool to Create Stronger Viewer Involvement with Brand Visuals on Social Media

This paper draws on a visual social semiotic analysis to illustrate how brand semiotics could be used as a social media marketing tool to select brand visuals that will attract attention and drive social conversations. Consumers nowadays access and interpret online brand messages differently due to social media and access to more technologies. While brands today have more visibility and can create and share brand messages on numerous social media platforms for a wider reach, the power has shifted to consumers. Because of more access to online information consumers can choose to either ignore or share and engage with a brand’s messages. By analysing one brand visual that sparked many reactions on social media, it is demonstrated how stronger viewer involvement can be achieved with embedded signs and symbols with which the viewer can resonate. The findings demonstrate that it is important for social media marketers to develop the inner meaning of visuals by placing consumers in a specific visual relationship with the visual. In doing so, the paper addresses the paucity of research on the semiotics of brand visuals and also provides a heuristic for social media marketers how to consider signs and symbols embedded in visuals for more impact on social media.