Abstract
This paper examines the ambiguity of novel metaphors in advertising messages and the ways
it can enhance audience engagement, analysing 25 metaphors from WRAP food waste
reduction campaigns. Drawing on van Leeuwen’s concept of “integrated design” and social
semiotic approaches to multimodal analysis, this study investigates how metaphorical
ambiguity is used to facilitate behavioral change through abductive reasoning. The analysis
reveals that strategic ambiguity functions not as a communicative barrier, but rather as a
semiotic resource that invites active meaning-making within specific sociocultural contexts.
The findings demonstrate that effective behavioral change campaigns benefit from metaphors
that transcend conventional associations through calculated semantic tension. This research
contributes to the existing literature on advertising metaphors and practical campaign design
in sustainability advertising discourse by showcasing how strategic ambiguity can enhance
campaign effectiveness through the integration of multimodal semiotic resources.
it can enhance audience engagement, analysing 25 metaphors from WRAP food waste
reduction campaigns. Drawing on van Leeuwen’s concept of “integrated design” and social
semiotic approaches to multimodal analysis, this study investigates how metaphorical
ambiguity is used to facilitate behavioral change through abductive reasoning. The analysis
reveals that strategic ambiguity functions not as a communicative barrier, but rather as a
semiotic resource that invites active meaning-making within specific sociocultural contexts.
The findings demonstrate that effective behavioral change campaigns benefit from metaphors
that transcend conventional associations through calculated semantic tension. This research
contributes to the existing literature on advertising metaphors and practical campaign design
in sustainability advertising discourse by showcasing how strategic ambiguity can enhance
campaign effectiveness through the integration of multimodal semiotic resources.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1 |
| Number of pages | 28 |
| Journal | International Journal of Marketing Semiotics & Discourse Studies |
| Volume | VIII |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2025 |
Keywords
- advertising
- sustainability
- metaphor
- Consumer Behavior
- Behavioural science
- Ambiguity
- Novelty
- marketing
- campaigns