Meanings beyond words: A cross-cultural content analysis exploring semiotic signs, paralinguistics and cultural dimensions in Swedish and Taiwanese marketing communication
(2025) SKDK11 20251Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- This study explores how semiotic signs and, most notably, paralinguistics in video commercials contribute to facilitating narratives and communicating cultural aspects across two distinct marketing landscapes. By conducting a qualitative content analysis of six commercials from the Swedish brand ICA and the Taiwanese PX Mart, the research examines how a set of non-verbal cues categorized under visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and aesthetic can function as carriers of cultural meaning. The study applied Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory for the content analysis to identify and interpret signs in the commercials. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were then used as a comparative framework to further discuss cultural similarities or differences of... (More)
- This study explores how semiotic signs and, most notably, paralinguistics in video commercials contribute to facilitating narratives and communicating cultural aspects across two distinct marketing landscapes. By conducting a qualitative content analysis of six commercials from the Swedish brand ICA and the Taiwanese PX Mart, the research examines how a set of non-verbal cues categorized under visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and aesthetic can function as carriers of cultural meaning. The study applied Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory for the content analysis to identify and interpret signs in the commercials. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were then used as a comparative framework to further discuss cultural similarities or differences of the paralinguistic elements. The findings reveal both convergence and divergence in how the two brands demonstrated their usage of paralinguistic elements, highlighting a blend of culturally specific and overlapping traits. The study contributes to the cross-cultural research field by emphasizing the significance of examining paralinguistics as part of marketing communication. (Less)
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna studie undersöker hur semiotiska tecken och i synnerhet paralingvistisk bidrar till att forma narrativ och kommunicera kulturella aspekter i videoreklam inom två distinkta marknadsföringslandskap. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av totalt sex reklamfilmer från det svenska varumärket ICA och det taiwanesiska PX Mart, har studien undersökt hur icke-verbala tecken kategoriserade under visuella, auditiva, gestuella, spatiala och estetiska, kan fungera som bärare av kulturell mening. Studien tillämpade Roland Barthes semiotiska teori i innehållsanalysen för att identifiera och tolka tecken i videoreklam. Hofstedes kulturella dimensioner användes därefter som ett komparativt ramverk för att analysera likheter och skillnader i... (More)
- Denna studie undersöker hur semiotiska tecken och i synnerhet paralingvistisk bidrar till att forma narrativ och kommunicera kulturella aspekter i videoreklam inom två distinkta marknadsföringslandskap. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av totalt sex reklamfilmer från det svenska varumärket ICA och det taiwanesiska PX Mart, har studien undersökt hur icke-verbala tecken kategoriserade under visuella, auditiva, gestuella, spatiala och estetiska, kan fungera som bärare av kulturell mening. Studien tillämpade Roland Barthes semiotiska teori i innehållsanalysen för att identifiera och tolka tecken i videoreklam. Hofstedes kulturella dimensioner användes därefter som ett komparativt ramverk för att analysera likheter och skillnader i kulturella kopplingar mellan de uppfattade paralingvistiska elementen. Resultatet visar både konvergens och divergens i hur de två varumärkena demonstrerade sin användning av paralingvistiska element. Studien bidrar till det tvärkulturella forskningsområdet genom att betona betydelsen av att undersöka paralingvistisk som en del av marknadskommunikation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9192574
- author
- Hendberg, Linn LU and Luther, Hannah LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SKDK11 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Marketing communication, semiotics, paralinguistics, cultural dimensions, cross-cultural
- language
- English
- id
- 9192574
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-30 11:17:52
- date last changed
- 2025-06-30 11:17:52
@misc{9192574,
abstract = {{This study explores how semiotic signs and, most notably, paralinguistics in video commercials contribute to facilitating narratives and communicating cultural aspects across two distinct marketing landscapes. By conducting a qualitative content analysis of six commercials from the Swedish brand ICA and the Taiwanese PX Mart, the research examines how a set of non-verbal cues categorized under visual, audio, gestural, spatial, and aesthetic can function as carriers of cultural meaning. The study applied Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory for the content analysis to identify and interpret signs in the commercials. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions were then used as a comparative framework to further discuss cultural similarities or differences of the paralinguistic elements. The findings reveal both convergence and divergence in how the two brands demonstrated their usage of paralinguistic elements, highlighting a blend of culturally specific and overlapping traits. The study contributes to the cross-cultural research field by emphasizing the significance of examining paralinguistics as part of marketing communication.}},
author = {{Hendberg, Linn and Luther, Hannah}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Meanings beyond words: A cross-cultural content analysis exploring semiotic signs, paralinguistics and cultural dimensions in Swedish and Taiwanese marketing communication}},
year = {{2025}},
}