Multimodal Discourse: A Visual Design Analysis of Two Advertising Images

Abstract

The area of discourse analysis has long neglected the value of images as a semiotic resource in communication. This paper suggests that like language, images are rich in meaning potential and are governed by visual grammar structures which can be utilized to decode the meanings of images. Employing a theoretical framework in visual communication, two digital images are examined for their representational and interactive dimensions and the dimensions' relation to the magazine advertisement genre. The results show that the framework identified narrative and conceptual processes, relations between participants and viewers, and symbolic attributes of the images, which all contribute to the sociological interpretations of the images. The identities and relationships between viewers and participants suggested in the images signify desirable qualities that may be associated to the product of the advertiser. The findings support the theory of visual grammar and highlight the potential of images to convey multi-layered meanings.

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