EMMA · European Multimodal Metaphor in Advertising

European Multimodal Metaphor in Advertising

EMMA (European Multimodal Metaphor in Advertising), funded by the European Commission within the Marie S. Curie fellowships scheme (ref: EMMA-658079), explored the combination of metaphor and metonymy in advertising and measured their impact on the interpretation, speed of comprehension and general effectiveness of advertisements. Metaphor and metonymy are key tools in communication, particularly when abstract ideas or emotions are involved. While extant literature addresses metaphor in language and images, little work has been done on the combination of metaphor and metonymy in the multimodal context of advertising, where they play a key role. In order to address this research gap, EMMA fellowship assessed the level of figurative complexity in English, Spanish and Chinese advertisements, and explored the relationship between the figurative complexity of the advertisement and people’s ability to comprehend them, and their perceived effectiveness. Our key findings are that the presence of metaphor, irony and hyperbole in advertisements increases their appeal; multilayered metaphors are particularly effective in conveying complex messages and are understood more quickly than single layered metaphors; and responses vary significantly according to the viewer’s nationality. If advertisers, charities and NGOs are sensitive to, linguistic and cultural differences in people’s responses to figurative messaging in metaphors, local and international communities are more likely to benefit from specific, appropriate and ethical advertising.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union