Semiotically Speaking: Uncovering More Meaning from Market Research
As market researchers, we're always looking for ways to gain deeper insights into consumer attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making processes. While traditional qualitative research methods like interviews and focus groups are invaluable for understanding personal values, priorities, and beliefs, they only provide part of the picture. We must also understand external influences and the obstacles consumers face in their decision-making journeys.
When we look for more ways to gain the insights we need, semiotics can deliver the missing insight, creating an “Aha” moment and helping inform brand strategy dynamically.
Semiotics is a tool for understanding the cultural context in which consumer decisions are made. It analyzes the symbolism, rituals, and assumptions that shape people's perceptions and behaviors, even if they're unaware of them. By combining semiotics with consumer psychology—the "culture plus cognition" model—we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of why consumers think and act the way they do.
So, what exactly is culture? It's everything that makes up the social context of a given group of people – their moral codes, superstitions, rituals, etiquette, symbolism, gender roles, fashion, and social status, among other things. As pioneering anthropologist Edward S. Tylor put it, "Culture is a complex which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society."
Why does culture matter? Because it affects our values, reactions, and interpretations of what things mean, influencing our decisions. By paying attention to the unwritten rules and symbolism that express culture, we can better understand why consumers think the way they do, even if they aren't conscious.
Semiotics Examples
One way we analyze culture is through semiotic analysis – the study of cultural symbolism and how meaning is conveyed through various forms of communication, such as words, images, sounds, textures, and behavior. For example, look at packaging in the men's personal care industry. Traditionally, using personal care products has been seen as a feminine activity, so companies have had to find ways to make it seem more masculine. They do this by loading up the packaging with symbols of manliness, such as pistol grips, black imagery (which conveys mystery and authority), and electrical elements (which convey power).
Look at these three chip packages for another example of how semiotics is used in brand positioning. With its minimalist design, the first one conveys the idea of simplicity and value – you're getting chips and nothing else. The second one, Doritos, uses imagery like flames, electrical shocks, and red to convey excitement and energy – even before you've tasted the product, you're experiencing it. The third one, with its beige color, handwritten font, and hand-drawn illustrations of root vegetables, conveys a sense of naturalness and tradition as if the chips were handmade.
So how is semiotic analysis done? When we analyze something semiotically, we look for two main building blocks: codes and symbols. Codes are big cultural ideas or themes with many symbols associated with them. For example, knowledge is often symbolized by apples (think of the apple that Eve ate or the apple you give your teacher on the first day of school), owls (associated with Athena, the goddess of wisdom), and books. You can see semiotics at work in the branding of our company, Athena Brand Wisdom! Purity, on the other hand, is often symbolized by whiteness, babies, snow, and nature.
We also look at whether codes are residual (classic and enduring), dominant (mainstream and widely used), or emergent (bubbling up from subcultures). This helps us understand how relevant and robust different codes are in today's society.
So, how can semiotics be used in market research? There are a few key ways:
1. Optimizing brand communication across cultures:
Symbolism can mean different things in different cultures, so it's essential to adapt your messaging and packaging accordingly.
2. Understanding the culture of a new market:
Semiotic analysis can give you an overall review of how things are communicated and how well they resonate in a new market.
3. Improving communication efficiency and efficacy:
By revealing all the potential messages your brand may be conveying (whether intended or not) and leveraging powerful symbolic cues, you can strengthen your brand communication and connect with people more effectively.
4. Conveying messages that can't be spelled out through language:
In industries like pharmaceuticals and financial services, there are often strict regulations around what companies can say in their advertising. Semiotics allows you to use symbolic cues to convey things you can't outright say.
Ultimately, semiotics is a powerful tool for uncovering deeper meanings and cultural insights in market research. By combining it with traditional qualitative methods, we can better understand consumer attitudes, behaviors, and decision-making processes and help companies craft more meaningful, effective marketing strategies.
