symbolism and sales
Post on 21-Nov-2014
348 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Anthropological Analysis: Turning Symbols and Sign into Revenue
The world is shrinking.
The world is shrinking.
But that doesn’t mean you can escape the cultural norms around the world…we haven’t changed that much.
What do we mean when we talk about culture?
Culture = Context
Every decision is made within a cultural
context.
Geographic Indian, French, Silicon ValleyIndustry engineers, nurses, taxi driversLifestyle biker, soccer mom, techieReligious Buddhist, Lutheran, Atheist
Culture is liable to change.
Culture is a series of signs.
Semiotics is the study of signs. A sign is something that stands for something other than itself.
Tree
What about some random scratches?
Is that a sign?
Signs do not represent reality, they construct it.
Are signs universal?
Will it work in London? In India? In Argentina?In Mississippi?
There are three types of signs:
Index Icon Symbol
Index
The signifier is not arbitrary but is connected to the signified in some way either physically or casually.
Barn = Animals
Barn = Backwards
Icon
The signifier is not totally arbitrary but resembles the signified in some way.
?
Symbol
The signifier is totally arbitrary and lacks meaning outside a cultural context.
Symbol
Why does the symbol “2” represent what it does?Why does the word “tree”?
Global Context
We don’t sell benefits, features and functions, we sell emotions and meaning.
We sell symbols.
Flavor = Explosion
Sport = War
It’s not as simple as defining a symbol.It has to work within a given culture.
Payoffs
If you get the symbol right, you increase awareness, retention, and revenue.
If you get the symbol wrong…
SPORT
What does mean?
PROS
What does mean?
HYDRATION
What does mean?
SPORTS NUTRITIAN
?
What does mean?
How do we make stand for:
ENERGYFUEL
PERFORMANCESPORTS NUTRITION
Understand the systems of meaning for our target audiences.
But it’s not just enough to ask what words or phrases they prefer…
Groupthink & Ritual
Groupthink & Ritual
PRE-GAMING
PRE-GAMERITUAL?
POST-GAMERITUAL?
INFLUENCERS
STRUCTURALFUNCTIONAL
Product Benefits
Social Benefits
Getting it right in a global context:
Uncover the right metaphors
Define the types of signs you need
Define the right signs
Tie the indexes, icons and symbols to a strategic plan
Where to begin:
Assess your need
Assess your signs
Learn what connects
Design
Thank you.
top related