Rationale
Language plays a crucial role in society, serving as a resource for meaning-making and reflecting our social and cultural contexts According to Halliday, linguistics is the study of how individuals exchange meanings through language, which he describes as having two primary functions: making sense of our experiences and facilitating social relationships Language comprises systems of words and grammatical structures that speakers navigate to create specific meanings and wordings Halliday identifies three metafunctions of language: the interpersonal metafunction, which focuses on the interaction between speaker and listener; the ideational metafunction, which involves the grammatical resources used to express our experiences; and the textual metafunction, which pertains to the creation of coherent texts.
Numerous studies have been conducted based on Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), a theory developed by Michael Halliday in the 1990s SFL offers a fresh perspective on language and its related issues, allowing for a nuanced understanding of language features within specific cultural and situational contexts This approach highlights the functional role of language in various circumstances and its significance in different aspects of social life (Halliday, 2008).
Among these aspects, language in the field of advertising has drawn considerable attention since “A man who stops advertising to save money, is like a
2 man who stops a clock to save time” (Henry Ford, 2008) and “Advertising takes many forms, but in most of them language is of crucial importance” (Vestergaard
Advertising serves as a vital communication tool, effectively conveying the values of products to a diverse audience, from the young to the elderly It not only informs consumers about quality brands but also drives sales for companies, necessitating that advertisements be engaging, innovative, and creative Central to this is the slogan, often regarded as the essence of an advertisement The language used in advertising slogans is influential and widespread, typically consisting of catchy phrases or concise sentences that highlight what sets a brand apart Crafting a successful slogan is truly an art form in language use.
Investigating the linguistic features of advertising slogans holds significant value, particularly in the realm of life insurance, which has been largely overlooked in existing research Life insurance slogans encapsulate societal beliefs about the value of life and must resonate with a diverse clientele, encompassing various ages, backgrounds, and religions This diversity necessitates careful language choices, motivating the author to explore the unique advertising slogans used in the life insurance sector.
Research questions
This study aims to analyze the language characteristics of life insurance advertising slogans through the lens of Systemic Functional Linguistics Additionally, it investigates the accompanying images to uncover their meanings and functions using multimodal analysis Key questions guiding this research focus on understanding how language and visuals work together in advertising.
1 What are the characteristics of language used in advertising slogans for life insurance from Systemic Functional Linguistics perspective?
2 What are the meanings and functions of the images included in such slogans based on multimodal analysis?
Scope of the study
This study focuses on verbal advertisements, analyzing 78 written slogans from renowned life insurance companies across various countries The data was collected over a three-month period, from September to November.
This study, conducted as part of a minor M.A thesis, focuses on analyzing the language of slogans through the lens of the transitivity system and multimodality theory Due to time constraints, it does not cover all aspects of language use and is intended solely for academic purposes without any commercial intent.
Significance of the study
This minor M.A thesis is believed to have the following contributions: (i) Its account of linguistic features of life insurance advertising slogans from SFL perspective provides better understanding of advertising language;
Analyzing images in advertisements enhances understanding of their meanings and functions, while also highlighting the connection between verbal and visual communication.
(iii) These two contributions will naturally entail useful implications for the use of language and other modes of communication by language learners, language teachers, advertising and business communities alike.
Organization of the thesis
This thesis consists of three parts:
Part A: Introduction aims to give the background of the study, including the rationale, the aims of the study, research questions, scope, significance and organization of the thesis
Part B: Development, the main part and also the focus of the study consists of three chapters:
Chapter 1: Literature review presents a review of previous research, including the Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) of M.A.K Halliday and multimodal discourse analysis by Kress and Van Leeuwen Next, this chapter will
This article explores the fundamental concepts, various types, and essential functions of advertisements, along with the specific language employed in them It also defines what a slogan is and offers criteria for evaluating its effectiveness Additionally, the article provides a review of previous research in the field, highlighting key insights and findings.
Chapter 2: Methodology and Procedures offers a detailed explanation on the choice of data, analytical frameworks, and tools in the study
Chapter 3 focuses on the analysis of life insurance advertising slogans through the lens of the transitivity system, while also examining the accompanying images using multimodality theory The findings from these analyses aim to provide insights that address the research questions posed in the study.
Part C: Conclusion recapitulates of what has been analyzed and found; limitations of the study and lastly, suggestions for further research
LITERATURE REVIEW
Systemic Functional Linguistics
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), developed by M.A.K Halliday and his followers in the 1960s, emphasizes the social use of language rather than viewing it solely as a mental process Influenced by linguists like Bronislaw Malinowski and J.R Firth, SFL explores how language functions in social contexts to achieve specific goals The term "systemic" highlights the interconnected systems and choices available for meaning-making, while "functional" underscores the practical use of language to express meanings rather than focusing on abstract forms.
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), as characterized by Matthiessen & Halliday (1997), is an "applicable" linguistics theory that addresses global community challenges Its versatility is evident in various fields, including healthcare, computational linguistics, translation, multimodal studies, and education, with ongoing discoveries of new applications (Matthiessen, 2010) Recently, SFL has proven beneficial in linguistics, language education, child language development, and media discourse.
1.1.2 Traditional grammar vs systemic functional grammar
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), as proposed by Halliday, diverges significantly from the structural linguistics of Leonard Bloomfield, which dominated the United States during the 1930s and 1940s Halliday argues that the primary focus of linguistics should be the exploration of language through meaning, contrasting with Bloomfield's approach in American linguistics that emphasizes structural aspects This shift highlights the evolving perspective on the role of meaning in linguistic studies, marking a departure from Bloomfield's theories (Matthiessen & Halliday, 1997).
Studying oral language is essential because written documents often fail to capture the nuances of spoken language, which evolves over time The meanings of words and phrases can shift significantly, leading to different interpretations across eras (Hall & Koerner, 1987).
Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), introduced by Michael Halliday, and Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG), developed by Noam Chomsky, differ significantly in their approaches to language SFL focuses on the meaning and function of language, while TGG emphasizes the structural and formal aspects of linguistic theory.
1.1.3 The keys elements of SFL
In Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), text analysis encompasses four key aspects: Context, Semantics, Lexico-grammar, and Phonology, with a particular emphasis on context as it is integral to understanding language functions (Firth, 1957) The interplay between context and text is crucial, as highlighted by Halliday and Hasan (1989), and language is inherently linked to various contexts (Matthiessen & Halliday, 1997) This paper primarily focuses on the context of situation, which includes three essential aspects: Field, indicating the topic of discussion; Tenor, reflecting the participants and their relationships; and Mode, describing the form of language used in the interaction, whether written or spoken.
The SFL model suggests that human language has evolved to convey three general types of meanings: Experiential, Interpersonal, and Textual Experiential meanings focus on how reality is represented, utilizing grammatical resources to articulate our experiences of the world, including the events occurring and the participants involved.
Transitivity is a key grammatical system that encompasses processes, participants, and circumstances, detailing when, where, and how actions occur Additionally, interpersonal meanings focus on the interaction between speakers and listeners, highlighting the speaker's role and relationship with others Another significant grammatical system is Mood and Modality, which influences how speakers express their attitudes and intentions Furthermore, textual meanings pertain to the organization and coherence of ideas within a text, ensuring that the conveyed messages are clear and meaningful.
Theme and Rheme (Matthiessen & Halliday, 1997).
Multimodality theory
Kress and Van Leeuwen (1996) introduced the concept of "multimodality," emphasizing that communication typically occurs through multiple modes simultaneously, such as visual, auditory, and linguistic elements For example, advertisements often engage audiences by combining linguistic devices with images David Machin (2007) further asserts that all modes should be viewed as semiotic systems, allowing for the analysis of their choices, patterns, and grammar This perspective highlights that visual elements not only convey specific meanings but also serve distinct communicative purposes.
Regarded as a social semiotic approach, the theoretical foundation of Kress and Van Leeuwen‟s theory is the model of language grammar of Michael Halliday
1985) It is suggested that there are three basic metafunctions which can be presented by any semiotic system or mode For Kress and Van Leeuwen,
The ideational metafunction emphasizes that any semiotic mode must effectively represent human experiences of the world, such as using the color blue on a map to signify the ocean The interpersonal metafunction highlights the importance of establishing relationships between the creator of a complex sign and its audience, with colors like red evoking feelings of warning or romance Lastly, the textual metafunction asserts that every semiotic mode should maintain coherence and organization within the communication.
The ability to create texts involves forming coherent complexes of signs that are internally consistent and contextually relevant For instance, the color red can be utilized in both written content and imagery to emphasize its significance within a particular context.
An overview of advertisement and slogans
Advertising, a vital aspect of modern communication, has evolved significantly from its early days when it primarily targeted coffee house patrons reading magazines and newspapers The true transformation in advertising emerged in the late nineteenth century, driven by technological advancements and mass production techniques that created a landscape of over-production and under-demand.
Advertising is defined as a public notice aimed at disseminating information to boost the sales of goods and services (Harris and Seldon, 1962) It is characterized as paid, non-personal communication delivered through mass media by businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals who seek to inform or persuade a specific audience (Bolen, 1984) Furthermore, advertising is described as non-personal communication that is typically paid for and persuasive, focusing on products, services, or ideas presented by identifiable sponsors across various media platforms (Cook, 1992).
According to Angela Goddard (1998: 10), advertising extends beyond merely promoting branded products; it also involves texts aimed at enhancing the image of individuals, groups, or organizations Advertisements serve as a form of discourse that significantly influences the way we shape our identities.
In terms of aim, Vestergaard and Schorder (1985: 1) categorize two main types of advertising: Commercial advertising and Non-commercial advertising
Commercial advertising – is also “prestige or good-will advertise”, where
Nine advertisers focus on promoting a name or image instead of a specific commodity or service, making this the most common advertising approach aimed at fostering long-term goodwill with the public Additionally, non-commercial advertising encompasses appeals from various associations and societies, whether for charitable causes or political propaganda.
Advertisements aim to create and sustain demand for products and services by fulfilling two primary functions: informing and persuading According to Bolen (1984: 6), informative advertisements educate customers about goods, services, or ideas and provide details on how to obtain them from a recognized sponsor In contrast, persuasive advertisements target specific audiences, aiming to achieve desired effects through strategic messaging in the media.
Advertisers employ various techniques to create a compelling illusion of superiority and effectiveness for their products By using carefully chosen words and phrases, they aim to directly appeal to customers and enhance the perceived value of their offerings.
In advertising, the use of "weasel words," vague terms, and rhetorical questions is common, alongside various stylistic features such as persuasive vocabulary, neologisms, and hyperbole Notably, imperatives, repetition, and syntactic parallelism are particularly effective in engaging consumers Imperatives create a sense of urgency, urging customers to make a choice, while repetition emphasizes key messages within slogans Additionally, addressing the audience directly with "you" fosters a closer connection between the brand and consumers, enhancing the sincerity of promises and recommendations.
10 brand names enables a good slogan to stay consistent with the brand name either obviously stated or strongly implied
A slogan is a memorable phrase designed to identify a product or company brand, playing a crucial role in marketing by engaging customers While often confused with taglines, which are short phrases linked to a company's name and tone, slogans focus more on products, consumer needs, and specific campaigns Originating from a Scottish term meaning "battle cry," slogans are typically used for individual products or campaigns and can change frequently to stay current and trendy In contrast, taglines remain consistent across a company's branding When creating a slogan, it's essential to ensure it is catchy, memorable, and emotionally resonant, effectively reflecting the brand image.
Review of previous research
Advertising is a wide-ranging topic which covers different research fields
The language of advertisements has been extensively analyzed in linguistics, with Cook (1992) offering a thorough introduction to advertising discourse through the examination of complementary advertisements Vestergaard and Schroder (1985) identify five strategic goals that advertisers should pursue, while Toolan (1988) outlines standard features of English advertisements Additionally, Fries (1993) explores advertising language through the Theme-Rheme structure, further enriching the understanding of this field.
In Vietnam, advertising language has garnered significant attention from linguists, notably Mai Xuan Huy (2005) and Tran Thi Thu Hien (2012), who explored its communicative theory and style characteristics in comparison to English Additionally, postgraduate research, such as Bui Thi Bich Thuy's (2008) study on English advertising slogans used by renowned airlines, has contributed to a deeper understanding of this field Despite these efforts, many studies have primarily focused on aspects like figures of substitution, style, and conceptual metaphor, leaving the analysis of life insurance advertising slogans largely unexplored Therefore, a study examining the linguistic features of these slogans from a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspective is essential for advancing knowledge in this area.
To sum up, the researcher has clarified fundamental features of SFL and Multimodality theory Besides, the definition of advertisements and slogans are
12 also included A review of previous research helps the author avoid unnecessary duplication This will be useful for the researcher to carry out the next step
METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES
The Data
The study analyzes 78 life insurance slogans from reputable brands worldwide, known for their creative and popular advertising campaigns These brands have established significant prestige among English-speaking audiences, including in Vietnam The slogans, all in English, were sourced from the official websites of these insurance companies, ensuring the data's reliability and informative value for the analysis.
This study focuses on the diverse components of life insurance advertisements found online, specifically examining the slogans and their accompanying images while excluding other editorial content For a thorough analysis in the context of a Master's minor thesis, a selection of 78 slogans is deemed adequate Additionally, the artistic presentation of these slogans through imagery is evaluated to enhance understanding of their impact.
Analytical frameworks
In discussion on SFL, there are three major functions of language: the textual, the interpersonal and the ideational
“A clause is the product of three simultaneous semantic processes It is at one and the same time a representation of experience (ideational), an interactive exchange (interpersonal), and a message (textual)” (Halliday, 1985: 53)
This paper examines the transitivity system to elucidate the concept of clause as representation In "Introduction to Functional Grammar," Halliday identifies three key components of the transitivity system.
(ii) the participants involved in the process
(iii) circumstances associated with the process”
The key components of a process include participants and circumstances Typically, the process is expressed through a verbal group, while participants are represented by a nominal group Additionally, circumstances are conveyed using an adverbial group or a prepositional phrase.
In the transitivity system, there are six types of process listed: material, mental, relational, verbal, existential, and behavioral
Figure 1: Introduction to Functional Grammar (Halliday, 2004: 219)
Material processes are processes of “doing” or “happening”, which concern with “our experience of the material world” There are two participants: Actor and
The concept of a goal can be optional in various processes, which can be classified into two main types of actions: creative or transformative Additionally, these processes can have different impacts, categorized as either intransitive or transitive Furthermore, several other participants play a role, including Scope, Recipient, Client, and Attribute.
Mental processes are processes of “sensing”, which concern with “our experience of the world of our consciousness” There are 2 main participants:
A Senser is defined as a conscious being capable of feeling, thinking, wanting, or perceiving, which can refer to an individual, a group of individuals, or a collective of humans The Phenomenon that is sensed encompasses not just objects, but also actions or facts, highlighting the complexity of mental experiences.
15 processes can be categorized into four subtypes of sensing: “perceptive”,
“cognitive”, “desiderative” and “emotive” In the mental process, simple present is unmarked
Relational processes are essential for characterizing or identifying entities, where two participants are involved, indicating that one entity is described as being another These processes are categorized into three main types, each of which can adopt one of two modes.
(1) Attribute: “a is an attribute of x”
(2) Identifying: “a is the identity of x”
Relational process modes and their types are specifically divided into six types as shown in the following table:
Table 1: Types of relational process
Participants Carrier Process Attribute Identified Process Identifier
Behavioral processes encompass both physiological and psychological behaviors, primarily observed in humans These processes exist at the intersection of material and mental activities, with the individual engaged in these processes referred to as the "Behaver," a conscious being Various types of verbs illustrate these processes, including those representing consciousness, bodily postures, pastimes, physiological functions, and verbal expressions of behavior.
Verbal processes involve the act of "saying" and consist of key participants: the Sayer, who is the speaker; the Receiver, to whom the message is directed; and the Verbiage, which is the content of the speech Understanding these components is essential for effective communication.
16 verbalization itself: content of what is said, name of the saying Target defines the entity which is “targeted by the process of saying”
Existential processes represent that something exists or happens The participant is labeled as Existent The existent may be a phenomenon or an event
Other participants and circumstantial elements
There are two other participants in English clauses: Beneficiary and
Range Beneficiary is the one to whom or for whom the process taken place;
Range is the element that specifies the scope of the process Types of circumstantial elements are also mentioned through four main types: enhancing, extending, elaborating and projection
2.2.2 Kress and van Leeuwen’s Multimodal theory
To effectively operate as a comprehensive communication system, visual elements, similar to all semiotic modes, must fulfill various representational and communicational needs This article utilizes the concept of "metafunction," as defined by Michael Halliday, to explore these requirements.
According to the theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), Kress and van Leeuwen identify three key meta-functions of semiotic modes: the ideational meta-function, which conveys meaning; the interpersonal meta-function, which establishes relationships between communicators; and the textual meta-function, which organizes information coherently.
A multimodal text integrates various semiotic resources to convey meaning, with its significance derived from the selection of semiotic choices across different modes Systemic Functional theory offers a social semiotic framework for analyzing these texts, emphasizing context-dependent meaning and a holistic approach to language Recently, Systemic Functional Linguistics has gained traction in studying the relationship between images and text, particularly focusing on cohesion and inter-clause relationships This article explores the image-text relationship through the lens of Systemic Functional theory, highlighting its application across diverse semiotic modes.
The ideational meta-function refers to the capacity of semiotic systems to depict objects and their relationships within a cultural context To fulfill this function, it's essential to analyze representational structures through both narrative and conceptual processes Narrative patterns illustrate unfolding actions, changes, and spatial arrangements, encompassing various processes such as Action, Reactional, Speech, Mental, Convention, and Circumstances By examining these processes, one can uncover structural features that are either transactional or non-transactional, actional or reactional, and verbal or mental Meanwhile, conceptual processes represent participants based on their class, structure, or meaning, and are categorized into three primary types: classificational, analytical, and symbolic processes.
The interpersonal meta-function refers to the capacity to convey specific social relationships among the producer, viewer, and the represented object This meta-function encompasses various dimensions, including image and gaze, social relations, as well as attitudes and power dynamics.
The image act and gaze distinguish between two types of imagery: Demand and Offer Social relations influence the perceived distance, which can be classified into close personal distance, far personal distance, close social distance, and far social distance Additionally, the chosen angle or "point of view" reflects varying attitudes and power dynamics, indicating levels of involvement, detachment, viewer power, equality, or representation power.
The textual meta-function refers to the various compositional arrangements that enable the expression of different meanings It comprises three interrelated systems: Information Value, Salience, and Framing The arrangement of images influences the information presented, with variations occurring from left to right, top to bottom, and center to margin Both Salience and Framing are analyzed through their maximum or minimum connections, as discussed by Kress and van Leeuwen (1996).
Method of Analysis
This study offers a concise analysis of advertising slogans and their accompanying images, focusing on the transitivity system and multimodality theory Conducted as part of an M.A thesis, the research adopts a qualitative approach divided into three key steps Initially, each slogan is examined for linguistic features such as length, word choice, tense, voice, and advertising techniques Next, the analysis identifies six types of transitivity processes within the slogans Additionally, the paper explores the meanings and functions of the images, highlighting the connection between verbal and visual communication Ultimately, the research aims to present significant findings that enhance the understanding of advertising effectiveness.
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Summary of linguistic aspects
Printed advertisements typically consist of two main components: images and text, with slogans playing a crucial role in the text Slogans are crafted to evoke emotions and persuade consumers to purchase a product The language used in advertisements is vital for conveying specific messages that influence consumer behavior While images and layout significantly impact consumers, it is the language that aids in product recognition and recall This section will first analyze the length of slogans and then explore various advertising techniques.
A study of 78 slogans from various life insurance companies reveals that the average slogan length is around 8 words, with 60% of slogans consisting of eight words or more While shorter slogans (under 5 words) make up only 25%, the preference for longer slogans may stem from their ability to convey rich, multi-layered meanings This marks a shift from the traditional belief that "the shorter, the better," as longer slogans can create impactful messages that resonate emotionally with customers Additionally, over 90% of the slogans analyzed utilize short, simple sentences, emphasizing the importance of clarity and brevity in effective slogan creation.
20 complicated and clumsy ones are not highly appreciated A concise style may make slogans memorable
Advertisers are likely to employ various advertising techniques to attract attention, engage minds and change what people may think
Table 2: The frequency of occurrence of all the techniques
Advertising techniques Frequency of occurrence
The “water is wet” statement 9
The “ we are different and unique” claims 4
Emotional appeal techniques account for 25% of all slogans, as advertisers recognize that customers are often influenced by their feelings By effectively tapping into these emotions, advertising creators aim to engage the target audience, helping them relax and concentrate more on the products being promoted.
Analysis based on Systemic Functional Linguistics
The article examines 78 selected slogans from life insurance companies intended to convey messages to potential customers To analyze these advertising slogans using the transitivity system, the researcher first simplifies complex sentences into individual clauses that highlight the processes and participants involved.
21 these slogans consist of 83 clauses which are clearly numbered and illustrated in different types
Material processes dominate the data, comprising nearly 45% of the total, followed by relational processes at 26% Mental processes represent 16%, while verbal, existential, and behavioral processes collectively account for the remaining 13% The following chart illustrates these percentages more clearly.
Material processes Relational processes Mental processes Other processes
Figure 2: The percentages of 6 different processes
Table 3: Illustration of Material Process
Cl# Process Actor Goal Beneficiary Scope Attribute Circumstance
3 Help [MetLife] Life Go right
8a Begin [We] Life When (time)
9 Take [You] Mystery Out of(means)
11a Get (Farmers) You Back Where (place)
26 Make We Our customers‟ problems
27a Enriching [Guardian] The lives of
28 Give An advantage for life
31a Take away [You] The risk
33 Help Your plan For tomorrow
Your child‟s(client) 59b Guarantee [You] It –
66 Cover We You At every step in life(time)
The Material Process primarily features two key participants: the Actor and the Goal In the analysis, the Actor appears in 17 clauses, predominantly represented by the pronouns "You" and "We," which signify the involvement of both life insurance companies and their customers, underscoring the importance of customer relations Conversely, the Goal is present in 23 clauses, with life and related themes such as education and changes being particularly prominent This emphasis on life is crucial, as advertising slogans effectively highlight the essence of life insurance.
The analysis of 23 advertisements reveals a blend of effective and negative aspects, highlighting advantages, benefits, risks, and problems associated with both tangible and abstract concepts such as education and dreams Notably, many participants, or Actors, are implied rather than explicitly shown, allowing viewers to envision themselves in these roles This clever strategy by advertisers captures customer attention without direct reference, enhancing engagement and relatability.
Transitive clauses in the Material Process are particularly significant, as they feature an Actor who may also involve additional participants known as the Goal For instance, in the sentence "you keep the company," the Actor is clearly defined, highlighting the relationship between the subject and the action performed.
You (customer) did something – keep, which was directed at the Goal – the Company
Intransitive clauses within Material Processes suggest that the outcome is often limited to the Actor alone Life is a continuous flow of events, as illustrated by the phrase "never stop," which succinctly captures the essence of the Actor's ongoing activity.
Transitive clauses can be represented in two forms: Operative (active) and Receptive (passive) In this analysis, all transitive material clauses are presented in the active form For example, the clause "We keep our promises" (see clause 25) is considered Operative when the Actor is involved.
We is mapped on to the Subject, so it is given modal responsibility
The clauses can be categorized as either creative or transformative based on their outcomes For instance, the clause "True partners build success" (see clause 52) exemplifies a creative clause, as it leads to the establishment of a new goal—success Conversely, the clause "You keep the Company" (see clause 15) represents a transformative clause, as it focuses on maintaining an existing goal—the Company—rather than creating something new Transformative clauses may also include distinct elements to illustrate their outcomes.
For example, Get you back (see clause 11a) or Help you go right (see clause 3), where back and go right serve as Attribute to clarify the result of Goal
In this study, all material processes are expressed in the simple present tense, which is commonly used, rather than the continuous tense.
Table 4: Illustration of Mental Process
Cl# Process Senser Phenomenon Circumstance
[You] You‟re someone hero 20a Love
[You] The company For (purpose)
[You] The if In life (place)
The mental process encompasses two key elements: the Senser and the Phenomenon The Senser, typically a conscious human, plays a crucial role in this dynamic In a study of 14 mental clauses, five out of six identified Sensers were customers, while an additional eight Sensers were implied Even when slogans do not explicitly mention the Senser, viewers can subconsciously assume this role to engage with the Phenomenon being presented.
Phenomenon may be a thing as in material processes, an act or fact
In Halliday's framework, protection is often conceptualized through clauses such as "Others decide your protection" and "Take care of The if," where both are treated as tangible entities Additionally, consciousness can be directed towards objects, exemplified in phrases like "You can count on us" or "You love someone." Furthermore, phenomena can manifest as meta-phenomenal clauses, where a fact is articulated through a clause, as seen in "You believe Experience counts." Here, the emphasis shifts from material phenomena to a semiotic interpretation of facts.
In mental processes, the simple present tense is unmarked, as demonstrated by these selected slogans These slogans encompass all four sub-types of sensing: perceptive (such as "make sense of" and "feel"), cognitive (including "know" and "remember"), and desiderative.
(decide), and emotive (love, take care of, enjoys) Among them, cognitive type is the most popular process and then followed by emotive one
3.2.3 Relational process a Relational – attribute Processes
Table 5: Illustration of Relational-attribute Processes
Cl# Process Carrier Attribute Beneficiary Circumstance
1 Is (circumstantial) State Farm There
4 Are (circumstantial) You In good hands
10 Are (intensive) Not all if in life The same
18a Be (circumstantial) [You] There For the ones(purpose)
18b Are (circumstantial) The ones [who] There For you(purpose)
22 Is (intensive) No insurance Complete Without it (default)
38b Are (intensive) We Stronger Together(quality)
42a Is(intensive) It Good To be with friends(cause)
44 Be (intensive) [You] Life confident 60a Be(intensive) [Aviva] Real quick
60b Be(intensive) [Aviva] Real easy
60c Be(intensive) [Aviva] Real affordable
78 (Be) (circumstantial) [The Dai-ichi
For life (purpose) b Relational – identifying processes
Table 6: Illustration of Relational-identifying Processes
Cl# Process Token Value Circumstance
17b Are (intensive) You Someone hero
We You Under our wings
50 Is (intensive) Alfa #1 In life (place)
Intensive clauses are commonly found in life insurance companies' messaging, typically structured as Carrier and Attribute These companies emphasize positive Attributes such as "quick," "easy," and "affordable," avoiding adverbs of degree, which fosters a favorable impression among customers The Attributes used are primarily adjectives, creating what are known as "quality Attributes" or Epithet as Head (Halliday, 1985: 268) The verb "be" is the most frequently utilized in this context.
Intensive clauses are identified by their two elements: the Identified and the Identifier, which can be reversed For instance, in the examples "Alfa is #1" and "You are someone's hero," the term "Alfa" serves as the Token, representing a lower "expression," while "#1" functions as the Value, signifying a higher "content" (Halliday, 1985: 279) This relationship highlights how the identification of "Alfa" as the Token is defined by its assignment to the Value of being "#1."
The analysis reveals that while Attribute circumstantial clauses appear five times, there are no Identifying circumstantial clauses present These clauses take the form of Attribute, indicating Circumstance as an Attribute, rather than Process The Attributes can be expressed through prepositional phrases, such as "in" in the clause "You are in good hands," or through adverbial groups, like "by" in "The Dai-ichi Life is by yourself." These constructions serve to highlight the companies' commitment to supporting their customers.
Analysis based on Multimodality theory
As the trend of integrating multiple semiotic modes of communication—such as language, images, videos, and sound—grows, advertisers are crafting vibrant visuals to enhance the effectiveness of their campaigns.
This study examines five notable brands from a selection of 78 advertising slogans and images, focusing on how these companies use visuals to enhance their messaging AIA Health Insurance's slogan, “Real life never stops,” highlights the dualities of life, emphasizing resilience through challenges Metlife Insurance's tagline, “Not all ifs in life are the same,” suggests the uniqueness of individual experiences New York Life, the largest mutual life insurance company in the U.S., promotes continuity with its slogan, “Keep good going – New York Life.” Lastly, SBI Life Insurance, headquartered in India, encourages positivity with its slogan, “Celebrate life.”
Zurich, a prominent Swiss insurance company, embraces the slogan "Live the fullest life," reflecting its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for its customers The campaign features a series of 12 printed advertisements that resonate with the core message of truly loving and valuing life Each advertisement is designed to reinforce Zurich's dedication to providing comprehensive insurance solutions that empower individuals to live boldly and confidently.
Table 10: Illustration of 12 pictures based on Representational meaning
New York life-1 Action process (transactional)
New York life-2 Action process (transactional)
New York life-3 Action process(non- transactional)
SBI life-1 Action process(transactional)
Representational meaning, as defined by Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), pertains to how semiotics portray objects and their relationships in a context beyond the representational system This concept involves the internal relationships between represented participants—such as people and objects in an image—and interactive participants, which include image producers and viewers These internal relationships can be categorized into two patterns: narrative process and conceptual process A key indicator for distinguishing between these two processes is the presence of a vector.
The narrative process involves the progression of actions and events, identified by vectors, which are typically represented by oblique lines formed by various elements (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006) Different combinations of vectors and participants lead to distinct sub-types of narrative processes, including action processes, reactional processes, and symbolic processes.
In the action process, two key participants are identified: the Actor and the Goal The Actor can either generate the vector or contribute to its formation, while the Goal represents the target of the vector's direction For instance, in Picture 1 (AIA1), a busy mother caring for her baby exemplifies this dynamic, with the mother as the Actor and the daughter as the transactional Goal, illustrated by the vector formed by her arm Conversely, Picture 2 (AIA2) highlights various daily activities where all participants are Actors without defined Goals, demonstrating a non-transactional nature The slogan "Real life never stops" captures the essence of these action processes, as they visually convey a spectrum of emotions that enhance the overall message.
According to Kress & van Leeuwen (2006), a vector formed by the eye line of represented participants can create a reactional process In the image AIA3, family members are depicted laughing and enjoying a meal together, using body and eye contact to enhance their communication and foster this reactional dynamic Similarly, in the image SBI2, a man films his wife and baby as they smile and engage with each other, with both serving as reactors and phenomena interchangeably This capturing of life's moments emphasizes the slogan “Celebrate Life.”
The conceptual process is more stable and general than the narrative process, as it categorizes participants based on types, structure, and meaning This process can be further divided into three sub-types: classificational, analytical, and symbolic processes.
The symbolic process in advertising involves the meanings conveyed by represented participants, where the Carrier signifies the subject and the Attribute represents its meaning In the Zurich insurance advertisement, the old wall serves as the Carrier, illustrating a challenging situation, while the safety helmets in the foreground act as the Attribute, symbolizing effective protection This visual contrast suggests the brand’s commitment to customer support, reinforced by the slogan “For those who truly love,” which emphasizes that passion in one's pursuits is met with global support.
Table 11: Illustration of 12 pictures based on Interactive meaning
AIA-1 Offer Medium shot +Involvement
AIA-2 Offer Medium close +Involvement
AIA-3 Offer Medium close +Detachment
Metlife-1 Offer Medium long +Detachment
Metlife-2 Offer Medium long +Detachment
New York life-1 Offer Medium shot +Involvement
New York life-2 Offer Close shot +Involvement
New York life-3 Offer Long shot +Involvement
SBI life-1 Demand Medium close +Involvement
SBI life-2 Offer Close shot +Involvement
Zurich-1 Offer Long shot +Involvement
Zurich-2 Offer Medium long +Involvement
Interactive meaning explores how visual elements engage with their audience This study will examine the resources that facilitate interaction between advertisers and viewers, focusing on three key dimensions: Contact, Social Distance, and Attitude.
Contact involves the represented participant looking at the viewer –
Demand and offer are distinguished by the presence or absence of gaze, which is defined as the glance of one or more animated participants directed at the viewers (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006, pp 119-121).
Demand acts engage viewers through direct visual interaction, often enhanced by gestures like smiling, pouting, or pointing For instance, in the image of SBI1, all family members gaze at the viewer, creating a visual vector that exemplifies a Demand image The smiling gesture fosters social connection, significantly contributing to eliciting positive emotions in customers.
Offer acts, however, reverse the process so that the viewer becomes the subject of the look than the object In the picture of New York life3 (see Picture
7), the focused scene is a man, looking at a baby They turn their backs to the viewers and do not create any eye contact with them The viewers, in this case,
36 look at them as objects for uninvolved viewing This creates a sense of detachment and reduces the role of the viewer to that of an onlooker b Social Distance
Social Distance refers to the spatial relationship between the depicted subject and the audience, which can be identified by the size of the frame used in the shot, including very close, close, medium close, medium, medium long, and long shots (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006) For instance, in the image titled "New York Life," two children are captured in a close shot from the shoulders up, suggesting a friendly or personal connection between them and the viewer.
The York Life advertisement features a medium shot of a man holding a bouquet of flowers, showcasing him from the knees up In contrast, the MetLife ad presents a full figure of an animated dog, creating a medium long frame Meanwhile, the Zurich advertisement highlights a woman with an umbrella, protecting a dog from rain, depicted in a long shot that emphasizes the surrounding space This framing technique effectively conveys broader social relationships within the scenes.
Picture 6: SBI1 Picture 7: New York life3
Picture 8: New York life 2 Picture 9: New York life1
The final criterion discussed is Attitude, which can be expressed both subjectively and objectively; however, this research primarily concentrates on subjective Attitude According to Kress and van Leeuwen's model (2006), participants are analyzed through two dimensions: vertical and horizontal.
Vertical dimension indicates power relation and includes three basic shots: low angle, high angle and eye-level shots (Kress & van Leeuwen 2006: 140, 143)
Main findings
Advertising creators utilize a range of linguistic devices, such as initial capitalization, rhymes, and repetition, to engage customers effectively Common strategies include addressing the audience directly with "you," making unqualified comparisons, and employing weasel words alongside brand names Additionally, they incorporate phrases, imperatives, syntactic parallelism, puns, metaphors, and rhetorical questions These techniques significantly influence customers' perceptions and emotions regarding the products.
The Transitivity system reveals that Material, Relational, and Mental processes are predominantly utilized in advertising, with Material processes emphasizing factual information to build customer trust Relational processes highlight positive attributes of products, presenting them objectively to garner customer support Data analysis of advertising slogans indicates the involvement of various participants, including the insurance company, customers, and relatable life issues The company focuses on product promotion, while customers draw viewer attention Additionally, circumstantial elements, particularly Location, are frequently used to add detail and specificity to each slogan.
Based on Kress and Leeuwen‟s Multimodality theory, the thesis analyzes
This research examines 12 printed advertisements through the lenses of representational, interactive, and compositional meanings It reveals that various modes within an advertisement are interdependent, with images and text working together to enhance and expand the conveyed meaning The interplay between visuals and textual elements allows images to add new dimensions to the overall message of the advertisement.
Limitation and suggestions for future research
The study of advertising language is vast and complex, leading to inherent limitations in research While the data encompasses various countries, certain contextual features remain underexplored The analysis utilizing Systemic Functional Grammar is limited, making it challenging to define the framework and theoretical assumptions Given the constraints of a minor M.A thesis, not all linguistic aspects can be addressed, indicating the need for further research into areas such as the Mood system, Theme-Rheme structure, cognitive metaphors, and rhetorical devices Additionally, potential biases and exaggerations may influence the findings, as the data is sourced solely from the Internet, which could compromise objectivity Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of advertising language is still lacking, and feedback and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
For future research, we recommend that scholars gather data from diverse sources, including newspapers, magazines, leaflets, and television Additionally, it is essential for researchers to concentrate on the context surrounding the discourse, as this approach will lead to deeper insights and more valid conclusions.
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APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: 78 life insurance slogans collected from 7 countries
1 Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there
2 (2a) We live (2b) where you live
3 (3a) Here (3b) to Help life Go
4 You're In Good Hands With Allstate
MetLife - Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
5 Have you met life today?
8 (8a) Let Life begin (8b) when you stop working
9 Take the mystery out of planning “if”
10 Not all if in life are the same Farmers Insurance Group 11 Farmers (11a)Gets you back
Conseco, Insurance, Annuity, and other financial Solutions
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
Rome Insurance Agency 14 Higher Standards!
New York Life Insurance Company
15 New York Life The Company You Keep
16 Keep good going New York life
17 (17a) Know (17b) you‟re someone hero
18 (18a) Be there for the ones (18b) who are there for you
19 Simple actions often speak the loudest
20 (20a) If you love someone, (20b) act on it
AFLAC (American Family Life Assurance Company
21 AFLAC Ask about it at work
22 AFLAC Without it, no insurance is complete
23 We„ve got you under our wing Wausau Insurance 24 Bottom line, a better value
Amica 25 Amica We keep our promises to you
26 We make our customers' problems our problems
Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
27 (27a) Guardian Enriching the lives of people (27b) We touch
Gerber Life Insurance 28 Give your child an advantage for life
29 The Company To Remember for Life
30 All your protection under one roof
The ACE Group of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies
31 ACE (31a) Take away the risk and (31b)you can do anything
Pruett & Associates 33 Helping your plan for tomorrow today
Zurich insurance group 34 Zurich Because Change
35 Zurich For those who truly love
37 Ready for tomorrow? Make sense of it with Norwich Union
38 (38a) Let us quote you happy
Aegon Life 39 (39a) If you believe (39b) experience counts, (39c) you can count on us!
40 (40a) Letting others decide your protection (40b) is a risk (40c) Now #iDecide
AIG life 41 A new look at life
FriendsLife 42 It‟s good to be with friends Lloyd's Life Insurance 43 Taking care of the if in life
AXA Insurance 44 AXA Be life confident
45 (45a) Go Ahead (45b) You Can Rely on Us
ESMI 46 ESMI Essential supplementary medical insurance
Russia ALFA 49 ALFA Anyscale learning for all
Australia Comminsue 52 True partners build success together
AIA 53 The Real Life Company
54 Real life never stops Asteron Life 55 Group life made essay
TAL 56 TAL/ Insuring This Australia
India Max Life 57 Your partner for life
58 Fulfill your child‟s with every dream
60 (60a) Real quick.(60b) Real easy (60c) Really affordable Baja Alliaz Life Insurance 61 (61a) You can‟t stop ageing,
(61b) but you can definitely stop worrying
Exide Life Insurance 62 Get guaranteed benefits with life cover
63 Enjoy a stress- free life with a guaranteed second income
64 New fulfilling life LIC 65 (65a) Dare to dream… (65b)
Act to achieve Icici Prudential 66 We cover you At every step in life IDBI Federal Life
Wecare Insurance 68 Your life we care
Singapore Genarali 69 (69a) Lead your future.(69b)
Shape our change Great Eastern 70 Life is Great
71 (71a) Yesterday I answered to my boss (71b) Today, I answered to my customers Life Insurance Association
72 (72a) Life is worth (72b) protecting, (72c) invest in it
Japan Lifenet Insurance 73 (73a) Saving lives, (73b) restoring health Midori Insurance 74 Life notebook for Midori money insert Mitsui Sumitomo
SBI Life insurance 76 With us, you are sure
77 (77a) Celebrate life (77b) Live life to the fullest The Dai-ichi Life 78 By your side, for life