THE CULTURE CLASH AND THE SCARE: A MULTIMODAL STUDY OF COGNITIONS IN SELECTED COVID-19 PROPAGANDA

Abstract

This study investigates cognitins in selected Covid-19 propaganda.
Aspects of Multimodal Theories used for the eleven purposefully
selected medical discourse advertisements are: Dyer’s (1982) Visual
Communication Theory and Wierzbicka’s (1996) Colour Theory.
The advertisements were situated in the Nigeria’s contexts of sociocultural lifestyles of: Aso ebi, communal living, patronage of
traditional eatery or relaxation spots and intimate lifestyles.
Investigations reveals cultural clashes at different layers of
cognitions against the COVID-19 safety protocols of social
distancing. The fear and persuasive propaganda styles engaged
revolve around death, sickness, danger, hunger, isolation and
abandonment as typified by colours black, red, green, blue and
white. The culture clash was situated in isolation, separation and
abandonment of the culture of communal living, mutual habits,
intimate relationship and freedom of association. However, there is
a clear indication that a larger member of the public was scared
rather than being sensitized about the importance of social
distancing because of the cognition of depreciation spread around
valued cultural lifestyles presented in the advertisements. This study
confirms that people will in certain contexts neglect fear of death
and take more risks in favour of communal life.