A MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENTS OF MOBILE PHONES IN SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Language performs many functions in the society. One of the major functions that resonates in media, especially in advertisement, is the persuasive function. This accounts for why media makers introduce both visual and textual modes to effectively communicate persuasively and win customers into patronage. However, describing these modes in advertising discourses has posed great problems. This work therefore focuses on pointing out and analysing those modes: texts, images, colours, signs, symbols and shapes, and showing how they all strategically work together to attract and compel customers into patronage. Data were collected through universal and textual methods. A descriptive method of data analysis was also adopted for this research. Van Dijk’s social-cognitive theory was used to provide a theoretical baking for the study. The study found out that there exists a unity of functions among the modes employed in the print media advert system.  The research also found out that advertisers employ unrelated images of musicians, footballers and handsome pictures to lure fans and fanatics of those images into patronizing products or services. The study, consequently, highlighted the needs to give more attention to multimodal studies, due to its all-encompassing quality for effective public communication.