A Corpus-based Analysis of Multimodal Metaphor in Chinese Mobile Phone TV Commercials

 Recent research into the use of multimodal metaphor in advertising highlights the transformative role of digital media is marketing practices. Advertisements, especially those on digital and social media platforms, are increasingly utilizing a blend of text, visuals and audio to enhance message delivery. This integration of multiple communicative forms positions advertising as a valuable area for examining the application and effectiveness of multimodal metaphors.

This study investigates how Huawei, a leading technology company, employs these multimodal metaphors in its advertising. In my presentation, I will analyze ten Chinese commercials for Huawei mobile phones. I will apply Black's interaction theory and Lakoff and Johnson's Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) to (1) identify the types of metaphors Huawei' uses, and (2) show how they weave together visuals, spoken and written language, sound, and music to generate positive emotional reactions to their products.

About the ACLC seminar series

The ACLC seminar series is a two weekly lecture series organized by the ACLC, the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication.