Multimodal Perfume Advertising (Based on Modern English)

Kalenska O. Multimodal Perfume Advertising (Based on Modern English) : bachelor’s thesis : 035 Philology / supervised by A. Belova. Kyiv, 2025. 74 p.

This study investigates the multimodal structure of perfume advertisement discourse in Contemporary English, with special attention to the ways in which language, style, pragmatics, and meanings work together to create effective and engaging messages. On the basis of a 40-sample corpus of perfume advertisements from top brands like Burberry, Bvlgari, Chanel, Chopard, Dior, Gucci, Lancôme, Prada, Tom Ford, and Yves Saint Laurent, the research uses continuous sampling, linguistic-stylistic text analysis, and multimodal analysis to investigate how perfume advertisements function as intricate semiotic objects.
The study reveals that perfume advertisement discourse employs an innovative combination of stylistic devices such as metaphor, personification, alliteration, and hyperbole to construct distinctive brand identities and affective connections with customers. The study acknowledges the crucial employment of sensory vocabulary – spanning from smell to sound description – to facilitate the transformation of intangible perfumes into tangible experiences leading to certain emotions and lifestyle associations. The research also depicts the interaction of pragmatic acts like offering, co-opting, persuading, and appealing in harmony to influence consumer opinion and purchasing intentions.
Through multimodal analysis, the thesis demonstrates how words cooperate with images, color design, typefaces, and layout to create harmonious narratives that enhance the appeal of perfumes and reinforce brand ideals. The integration of these diverse semiotic resources not only attracts attention but ensures ads are remembered, ultimately affecting consumer attitudes and behaviors.