An Analysis of Pakistani Discourse of Advertising

IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION OF BRANDS ON INTERNET: AN ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI DISCOURSE OF ADVERTISING

MEHREEN UMAR

Registration No. 2012-PhD (Eng)-002

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD)

IN ENGLISH LINGUISTICS

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE,

FATIMA JINNAH WOMEN UNIVERSITY RAWALPINDI

IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION OF BRANDS ON INTERNET: AN ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI DISCOURSE OF ADVERTISING

Mehreen Umar

APPROVED BY

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Supervisor

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External examiner

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External examiner

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Chairperson

Certificate of Approval

This is to certify that the research work presented in this thesis, titled “Identity Construction of Brands on Internet: An Analysis of Pakistani Discourse of Advertising” was conducted by Ms. Mehreen Umar under the supervision of Dr. Sarwet Rasul.

No part of this thesis has been submitted anywhere else for any other degree. This thesis is submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Field of English (Linguistics), Department of English, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi.

Student Name: Mehreen Umar Signature: ______

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b) External Examiner 2: Name Signature: ______(Designation & Office Address)

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c) Internal Examiner: Name Signature: ______(Designation & Office Address)

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AUTHOR’S DECLARATION

I, Mehreen Umar, hereby state that my PhD thesis entitled Identity Construction of Brands on Internet: An Analysis of Pakistani Discourse of Advertising is my own work and has not been submitted previously by me for taking any degree from Fatima Jinnah Women University or anywhere else in the country/world. At any time, if my statement is found to be incorrect even after my Graduation, the university has the right to withdraw my PhD degree.

Student/Author‟s Name: Mehreen Umar

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PLAGIARISM UNDERTAKING

I solemnly declare that the research work presented in the thesis entitled Identity Construction of Brands on Internet: An Analysis of Pakistani Discourse of Advertising is solely my research work with no significant contribution from any other person. Small contribution/help wherever taken has been duly acknowledged and that the complete thesis has been written by me. I understand the zero-tolerance policy of the HEC and Fatima Jinnah Women University towards plagiarism. Therefore, I as the author of the above titled thesis declare that no portion of my thesis has been plagiarized and any material used as reference is properly cited. I undertake that if I am found guilty of any formal plagiarism in the above entitled thesis even after the award of PhD degree, the University reserves the right to withdraw/revoke my PhD degree and that the HEC and the University has the right to publish my name on the HEC/University Website on which the names of those students are placed who submitted plagiarized thesis.

Student/Author‟s Name: Mehreen Umar

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ABSTRACT

In the backdrop of the emerging trends of branding in Pakistan, the advertising discourse on online media platforms has become increasingly popular owing to its interactive merits and dynamic textual features. With the emergence of popular brands in Pakistan, and their persistently increasing presence on online advertising platforms such as websites and social networking sites, the concept of identity construction in advertising discourse has found new meanings focusing largely on the construction and negotiation of a certain desired image created by the use of textual strategies by the brand. In this context the thesis examines how various brands in Pakistan use discourse of advertising on internet to construct and promote their identity. The focus is on examining the linguistic and semiotic strategies used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising by various brands to represent their identity or various multi-faceted identities on their official websites and official Facebook pages. The data consists of the content on the official websites and official Facebook advertisement pages of a total of nine brands. The selected brands belong to three different domains: clothing, food, and cosmetics. The purpose of analysis is to study the linguistic and semiotic features used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising of various brands to examine how they are used in the advertising discourse to construct identity. To analyze the linguistic, semiotic and thematic aspects of the discourse used in these advertisements Fairclough‟s (1989) questions for textual analysis, Janks‟ (1997) rubrics for textual analysis, and Berger‟s (1998) semiotic model are incorporated to devise certain parameters of textual analysis for the present research. The parameters then are integrated into Fairclough‟s (1989) three dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model to examine discourse and its meanings in social context as the underlying theory and method for analysis in the present research work. The findings indicate that the producers aim at creating a certain desired identity in the advertising discourse as suited for their respective brands by using different themes focusing on the aspects that are usually attributed to the brands of certain

vi domains. The findings also indicate that there is a unique aspect of identity in every brand despite having a mutual aspect of identity found in the brands belonging to the common domains and this unique aspect of identity differentiates the brand from other competing brands of the same or different domains.

Key words

Discourse; advertising; language of advertising; social media; Facebook; websites; advertisements; brand identity; Discourse Analysis; Textual elements, linguistic and semiotic devices used in the discourse of advertising.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Certificate of Approval………………………………………………………………...…iii Author‟s Declaration……………………………………………………..………...……..iv Plagiarism Undertaking ...…………………………………………………….……..…....v Abstract………………………………………………………………………………...... vi Table of Contents………………………………………………………..……………... viii List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………....xiv List of Figures...………………………………………………………………………....xiv Acknowledgements…………………………..…………………………..……………... xv Dedication…………………………………………..……………………..…………….xvi

Chapter 1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………...... 1 1.1 Introduction to the Chapter ……..…………………………………………………….1 1.2 Background of the Research …...……………………………………………………..1 1.3 Language and Communication in the World of Advertisements ……………..…...... 3 1.4 Discourse of Advertising ……...…………………………………….………………..4 1.5 Significance of the Study of the Discourse of Advertisements……….……………....5 1.6 Some Operational Definitions ...………………………………………………..……..5 1.6.1 Discourse………………………………………………………………...….6 1.6.2 Text ……………………………………….…………………………………6 1.6.3 Identity………………………………………………………………………7 1.6.4 Identity Construction………………………………………………………..8 1.6.5 Advertiser/ Producer ……………..…………………………………………8 1.7 Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………………………..9 1.8 Reasons for Undertaking the Research ……………………………………………...10 1.9 Significance of the Research …………………………………………………...……11 1.10 Aims and Objectives ……………………………………………………………….14 1.11 Research Question..…………………………………………………………….…..15 1.12 Delimitations ……………………………………………………………………….15 1.13 Research Design ……………………………………………………………………16 1.14 Structure of the Dissertation ……………………………………………………….16

Chapter 2 Literature Review ……………………………………………………………………...18

2. Introduction to the Chapter ...... 18 2.1 Part A: Discourse and Communication in the World of Advertisements ……...18 2.1.1 The Pervasive World of Advertising ……………………………………………...19 2.1.2 Language- A Communicative Scheme of Codes, Symbols and Signs ……………21 2.1.3 Language and Communication in Discourse of Advertising ….…………………..23 2.1.4 Advertisements and Branding ……………….………………………...…….…….24 2.1.4. i Branding – Uniqueness and Value Adding is the Key…………………...27

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2.1.5 Brand Identity ……………………………………………………………………..29 2.1.5. i Brand Name and Logo …………………………………………………..32 2.1.5. ii Brand Image ……………………………………………………………34 2.1.6 Brand Advertisements Online……………………………………………………...35 2.1.7 Brand Advertising Discourse and its Effectiveness ……………………………….36 2.2 Part B: Discourse of Advertising and Identity Construction …………………...38 2.2.1 Discourse and Identity in the World of Advertising ……………………………... 38 2.2.1. i. What is Discourse?...... 39 2.2.1. ii What is Identity? ………………………………………………………..40 2.2.1. iii Identities Online ……………………………………………………….41 2.2.2 Language- An Instrument of Identity Construction …………………………….....42 2.2.3 Discourse on Internet: Use of Language and Symbols to Create Desired Identities…………………………………………………….....…. ……43 2.2.3. i Identity Construction on Official Websites and Facebook Profiles……..44 2.2.4 Construction of Self and Self-Presentation…………………………………….…. 45 2.2.4. i Multi-Faceted Personal and Social Identities Online ……………………46 2.2.5 Advertising Discourse and Identity Construction of Brands…..……………...….. 48 2.2.6 Ideological Workings of Advertisements………….……………….………...……49 2.3 Part C: Discourse Analysis and Identity Construction ………….………...…….52 2.3.1 Discourse and Identity …………………………………………………………….52 2.3.2 Discourse and Text- Meanings and Implications ………………………………….53 2.3.3 Sociological Implications of Discourse …………………………………………...54 2.3.4 Discourse Analysis- Various Approaches and Scope ……………………………..56 2.3.5 Discourse Analysis and the Study of Identity Construction in Texts ……………..59 2.4 Bringing the Strands Together: Conclusion of the Chapter …………………………62

Chapter 3 Research Methodology ………………………………………………………………...64

3.1 Introduction to the Chapter ………………………………………………………….64 3.2 Aims and Objectives of the Research ……………………………………………….64 3.3 Collection of Data …………………………………………………………………...65 3.4 Time Frame for Data Collection …………………………………………………….65 3.5 Details about the Selected Brands …………………………………………………...66 3.6 Rationale for the Current Sample ……………………………………………….…..67 3.7 Type of Research ……………………………………………………………………68 3.8 Conceptual Framework: Theoretical Underpinnings ……………………….……….70 3.9 Research Framework for the Current Research …….……………………………….79 3.10 System of Data Presentation ……………………………………………………….80 3.11 Transcription Key ………………………………………………………………….82 3.12 Conclusion of the Chapter …………………………………………………………82

Chapter 4

Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A: Clothing Brands …………………...84

4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 1: J. ………………………….85 4.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in J.‟s Advertising Discourse ……………………….85 4.1.1. i Construction of Professional Identity- Focusing on Proficiency ……….86 4.1.1. ii Representing Individual Identity- Centering on Eastern Spirit and Traditionalism ………………………………………………..98 4.1.1. iii Constructing National Identity- Featuring National Memorandums…105 4.1.1. iv Creating Religious Identity- Celebrating Religious Events …………..113 4.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 1 …………………………………118

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 2: Nishat Linen (NL) ……...120 4.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in NL‟s Advertising Discourse ……………………120 4.2.1. i Creating Professional Identity- Based on Skill and Expertise ……...... 120 4.2.1. ii Construction of Individual Identity- Emphasis on a Modern Outlook...129 4.2.1. iii Creating National Identity- References to National Events ………….137 4.2.1. iv Youth and Gender Identity Construction……………………………...142 4.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 2 …………………………………145

4.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 3: Khaadi …………………..147 4.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Khaadi‟s Advertising Discourse ……………….147 4.3.1. i Professional Identity Construction- Focusing on Transnational Marketing……………………………………………………………….148 4.3.1. ii Representing Eastern Identity- Centering on Traditionalism…………156 4.3.1. iii Construction of National Identity- Nationalistic and Cultural Stance…………………………………………………………………...159 4.3.1. iv Gender Identity Construction- Male and Female Portrayal………….165 4.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 3…………………………….…....168 4.4 Conclusion of the Chapter: A Summary of the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Clothing Brands…………………………………………….….169

Chapter 5

Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B: Food Brands ………………………173

5.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 1: National Foods Limited (NFL)…………………………………………………………………..173 5.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in NFL‟s Advertising Discourse….…….………….174 5.1.1. i Constructing Individual Identity- Focusing on Pakistani Culture Orientations……………………………………………………………174 5.1.1. ii Constructing Linguistic Identity- A Study into Language and Culture………………………………………………………………………….182 5.1.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- A Reflection into the Pakistani Culture………………………………………………………………………….188

5.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 1 …………………………………192

5.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 2: Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee (Sufi)…………………………………………………………………194 5.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Sufi Cooking Oil‟s Advertising Discourse …..…194 5.2.1. i Creating Individual Identity- Representation as a Health Conscious Brand……………………………………………………………………………195 5.2.1. ii National Identity Construction- Taking a Nationalistic Stance.….…...202 5.2.1. iii Constructing Religious Identity- An overview ………………………..208 5.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 2 …………………………………213

5.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 3: Qarshi Food and Beverages (Qarshi)……………………………………………………………...215 5.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Qarshi‟s Advertising Discourse…………………216 5.3.1. i Creating Individual Identity- Representation as a Socially Responsible Organization………………………………………………………216 5.3.1. ii Construction of Professional Identity- Reflections on Expertise in the Field……………………………………………………………………...222 5.3.1. iii Socio-Cultural Identity- Depiction of Social Relations ………………233 5.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 3 …………………………………236 5.4 Conclusion of the Chapter: Summarizing the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Food Brands …………………………………………………...238

Chapter 6

Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C: Cosmetic Brands ………………….240

6.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 1: Lux ……………………...240 6.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Lux‟s Advertising Discourse …………………...241 6.1.1. i Constructing Professional Identity- Focusing on Celebrity Endorsements…………………………………………………………………...241 6.1.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Representation as a Fashion Brand……………………………………………………………………………247 6.1.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- Addressing the Feminine ………….253 6.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 1 …………………………………259

6.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 2: Sunsilk………………..…261 6.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Sunsilk‟s Advertising Discourse ……………….261 6.2.1. i Constructing Professional Identity- Focusing on Expert Celebrity Endorsements…………………………………………………………………...261 6.2.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Addressing the Youth………………267 6.2.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- Constructing a Particular Woman Image……………………………………………………………………………274 6.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 2………………………………….281

6.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 3: Olivia……………………283

6.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Olivia‟s Advertising Discourse…………………283 6.3.1. i Construction of Professional Identity- Focusing on Reliability and Recognition in Pakistani Beauty Industry………………………………….283 6.3.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Highlighting the Nationalistic Aspects of the Brand’s Personality……………………………………………..290 6.3.1. iii Creating a Beauty Narrative- A Study into Feminine Identity Construction…………………………………………………………………….296 6.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 3………………………………….302

6.4 Conclusion of the Chapter: An Overview of the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Cosmetic Brands……………………………………………………….304

Chapter 7

Key Findings- Some Additional Interpretations ……………………………………307

7.1 Introduction to the Chapter...... 307 7.2 Bringing the Strands Together: Reflections on the Key Findings………………….307 7.2.1 Common Identity Themes……………………………………………………..308 7.2.2 Individual Identity Themes……………………………………………………309 7.3 Key Findings- Additional Insights………………………………………………….310 7.3.1 Linguistic Trends in Pakistani Discourse of Advertising…………………….311 7.3.2 Creating Desired Images through Discourse of Advertising- Issues of Persuasion and Influence ...... 312 7.3.3 Reflections into Pakistani Socio- Cultural Traditions...... 314 7.3.3. i Addressing Nationalism………………………………………………314 7.3.3. ii Addressing Fashion and Style……………………………………….315 7.3.3. iii Addressing Socio-cultural Norms…………………………………...316 7.3.3. iv Addressing Gender…………………………………………………..317 7.4 Conclusion of the Chapter………………………………………………………….318

Chapter 8

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………..320

8.1 Introduction to the Chapter…………………………………………………………320 8.2 Findings of the Research: An Overview……………………………………………320 8.3 Summary of the Outcomes of Research Objectives………………………………..323 8.3.1 Objectives Related to the Linguistic and Semiotic Practices………….….323 8.3.2 Objectives Related to the Underlying Themes in the Texts and Kinds of Identities Created……………………………………………………..……...326 8.4 Limitations of the Research………………………………………………………...327 8.5 Contributions of the Research………………………………………………………327 8.5.1 Broadening Understanding of the Linguistic Processes Involved in Pakistani Discourse of Advertising……………………………………………..328

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8.5.2 Furthering Understanding of the Socio-cultural Aspects Involved in Identity Construction…………………………………………………………...329 8.5.3Contributing to Research Methodology in the field of Discourse and Identity Construction…………………………………………………………...330 8.6 Suggestions for Further Research…………………………………………………..330

References …………………………………………………………………….....…….332

Appendices

Appendix A ……………………………………………………………………………350 Appendix A1………………………………………………………………………..….350 Appendix A2………………………………………………………………………..….360 Appendix A3……………………………………………………………………...…....367 Appendix B………………………………………………………………………….….373 Appendix B1……………………………………………………………………….…...373 Appendix B2……………………………………………………………………….…...378 Appendix B3……………………………………………………………………….…...385 Appendix C……………………………………………………………………….…….389 Appendix C1……………………………………………………………………….…...389 Appendix C2………………………………………………………………………...….395 Appendix C3……………………………………………………………………....……401 Appendix D………………………………………………………………………….….406 Appendix E……………………………………………………………………………. 419

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List of Tables

Pages

Table 1: Questions to be asked in CDA (adapted from Fairclough, 1989, p. 110)……...71 Table 2: Janks’ Framework for Textual Analysis (1997) ……………………………….72 Table 3: Berger’s Framework for Semiotic Analysis (adapted from 1998)……………..73 Table 4: Parameters of Study in Textual Analysis for the Present Research…………....74 Table 5: Noun Phrases/ Adjectives Used for Men and Women in the Advertising Discourse of Lux ……...……………………………..………………………....258

List of Figures

Figure 3.1: CDA framework of Fairclough (adapted from 1989, p.25; 1995, p. 98)...... 77 Figure 3.2: Research Framework for the Current Study………………………….…...... 79

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All thanks to the Almighty for the strengths and blessings He has showered upon me throughout my life and especially during this thesis writing period. Words fall short to express my gratitude towards Him. Without His unending help and guidance, this thesis would not have been possible. Among the several kind people around me, I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude first and foremost to the supervisor of this thesis and my mentor, Dr. Sarwet Rasul, Chairperson Department of English Linguistics and Literature, Fatima Jinnah Women University, who has guided and supported me with her knowledge and patience throughout my thesis writing period. Her wide knowledge and her efforts to explain things clearly have been of great value in developing a logical way of thinking in me. She provided sound advice, encouragement and lots of valuable ideas. She always believed in me and provided persistent motivation at all times. I find myself to be extremely lucky to have a supervisor who cared so much about my work, and who responded to my queries so promptly. Special appreciation goes to my teacher and mentor Prof. Dr. Samina Amin Qadir, Vice Chancellor, Fatima Jinnah Women University, who gave me the opportunity to become a part of this prestigious university as a student and a perpetual learner, and who has inspired and guided me in the course of her teaching. I am greatly indebted to her for developing in me the ability to think critically and to envision with a clear mind. She has taught me to accept and appreciate the diversity of opinions existing around us with an open heart and mind, and for that I wish to express my warm and sincere thanks to her. Lastly, I would like to thank my family for all their love and support; my beloved parents who supported me with their prayers, support and reassurance throughout my life, my sisters who backed me up with their faith and encouragement, my parents-in-law for their affection and prayers, my children for their love, patience and understanding. And most of all my encouraging and patient husband, who has always been the greatest support in all my endeavors and whose immense support during the thesis writing period is highly appreciated. Words can‟t express the gratitude towards the magnitude of love, care, support, and space he gave me during my studies and throughout my married life.

FIRST AND FOREMOST

TO MY CREATOR, BENEFACTOR AND SUSTAINER,

THE ALMIGHTY ALLAH,

AND THEN,

TO THE FOUR PILLARS OF STRENGTH IN MY LIFE…

PROPHET (P.B.U.H.), PARENTS, HUSBAND AND CHILDREN

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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to the Chapter

This chapter gives a brief discussion about the background of the research and talks about the significance of language as a vital tool of communication in communicative world in general and in the world of advertising in particular. It further talks about the significance of the study of the discourse of advertisements. Some operational definitions of various terms such as discourse, text, identity, identity construction, and advertiser/producer have been given in this chapter to establish the meanings of these terms as used in the present work. The chapter further presents the statement of the problem and pursues to rationalize the purpose of doing the current research by stating the reasons for undertaking the present research work. Aims and objectives of the research along with the research questions are also specified in this chapter to sum up the goals of the study and to introduce the queries that form the bases of the present research. Delimitations of the present study are also stated. A brief description of the research design followed in the study has also been presented. The chapter concludes by giving a brief description of the structure of the dissertation.

1.2 Background of the Research

Just like any other corporate industry, the business industry in Pakistan relies heavily on the advertising industry to promote their respective brands. The corporate community in Pakistan uses various modes of media such as television, newspapers/ magazines, online media etc. to promote their brands and/or services through advertisements. Traditionally,

1 television, newspapers and magazines had been extensively used for advertising but today, in the modern world of technology and globalization, when more and more people are spending a fairly large amount of their time daily on internet, the marketers have shifted their focus more towards online advertising. Among online advertising websites and social media platforms are most widely used networks for advertisement purposes.

In Pakistan the traditional media, such as print media and television, were the most common modes of media which were subjected to strict censorship by the government. The traditional modes of media had been highly state controlled. However, with the emergence of new online media along with its social platforms of communication such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking websites, various channels of media have become free to use language and images to promote the producers‟ perspectives. Language along with its linguistic and extra-linguistic features is being used in the discourse of advertising on internet to negotiate and attract the consumers, and to promote and sell not only the products being advertised but also the underlying thought patterns that are not only the products of existing socio-cultural contexts but also creators of new social realities. With the emergence of the branding progressions in Pakistan, many different brands have risen to the status of prestige and gained fame across the country and abroad owing to the use of new media such as online media platforms including websites and social networking sites to advertise their products. The advertising discourse on these online media platforms has become overtly popular due to its dynamic characteristics and interactive qualities. With the emergence of new brands in Pakistan, and their increasing use of online advertising platforms such as websites and social networking sites, innovative linguistic strategies are being used to attract customers and to create desired identities of the brands. In this backdrop the present study looks at the ways in which various brands in Pakistan use discourse of advertising on internet to construct and promote a certain identity of their respective brands. The purpose of this study is to understand how brands in Pakistan use language to represent themselves in their advertisements on internet, such as on websites and Facebook. The current research studies the process of identity construction within the larger context of online advertisement networks and examines the linguistic and semiotic strategies used by

2 different brands in Pakistani advertisements to construct and promote various identities of their brands. How different brands represent themselves on media through the use of language has significance both for the producers and the consumers, and also for the sociolinguists who are interested in studying the role of discourse in the creation, representation, and negotiation of identity.

1.3 Language and Communication in the World of Advertisements

Language is the most powerful, perhaps the vital and one of the most useful tools of communication which serves as an indispensable medium of expression of meanings, ideas, thoughts and feelings. Language has the ability to express the complexities of the deepest human feelings, states of mind, and meanings (Rasul, 2009). It is the basic means for interacting in society that is unique owing to its ability to convey, communicate and negotiate various emotions, ideas, thought patterns, opinions etc.

Similarly, in the world of advertisements, language along with its linguistic and extra-linguistic features is the chief source of communication. In advertisements language is used in such a way so as to attract as many customers as possible and to persuade them to buy the product being advertised. Advertising is basically an art of persuasion which depends on creating advertisements designed specifically to convince the people into buying the commodities being advertised. To achieve this purpose the advertisers rely chiefly on the linguistic and semiotic features of language in their advertisements. The linguistic features in a text include vocabulary, grammar etc., whereas, the semiotic features comprise of images, pictures, colors etc. Different modes of media are used for advertising purposes. Most common and perhaps the oldest are street advertisements and billboards. Television and print media are relatively new modes of media that have been and still are commonly used successfully for advertisement purposes. However, with the emergence of internet and with the growing trend of social media, the advertisers are progressively using the new media for advertising their products. Since internet is the most widely used medium of communication in the modern world of technology, advertisers are shifting their attention in designing the most appealing of advertisements and subsequently promoting their

3 products on internet, such as on websites and social media, to make their brands visible to the audience at one simple click or a simple tap of the finger. Whatever the medium or mode of media being used for advertising, one aspect very significantly been used in the advertisements is language. Language, with all its adornments and embellishments, is used in the world of advertisements to persuade the customers in buying their products.

1.4 Discourse of Advertising

Advertising is a type of discourse that epitomizes powerful language. It is an art of persuasion that uses language to influence the audience persuading them in buying the advertised products. According to Cook (1994) advertising is a type of discourse, the text of which can be analyzed in relation to its context. He defines text as linguistic forms whereas by context he means the situation or the state of affairs in relation to entities shown in the advertisements. Advertisement texts usually make use of descriptive language, catchphrases, pictures etc. designed to influence the audience and to urge them to accept the qualities being promoted in the advertisements, consequently urging the consumers to buy the advertised products (Verstergaard & Schroder, 1985). Not only does the advertising aim at marketing the brand or its products and services, many linguists believe that it is also about managing the image of the producer, and promoting the brand, an ideology or a notion (Chouliaraki & Fairclough, 1999; Goddard, 1998).

The advertising discourse of today not only contains various traditional linguistic techniques for promoting the product such as selective vocabulary items, connotative words, foregrounding, back grounding, slogans, colors, descriptions etc. but also contains various contemporary techniques such as the use of iconography, humor, irony, ambiguity etc. Advertising is a form of discourse and is present everywhere. Advertisements tend to offer a promise of benefits expected from the consumption of the products being advertised. However, in doing so, they present certain ideological standpoints or conceptual viewpoints that are reflective of the producers‟ perspectives about the social realities around them. According to Goddard (1998) the nature of advertising as a form of discourse needs to be analyzed as we encounter immense

4 advertising texts on a daily basis and in the process we continuously come across the perspectives of the writers/producers of the texts.

1.5 Significance of the Study of Discourse of Advertisements

Language has always been regarded as a dynamic and forceful tool in the creation and demonstration of identity in social spheres. Similarly, in the world of advertising, language along with its linguistic and semiotic features is considered to be the most significant tool of identity construction. We are bombarded with numerous advertisements on daily basis whose texts offer some interesting linguistic and thematic dimensions. Owing to the dynamic aspects of language used in the advertising discourse, there has been an increased interest in the study of textual components of advertisements in the past few years. Advertising discourse makes use of linguistic and extra-linguistic or semiotic features which are often very different from the everyday colloquial use of language and has many sociological implications, thus presenting a challenging area of exploration to a linguist. This study examines the association between language and identity in the advertising world on online communication networks. Considering the growing importance of the modern-day virtual platforms for communication this research concentrates on studying how various brands in Pakistan use linguistic and semiotic configurations in order to create and negotiate their multifaceted identities. The study explores the issues of identity construction and representation, with its focus on offering some significant insights into the linguistic and semiotic manifestations used in the advertising texts in Pakistan to create and represent a certain identity of the brand and to promote a certain image to the audience/viewers.

1.6 Some Operational Definitions

As the literature related to the definitions and concepts related to the terms discourse, text, identity, identity construction and producer presents a vast range of definitions, it is important to provide operational definitions of all these terms. This section provides the concepts related to these terms that are used in the present research work.

1.6.1 Discourse

Though being embodied in a variety of texts, discourses exist beyond the individual texts that compose them (Phillips & Hardy, 2002). The term discourse often refers to the ideologies and belief systems that are generated within (He, 2001). Hodge and Kress (2001) believe that text and discourse are often used interchangeably; however they differentiate the two by asserting that discourse is a social process in which texts are embedded, whereas text is the concrete object produced in discourse.

1.6.2 Text

Whenever we produce an interpretation of something‟s meaning we treat it as a text. Hence, a text is something that we make meaning from (McKee, 2003). Chandler (2002) asserts, “A text is an assemblage of signs (such as words, images, sounds and/or gestures) constructed (and interpreted) with reference to the conventions associated with a genre and in a particular medium of communication” (pp. 2-3). Summarizing the link between discourse, text and social reality, Phillips and Hardy (2002) assert that in order to study the relation between discourse and social reality individual texts should be studied to get clues about the nature of the discourse, as discourses cannot be found in their entirety without examining the texts that embody them.

Text for Chandler (2002) refers to anything which can be read to understand its meaning. He defines text as a system of signs in the form of words, pictures, sounds and gestures. Jones, Chik and Hafner (2015) define text as: By texts, of course, we do not just mean written texts in the traditional sense, but include conversations- both written and spoken- videos, photographs, drawings, paintings, street signs, websites, software interfaces, video games, and any other aggregate of semiotic elements that can function as a tool for people to take social action. (2015, p. 5)

Hence, anything that can be studied for the purpose of analysis is called a text. In the present work the word „text‟ does not refer to the literal meaning of it as being something related to inscriptions, letters, and words only. It is used as an all- encompassing term in the current work which includes all the linguistic and semiotic features such as vocabulary items, lexical and syntactic structures, inscriptions, images, colors, graphics, etc. that constitute an advertisement.

1.6.3 Identity

Defining identity in simple words, Djité (2006) writes, “Identity is the everyday word for people‟s sense of who they are” (p. 6). Kroskrity (1999) explaining the notion of identity in terms of linguistics says, “Identity is defined as the linguistic construction of membership in one or more social groups or categories” (p. 111). Identity is a concept with numerous meanings and interpretations. Consider for instance Crossley‟s (2005) definition of identity:

Identity refers to the ways in which we demarcate and make sense of ourselves. It generally entails locating oneself within a range of categories (male, old, British) or formulating a description and account of who and what one is. Furthermore, by definition this entails a demarcation of what one is not, a marking out of „the other‟ and of one‟s difference. (p. 144)

This definition of identity by Crossley (2005) reflects mainly upon one‟s own sense of one‟s self. On the other hand, Mohanty (2005) asserts the significance of the views of others in defining one‟s identity. Mohanty defines identity as something which, … relates to ideas about who and what we and others believe us to be. A cultural identity, therefore, involves a set of characteristics that define us as individuals, groups, societies and so forth. These characteristics can be almost anything, but it is evident that things such as gender, class, ethnic background, region and age are some of the most important sources of identity in any society. (2005, p. 81)

According to Butler (1990) identity is not a possession of a self, rather it is an act, something that is done or performed by an individual and is recreated through discourse, relations, communications and interactions between individuals. Goffman (1990) highlights the significance of identity representation which is done by people “to convey an impression to others which it is in their interests to convey” (p. 4). In the current study the term identity is considered as an all-inclusive term for the collective aspects of the characteristics by which an entity is recognized and perceived as a member of a group both by itself and by others. The term also includes various multidimensional aspects of distinctiveness such as individual identity, national identity, gender identity, social identity etc.

1.6.4 Identity Construction

Identities are elements of culture. One‟s identity is based on how they construct their desire for recognition, association and visibility; and how they wish to be perceived by others and on their sense of being acknowledged. If we are not offered an identity that we can claim, and a group that we can belong to, then we can end up mentally unhealthy (McKee, 2003).

As cited in Zhao, Grasmuck, and Martin (2008), Stone defines identity construction as: The construction of an identity is therefore a public process that involves both the „identity announcement‟ made by the individual claiming an identity and the „identity placement‟ made by others who endorse the claimed identity, and an identity is established when there is a coincidence of placements and announcements. (p. 1817)

Goffman (1990) talks about people‟s inclination to create and convey a suitable impression of the self to others and believes that there is a tendency in people to either highlight or de-emphasize certain characteristics of their identity in order to create a suitable impression of the self. This self-impression management depends on the type of impression one tries to give, the people to whom one wants to impress, and the context in which he/she is interacting. Similarly, identity construction is the constant management of the impressions of self to create a positive or a certain impact on others and to represent a certain identity of the self to others.

1.6.5 Advertiser/ Producer

To classify the producer in media text creations is very unclear as many individuals and organizations participate in the production process who work together to operate the company and the associated media which may include the firm or brand itself, the advertising corporation, the makers and designers of the advertisements, the photographer, the ideologies, meanings and beliefs etc. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000) describes the term producer as, “One who supervises and controls the finances, creation, and public presentation of a play, film, program, or similar work” (p. 1399). Hence, a producer is one who controls the creation

8 and marketing of a production. Therefore in the present work, any mention of the terms producers, advertisers, advertisement text producers etc. refers to all the bodies involved in the text production and marketing process. Although many different contributors work in designing a single adverting text, a certain marketing policy is followed by the contributing producers which aligns with the overall general policy of the brand‟s marketing strategy for maintaining the brand personality. Yeshin (2006) believes that advertising can create a unique personality for a brand which serves to establish an individual identity for the brand. As identifying a single text producer in an online media advertisement text is almost impossible, therefore, any mention of the producer‟s perspective in the present research work refers to the ideology or scheme of thoughts as apparent in the primary discourse of the data, and to the underlying ideological themes as examined in the secondary discourse of the selected advertisements.

1.7 Statement of the Problem

Besides promoting the products and/or services advertisements have a tendency to influence people‟s attitudes, and hence advertising is rightly called an art of persuasion. And in a world where advertising, being all pervasive is inescapable, people are exposed to advertising texts all the time. Advertising depends mainly upon language, including both the linguistic and extra-linguistic features, and language has a power to construct social practices and realities, hence advertisement texts have a great tendency to reflect and create social realities. One of the most important of these social practices is the identity construction process. Advertisers, through their advertisements, not only represent their product or brand‟s identity; they constantly engage themselves in the construction and negotiation of a desired identity.

With the increase in the creation of new brands and the competition between various brands, and with the increase in the branding process in Pakistan, the brands are relying heavily on the linguistic aspects used in advertisements to attract customers. Branding process is a relatively new process in Pakistan which is growing with the increase in people‟s purchasing power and their exposure and access to internet. The advertisers are engaging more and more in the advertising policies/techniques, relying

9 simultaneously on advertising on internet along with the traditional advertising on television and print media. The discourse of advertising being everywhere around us, needs to be studied from a sociolinguistic perspective to understand the use of language and its sociological implications in advertisements. Advertisements are considered to be favorable for the construction of identity of brands, with their focus upon using persuasive and appealing discourses, generating diverse texts to create the desired image or construct a certain identity of the product or the brand.

1.8 Reasons for Undertaking the Research

There are certain reasons for undertaking the current research.

Firstly, the trend of online advertising of brands is growing day by day in Pakistan. Advertisers are using online platforms such as websites and social media sites to promote their brands as these types of online platforms are host to heavy traffic of the audience visiting these online sites on daily basis. In a scenario like this it becomes necessary to study advertising practices in their relation to the construction of social realities. Secondly, keeping in view the various concerns as shown by the socio-linguists about the influence of advertisement texts on the audience, the present study is undertaken to study Pakistani discourse of advertising of various brands on internet to examine the discourse practices and to analyze the need of the advertisers to build identities on internet through these discourse practices. In examining the nature of advertising techniques and texts it is crucial to understand the use of these techniques in the process of identity construction and representation. Hence, the research is undertaken to investigate the phenomena of identity construction in the domain of Pakistani advertising discourse. Thirdly, studying the data from the websites and Facebook pages of various brands will elucidate the linguistic as well as semiotic features used in the advertisement texts that can offer an interesting dimension in studying the multi-faceted identities to which the brands aspire to be recognized with.

Finally, one of the important reasons for taking up this research is that not much work has been done in the field of Pakistani discourse of advertising with its relation to the construction and representation of identities of various brands belonging to different domains.

1.9 Significance of the Research

This research aims to study the fundamental features of advertising discourse which is the most persistently prevalent discourse everywhere around us and is thus inescapable. The fundamental features of the advertising discourse to be examined here consist of the linguistic features such as the language related manifestations; the semiotic features, such as the images and other graphic features; and the underlying themes; all of which make the advertising discourse most influential in creating the desired identity of the brands being advertised.

The heart of the present research lies in the study of discourse of advertisements and its central role in understanding the process of construction and representation of identity. An increased interest in the study of textual components of advertisements in the past few years has been observed due to the dynamic characteristics of language used in the discourse of advertising. The discourse of advertising of brands on internet makes use of diverse and innovative schemes and arrangements of linguistic and semiotic features which are often quite different from the ones used in everyday colloquial discourse practices, and thus has several sociological implications which present a challenging area of investigation to a linguist. This research aims to study the language used in Pakistani advertisements both from a linguistic point of view and a sociolinguistic point of view by doing a discourse analysis of these advertisement texts on internet. The purpose is to examine how the linguistic and semiotic configurations of language are used in the discourse of Pakistani advertisements to create and negotiate the multifaceted identities of brands. Emphasizing on the importance of the study of media and advertising Ahmed (2000) asserts, Whether from a quantitative, qualitative or interpretive perspective, whether a researcher follows the modern social scientific approach, critical theory perspective or

postmodernist approach, analysis of advertising and other media content is of growing importance. (2000, p.11)

Many studies have been made on the advertising content owing to the growing importance of the study of advertising discourse. Adorno and Horkheimer (1998) from the Frankfurt school believed that instead of the consumer being empowered by the marketplace, he is being made passive and powerless. The average consumer‟s critical thinking ability is destroyed as he learns to accept the standardization inherent in the commodification of art and entertainment. Realizing the impact of advertisement discourse in shaping people‟s perceptions and affecting consumer behavior, linguistic researchers all over the world are particularly interested in analyzing the discourse of advertising to study the creation of meanings. The discourse of advertising is of utmost significance for analysis from both the linguistic and sociolinguistic point of views. The interest of linguists in discourse analysis focuses not only on the textual analysis of linguistic patterns but also on the sociological implications of these linguistic structures. The words we speak are never neutral (Fiske, 1994) and these words are likely to carry a wide-ranging sense of connotations and implications whether in the written or in the oral form. The meanings that are expressed by these words are marked by the speaker‟s immediate social contexts. Language does not only reflect social realities, it is also significant in creating reality. Hence, for a complete understanding of a text it is essential to examine the social worldview being presented in the text as the words we speak represent social ideologies that are not only reflective of the social realities but that also constitute those realities. The analysis of discourse used in advertisements provides insights into the ways words and images are used to promote positive identities of the brands being advertised. The contents of discourse in the advertisements contain hidden ideological implications embedded deep within the text along with the persuasive textual and visual features that are obvious on the surface level. O‟Barr (1994) distinguishes between primary and secondary discourses of advertising. According to him, primary discourse represents the qualities of the commodities being advertised, whereas, the secondary discourse denotes the ideas and concepts about social relationships rooted within the text. A discourse

12 analysis of both the primary and secondary discourse of advertisements is significant as it reveals the interests of those who speak or write or even provide for the production of these texts such as the brand owners or marketers. From a linguistic point of view research on advertising discourse is crucial in studying how language works in creating a certain image and identity of a brand through the use of discourse, both with the help of its linguistic and semiotic features. From a sociolinguistic perspective, the study of advertisement discourses is significant as it examines how such discourses work ideologically, influencing the values, ideals, morals, notions and behaviors of the society. As discourse analysis not only seeks to describe language in use, but also analyzes, interprets, and explains the significance of the relationship of representations embedded in discourse (Fairclough, 2001; Gee, 2005; Kress, 2000), the present study uses discourse analysis to explore the ways in which various identities of brands are created in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. The aim of this paper is to study the linguistic, semiotic and thematic patterns in the advertisements of various brands in order to investigate and explore the ways in which various kinds of identity are constructed through the linguistic and extra-linguistic features of language. The central interest here is to examine the construction and representation of multifaceted identities of brands, facilitated by certain textual features of language such as vocabulary, grammar and other linguistic and semiotic aspects. The aim of the research is to analyze the discourse of Pakistani advertisements at various levels, i.e. at the levels of the transcribed linguistic text, by examining the linguistic patterns; the semiotic manifestations, by studying the pictographic patterns; and the themes present in the text, to examine the thematic strands present in the secondary discourse of the texts. The discourse at these three levels is analyzed keeping in view the importance of the interaction of these aspects in creating an array of meanings, relations and impacts. This study aims at the study of the creation of meanings in advertisements by analyzing an extensive data of advertisement texts expanding over a period of six months. To examine the linguistic, semiotic and thematic aspects of the discourse used in these advertisements, an incorporation of Fairclough‟s (1989) questions for textual analysis, Janks‟ (1997) rubrics for textual analysis, Berger‟s (1998) semiotic model, and Fairclough‟s (1989) three dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) model to

13 examine discourse and its meanings in social context is used as the conceptual and research framework for analysis in the present research work (sec. 3.8 and 3.9) . This research focuses on the study of identity construction of brands on their official websites and Facebook, which is the most commonly used online social networking site in Pakistan. The purpose is to study the identity implications of various brands in the discourse of advertising. It is believed that the findings of the present research will offer new and interesting dimensions to sociolinguists in understanding the ways of studying the process of self-presentation and identity construction in the online advertising milieus. Furthermore, this thesis endeavors to analyze the various types of ideological standpoints present in the primary and secondary discourse of Pakistani advertisement texts in terms of various identities such as gender identity, youth identity, modern identity, eastern identity, western identity etc.; and also to study how these are propagated in seemingly simple linguistic structures.

1.10 Aims and Objectives

The current research aims at analyzing the discourse of Pakistani advertisements at a number of levels i.e. at the levels of the transcribed linguistic text, by examining the linguistic patterns; the semiotic manifestations, by studying the pictographic patterns; and the themes present in the text, to examine the thematic strands present in the secondary discourse of the texts. The aim of this study is to examine, by means of a discourse analysis, how different brands are represented through discourse on their official websites and official Facebook pages. The study also aims to reveal the processes through which various multi-faceted identities are constructed and represented through the use of linguistic and semiotic strategies used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising by various brands on internet.

The present study has the following objectives: • To explore the ways in which different brands in Pakistan use both the linguistic and semiotic features of language in the discourse of advertising to represent and promote their identity.

• To study how the linguistic and semiotic texts on internet are being used in creating desired identities of brands. • To study the kinds of linguistic features such as codes, vocabulary, lexical structures etc., semiotic features such as images, graphics etc. and the kinds of themes found in the data as used by the brands in Pakistani discourse of advertising to construct and represent a certain identity or various multi-faceted identities. • To analyze the kinds of conceptual viewpoints present in the primary and secondary discourse of Pakistani advertisement texts in terms of various identities such as gender identity, youth identity, modern identity, eastern identity, western identity etc.; and to study how these are embedded in linguistic and semiotic structures of their advertisement texts.

1.11 Research Question

The research question of the present study is:

How are the linguistic and semiotic practices and strategies used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising by various brands to construct and represent their multifaceted identities on internet?

1.12 Delimitations

Present research has the following delimitations:

• Some of the selected brands are international brands used worldwide, and hence may not be called purely Pakistani brands, however, only Pakistani websites and Facebook advertisement pages of those brands being operated in Pakistan and targeted mainly at the Pakistani audience have been selected for the study. • In the present research the data on internet includes only the content available on the official websites and official Facebook advertisement pages of these brands.

1.13 Research Design

For this research data has been collected from the content available on the official websites and official Facebook pages of various brands in Pakistan. A total of nine brands belonging to three different domains, such as clothing, food, and cosmetics have been selected. An analysis of the content available on their websites and of their posts on Facebook will be carried out to examine the linguistic, semiotic and thematic aspects of the discourse used in these advertisements in order to analyze the construction and representation of their social, national and other multi-faceted identities online. Data will be categorized and presented under different headings. As the present work looks into phenomenon and processes, mainly a qualitative research paradigm will be used which deals with the detailed analysis, interpretation and discussion of data to look into the processes of identity construction and representation of various brands in their advertisements. However, to support the qualitative claims made in the study, some quantitative dimensions will also be explored if needed but no SPSS or statistical methodology will be used.

1.14 Structure of the Dissertation

Chapter 1 gives an introduction to the background of the study. It also explains the significance of the study of advertising discourse. It further addresses the issues related to identity construction and representation in cyberspace. Some operational definitions, research questions and the objectives of the research are also given in this chapter.

Chapter 2 reviews the literature in the fields of advertising, discourse, branding, identity, Discourse Analysis etc. It also addresses the issues related to the role of language in identity construction and representation with a special focus on representing the brand identity in advertisements. Chapter 3 gives a detailed account of the research methodology used in the present research focusing on providing details about data collection, framework adopted, procedures of analysis etc. In Chapter 4, data related to Domain A i.e. clothing is presented and analyzed. In Chapter 5, data related to the Domain B i.e. food is presented

16 and analyzed. Chapter 6 provides a detailed analysis of the data from Domain C i.e. cosmetics. The findings from Chapter 4, 5, and 6 are integrated into a coherent whole in Chapter 7 to give a general picture of various linguistic and socio-cultural implications in relation to the Pakistani discourse of advertising. The chapter also gives some additional interpretations of the key findings bringing together the strands of the conclusions obtained from data analysis and provides some useful insights about the issues of brand identity construction and representation on virtual media. Chapter 8 is the last chapter that sums up the findings of the research and presents the limitations of the study. The chapter also comments on the contributions of the present study in the field of research, and also gives the conclusion of the research.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2. Introduction to the Chapter This chapter reviews literature in the field of discourse and identity construction and representation in the world of advertising. For more lucidity the chapter is divided into three parts. Part A deals with the literature review about discourse and communication practices in the world of advertising. It also gives a comprehensive review about the brand advertising discourse on internet and its effectiveness. In Part B relevant literature regarding the concepts of discourse and identity is provided, followed by a discussion about construction and representation of desired identities in the advertising discourse on internet. Literature regarding the concept of ideological workings of advertisements that assist in the construction of identity is also presented. Part C reviews the literature related to the field of discourse analysis and identity construction trends in discourse, followed by a detailed review of literature about the scope of discourse analysis. Literature related to identity construction and discourse analysis in relation to advertisement texts is also presented in this section. Finally, a concluding section of the chapter is given which brings all the strands of literature review together into one coherent whole in order to have a better understanding of the fields covered in the literature review, thus proving significant in contributing coherence to the chapter.

2.1 Part A: Discourse and Communication in the World of Advertisements This part provides a comprehensive review of literature about the overall discourse and communication trends in the world of advertising. The section also gives a detailed review of the branding practices with special reference to brand identity. A discussion of brand advertising discourse on internet and its effectiveness is also discussed in this section.

2.1.1 The Pervasive World of Advertising Advertising is everywhere nowadays. It is a phenomenon that is extremely dominant in today‟s world of consumerism and with an upsurge of different modes of media in the modern world of technology; advertising has gained considerable concern of modern researchers. Not only are the tactics of advertising worth researching for the marketing researchers, it is also extremely important for those researching in the subjects of Linguistics, Sociology, Psychology, Media etc. Since advertising is everywhere around us and we seldom pause to ponder over the nature of advertising as a form of discourse and as a system of language use (El-daly, 2011). Hence, the area of advertising remains fertile for research. Baaga (2006) defines advertisement as, “a public notice in any medium (television, radio, print, out-of-home)” (p. 5). El-daly (2011) views advertising as a form of discourse which has affected both the configuration of language and the modality of way of life, and the content of everyday communicative exchanges. Furthermore, Williamson (1978) states that “ads are message systems designed to organize perceptions and create structures of meaning” (p. 12). Advertising cannot be escaped nowadays as it has become all pervasive in our everyday lives. On the all pervasiveness of advertising, Jhally (1995) comments that “advertising is ubiquitous - it is the air we breathe as we live our daily lives” (p. 79). People are exposed to a wide range of advertising texts whether they are in their homes through mobile phones, internet, television, radio, newspapers etc. or on the roads through billboards, pamphlets, campaigns etc. The purpose of advertising is basically to sell information about products or services prior to selling those. Not only does the advertising provide information, it also persuades people in buying the products being advertised through interesting strategies. As White (2000) also believes in this regard that the purpose of advertising is “to help to sell things” (p. 5). On the prevalence and inescapabilty of advertising in our lives Cook (2001) asserts that “advertising is not some external curiosity which we examine, from which we are separate and superior, but something of which we are part, and which is part of us” (p. 185). Himmelstein (1994) also asserts, “Ads are not selling us a product...they are selling us a life-style. And they have become the engines that drive our way of life” (p. 50).

The purpose of advertising is not limited to only providing information about the product or service. It is more for the purpose of notifying the audience about the importance and need in their lives of the product being advertised. According to Sheehan (2004), advertising means “to give notice, to inform, to notify or to make known” (pp. 2- 3). To her the objective of advertising besides providing information is to raise the interest of audience. Sheehan (2004) believes that effective advertising includes not only information but also emphasis, emphasis that has the power to convince people in buying the product. Advertisements make us believe that the products or services being advertised are necessities that must be consumed in order to spend a happy life. The images of success, happiness, and transformation constituting the advertisements create a view in the minds of the audience that make them believe that happiness and success depend upon the consumption of the advertised products or services. For an advertisement to be successful and effective, the advertising text producers use innovative linguistic and semiotic techniques that make the advertisements stand out among the rest of the advertisement texts by the other competing companies and hence create an attractive image of the products being advertised in the minds of the audience. The effects of the advertising influence us even if we believe that advertising doesn‟t affect us in any way whatsoever. Davidson (1992) defines advertising with reference to its persuasiveness and cogency as: A social language, a genre of spectator/reader experience, a technique of persuasion… almost a world in its own right, with its own languages, customs and history, and one that sets the tone and pace for large parts of our lives. Advertising is a topic which both causes and reveals existing social divisions. (p. 3)

To endorse the products and their benefits it is necessary for the advertisers to form and maintain a striking appearance of the company for which they use advertising as a tool (Mårtensson, 2008). The striking appearance is essential in making the audience pause for a moment to grasp the message been given in the advertisement. Hence, it can be concluded that advertising is not only a means of promoting information about a product or service, but also a means of persuading people in buying or consuming the products in order to have an excellent and successful life as promised in the images constructed in the advertisements. El-daly (2011) believes that through the use of

20 rhetorical devices advertising has become more of a tool of persuasion than of providing information simply.

2.1.2 Language- A Communicative Scheme of Codes, Symbols and Signs Language is an indispensable tool for interaction that helps us share, convey and express our thoughts and ideas. To put it simply language is the vital and the most powerful instrument of communication. Language is a wonderful phenomenon which is intricate and cannot be fully studied within a single exclusive, consistent and a wide-ranging theory (Riley, 2000). According to Rasul (2009) language is the tool that helps us in sharing our ideas, views and feelings. It is a scheme and arrangement of signs and symbols that assist us to connect and communicate with others (Harley, 2008). Language has always been considered as a great and powerful communication system. The key purpose of language, in short, is that of communication. Chandler (2002) cites Saussure who refers to language as the “most important of all of the systems of signs” (p. 9). It is a fragment of human consciousness and a specific kind of behavior. The most appropriate definition of language would describe it in terms of function. As Riley (2000) puts it, language is something we “know” and something we “do” (p.159). The wide variety of potential uses of language cannot be denied (Rudinow & Vincent, 2004). Page, Barton, Unger, and Zappavigna (2014) have presented both the traditional view and a modern view of language. Describing the traditional view of language they state that “language is seen as a semiotic system, a system of signs used to encode meaning that senders intend to communicate to recipients” (2014, p. 27). Giving a more modern understanding of the role of language Page et al. (2014) assert, “Language is not an abstract system, but is always situated in a particular context. It can be seen as a set of practices that arises from communicative needs in specific contexts and situations. Every bit of language has a purpose” (p. 28). In simple terms, language is a tool for interaction between individuals and groups, and is essentially located in a social milieu whose meanings cannot be understood in isolation. Not only is language a source of communication, it is also an influential instrument of expression and representation. It represents the world and its people, their views and sentiments and the way they perceive things and notions. However, the central

21 function of language is not exclusively representational. Wetherell (2001) talks about the constructive nature of language and believes that language not only reflects entities, thoughts and social relations but also constructs them. To her language is “constitutive of social life” (p. 16). A multi-dimensional and wide-ranging definition of language has been given by Finegan (2004): Language can be viewed as a three-sided figure comprising expression, meaning, and context. Expression encompasses words, phrases, sentences, and pronunciation, including intonation and stress. Meaning refers to the senses and referents of these elements of expression. Content refers to the social situation in which expression is uttered and includes whatever has been said earlier in that situation. (p. 7)

Expression without meaning is practically inadequate. An essential role of every language system is to connect meaning to expression. Our lives are constantly exposed to semiotic and visual signs and symbols and hence it has become essential to have the knowledge and ability to decode these visual ciphers. It is only when we learn to decode these symbols and are able to analyze discourses, do we learn the power of language in shaping our perceptions by making use of symbols that have certain connotation attached to them. As human language is arbitrary it does not necessarily confirm a direct correspondence between the message in the codes and symbols and its meaning. This is due to the fact that the language of humans is complex and multidimensional and has a plethora of probable implications. Chaika (2008) also believes in this regard that every meaning can be expressed in numerous ways as there is more than one technique of expressing meaning. Rudinow and Vincent (2004) points to three main functions of language. According to them the first function of language is informative function which takes account of all the statements whether they are true or false and are not yet been tested and certified. The second function is expressive function which points to the “important and powerful capacities of language to express and arouse emotion” (p. 42). And the third important function of language as presented by Rudinow and Vincent (2004), that acknowledges the role of language in manipulating behaviors of people is the directive function which suggests the persuasive power of language. Hence, language not only serves as a means of communication of thoughts, ideas and feelings, it is also an effective

22 tool to influence people, persuading them to do things. Similarly, the language in advertising makes use of this persuasive power of language to influence people persuading them in buying or consuming the respective products or services.

2.1.3 Language and Communication in Discourse of Advertising Discourse is an interlinked collection of texts, statements, expressions etc. that constitute a thought pattern about a particular issue (Watson, 1994). Discourse is usually purposeful and is designed to be persuasive, to win hearts and minds (Potter & Wetherell, 2001). Discourse is a social process of constructing meanings (O‟Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002). Similarly, in the discourse of advertisements the advertisers make use of language to create assertions that propose certain attributes to their products without openly claiming those to be factual. Different words have different connotations attached to them and through the use of certain words in the advertisements the advertisers hint at certain meanings which the audience infers depending upon their own understanding of the world and the discourse in their social contexts. To ascribe positive attributes to a product, the words and notions with positive connotations are used in the discourse of advertising. Durant and Lambrou (2009) assert, As regards the verbal discourse of advertising, three topics stand out: the register (or language „style‟) of advertising; the suggestiveness or connotations created by advertising language; and specific claims about products and services that adverts convey. (p. 94)

Advertising is mass mediated, as O‟ Guinn, Allen, and Semenik (2003) define it as something “delivered through a communication medium designed to reach more than one person, typically a larger number - or mass - of people” (p. 9). Advertising is a form of discourse that has besides affecting the language structures, has also influenced the manners of everyday communicative practices (El-daly, 2011). Due to the abundance of advertising texts experienced all around us on daily basis, it has become extremely difficult for us not to get influenced by them. The images shown and messages given in the advertisements tend to infiltrate our minds to alter our very perceptions about the way of life, society, culture, religion etc. Thinking critically about the persuasive powers of advertising discourse, it can be said that the basic aim of advertising is to persuade people

23 by presenting the brand or its products and services as desirable as possible to the audience. Persuading the audience in buying the advertised products depends mainly on creating meanings and values in the advertising texts. These meanings are created by using identity themes in the texts through various linguistic and semiotic features that include inscriptions, codes, images, visuals etc. These identity themes enable the audience to identify themselves with the products being advertised. As Barthel (1988) pointed out that, “advertising is not just about the objects´ appearance but about personal appearances: how we look at others, how we think of ourselves” (p. 1), implying that besides providing information, advertising discourse is also about creating and perceiving appearances. In today‟s world of innumerable media platforms advertisement texts cannot be escaped from the eye of the viewer. People are bound to view the advertisements and get persuaded to buy the advertised products. Since advertising cannot be escaped it has become a part of our social characters. Due to its all pervasiveness in society the advertising discourse has become embedded in social discourse and has itself become a form of social discourse (El-daly, 2011). Chouliaraki and Fairclough, (1999) also believe that advertisement texts are considered as hybrid texts as the language of advertising is a result of the amalgamation of the language of public and political arrangement.

2.1.4 Advertisements and Branding Advertising is both a tool of providing information and persuading the viewers. Ivanovic and Collin (2003) view advertising as a business both of publicizing about a product or entity to be sold and of persuading the audience in buying the entities being advertised. Hence it can be said that advertising is a form of communication brought to viewers through various modes of media such as radio, newspapers, television, magazines, pamphlets, and hoardings. Advertising is a broad term that includes all the undertakings and actions that are taken on the part of the advertiser in promoting an entity or a notion to the potential clients and consumers. An advertiser, according to Bagga (2006) is “the manufacturer, service company, retailer, or supplier who advertises their product or service” (p. 5), whereas advertising to him is “the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually by an identified sponsor” (p.5). To Bagga advertising is “a part of an overall promotional strategy” (2006, p. 5). Not only does advertising educate

24 the audience and customers about the qualities of the products and services being advertised, it also creates a demand for them by convincing the audience of the advertising texts to buy or consume those products and services. The critics from the Frankfurt school, such as Adorno and Horkheimer (1998), believe that advertising creates needs for the consumer and makes him passive and powerless. The consumer‟s critical thinking ability is damaged and he is made to accept that he needs the commodities being advertised. Due to the effects of consumerism in today‟s world, the trend of branding has increased immensely over the last few years. Although Aaker (1991) believes that branding is not a new phenomenon, however, its massive rise in in the present day world is too obvious to be missed. Citing Aaker (1991), Sinclair (2012) writes, Branding itself is not new, having quite ancient origins in the trade mark, the elementary purpose of which was to „uniquely identify‟ the maker of a given product, to differentiate that product from its competitors (and imitators), and to provide an assurance of quality and consistency to the buyer. (2012, p. 16)

Sinclair (2012) further cites Moor (2007) who says that advertising is not „the only means by which branding is achieved, though it is “the most visible, spectacular and eye-catching” of the several marketing functions involved (p. 16.). Brands are assets that “produce added benefits for the business” (Kapferer, 2008, p. 9). A brand is the sum of signs, name, figures, form and appearance and packaging of a product (Melin, 1997). Brands can be products, services, or people, and advertising is about promoting the brands for marketers into the consciousness of consumers (O‟ Guinn et al., 2003). Sinclair (2012) is of the view that branding became increasingly dependent on advertising with the rise of different modes of media including television and radio etc. Advertisements are designed in an effort to help the marketers appeal to the consumers and attract their attention to their brands and its various promised features. Regarding the association of advertisements with brands Weinreich has said, “The really great advertising ideas have always been those that can‟t survive without the brand” (1999, p. 229). A brand is the product of all the attributes and features which make the advertiser and its products and services unique. Lagergren (1998) believes that branding is such a persuasive phenomenon that instead of buying products we buy brands; whereas buying a

25 brand is in fact buying into life-styles and principles (Gane, 1993). Kapferer (1997) believes that “the brand is a sign- therefore external- whose function is to disclose the hidden qualities of the product which are inaccessible to contact” (p. 28). In other words, a brand identifies the producers or sellers and their products. It is essentially a name and a trademark, a symbol and an attribute, or a mixture of all these features, whose aim is to mark the distinctiveness of the products of the producer and advertiser. Kotler and Keller (2006) define a brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or a group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors” (p. 274). Similarly, Yeshin (2006) defines a brand in terms of its distinctiveness. He says: A brand is defined as a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller‟s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. A brand name may identify one item, a family of items or all items of that seller. (p. 93)

To Kotler (2000) a brand is the name that is, “associated with one or more items in the product line, that is used to identify the source of character of the item(s)” (p. 396). Citing Clifton and Maugham (2002), Jackson (2003, p. 59) defines brands as “a mixture of tangible and intangible attributes, symbolized in a trade mark, which if properly managed, creates influence and generates value”. The brand thus serves as a kind of flag, signaling to the consumers about its existence and significance and also to create awareness of the products and services, making it stand out among the competing brands (Ellwood, 2002). A brand is significant and is vital for the producer or organization/company to make the consumers aware of the products‟ uniqueness and distinctiveness. Where more than one company produces identical kinds of goods and services, brands become extremely important in making the customers identify their products from other competitors who tend to offer identical products (Aaker, 1991). Branding a product means giving a name and personality to the product. As Danesi (2006) asserts, Names are „life-givers‟ in psychological terms. By naming a product, the manufacturer is, in effect, bestowing upon it the same kinds of meanings that are reserved for people. In a basic psychological sense, a product that is named is „humanized‟. (p. 14)

Thus, branding can be seen as humanizing a product or company, giving it a kind of a personality which is either liked or disliked by the people depending upon their own experiences and perceptions about the brand or its products. The real purpose of branding, however, remains to create fondness among consumers. As Weinreich (1999) is of the view, “No brand has ever succeeded without first creating a cult of followers. Once a cult starts forming, the brand is marked for star status. And it doesn‟t even need to be in a glamorous category” (1999, p. 22). Hence, crafting a personality for the brand, humanizing it, and creating its charm for the audience and consumers is the main purpose of branding. Making the consumers and audience of the advertising texts identify themselves with the brand or the products being advertised is what makes a brand successful. De Chernatony and McDonald (1998) believe that a successful brand is the one which can be identified by the people and which helps the consumers recognize significant and distinctive values in it that are most suitable and related to their needs.

2.1.4. i Branding - Uniqueness and Value Adding is the Key

The main objective of a brand is to identify a product and to make it distinguishable for the customers from its competitors. As Kohli and Thakor also believe, “The challenge today is to create a strong and distinctive image” (1997, p. 208). Hence, the real purpose of the brand is to mark the uniqueness of the products for the producers and sellers. Not only does the brand help in identification of the product‟s qualities, it also helps in creating a certain identifiable image of the producer or seller which eventually begins to be associated with the brand. On the presence of brands in the advertising circles and their effects on consumer behavior, Beasley and Danesi have said, “brand names, logos, trademarks, jingles, and slogans have become part and parcel of the 'mental encyclopedia' of virtually everyone who lives in a modern- day society” (2002, p. 1). Hence, brands just like advertising have become pervasive in today‟s world of consumerism. However, in order to make the brand successful in creating influence, the advertisers must create a unique image for the brands which makes them distinguishable from other brands offering same products and services.

To define brands in terms of their value in defining attributes and creating influence, Yeshin (2006) has cited Clifton and Maughan (2000) who have defined brands as, “a mixture of tangible and intangible attributes, symbolized in a trade mark, which if properly managed, creates influence and generates value” (2006, p. 93). To ensure the attention of the audience, the brand‟s message must be attractive but also focused and simple as ensuring the attention of the audience is not possible if the message is not comprehensible. Moreover, the message should stay in the minds of the viewers even after the exposure to advertisement ends. Sinclair (2012) has said in this regard that “the greater part of brand equity consists in the relation of a brand with its actual or potential consumers, at the overarching level of culture” (p. 17). Commenting on the importance of branding process in reaching out to the customers Wheeler (2009) asserts, Branding is a disciplined process used to build awareness and extend customer loyalty. It requires a mandate from the top and readiness to invest in the future. Branding is about seizing every opportunity to express why people should choose one brand over another. A desire to lead, outpace the competition, and give employees the best tools to reach customers are the reasons why companies leverage branding. (p. 6)

Reaching out to the customers with a special focus on presenting the brand and its products and services as unique and distinct is of utmost importance to the producer as a focus on these features marks the success of the brand. The focus on uniqueness remains significant in making a brand successful as it is only through promising to the customers about the individuality of the products that make them attracted to the brand. A successful branding campaign not only promises to offer unique products but also promises to provide them with services that are incomparable to the products and services of other competing brands. Hence, branding is a campaign that besides serving the goal of promotion also creates a memorable identity for the producers and their products. De Chernatony and Mcdonald (1998) are also of the view that a successful brand is an identifiable product or service, which is perceived by the users or viewers as appropriate, exceptional and having added values which are most suitable for them. Hence, the importance of the customer‟s feedback in terms of his/her experiences, perceptions etc. cannot be denied in making the whole branding process successful and effective. Elliott and Wattanasuvan (1998) are also of the view that the purchasing decisions of a

28 postmodern end user are based more on the symbolic values contained within the product than on its practical benefits. To Davidson (1992) branding creates the difference between “what the manufacturer makes” and “the meanings and values delivered by what the consumer buys” (p. 123). Meaning is given to the brand by the customers depending upon their experiences and perceptions (Kapferer, 2004). To Biel (1997) a brand is a collection of attributes, both concrete and abstract, that add value and with which the customers associate. In other words, a brand serves as a foundation upon which customers can identify and connect with the products or services offered by the brand (Weilbacher, 1995). Urde (1997) has summed up the importance of catering to the needs of the consumers and the aspect of adding value by asserting that “the problem of all business in an age of abundance is to develop customer loyalties and satisfaction, and the key to this problem is to focus on the customer‟s needs” (p. 30). Therefore, it can be concluded that for a brand to be successful, it must offer itself as unique and loyal, as uniqueness and value adding is the key to effective branding.

2.1.5 Brand Identity

Creating a brand identity is perhaps the most effective marketing strategy used by the producers as it is significant in promoting the brand and increasing the sales of its products. In the modern day world of consumerism and branding, brand identity is of utmost importance as it differentiates the brand from its competitors (Kapferer, 2004). Brand identity is centered on a comprehensive understanding of the company‟s clients, contenders, and the whole corporate setting. Brand identity offers a framework for the brand‟s services, purpose and significance. The growing need to create brand identity is the outcome of the upsurge of brands along with an increasing range of products and services they provide. In case a brand doesn‟t have a distinct brand identity, it will not be able to establish a relationship based on trust with the consumers and will thus fail to communicate its merits with the consumers. Randall (1997) considers branding to be the most important strategy for successfully promoting and selling a product or service. According to Randall (1997) branding includes everything from creating a name and identity for the brand, to designing the packaging and advertising the product or service.

In today‟s corporate world firms spend substantial time and resources into creating appropriate brand identities for themselves (Danesi, 2006). On the importance of creating brand identity De Chernatony (1999) says that the seller must put a great emphasis on constructing brand identity. To De Chernatony brand identity is all about “ethos, aims and values that present a sense of individuality differentiating the brand” (1999, p. 165). Brand identity in other words is an expression of a brand‟s uniqueness and individuality which makes it recognizable and identifiable for the customers. Ghodeswar (2008) defines brand identity as “a unique set of brand associations” and considers it to be consisting of a core identity and an extended identity (p. 5). Defining core and extended identity, Ghodeswar writes,

Core identity is the central, timeless essence of the brand that remains constant as the brand moves to new markets and new products. Core identity broadly focuses on product attributes, service, user profile, store ambience and product performance. Extended identity is woven around brand identity elements organized into cohesive and meaningful groups that provide brand texture and completeness, and focuses on brand personality, relationship, and strong symbol association. (2008, p. 5)

Brand identity construction is a requisite for brand management. Just as the brand name, logo, and design is important for the brand‟s success, so is the brand identity (Doyle, 1998). The fundamental concept of brand administration is the creation and management of brand identity. Brand identity is what makes the brand unique and identifiable in an array of competing brands. It identifies the brand‟s distinctiveness and worth by signifying what it represents and demonstrates its uniqueness (Melin, 1997). In short a brand identity is the message sent out to the consumer about the brand by the producer (Kapferer, 1992). Aaker (1996) believes that alongside brand identity, brand personality is also a requirement of a branded product. Aaker (1997) defines brand personality as the set of human features linked with a brand. Yeshin (2006) is of the view that “advertising can create a unique personality for a brand” (2006, p. 11). This personality serves to establish an individual identity for the brand. Wheeler (2009) defines brand identity as, Brand identity is tangible and appeals to the senses. You can see it, touch it, hold it, hear it, watch it move. Brand identity fuels recognition, amplifies differentiation, and makes

big ideas and meaning accessible. Brand identity takes disparate elements and unifies them into whole systems. (p. 4)

Brand identity is the sum of attributes proclaimed by the producer, the means through which those attributes are conveyed to the consumers, and the customers‟ experiences and perceptions regarding the brand over time. Aaker (1996) defines brand identity as a, unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist aspires to create or maintain. These associations represent what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers from the organization members. (p.68)

Thus brand identity is the value created and sent out by the brand producers through its name, logo, packaging, campaigns, advertisements etc. Brand identity is the most beneficial in making the brand successful in the market circles. Brand identity along with brand personality is like brand‟s reputation that comes to work in times of competitive needs. Customers‟ trust is gradually built up due to brand identity which ultimately helps in ensuring customer loyalty when the competition in the market gets tough. The importance of customer loyalty for a brand is of utmost importance if it has to survive in the web of competing brands offering identical products and services. A loyal client is more profitable to the company than an impermanent purchaser. By adding value for the customers, brand identity establishes the relationship of trust and reliance between the consumer and the corporation with added practical as well as emotional benefits (Aaker, 1996). The brand image is a perception of the brand such as the set of images, observations and reactions, and is often referred to as the audience‟s viewpoint. Mårtensson (2008) links brand identity with brand image and believes that the brand identity is the image desired by the producers or the firm that they want to communicate to the customers. Grönroos (2010) also considers the brand identity to be the desired image of the brand that the company wants to create. Hence, the process of creating an image of a brand and generating a desired identity for the product is what is known as branding.

Creating a suitable brand identity is the responsibility of the firm. This identity could be founded on any aspect the producers deem suitable for their company‟s image. Firms that establish a consistent, unique, and appropriate brand identity are successful in creating a fondness for their brands in the market (Schmitt & Simonson, 1997). Nandan (2005) believes that creating a brand image and brand identity is a requirement of strong brands. He believes that though brand image and brand identity are related, there is a distinction between them. To him brand image is more about the perceptions and beliefs of the consumers about the brand. In short, brand identity is the sum of all the basic individualities of a firm that make it stand out and also presents the strength and efficiency of a brand (Kapferer, 2004).

2.1.5. i Brand Name and Logo

Brand name and logo are perhaps the most important features in making a brand identifiable and distinctive in the market circles. Alessandri (2009) considers a brand‟s name to be its “primary form of identification” (p. 10) which makes it unique and serves as the most prominent identification mark. Schawbel (2011) believes that one‟s name is the only currency in today‟s digital era. The brand name and logo are the trademarks of a brand which is the most vital constituent of its identity. Alessandri (2009) considers a logo as a visual emblem that a brand or corporation uses for the purpose of identifying itself to consumers. Ghodeswar (2008) defines a brand in terms of its name and logo as, “a distinguishing name and/or symbol (such as logo, trademark, or package design) intended to identify the goods or services of either one seller or a group of sellers, and to differentiate those goods or services from those of competitors” (2008, p. 4). The definition given by The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000) describes the term logo as, “A name, symbol, or trademark designed for easy and definite recognition, especially one borne on a single printing plate or piece of type” (p. 1029). Similarly, Henderson and Cote (1998) have defined a logo as “the graphic design that a company uses, with or without its name, to identify itself or its products” (p.14). Hence, a brand‟s name and logo play a vital role in defining a brand‟s identity. Brand name and logo are the basic graphic representations of a brand. The value and understanding of the

32 consumer about the name and logo of a brand have a great impact on their relationships with the brand. In an array of brand imagery all around the customer with a bombardment of diverse advertising messages surrounding the customers (Luo & Bhattacharya, 2006), brand logos make brand identification and decision-making easier by the customer (Janiszewski & Meyvis, 2001). In short, a brand logo can shape the brand's reputation (Baker & Balmer, 1997) and has a significant impact on the brand‟s general attainment and character. Woo, Chang-Hoan, and Hyuck Joon (2008) acknowledge the impact of a brand logo on the attitude and loyalty of the customers, whereas Schechter (1993) views a brand logo as an important tool for affecting the commercial value of a firm.

Wallace (2001), just like MacInnis, Shapiro, and Mani (1999), considers a brand logo as the chief tool of creating brand‟s exclusivity and identification as it is the most noticeable visual element of a brand. Besides serving as a key tool of identification of a brand in the marketing circles, the brand name and logo also convey basic facts and information about the brand they represent, thus serving as principal tools for reflecting the visual image of a brand‟s overall significance and appearance (Henderson & Cote, 1998). Brand identity represents the product‟s complete package of both physical and emotive traits and views that are connected with it (Simoes & Dibb, 2001). A brand is a combination of the physical merchandise and the theoretical images associated with it (Parameswaran, 2001). Hankinson and Cowking (1993) have also defined a brand in terms of its practical and emotive value as, “… a product or service made distinctive by its positioning relative to the competition and by its personality, which comprises a unique combination of functional attributes and symbolic values” (p. 10). Besides representing the components and attributes of the product, a brand icon signifies the brand name and brand personality (Lury, 1998). Brand identity links these attributes with the brand for the purpose of adding value to it (Knox & Bickerton, 2003). On the significance of brand name and logo in creating an everlasting impression on the customers, Beasley and Danesi (2002) have said, "brand names, logos, trademarks, jingles, and slogans have become part and parcel of the 'mental encyclopedia' of virtually everyone who lives in a modern- day society” (p. 1). Ellwood (2002) also believes that the “brand name is often the most highly visible and long-lasting connecting element of a

33 brand for the consumer” (p. 136). Hence, the brand name is the most essential element of brand identity as it is the first step in making the corporation appear as unique to the customer. Not only does the brand name make a product distinguishable, it also characterizes an association between the product and the customer. The association develops gradually depending on the associations communicated by the producer and experiences of the customer. Customer loyalty is hence ensured by the firm only by satisfying the needs and expectations of the customers (Kotler, 1999). The brand identity must reveal the corporate approach about the company‟s disposition of catering to the needs of the customers (Aaker & Joachimsthaler, 2000).

2.1.5. ii Brand Image

Urde (2003) differentiates between the internal and the external process of brand building. According to him, unlike the internal process that focuses on describing the relationship between the producer and the brand, the external process focuses on the relationship between the brand and the customer. Hence, the brand image is related to the external process of brand building. Yeshin (2006) acknowledges the role of advertising in brand marketing as not only “creating awareness” and “providing essential information”, but also as helping the producers “to build a relevant brand image” (p. 11). According to Dempsey (2004) brand image is what the brand means to the consumers, while brand identity is what the brand intends to convey. Park, Jaworski and MacInnis (1986) have also defined the brand image as the “understanding consumers derive form the total set of brand-related activities engaged by the firm” (p. 135).

The vital aim of generating a suitable image for a brand is to place it into social cognizance for a better recognition. Brand image must express the unique advantages of the brand. As pointed out by El-daly (2011), the three primary schemes used to improve product recognition among the customers are repetition, arrangement and image creation. As regards the consumer‟s perceptions about the brand image, the notion of brand image is essential to the brand as it integrates views on values, standards, brand attributes and attitudes. Image is a creation of people‟s views about something (Temporal, 2000). The brand image is the customer‟s real interpretation of the brand. Brand image reveals

34 customers‟ sensitivities towards a brand‟s features and is the product of the interpretations of the customers about the products, services and messages communicated by the brand. Kotler (2004) views brand image as consumer‟s perceptions and interpretations of the messages sent out by the brand. Grönroos (2002) also claims that the brand image has an effect on the opinions of customers about the brand and the firm. As the brand image offers beneficial prospects, it affects the purchasing patterns of the customers to a great extent. Brand image is the reflection of the brand‟s associations which are formed through the productive assertions made about the brand through advertising discourse (Elliot & Percy, 2007). In order for a brand to be successful, its brand image must be well planned, maintained, and reinforced (Knapp, 2000). Williamson (1978) is of the view that while buying the product the customer is also buying the image thereby contributing to the creation of identity. A constructive and recognized brand image is beneficial to the firm as it has a power to influence the purchasing arrangements and consumption patterns of the customers (Grönroos, 2002).

2.1.6 Brand Advertisements Online

In order to increase the market value and sales of their products, brands need to reach out to audience through different mediums. In today‟s world of media channel prevalence, all the modes of media are largely being used by the advertisers to promote their brands and products. A consistent message must be delivered to the audience so that an everlasting impression on the minds of the viewers can be made. Advertisements are persuasive and have the power to influence the purchasing patterns of the customers. Advertisement practices and promotional messages on online media platforms are increasingly being practiced as virtual media provides one of the largest platforms for reaching out to a large audience. Brand producers around the world are aware of the prospects of the medium of internet in serving as a significant tool of advertising and promoting their brands. Internet has an exceptional communicating quality owing to its imminence and accessibility.

Virtual media has become a part of people‟s lives nowadays and a day without internet access makes one feel aloof and isolated. This is because of the social media

35 upsurge which has taken the people of the present day era of technology by storm. Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) view social media as a set of internet centered applications that let the users to create and exchange content with each other. Similarly, the advertisers are relying more and more on the use of internet to promote their brands, products and services. Weber (2009) views social media as the most reliable and favorable way of reaching new customers. Thomas (2011) comments on the role of social media in marketing and building relationships by asserting, “Social media has become extremely popular because it allows people to connect in the online world to form relationships for personal and business purposes” (2011, p. 99). Commenting on the social media advertising Thomas further writes, “Social media marketing may involve creating social media advertisements to engage customers or buying advertising on social media sources” (2011, p. 160). Chordas (2009) makes a very interesting observation about advertisements on social networks and argues that when social networking users become fond of a brand through online advertisements, they are more likely to have positive attitude towards it. Advertisers of famous brands use both websites and social networking sites to increase the viewership and to increase the sales of their products. Social media is one of the most efficient online tools for connecting with the consumers in the present day‟s cybernetic world of technology (Trusov, Bucklin, & Pauwels, 2009). Promotions of products and services have become easier through internet. Not only does the medium of internet help in advertising and promoting the brand, it also helps in selling of the products through online stores that manage the online sales of the brand. Though advertisements on internet are paid promotions just like the ones appearing in newspapers, television or radio (Miller, 2011), however, the advertisements on internet are much more dynamic as compared to those appearing in the traditional media.

2.1.7 Brand Advertising Discourse and Advertising Effectiveness

One of the fundamental brand management activities is promotion which is mostly done by advertising (Ellwood, 2002). A successful brand understands the need of effective advertising to create an image that helps in attaining the attention and loyalty of the

36 customers. Creative advertising helps the brand to create a strong impact on the audience (Ghodeswar, 2008). Another important function of advertising along with promotion is to create longings and yearnings in audience that urge them to buy the advertised products. In other words, advertisements tend to create wants in the viewers (Fowles, 1996). Hence, effective advertising is one which creates increased demand of the brand or its products. Mårtensson (2008) is of the view that advertisements create awareness and work to secure attention of the audience. The fondness of customers about a brand is due to its personality and image which is well expressed by advertising. As Ellwood (2002) has also asserted that advertisements are necessary for a brand to “reinforce a brand‟s appeal in the market” (p. 74). Through well-crafted advertisements the producers communicate the spirit and character of the brands. A good advertisement can communicate clearly the viewpoint while empowering the credibility of the brand and creating user reliability (Lake, 2012). According to Yeshin (2006) the purpose of advertising is “to modify the way individuals relate to the product or service being advertised” (p. 11). LePla and Parker are of the view that basically “a brand is a promise a company makes to consumers” (1999, p. 13). Hence, successful and effective advertising is one that affects customers‟ purchasing patterns and helps in increasing the market value of the brand. The purpose of well- framed advertising is to add psychological value to the brand and its products and services in the form of emotional connotations that enable audience to relate with the brand on a personal level (Temporal, 2000). A firm can create a strong brand identity by adding psychological and emotional value to the brand. Sherrington (2003) believes that relating a brand with emotional value is a significant source of adding value to the brand. Similarly, Beatson (1986) has also stated that successful advertising is the one that appeals both to reason and to emotions. In short, advertising effectiveness depends on its ability to resonate with the viewers and to distinguish the brand from its contenders (Aaker & Joachimsthaler, 2000). Regarding the importance of associating the brand with the customers, De Chernatony and McDonald (1998) also viewed advertising effectiveness on its ability to promote a good relationship with the customers.

2.2 Part B: Discourse of Advertising and Identity Construction

In this part a detailed review of literature relevant to the concept of identity construction and discourse is given. Definitions of discourse and identity are given along with the review of literature related to the correlation of advertising discourse and identity construction. This part further presents a discussion about construction and representation of desired identities in the advertising discourse on internet, which is followed by a discussion on the ideological workings of advertisements that help in the construction of identity by the producers.

2.2.1 Discourse and Identity in the World of Advertising Language is the most important system of symbols for expressing and negotiating identities and is central to the negotiation and enactment of identity (De Fina, 2011). Identity is the concept which is used to describe people‟s desire and system to describe themselves focusing on a certain sense of belonging. Mills (1997) believe that discourse and identity are strongly related with each other. Arguing about discourse in relation to identity Mills has said, “Discourses structure both our sense of reality and our notion of our own identity” (1997, p.15). Language use in any version consists of social identities, social associations and schemes of understanding and belief. Our discourse contains a lot of information about ourselves. It discloses a great deal about us. It exposes our age, cultural and social values, our gender, and also the desired identity or group with which we want to be identified or associated (Coulmas, 2005). Discourse on websites and social networking sites serves as the most effective tool for identity construction. Sproull and Kiesler (1991) view computer mediated discourse (CMC) or any form of written discourse as a remarkably effective system of doing communicative work, as contrary to the spontaneous speech, such kinds of written texts allow the users to think and select their words with a lot more carefulness and care, and thus conceal their hesitations, fears and anxieties. Hence, discourse serves as the most significant tool for the construction of identity.

2.2.1. i What is Discourse?

The traditional concept of discourse as given by Crystal (1991) considers discourse as spoken language. According to Crystal discourse is “a continuous stretch of (especially spoken) language larger than a sentence… a discourse is a behavioural unit which has a pre-theoretical status in linguistics…” (1991, p. 106). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000) includes the aspects of both the written and spoken medium of communication in defining the term discourse as, “Verbal expression in speech or writing” (p. 516). Jones, Chik, and Hafner (2015) however, view discourse as an extensive term which can be defined as:

„Discourse‟ is a term that is used in a variety of different fields and can mean a variety of different things. It can refer to the formal properties of semiotic artefacts that make them „hold together‟ as certain types of „texts‟, it can refer to the ways people use language and other semiotic systems to accomplish particular social actions, or it can refer to broader systems of knowledge which act to regulate what people can say, write or think. (pp. 3- 4)

Discourse is practical and purposeful and is designed to be convincing, persuasive, to win hearts and minds (Potter & Wetherell, 2001). Hence, discourse can be defined as the expression or voicing of a point of view. To put in simple words discourse is a social process of constructing meaning (O‟Shaughnessy & Stadler, 2002). Benwell and Stokoe (2006) view discourse as a “multi-modal, intertextual mediator of social life” (p. 106). The concepts of discourse and identity are closely interrelated. Discourse is the vital tool for constructing identity. Identity is marked as the defining character of a person and is fashioned as a result of the person‟s association with his/her personal and social involvements. Philips and Hardy (2002) have stated the relationship between discourse and identity by emphasizing that “the things that make up the social world- including our very identities- appear out of discourse. To put it another way, our talk and what we are, are one and the same” (p.2). Therefore, to understand our social reality and the reality of our experiences, we must need to understand the significance of discourse in constructing identity. As language is the most powerful tool in the construction, re-construction,

39 negotiation, and representation of identities, similarly, advertising discourse is an influential tool to construct and represent identities in the advertising world. As Rogers (2004) also believes that discourse is “always socially, politically, racially and economically loaded” (p. 6). Kress and van Leeuwen (1996) believe that represented participants and interactive participants are the two constituents of visual discourse which refer to the entities that are recorded in the text, and the producers and audience respectively. Wetherell, Taylor, and Yeats (2001) view the study of discourse as the study of language in use. They define discourse as, “people communicating and using language to do things” (p. 3). In other words the study of discourse is the study of human meaning-making. Similarly, discourse plays a significant role in the reproduction and representation of ideologies.

2.2.1. ii What is Identity?

Van Dijk (1998) has a socio-cognitive approach towards the notion of identity. He believes that, “identity is both a personal and a social construct, that is, a mental representation” (p. 118). Altheide (2000) on the other hand has defined identity in terms of our relation with others and the perceptions of others. He defines identity as that part of the self „„by which we are known to others” (2000, p. 2). Identity is not merely a subjective characteristic. It is something related to both the personal associations and group memberships (Bosman, 2008). Erikson (1980) believes that identity “connotes both a persistent sameness within oneself (selfsameness) and a persistent sharing of some kind of essential character with others” (p. 109). To put it simply our identity is something that defines who we are and how we are perceived by ourselves and by others. Identity of a person or group is dynamic and is by no means static. It keeps on developing and changing within networks by communicating and exchanging values and belief systems. When people interact with each other they become familiar to each other and share values and meanings of their perceptions through discourse. This leads to identity negotiations. A very common phenomenon of identity exchange and diversity is found on E- media, especially on social networking websites where a large number of people belonging to different ethnicities and having different tastes and preferences come in contact with each other on a daily basis. Through the coming together of different

40 nationalities, cultural values, social backgrounds etc. on e- media identity adaptation takes place. Consequently the researchers studying identity themes are becoming more and more concerned with the kinds of identity that people accept for themselves and also with the ways in which various identity forms change over time (Crossley, 2005). In the modern age of globalization and through the access to internet, multi-faceted identities of general public are emerging. This is due to the fact that people nowadays, especially the youth, do not rigorously relate to inflexible social identities.

2.2.1. iii Identities Online

According to Paltridge (2006) some people while communicating online may alter the basic features of their essential identity which includes their gender, age, nationality, race or religious associations so that they may present an attractive identity of themselves to the people they are communicating with on virtual platforms. Turkle (1995) is also of the view that human identity is being redefined, as people are assuming manifold identities and developing powerful online relationships which lead to the blurring of the margins defining their distinctive individualities. The phenomenon of identity adaptation is increasing day by day with the upsurge of social networking websites which allow people to create the kinds of identity they desire for themselves through language they use. Online networks have allowed the people to experiment with their identities by constructing and reconstructing their identities. The medium of internet, especially the interactive virtual platforms allow us to construct and negotiate our identities by presenting a certain image to others. Pearson (2009) considers identity as a kind of performance as people do the kind of identity construction which is suitable to them. Boyd (2006) views social networking sites as platforms which help in displaying identity performances to others. These identities that are created and represented through the medium of internet on various virtual platforms offer an interesting area of research to study how discourse is used by individuals and social groups to create various multi- faceted identities for themselves.

2.2.2 Language- An Instrument of Identity Construction

Language is the most powerful tool in communication and expression of ideas, thoughts and beliefs. In addition to playing its role as a significant tool of communication, language serves to display the identity of its speakers (Coulmas, 2005). Through the use of language and discourse one‟s identity is revealed as discourse contains references to one‟s socio-cultural, ethnic, and religious perceptions. Not only does language reveal identity of a person, it also helps shape the identity of a person. Identities are not static, but dynamic and continuously being remodeled through our use of language and also through the ways we belong to a group (Casanave, 2002). It is language that provides us the basic instruments to create and redefine our identities. As defined by Wenger (1998), identity is a kind of an experience which enables us to “define who we are by the way we experience our selves… as well as by the ways we and others reify our selves” (p. 149). Hence, our identity is something that enables us to bring ourselves into being. Therefore, language plays a vital role in defining us in terms of our individual and social realities.

Language serves as a tool of developing insights and views, shaping perceptions, and constructing individual and social identities. Hence, there is a two way relationship between language and identity as language not only displays identity of its speakers but also helps in the creation and negotiation of their identity. In fact, linguistic meanings need to be studied and comprehended with a reference to the identities of both the speakers and the listeners. Mills (1997) believes that new meanings added to language have helped attaining acknowledgement under structuralist and post structuralists belief system. Socio-linguists now believe that without the concept of identity language does not hold any meaning. Language has its own determinative effect on the way people think and express themselves. Language is not perceived as merely a tool of communication and representation. It not only enables us to display our identity in terms of who we are, but also how we want others to perceive us (Paltridge, 2006). Regarding the interrelation of discourse, identity and culture, Zaidman (2001) affirms that culture is one of the most significant elements that affect the identity patterns of the speakers. People having different cultural backgrounds are identified within a group owing to their discourses which are influenced by their respective diverse cultures.

2.2.3 Discourse on Internet: Use of Language and Symbols to Create Desired Identities Blommaert (2005) defines identity as, “who and what we are”, and believes that the understanding of this concept of identity depends upon the “context, occasion and purpose” (p. 203). The discourse practices and linguistic choices made by the speakers while communicating online offer an interesting dimension to study the means in which social identities are fashioned. The discourse practices and linguistic choices determining identity include signs and symbols, narratives and descriptions, and textual and visual genres. Chandler (2002) asserts that “our sense of identity is established through signs” (p. 218). Blommaert (2005) also takes a semiotic angle on identity by asserting that identity is semiotic and “every act of semiosis is an act of identity in which we give off information about ourselves” (p. 204). These acts of identity can be studied by placing the individual in association to his/her national, cultural, ethno-linguistic backgrounds. Gee (2005) argues that identity construction besides largely depending upon language also depends upon the ways in which we make ourselves noticeable and identifiable to others. In short, identity construction means the choice to select from a set of roles available to us in society (Jan & Peter, 2003). Observing a randomly selected advertisement text on internet especially on official websites or Facebook pages of brands demonstrates how the linguistic and extra- linguistic or semiotic features in the text that can offer a dimension in studying the globalized modern identities to which the brands aspire to be recognized with. These online platforms serve as a stage where the brands can create and represent their identity through the use of language. O‟Shaughnessy and Stadler (2002) believe that all forms of media are sign systems. According to Halliday (1978) as cited by O‟Halloran (2011) semiotic resources are “system(s) of meanings that constitute the reality of the culture” (p. 2). The underlined meanings in the patterns of codes and signs used in the advertisement texts need to be analyzed to examine how these are used to construct identity. Baym (2002) argues that formerly computer mediated communication had not been considered appropriate for the social uses of language. Due to its variations from the standard language it was considered inappropriate for social use. But with the rise in social networking websites it is now widely accepted that computer mediated

43 communication, with all its deviations is basically social in nature. Wetherell et al. (2001) are of the view that when certain types of discourses become common and are generally shared, they become social realities by having a tendency to dominate over other possible accounts and is thus marked as the “definitive truth” (Wetherell et al., 2001, p. 16). Therefore, keeping in view the importance of discourse practices in a social sphere, the current study focuses on the study of language use in advertisements.

2.2.3. i Identity Construction on Official Websites and Facebook Profiles

Since language along with its linguistic and semiotic features is the key tool of communication on internet, it is believed to be having utmost importance in forming impressions not only of our own selves but also of others‟ selves (Baym, 2002). Though advertisement texts of online advertising discourse are circulated on internet, the advertising text producers still have a lot of time to think over their linguistic choices in the texts. Through proper planning and after much thought the advertisement texts to be circulated online are created. Just as the people in the real world are recognized by their language, national and ethnic identities, gender, age, physical appearances, etc.; in the cyber world they are completely identified by their language which includes textual features and also how they prefer to visually present themselves. Therefore, it can be said that advertisements in the virtual world are much self-constructed and controlled just as they are in the real world. Coulmas (2005) views linguistic identity as a matter of choice which is not enforced upon one. Online advertisement content makes it easier for the brands to construct and represent multi-faceted desired identities for themselves as the advertisers have plenty of time to think about their linguistic choices (Zhao, Grasmuck, & Martin, 2008). Giddens (1990) argues that one important aspect of identity in the present age of technology and globalization is the ability to self-narrate. Websites and SNSs offer the advertisers a lot of opportunities to construct and manage identities online. A social networking profile page offers the first big impression to visitors about the profile user (Chan-Meetoo & Rathacharen, 2010). Websites and Facebook pages serve as a tool of expression, self- promotion, impression management and sales (Ibrahim, 2009). Many advertisers today feel the need to use websites and social networks for their brand‟s

44 promotion not only to promote their products and services but also to manage how they are perceived by the customers. More than anything else this purpose is achieved by the use of language in the advertising discourse as language is the fundamental means of expressing, promoting, and selling the brand in the cyber world. Baym (2002) believes that users communicating on online platforms build online identities by using language in various forms to make it appealing and interesting. Websites and Facebook pages of brands offer a stimulating field of study to socio-linguists and communication researchers as these mediums help in forming and managing impressions (Tong, Van Der Heide, Langwell, & Walther OR et al., 2008). Facebook Profiles have turned out to be instruments of presenting one‟s identity online (Boyd & Heer, 2006). Coulmas (2005) has asserted that “identities are partly given and partly made” (p. 178). Advertisement content on websites and other social networking websites such as Facebook allows the advertisers to construct new desired identities. These identities are revealed by the advertisers of different brands through the choice of different linguistic and semiotic features they display in the advertising content on their websites and Facebook pages. In the official websites and on official Facebook pages where the copyrights issues are ensured and anonymity is out of question, the advertisers are conscious to display correct information about their brands, products and services. Impressions are based on the information the user or advertisers includes in a profile to highlight their most positive qualities (Zywica & Danowski, 2008).

2.2.4 Construction of Self and Self-Presentation Online Self-construction and self-presentation refers to a person or group‟s endeavors to create and present a specific image and identity to others (Joinson, 2003). According to Van Dijk (1998), while representing the self, people construct themselves as being a member of a number of classes and groups. He further states that “part of our self-representation is inferred from the ways others [other group members] see, define and treat us” (1998, p. 118). Official websites and official Facebook pages serve as effective tools of self- construction and self-presentation. Larson (2007) is of the view that users on online social platforms try to portray their real selves and present themselves as sincerely as

45 possible. Whereas Pearson (2009) argues that identities are constructed consciously on online platforms of communication. Boyd and Ellison (2007) are also of the view that profiles are unique pages where one can “type oneself into being” (p. 3). Such platforms of presentation allow the users to manage aspects of self- construction and self- presentation (Pearson, 2009). Similarly, advertisers on their websites and social networking sites construct and present their identities through linguistic choices and by choosing to present themselves through discourse in such a way as to appear appealing to the customers.

2.2.4. i Multi-Faceted Personal and Social Identities Online According to Scott, Corman, and Cheney (1998), identities refer to the concepts of resources and rules that provide a base for the self. Coulmas (2005) believes, „identity is a multilayered dynamic process rather than an inborn trait that cannot be helped” (p. 178). In the current age of globalization with an easy access to internet and technology, identity construction has become a much dynamic process as people are continuing to adapt themselves to new identities, which is resulting in the formation of their multi- faceted identities. The social identities of people are changing vigorously thus making the very notion of identity a dynamic rather than a static one (Van Dijk, 1998). Johnson and Ensslin (2007) have voiced the similar concern: We are engaged in an almost constant process of encoding and decoding linguistic and non-linguistic messages. Consequently, we are subjected to, as well as in control of, a plethora of technological and medial information flows that both construct and transfer ideologies between ourselves, our information providers, and our target audiences. (p. 11)

Social identities are determined by one‟s associations and affiliations with different social groups. Fairclough (2003) considers social identity to be the product of the sum of matters of the social backgrounds into which one is born, and the matters of the social settings encountered later in life such as acquired roles as politician or teacher. To Fairclough (2003) there is a distinction between personal identity and social identity. According to him social identity and personal identity are two analytically distinct aspect of people‟s identity and there is a “dialectical relationship between social identity and personality” (p. 223). Both the personal and social identities are forceful and are dynamic

46 in nature, and both may change over time. Van Dijk (1998) has distinguished between social and personal identity. He defines personal identity as: a mental representation as (personal) self as a unique human being with its own, personal experiences and biography- as represented in accumulated mental models, and the abstract self-concept derived from it, often in interaction with others. (p. 120)

Whereas, social identity as defined by Van Dijk (1998) is “a mental representation of (social) self as a collection of group memberships, and the identification processes that are related to such membership representations” (1998, p. 120). Crossley (2005) has also presented the distinction between the concepts of social and personal identity. According to Crossley, „Social identity‟ refers to forms of categorization which link an individual to a broader social grouping, for example, „women‟ or „the working class‟, whilst „personal identity‟ refers to the various ways in which the individual demarcates their self, or is demarcated, as a unique being with a distinct body, biography, situation, and so on… but where „social identity‟ tends to link the individual to this or that group, „personal identity‟ generally seeks to differentiate the individual from the group by locating elements of difference. (2005, p. 145)

Differentiating between social and personal identities De Fina (2011) states, Social identities are large categories of belonging such as those pertaining to race, gender, and political affiliation (Latinos, Catholics, etc.), while personal identities are constructs that may include not only sets of membership categories, but also moral and physical characteristics that distinguish one person from another (a courageous person or a coward). (2011, p. 268)

Social psychologists consider the notion of social identity to be focusing on identity of groups and how they interact with each other (Bosman, 2008). Social identity is believed to be a popular notion in social science owing to its recognition as a tool through which aspects of social life are assessed. As regards the construction of personal and social identity of the brand, the advertisers ensure to present the practical benefits of the brand, and while doing so they attach greater emotional value to the brands to make the brand and its products more identifiable to the customers. As Ghodeswar (2008) also

47 believes that brand image is the opinion in the mind of the consumer about the brand and its affiliations.

2.2.5 Advertising Discourse and Identity Construction of Brands

Advertising is a business and like other features of business it is a product of conscientiousness and careful designing. Cook (1992) defines advertising in terms of a prominent discourse type. He says that, “advertising is not a remote and specialized discourse, but a prominent discourse type in contemporary society” (p. 199). O‟ Guinn, Allen, and Semenik (2003) consider advertisements as having “creative flow” and “information” and something that “helps businesses get things sold” (p. vii). Advertisements are designed to create consumer impressions of the brands being advertised so that the consumers are influenced to buy the product, or if they are already buying it, they are compelled to buy it more often (White, 2000).

The role of advertising discourse in the construction of identity cannot be undermined (Widdowson, 2004). The connection between advertisement discourse and identity construction is substantial as it is through the discourse of advertising that brands construct a suitable identity for themselves and their products or services. Musolff (2006) is of the view that advertisements are kinds of discourse which have an influential role in constructing our identities. Threadgold (1989) also claims that texts are never objective and cannot be detached from the social realities and practices in which they are produced and consumed. Identity is a sense of socially constructed self-concepts (Harter, 1999) which consist of both the presumed and desired selves of one. According to Van Dijk‟s (1998) “identity is both a personal and a social construct, that is, a mental representation” (p. 118). Identity is a sense of socially constructed concepts within oneself that include not only one‟s supposed facades, but also the desired identities (Harter, 1999). Blommaert (2005) takes a semiotic angle on identity. He asserts that identity is semiotic and “every act of semiosis is an act of identity in which we give off information about ourselves” (p. 204). Alessandri (2009) define organization‟s identity as “a set of individual elements, or components, that make up a part of its marketing toolkit” (p. 5). Advertising discourse has a persuasive power that influences the choices of the audience and affects their consumption patterns. Advertisements tend to establish an

48 image for the product being advertised. Wheeler (2003) stresses that products are created in the factory but the brands are created in the mind. According to Fairclough (1989) this works through both verbal and visual signals used in the advertising text, suggesting a setting for a better lifestyle, usually related to vibrant and fresher sections of the middle class. Advertising text producers rely on using a variety of discourses including written and verbal, graphic and visual etc. The graphic or visual signs in the advertisements may be the gestures, expressions, colors or subtle decor in the settings depicted which gives the product a certain air of sophistication, style, vibrancy etc. the verbal signals are the vocabulary items used to define the products being advertised (Fairclough, 1989). Visual identities of brands are created using textual, verbal and visual elements in advertisements. The combination of verbal and visual elements in advertising to constitute texts is becoming increasingly important in our society (Fairclough, 1989). Verbal language is concerned with words; whereas, visual or non-verbal language is concerned with visual images such as colors, gestures, illustrations, font, signs and symbols, expressions etc. in the images. Rubin (1995) also acknowledges the role of both the written and oral language in serving as a tool for communicating and creating different aspects of a brand‟s identity.

2.2.6 Ideological Workings of Advertisements

Ideology refers to a set of ideals, values, principles, beliefs and notions that guide our lives. O‟ Shaughnessy (1999) defines ideology as, “a set of social values, ideas, beliefs, feelings, representations, and institutions by which people collectively make sense of the world they live in” (p. 159). These ideals are often influenced by the media that motivates us to think in a certain way, thus strengthening our beliefs or modifying our ideologies and opinions about the world. Media producers especially the advertisers consciously or unconsciously represent dominant beliefs and notions of the time in their advertising discourses. Therefore, ideology is the sum of thoughts, ideas, opinions, and ideals, which offers a controlled view of the world. Van Dijk (1998) believes that texts allow members of a social group to actually communicate theoretical ideological philosophies.

Discourse has been defined by Gee (2005) in terms of its ideological bearings. Discourse as defined by Gee is “language (oral or written) in use with more socio- politically oriented meaning” (2005, p. 1). This shows that our words are not objective. The language we use contains hints of the perceptions we have as members of a particular social group, thus revealing our ideologies. Van Dijk (1995) has also asserted that “ideologies are typically, though not exclusively, expressed and reproduced in discourse and communication, including non-verbal semiotic messages, such as picture, photographs and movies” (p. 17). Advertisements have a great influence on the way we perceive social realities. Their existence and appearance all around us tend to show the images portrayed in them as real world experiences. Williamson (1978) has asserted that “ads are loaded with images of ways to be” (p. 13), which means that our ideological conceptions are targeted and gradually transformed when constantly exposed to the images shown in advertising texts. Advertising is an attempt to persuade and all advertisements are aimed at making people to do something. An advertisement hence is a persuasive communication about a product, service and also about an idea (O‟ Guinn, Allen, & Semenik, 2003). Advertisements are believed to be providing information but more than that advertising is an art of persuasion as these are specially created to present a product in the business market in terms of its ability to satisfy various emotional and social needs (Danesi, 2006). Discourse of advertising is vital to the construction of identity by the brands, which is referred to as “the official art of modern capitalist society” by Williams (1980, p.184). To Williams discourse of advertising has magical powers in selling of goods and services offered by the advertiser. For Williams advertising is magic as it transforms commodities into signifiers. His notion is based on the Marxist notion that capitalism turns commodities into fetishes. Marx condemned ideology as an illusion to cover capitalist exploitation and termed it as “false consciousness” (Marx & Engels, 1962, p. 36). Althusser, another Marxist philosopher, however, describes his conception of ideology in a more neutral way and defined ideologies as “not pure illusions, but bodies of representations existing in institutions and practice” (Althusser, 1976, p. 155). He believed that ideology is not necessarily perceived as true or false, but as a matter of the real and an imaginary relation between men and their world (Althusser, 1969).

Fairclough (1989) explains how advertisements work ideologically by building relations, images, and also by building the consumer. About building relations, Fairclough has asserted that, “advertising discourse embodies an ideological representation of the relationship between the producer/advertiser of the product being advertised and the audience, which facilitates the main ideological „work‟” (p. 202). As regards building images, Fairclough (1989) asserts that “advertisements get their audiences to draw upon ideological elements in order to establish an „image‟ for the product being advertised” (p. 202). The major ideological work of advertising according to Fairclough (1989) is „building the consumer‟ i.e. constructing subject positions for 'consumers' as members of consumption communities (p. 202-203). Hence, it can be said that advertising has become less concerned with the communication of information about the products being advertised and has become increasingly concerned with influencing the social values and beliefs in a way that encourages the audience into configurations of consumption (Woods, 2006). Johnson and Ensslin (2007) voice the similar concern as: We are engaged in an almost constant process of encoding and decoding linguistic and non-linguistic messages. Consequently, we are subjected to, as well as in control of, a plethora of technological and medial information flows that both construct and transfer ideologies between ourselves, our information providers, and our target audiences. (2007, p. 11)

According to Jones (2012) texts have the power to promote certain versions of reality and points of view. He emphasizes on four points: 1 the ways authors create „versions of reality‟ based on their choice of words and how they combine words together; 2 the ways authors construct certain kinds of relationship between themselves and their readers; 3 the ways authors appropriate the words of other people and how they represent those words; and 4 the ways authors of texts draw upon and reinforce the larger systems of beliefs and knowledge that govern what counts as right or wrong, good or bad, and normal or abnormal in a particular society. (p. 11)

The non-product advertisements are examples of how advertisements do not just serve to inform and persuade the audience in buying something from the advertisers. Such advertisements are directed more towards promoting a change in behavior. Cook (1992) affirms that, “ads may not always be obliged to refer to a product, but they are still

51 obliged to refer, however obliquely, to a change of behavior” (p. 224). Hence, it can be concluded that the discourse of advertising not only reflects social realities, but also creates certain versions of social reality and ideological standpoints.

2.3 Part C: Discourse Analysis and Identity Construction

This part gives a thorough review of literature related to the field of discourse analysis with reference to the trends in the processes of identity construction in discourse. This section further gives a detailed review of literature about the types and theories of discourse analysis. A discussion of discourse analysis in relation to advertisement texts is also presented in this section.

2.3.1 Discourse and Identity

Language is the vital tool of human communication which enables humans to exchange ideas and information and to express emotional state and feelings. Not only does language serves as a tool of communication of our ideas and thoughts, it also functions to construct and represent our identity. The discourses we use carry information about ourselves which includes hints to our ethnicities, socio- cultural backgrounds, ideologies, values, gender, age etc. While we use language to convey information about ourselves we also use it to make ourselves identified with other people or social groups. Hence, language and discourse are considered to be crucial in the construction and negotiation of identities. Burman and Parker (1993) view identity from the standpoint of discourse analysis and consider it as a continuing process accomplished through discourse in social interactions. In other words the social meanings of a person or group‟s existence are informally created through discourse rather than being exclusively innate to the person or a group (Hardy & Phillips 1999).

Giddens (1990) believes that a significant aspect of identity in the present age is its ability to self-narrate. Burton and Dimbleby (1995) comment on the relationship between communication, discourse, and identity by asserting that “our notions of self-

52 image and self- esteem are crucial to our ability to participate in human communication transactions. Our communication processes – encoding and decoding meanings through shared symbol systems- begin and end in intrapersonal communication” (p. 151). Our identity comes to be reflected in the discourse we use. Not only is our identity revealed in discourse, it is also created in the discourse we use. Page et al. (2014) while presenting a progressive concept of language focus on the role of language in identity construction. According to them, “Language is used to „perform‟ identity, and particular ways of using language… can be used to signal orientation towards shared norms and values” (2014, p. 28). Not only does language embody the socio-cultural norms of the society in which it exists, it also affects the social and cultural norms prevalent in the society. Our language and the discourse we use are never objective. They contain hints of the ways we perceive different social realities. Discourse is reflective of who we are, the way we perceive things, and the values we want to be identified with. Acknowledging the relationship between discourse and identity, Hyland (2013) goes as far as to say that discourse is a way of being. Identity is a kind of a narrative covering the story of our lives that we offer to ourselves and others in a social group (Bernstein, 2004). The intrinsic relationship between discourse and identity offers a productive area of studying how language as a discourse practice helps in „doing‟ things.

2.3.2 Discourse and Text- Meanings and Implications

Discourse is an instance of making meaning in social life (Wetherell et al., 2001) and hence in order to study it, sociological implications must be taken into consideration. The term discourse refers both to the creation of information and meanings through language, and the way that understanding is established (du Gay, 1996). According to He (2001), the word discourse denotes the ideologies and belief systems that are generated within. Although discourses are exemplified in diverse range of texts, they exist even beyond the specific texts that compose them (Phillips & Hardy, 2002). Most often the terms discourse and text are considered as one. However, there exists a distinction between both the terms. Mills (1997) has presented a distinction between discourse and text. According to Mills (1997) discourse is linguistic communication between a speaker and a

53 listener whose form is determined by its social purpose. Text, on the other hand is a written or spoken linguistic communication viewed simply as a coded message in its audio or visual form. Chandler (2002) also considers a text as a message that is substantially independent of its producer or viewer. According to McKee (2003), a text is something that we make meaning from. Therefore, whenever an interpretation of the meaning of something is made, it is basically treated as a text. Chandler (2002) has asserted that “a text is an assemblage of signs (such as words, images, sounds and/or gestures) constructed (and interpreted) with reference to the conventions associated with a genre and in a particular medium of communication” (p. 3). Wetherell et al. (2001) have defined „text‟ as:

Discourse researchers typically work with „texts‟. Texts include, perhaps most commonly, transcripts of recorded conversations. Texts also include written documents. Some of the sites discourse analysts study are naturally occurring in the sense that the discursive event would have happened whether the researcher was there or not. It is possible that the presence of the researcher or the tape recorder changed what happened but that is another issue. (p. 3)

Text is a systematized entity which consists of smaller components. Greenbaum and Quirk (1990) define it as “a stretch of language which makes coherent sense in the context of its units. It may be spoken or written; it may be as long as a book or as short as a cry for help” (p. 434). Hodge and Kress (2001) are of the view that text and discourse are often used interchangeably, although there is a difference between the two terms. They differentiate the two concepts by claiming that texts are concrete objects produced and embedded in discourse which is a social process. There is an indispensible link between discourse, social realities and texts. Describing the connection between discourse, text and social reality, Phillips and Hardy (2002) emphasize that singular pieces of texts should be examined for the purpose of studying the relation between discourse and social reality because discourses cannot be established in their totality without exploring the texts representing those discourses.

2.3.3 Sociological Implications of Discourse

Language is considered to be an element of social life as sociological implications from the concept of language and discourse cannot be taken out. Discourse is created,

54 circulated and consumed in society. It is in society where language is developed and used. Coulmas (2001) considers language as a social product and believes that every society is founded on the grounds of language. Discourse is language having sociological characteristics. Discourse is a social action (Wetherell, 2001) that has power to „do‟ things. Discourse is the outcome of a certain communicative act. To some people discourse is a very restrained entity which has its focus on a single utterance, while Howarth (2002) views discourse as “synonymous with the entire social system, in which discourses literally constitute the social and political world” (p. 2). Discourse as defined by Gee (2005) is “language (oral or written) in use with more socio-politically oriented meaning” (p. 1).

Mills (1997) has cited the definition of discourse given by Macdonnell‟s (1986) which is brief but comprehensive. He has stated that “whatever signifies or has meaning can be considered part of discourse” (p. 13). This is a comprehensive view of discourse which attributes meaning making characteristic to the concept of discourse. Phillip and Hardy‟s (2002) definition of the term discourse is somewhat more precise. To them discourse is an “interrelated set of texts, and the practices of their production, dissemination, and reception, that brings an object into being” (p. 3). Discourse is a form of social practice which gives meaning to the things happening around us. Van Dijk (2011) treats discourse as “complex, layered construct” (p. 4). He asserts: Discourse analysis defines discourse as a complex, layered, multidimensional object or phenomenon integrating the three major dimensions of natural languages: Form or Expression (sounds, visuals, words, phrases, etc.), Meaning and Action. Each of these levels or dimensions is then further analysed in terms of more specific phonological, semiotic, syntactic, lexical, semantic, schematic, pragmatic and interactional theories. (2011, p. 4)

In order for a discourse to make sense it must be understood in relation to its social milieu. Yates (2001) elucidates the importance of social contexts in the meaning making of discourses by asserting that language use is embedded in a “context of situation” and that utterances only become understandable within this “context of situation” (p. 82). Malinowski (1923), as cited by Yates (2001), claimed that “context” should be observed in a wider sociological and cultural structure. He further stated that in

55 a language use analysis the context must never be “passed over as irrelevant” and that the analysis must “burst the bonds of mere linguistics” (2001, p. 82). Different discourses are different ways of signifying the aspects of the world we live in (Fairclough, 2003). Jaworski and Coupland (2006) cite Fairclough‟s (1992) view of discourse, who believes that discourse is “more than just language use: it is language use, whether speech or writing, seen as a type of social practice” (p. 2). Jaworski and Coupland (2006) also define discourse as a social practice by asserting, “language use relative to social, political and cultural formations- it is language reflecting social order but also language shaping social order, and shaping individuals‟ interaction with society” (p. 3). In short, discourses are representatives of the socio-cultural realities in which they are produced and circulated.

2.3.4 Discourse Analysis- Various Approaches and Scope

To put in simple words the analysis of discourse is the analysis of language in use. Unlike some linguists who focus more on studying the formal properties of a language, the discourse analysts are focused on investigating what the language is used for (Brown & Yule, 1983). There are many approaches to discourse analysis, which may differ on some scale; however, there are some essential common elements between the wide ranging approaches. The commonalities include the focus on discourse as a social practice, the focus on the interpretation of data in relation to the social experiences, the use of naturally occurring texts etc. (Burman & Parker, 1993). Page et al. (2014) define discourse analysis in general terms. They believe that “Discourse analysis is a varied technique that aims to understand the social meanings that are made in texts through close analysis of the language use” (p. 94). Discourse analysis offers a system of studying social realities. It is a useful technique in empirical studies and is a convincing theoretical framework for examining social realities (Phillips & Hardy, 2002). Brown and Yule (1983) view the analysis of discourse as “necessarily the analysis of language in use” (p. 1). To them discourse analysis “cannot be restricted to the descriptions of linguistic forms independent of the purposes or functions which these forms are designed to serve in human affairs” (Brown & Yule, 1983, p. 1).

Discourse analysis has a very wide ranging scope. Disciplines other than Linguistics and Languages such as Sociology, Anthropology, Philosophy etc. are relying greatly on discourse analysis for research purposes in their respective sub fields. Hyland (2013) comments on the scope of discourse analysis: So while the analysis of discourse begins with linguistic study, it takes us far beyond texts, helping us to understand how language is used to construct ourselves, our communities and our political and cultural formations. It has, in other words, become an inescapably important concept for understanding all aspects of society and human responses to it. (2013, p. 1)

Since language is everywhere around us and is linked to almost everything happening in the world, discourse analysis has become essential as a research approach for these disciplines as well. Commenting on the scope of discourse analysis Howarth (2002) writes, Discourse analysis refers to the process of analyzing signifying practices as discursive forms. This means that discourse analysts treat a wide range of linguistic and non- linguistic material- speeches, reports, manifestos, historical events, interviews, policies, ideas, even organizations and institutions- as „texts‟ or „writings‟ that enable subjects to experience the world of objects, words and practices. (p. 10)

Philips and Hardy (2002) view discourse analysis as a methodology that offers a number of methods to study how we perceive the social world. Discourse analysis uses interviews, focus groups, documents and records, naturally occurring conversations, political speeches, newspaper articles, cartoons, novels etc. as data (Philips & Hardy, 2002). Various approaches used in discourse analysis include critical linguistics, conversation analysis, ethnography, critical discourse analysis, multi-modal discourse analysis etc. Some principal standpoints in discourse analysis are critical discourse analysis, socio-linguistic analysis, and critical linguistic analysis. Critical discourse analysis views language as a form of social practice and has its focus on studying unequal power relations by examining how power relations are ordained and legitimated in texts of dominant groups and institutions (Van Dijk, 1996). Socio- linguistic analysis lays its attention on studying individual texts to study how texts function in constructing other phenomenon. A few widely used approaches to social linguistic analysis are content and

57 linguistic analysis and literary analysis (Philips & Hardy, 2002). Critical linguistic analysis uses narrative analysis and conversational analysis as the chief methods of analysis to study how the configurations of authority in the adjoining context are involved in the text. The focus of critical linguistic analysis remains on the dynamics of power surrounding the text (Philips & Hardy, 2002). Gee (2005) believes that discourse models are theories that enable the researcher to make sense of the world by making sense of the texts. Considering this view of discourse models it can be said that a discourse analyst undertakes to study the relationship between discourse and the meanings of social realities. Discourse analysis focuses on the particulars of discourse which are thought to be appropriate and significant in the text production and meaning making contexts. Recognizing the scope of discourse analysis, Gee (2011) considers discourse analysis to be “tied closely to the details of language structure (grammar), but that deals with meaning in social, cultural, and political terms, a broader approach to meaning than is common in much mainstream linguistics” (p. ix). Hyland and Paltridge (2011) believe that discourse analysts focus on the “analysis of speech and writing to bring out the dynamics and conventions of social situations, or take a more theoretical and critical point of view to consider the institutionalized ways of thinking that define our social lives” (p. 1). Textual analysis is a part of discourse analysis but discourse analysis does not consist of only an analysis of the linguistic components of texts. Fairclough (2003) draws a distinction between a textual analysis and discourse analysis. To him, Text analysis is an essential part of discourse analysis, but discourse analysis is not merely the linguistic analysis of texts. I see discourse analysis as „oscillating‟ between a focus on specific texts and a focus on what I shall call the „orders of discourse‟, the relatively durable social structuring of language which is itself one element of the relatively durable structuring and networking of social practices. (p. 3)

Commenting on the methods used in discourse analysis, Martin and Rose (2003) assert that discourse analysis “employs the tools of grammarians to identify the roles of wordings in passages of text, and employs the tools of social theorists to explain why they make the meanings they do” (p. 4). Hence, discourse analysis not only attempts to study those details of speech which are significant in creating the texts but also focuses

58 on studying the sociological implications of the texts that help in the meaning making processes. Van Dijk (2011) argues in this context by stating that “beyond the local structures (sequences) of sentences, turns or moves, discourse analysis also pays attention to more global structures, such as the organizational schemata (superstructures), of conversations, news reports or scholarly articles (p. 4). Hyland (2013) views discourse analysis as a tool “to understand language in the world” (p.1). He asserts, “It is the principle means to explore how language functions in potentially all aspects of human life; how it works to create and sustain social relationships among individuals, and so shape our identities and our interactions with society” (Hyland, 2013, p. 1). Discourse analysis in short, is a study language in action, which focuses on examining texts in relation to the social contexts in which they are produced and used.

2.3.5 Discourse Analysis and the Study of Identity Construction in Advertisement Texts

McCarthy (1991) defines discourse analysis as being “concerned with the study of the relationship between language and the contexts in which it is used” (p. 5). He further asserts that discourse analysts study “language in use: written texts of all kinds, and spoken data, from conversation to highly institutionalized forms of talk” (McCarthy, 1991, p. 5). Speech act theory (Searle, 1969; 1979) recognizes the ability of language to do things and acknowledges language as action. And it is this exploration of “language in action” that constitutes the study of discourse (Hyland, 2013, p. 1). Discourse and identity are interlinked as it is through discourse that people construct and represent their identity. Discourse cannot be separated from the aspects of identity and vice versa. Defining discourse analysis with respect to its role in studying identity construction, He (2001) asserts:

Discourse analysis seeks to describe and explain linguistic phenomenon in terms of the affective, cognitive, situational, and cultural contexts of their use and to identify linguistic resources through which we (re)construct our life (our identity, role, activity, community, emotion, stance, knowledge, belief, ideology, and so forth). (p. 429)

Paltridge (2006) also believes that discourse analysis studies the ways in which the use of language is affected by the associations between participants and also examines the effects of language upon social identities and relations. Discourse analysis focuses on studying the role of discourse in creating identities and the perceptions of the world. Therefore, an important role of discourse analysis is to study the patterns and processes of identity construction. The social identities existing in today‟s globalized world are dynamic, hybrid and intricate due to an increased exposure to various modes of media such as television and internet. With an upsurge of media networks, advertising industry has also expanded its marketing network to the thriving newly emerged modes of media such as websites, social networking sites, blogs etc. The most significant aspect of advertising other than promotion and information is its role in the construction and shaping of identities. Floch (2000) straightforwardly asserts in this regard, “The advertisement deals with the question of identity” (p. 9). Advertising enables us to view things from newer perspectives and thus helps in shaping our sense of the world. Viewers start associating the brands or products that are advertised with all the goodness and start believing that consuming the products will give them identities (Dyer, 1982). Just as advertising affects our perceptions of ourselves, it similarly, shapes our perceptions about the brand or products it is promoting. Through the discourse of advertising the advertisers construct their brand‟s image and personality, thus creating a desired self for themselves and their respective brands. According to Alessandri (2009), the visual identities of the brands are what are considered to be the brand personalities. She asserts that visual identity is “a strategically planned and purposeful presentation in order to gain a positive organizational image in the minds of the public” (Alessandri, 2009, p. 5). Identity construction and negotiation in advertising relies heavily on identification with narrators and viewers through signs and symbols. Language is used in exciting and innovative ways to help the brand stand out (Brierley, 1995). A positive image and identity is created for the brand or its products and services with the aim of attaining a advantageous response of consumers. Media texts are examples of how identity is created through language and discourse analysis in this regard helps in studying the practices and processes of the construction of identity. Self- construction and self- representation in media texts,

60 especially in advertisements offer interesting dimensions in examining the ways in which language and discourse are used to construct identity. Van Dijk (2011) believes that despite a large number of researches that have been conducted in the field of discourse studies, different levels and dimensions of discourse still need to be explored. Discourse analysis offers theoretical frameworks and methodologies to analyze texts in order to study identity construction practices in texts through the use of language. Paltridge (2006) believes that the text oriented understanding of discourse analysis focuses more on linguistic components of the text, whereas, the socially oriented stance of discourse analysis focuses more on the function of the text in the social and cultural settings in which it takes place. Ahmed (2000) has emphasized on the need to study advertising discourse by stating that “whether from a quantitative, qualitative or interpretive perspective, whether a researcher follows the modern social scientific approach, critical theory perspective or postmodernist approach, analysis of advertising and other media content is of growing importance” (p. 11). Hence, the area of advertising discourse and identity offers a fertile domain of study. O‟ Barr (1994) argues that for an ideological analysis of advertisements the analyst has to examine the secondary discourses within the advertisements. The primary discourse is the one which is about the particular qualities of the product being advertised, whereas, the secondary discourses are the concepts and notions about social relationships embedded within the advertisement texts. The social relationships embedded within the secondary discourse, and the traits promoted in the primary discourse both reflect the ideology of advertising images. As O‟Barr asserts, In depicting the context of use of a commodity, the advertisements also depict a number of things about society, such as who does the laundry, who prepares breakfast while someone else sits at the table, and who drives and who rides as passengers in a car. (1994, p. 3)

In the present research work discourse analysis is used as the theoretical background that can be applied to a text to study the meanings created in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. According to Chimombo and Roseberry (1998) discourse analysis offers a deeper understanding of texts and explains how the texts become meaningful to their users. Since discourse analysis studies the effects of discourse on the

61 creation of social identities and relations (Paltridge, 2006), the current research uses discourse analysis to study the effects of advertising discourse upon the construction and representation of individual, social, and other multi0faceted identities of brands.

2.4 Bringing the Strands Together: Conclusion of the Chapter

The chapter is divided into three main parts to provide a review of literature related to the key concepts dealt with in the current research. Part A of the chapter titled „Discourse and Communication in the World of Advertisements’ provides a detailed review of literature about the overall trends in discourse and communication practices in the world of advertising. The section also presents a detailed review about the branding practices with special reference to brand identity. A discussion of brand advertising discourse on internet and its effectiveness is also presented in this section. Part B is titled „Discourse of Advertising and Identity Construction‟ and gives a detailed review of literature related to the notion of identity construction and discourse. This part also discusses the literature reviewing the concepts such as discourse and identity, along with the review of literature related to the correlation of advertising discourse and identity construction. This section further presents a discussion about construction and representation of desired identities in the advertising discourse on internet, which is followed by a discussion on the ideological workings of advertisements that help in the construction of identity by the producers. Part C has been titled „Discourse Analysis and Identity Construction‟, and focuses on reviewing literature related to the field of discourse analysis with reference to the practices and processes of identity construction in discourse. This part further contributes in giving a detailed review of literature about the scope and various types of discourse analysis. A review of literature regarding discourse analysis in relation to advertisement texts is also provided in this section. This concluding section aims to bring all the strands in the literature review of this thesis together to develop a link between all the three main parts of the chapter. „Part A- Discourse and Communication in the World of Advertisements‟ is the principal setting of the present research which establishes the understandings related to the fields of discourse, communication, and discourse practices in advertising. Providing an introduction to the definitions and purpose of advertising, the section focuses on

62 reiterating its all-pervasive nature. The section further talks about the importance of branding for the producers and their business and how uniqueness and value adding is the key to branding. „Part B- Discourse of Advertising and Identity Construction‟ provides literature relevant to the concept of identity construction with special reference to advertising discourse. It reviews literature related to the concept of discourse, identity, and online identities, and proclaims language to be the most dynamic tool of identity construction by reviewing literature in the relevant fields. Ideological workings of advertisements and the ways in which self is constructed and presented online by projecting multi-faceted social and personal identities has also been discussed in the section. Finally, the „Part C- Discourse Analysis and Identity Construction‟ establishes a relationship between discourse and identity and provides literature related to scope and various types of approaches used in discourse analysis. Is also discusses the sociological implications of discourse and why it is necessary to study advertising discourse. In short, the three different strands in the literature review presented in the form of the three parts i.e. Part A, Part B, and Part C, are brought together in this section to develop a coherent framework for understanding the contributions made in the field of discourse and identity with a special focus on the relationship between discourse, identity construction and representation, and various approaches to study the processes of identity construction in the world of advertisements.

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction to the Chapter

This chapter presents the overall theoretical framework and methodology used in the thesis. Specifics about the methods and time frame of data collection are presented in this chapter. Details about the selected brands and the rationale for the selected sample have also been given. First various types of research have been introduced in the chapter followed by a description of the research approach used in this thesis. A description of the conceptual framework including details about the research approaches on which the methodology of the current research is based is also presented in this chapter. Discussions on various types of research approaches and models are taken into consideration to find a suitable method of analysis for the current research. Details about the procedures of data analysis and research framework for the current study have also been given in this chapter. An account of the data categorization procedures followed by the information of how the collected and categorized data is analyzed has also been given.

3.2 Aims and Objectives of the Research

For the analysis of identity construction processes and patterns in the Pakistani discourse of advertising of various brands on internet, an analysis of the textual features including both linguistic and semiotic patterns is carried out. The textual elements are analyzed to see how language with both its linguistic and extra-linguistic or semiotic elements is used by the brands to construct and represent their multi-faceted identities in their respective advertising discourses. The detailed aims and research questions of the present research work have been given in chapter 1 (1.10 and 1.11). However, to revise the main aim and objective of the research before taking into account the details about the research methodology used in the present work, a summarized aim of the research has been given in this section.

3.3 Collection of Data

Data is collected from the official websites and official Facebook advertisement pages of various brands in Pakistan to look into the ways in which these brands use discourse, both linguistic and semiotic, to construct and represent their respective brand identities. The advertisement content of all the selected brands on their respective websites and official Facebook pages in the said period (Sec. 3.4) are selected as data to analyze the ways in which various brands use both the linguistic and semiotic features in the discourse of advertising to create their identity.

Three different domains are selected for data collection on the basis of purposive sampling. The selected domains are:

Domain A: Clothing

Domain B: Food

Domain C: Cosmetics

The reason for selecting these domains is that the products from these domains are commonly used commodities/services in real life. Moreover, these domains have generally a large number of advertisements on almost all the modes of media such as virtual media, and traditional media such as television and newspapers/magazines etc. A purposive sample is selected based on the purpose of the study i.e. to study the process of identity construction of brands on internet in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. The brands whose products are generally widely advertised on Facebook, i.e. whose advertising content has been regularly updated in the selected period of data collection (i.e. 1st July, 2014 – 31st December, 2014) and also have a fairly large number of likes or followers on their Facebook pages are selected in the given domains.

3.4 Time Frame for Data Collection

The data on the Facebook pages includes the posts and updates on these Facebook pages over a period of 6 months (i.e. 1st July, 2014 – 31st December, 2014). The data on the official websites of these brands include the discourse content available on these websites

65 at the time of data collection, i.e. in December, 2014. The data includes linguistic as well as semiotic elements used such as textual inscriptions, images etc. in the advertising discourse of these brands by their respective advertising text producers over the said period of time.

3.5 Details about the Selected Brands

Discourse of advertising of three brands each from the selected three domains is selected as data. The brands from the domain of clothing and food are purely Pakistani brands that are conceived in Pakistan and that initially started operating in Pakistan. The brands from the domain of cosmetics are international brands with very vigorously operating chains in Pakistan. These cosmetic brands operating in Pakistan though having an international background of origin, however are manufactured and administered under Pakistani franchise ownerships, hence making these all the more Pakistani and suitable for analysis. Moreover, the focus of the present work is on analyzing the linguistic and semiotic features used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising, hence the official Facebook pages and official websites of these cosmetic brands being administered in Pakistan by the Pakistani advertisers aimed at the Pakistani audience have been taken for analysis. For that reason any mention of the official website and official Facebook page of these cosmetic brands in the present work would refer to the official website and official Facebook page being operated in Pakistan for the Pakistani audience. The names of the selected three brands in each domain are as follows.

 Domain A: Clothing

Brand 1: J.

Brand 2: Nishat Linen

Brand 3: Khaadi

 Domain B: Food

Brand 1: National Foods Limited

Brand 2: Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee

Brand 3: Qarshi Industries

 Domain C: Cosmetics

Brand 1: Lux

Brand 2: Sunsilk

Brand 3: Olivia

Additional details about each brand are presented in the respective chapters dealing with the analysis of the advertising discourse of these brands. Appendix (D) contains the links to the official websites and Facebook pages of the selected brands. The links to official Facebook pages have been obtained from the official websites of the respective brands in order to ensure the correct selection of the official Facebook pages. It also contains the snapshot images of the Google search results for the official websites and official Facebook pages of these brands. Moreover, the snapshot images of the main/ Home page of the official websites and Facebook pages with the number of followers/likes are also included in this appendix for the purpose of establishing the popularity of the selected brands among the audience on their respective Facebook pages.

3.6 Rationale for the Current Sample

The present work aims to study how language is used in advertisements to construct identity by various brands in Pakistan. For this purpose language, along with its linguistic and semiotic elements used in the advertising discourse of these brands needs to be studied. In the present work language used by brands in their advertising discourse on online platforms such as websites and Facebook pages has been used as sample. This sample seems to be a reasonable choice for three reasons. Firstly, a huge data of written advertisement materials was required for the present study which was not possible to get from the print media or Television as advertisements by the brands on these mediums are a lot fewer in number as compared to the ones circulated on internet. Since the present study aims to look at identity construction process it is but essential to collect and analyze

67 a huge amount of data which was only possible by relying on the online sources. The question here arises as to why the brand advertisers use online platforms more than other modes of media? The answer is because they are well aware of the massive use of internet by the people of Pakistan on daily basis hence they rely more on advertising their respective brands on online platforms. Secondly, Facebook is selected as one of the two online sources of data collection because it is the most widely used social networking website in Pakistan (“Facebook most popular social network”, 2012). Since it is used more commonly than any other social networking website in Pakistan such as Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc., the brand text producers choose it as a significant platform to reach out to a wider audience. Thirdly, official websites of the selected brands are used for data collection because websites are kind of virtual homes for the brands where they cater to their online customers and audience. Websites of brands have been around even before the onslaught of social networking websites and are considered to be the primary source of information about the respective brands. As these websites cater to a large audience and customers who shop from online stores operating through the website, these sites are undoubtedly the most significant sources of data collection to examine the patterns of identity construction in order to study how the brand is presented to the audience in terms of individuality and distinctiveness.

3.7 Type of Research

Rasul (2009) states that the principal division between research methods is made between two expansive categories of research which are known as quantitative and qualitative research. The qualitative data “deals with the questions of how something is, as opposed to how much/many” (Rasinger, 2008, p. 11). Whereas, in quantitative analysis, “we are usually interested in how much or how many there is/are of whatever we are interested in” (Rasinger, 2008, p. 10). A quantitative research method focuses on numbers and statistics and mainly tests a specific hypothesis as opposed to a qualitative method whose aim is to understand and interpret social interactions. According to Johnson and Christensen (2008), and Lichtman (2006), in a quantitative research numbers, quantities, and statistics are the kind of data collected and the goal of analysis is to classify numerical relationships; whereas, words and images are the type of data collected for a

68 qualitative research and the aim of data analysis in a qualitative research is to identify themes and patterns. As the present work aims to research qualitative aspects of social interactions in the advertising discourse of Pakistan focusing on words and images as data, a qualitative research method has been used in the present research.

Qualitative method seems to be the most appropriate method to find an answer to a qualitative research question. Denzin and Lincoln (2011) believe that researchers make interpretations in terms of the meanings people bring to the phenomena and analyze things in their natural backgrounds. Defining qualitative research Denzin and Lincoln (2011) state: Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of a set of interpretive, material practices that make the world visible. These practices transform the world. They turn the world into a series of representations, including field notes, interviews, conversations, photographs, recordings, and memos to the self. (p. 5)

To analyze the linguistic and socio-cultural phenomenon of identity representation of brands in media advertisements, this study presents an analysis of certain linguistic and semiotic patterns as used by the marketers in the advertisements of their respective brands on media. In the present work mainly a qualitative research paradigm is used. Reason for doing a qualitative analysis is that the current research work looks into phenomenon and processes. The qualitative research paradigm is selected to explore and analyze the textual and visual features of discourse used by various Pakistani brands to represent themselves in advertisements. The qualitative paradigm of data analysis is used for an investigation into the textual and visual aspects of discourse used in advertisements and also for an investigation into the socio-cultural aspects of these communicative practices. The qualitative aspects of the research deal with the detailed analysis, interpretation and discussion of this categorized data to look into the processes of identity construction and representation of various brands in their advertisements. Mainly the qualitative paradigm is used for analysis in the current research, however, to support the qualitative claims made in the study, some quantitative dimensions are explored as needed but no SPSS or statistical methodology is used. For the present research APA is used and fifth edition of APA manual is followed.

3.8 Conceptual Framework: Theoretical Underpinnings

The current research focuses on the analysis of discourse with its textual and visual features. Not only are these tangible features of discourse analyzed in the present study, but also the social implications involved and social contexts in which such discourses are used. The concept of identity construction is interconnected with the notion of ideology, which according to Paltridge (2006) can be examined in a text by exploring the textual features of the text followed by the explanation and interpretation of the text with reference to its socio-cultural contexts and implications. Before proceeding towards the details about the research approach and framework used in the current research, the view of Gee (2011) about the scope of different theories of discourse analysis is worth citing. He writes:

… any theory of discourse analysis offers a set of tools with which to analyze language- in-use. In my view, no one theory is universally right or universally applicable. Each theory offers tools which work better for some kinds of data than they do for others. Furthermore, anyone engaged in their own discourse analysis must adapt the tools they have taken from a given theory to the needs and demands of their own study. (2011, p. ix)

Similarly, for the current research work different theories and approaches for analyzing texts and discourse are considered to form a suitable model for analyzing data. For the textual analysis the present study makes use of three different approaches namely, Fairclough‟s questions to be asked in CDA (1989), Janks‟ framework for textual analysis (1997), and Berger‟s framework for semiotic analysis (1998). The questions put forth in these approaches are incorporated together to form a set of parameters for the present study. The first approach used in this regard is the set of ten questions as provided by Fairclough (1989, p. 110) that can be asked of a text in doing a discourse analysis based on the three main parts of the text, i.e. vocabulary, grammar, and textual structures in the analysis. The questions are presented in Table 1:

Table 1 Questions to be asked in CDA (adapted from Fairclough, 1989, p. 110) Part of Text No. Questions to be asked I. Vocabulary 1. What experiential values1 do words have? (Use of pragmatic and/or ideologically challenged words; classification patterns; rephrasing; ideologically significant meaning relations between words etc.) 2. What relational values2 do words have? (Use of formal or informal words, euphemistic expressions etc.) 3. What expressive values3 do words have? 4. What metaphors are used?

II. Grammar 5. What experiential values do grammatical features have? (Dominating practices and participants; use of nominalization, agency, active or passive sentences, positive or negative sentences; analyzing the truths of practices and processes etc.)

6. What relational values do grammatical features have? (Use of modes such as declarative, grammatical question, and imperative etc., use of relational modality, pronouns etc.)

7. What expressive values do grammatical features have?

8. How are (simple) sentences linked together? (Use of logical connectors, coordination, subordination etc.; use of means for referring inside and outside the text)

III. Textual Structures 9. What interactional conventions are used? (Turn taking; controlling the turn of other participants etc.)

10. What larger-scale structures does the text have? Table 1: Questions to be asked in CDA (adapted from Fairclough, 1989, p. 110)

1Fairclough (1992) defines experiential values as those values in the text that represent the text producer‟s experience of the social world in the form of personal knowledge and beliefs. 2 Relational values as defined by Fairclough (1992) are the values in the text that represent social relationships in the discourse. 3 Expressive values are defined by Fairclough (1992) as the values in the text in which the text producer assesses a social reality based on his/her personal interpretations.

Table 1 shows a set of questions offered by Fairclough (1989) for the analyst to ask while analyzing texts. The questions are about various aspects of vocabulary, grammar, and textual structures including experiential, relational and expressive values in the text. The second framework of analysis used as the underlying theory is Janks‟s (1997) framework of textual analysis. According to Janks (1997, p. 7) the textual analysis should study certain patterns in discourse which are stated in Table 2:

Table 2 Janks’ Framework for Textual Analysis (1997)

Sr. No. Patterns of Study in Textual Analysis i. Lexicalization ii. Patterns of transitivity iii. The use of active and passive voice iv. The use of nominalization v. The choices of mood vi. The choices of modality or polarity vii. The thematic structure of the text viii. The information focus ix. The cohesion devices

Table 2: Janks’ Framework for Textual Analysis (1997)

Janks‟ framework offers patterns of study in textual analysis which focus on analyzing certain linguistic features of a text such as lexicalization, vocabulary etc. and also certain extra-linguistic features of the text such as themes, agency, choices of mood and voice etc. The third theory used is Berger‟s (1998) semiotic framework for semiotic analysis that provides a set of guidelines for doing a semiotic analysis, which are provided in Table 3:

Table 3 Berger’s Framework for Semiotic Analysis (adapted from 1998)

No. Things to be Analyzed in a Media Text Details

Important signifiers and their significance;

1. Important signs in the text System giving these signs meaning;

Codes present;

Ideological and sociological matters involved.

Central opposition in the text;

2. Paradigmatic structure of the text Psychological or social significance of these

oppositions.

3. Syntagmatic structure of the text Affecting meaning by sequential organization of

components;

Systematic features shaping the text.

Camera angles, and editing techniques used;

4. Affecting the text through the medium Lighting, color, music, and sound used to give

meaning to signs.

Incorporating and applying semiotic and media

5. Contributions of other theorists theories to semiotic analysis.

Table 3: Berger’s Framework for Semiotic Analysis (adapted from 1998)

Table 3 presents Berger‟s (1998) framework for semiotic analysis which focuses on analyzing the semiotic features of the media texts in order to evaluate the obvious and hidden implications in the discourse. The questions put forth by Fairclough (1989), Janks (1997) and Berger (1998) are incorporated together to form a set of parameters suited for the analysis in the present research. These parameters provide guidelines on what to look for in the text when analyzing the linguistic, semiotic, and thematic features in the text. The aspects of text to be analyzed in the form of certain parameters are presented in Table 4:

Table 4 Parameters of Study in Textual Analysis for the Present Research

Sr. No. Parameters of Study in Textual Analysis for the Present Research i. Pictures and images ii. Semiotic signs and symbols and their significance iii. Codes used (code mixing/switching) iv. Lexical patterns v. Use of selective voice vi. Foregrounding and back grounding4 the picture or text vii. Use of words/phrases with specific connotations5 viii. Tag lines/ Topics ix. Tone x. Presuppositions6 xi. Hinting at certain issues xii. Embellishments (textual and graphical) xiii. Agency7 (information about power relations) xiv. Ideologically significant words denoting ideological and sociological matters xv. Metaphors xvi. Experiential, relational and expressive values of words xvii. Producer‟s perspective

Table 4: Parameters of Study in Textual Analysis for the Present Research

4 Huckin (1997) is of the view that foregrounding in a text assists in accentuating the ideas in the text, whereas, back grounding in a text helps to understate the matter. 5 Connotations as defined by Chandler (2002) are “the socio-cultural and „personal‟ associations produced as a reader decodes a text. The term also refers to the relationship between the signifier and its signified” (p. 225). 6 Goddard defines presupposition as “all about reading between lines; since this is, as it suggests, a hidden process, it is very interesting to advertisers, as we can be taking in all sorts of assumptions without consciously paying attention to them.” (1998, p. 125) 7 Agency is established with information on the active doer of things. It is often highlighted in a text by the use of active verbs.

The set of parameters presented in Table 4 offers guidelines about textual analysis and suggests some aspects that need to be studied in the text when analyzing the linguistic, semiotic, and thematic features in the data. These parameters are used as a guideline for textual analysis in the present research work. However, for the purpose of discourse analysis these parameters of analysis are incorporated into Fairclough‟s (1989, 1995) model of CDA in order to study the sociological implications of the textual features that help the brands to construct identity for themselves.

3.9 Research Framework for the Current Research

The current research includes a discourse analysis of the linguistic and semiotic features in the data to study the identity themes present in the discourse of advertisements that help in the identity construction process. The identity themes are analyzed examining the linguistic and the semiotic features present in the text in order to describe, analyze and explain the ways in which various brands in Pakistan use discourse in constructing and promoting the identity of their respective brands. Identity themes in the discourse of advertising include the themes and subject matter of the content (also known as the secondary discourse) related to various multi-faceted aspects of a brand‟s personality presented in the discourse. Linguistic features in the data include the language used in the discourse of advertising such as the vocabulary items, arrangement of words, foregrounding, back grounding of the text, lexical/syntactic patterns, arrangement and scheme of lexical and textual patterns etc. Semiotic features in the data consist of the graphical features used in the discourse of advertising such as colors, images, size of the text and pictures, models in the ads, signs and symbols etc. Semiotic structures of the advertisement texts include anything related to the visual aspects of discourse as shared by the selected brands on their websites and the timelines/profiles of their respective Facebook pages.

To analyze the discourse of advertising of the selected brands in order to study the processes and practices of identity construction, the parameters devised for studying the textual features of advertising discourse in the present study as presented in Table 4, are incorporated into Fairclough‟s model for CDA (1989, 1995). Fairclough‟s model for

CDA (1989, 1995) examines discourse and its meaning in social context. According to Fairclough (1989) there are three interconnected dimensions of discourse, namely, i. The object of analysis (verbal and visual texts). ii. The processes by means of which the object is produced and received (writing/ speaking/ designing and reading/listening/viewing) by the social subjects. iii. The socio-historical conditions which govern these processes.

His framework provides three dimensions for analysis of these three dimensions of discourse, namely, textual (description), process (interpretation), and societal (explanation). These dimensions reveal how discourse, both in textual and in semiotic form, works to create meaning in social contexts. This approach enables the researcher to concentrate on the signifiers that form the text, the particular linguistic choices, their combinations and arrangements, their layout, themes etc.

The dimension of analysis known as the textual analysis focuses on describing the linguistic and semiotic elements of the text. The second dimension of analysis known as the process analysis focuses on relating data to its producers and interprets the relationship between the data and its producers. The third dimension is the societal analysis which focuses on relating the data to its cultural and social contexts. The model in Figure 3.1 (adapted from Fairclough 1989, p.25; 1995, p. 98) shows the integration of textual features with sociocultural practice by means of the mediating dimension of discourse practice:

Process of production

Description (text analysis) Text Interpretation (processing analysis)

Explanation (social analysis) Process of interpretation Discourse practice

Sociocultural practice (Situational; institutional; societal)

Dimensions of discourse Dimensions of discourse analysis Figure 3.1: CDA framework of Fairclough (adapted from 1989, p.25; 1995, p. 98)

The first dimension of analysis is description which is used to analyze the first dimension of text i.e. the verbal and visual text. The term text does not only mean the linguistic components but also the semiotic units such as signs, pictures, colors, images, sound etc. The second dimension of analysis is the interpretation of the second dimension of text i.e. the processes by means of which the text is produced and viewed. The analysis at this step includes finding the answers to the questions about the situational context, i.e. the producers, their objectives, the context of the production of the texts, i.e. where and for whom the texts are produced, the qualities of the products as proclaimed by the producers etc. The third dimension of analysis is explanation focusing on explaining the third dimension of text i.e. the social dimensions of the text. This social analysis seeks to relate the data to its cultural and social contexts. A text almost always has an idea or a purpose behind its production. Discourse practice focuses on the techniques in which a text is created and the manner in which its meanings may be inferred. The interpretative process focuses on analyzing the elements

77 in the discourse or text that are influenced by social practices (Fairclough, 2010). Examining the social practice is essential to discover the reasons of variations or changes in discourse owing to the social changes. Text according to Fairclough (2010) is “the written or spoken language produced in a discursive event” (p. 95). The textual analysis will highlight the properties of the text through the linguistic structure in its use of vocabulary. Incorporating the parameters of studying the textual features of both the primary and secondary discourse as presented in Table 4, into Fairclough‟s model for CDA (1989, 1995) (as presented in Figure 3.1), the research model thus formed suited for the current study is used to analyze all the three categories of data made in the present work i.e. linguistic features, semiotic features, and thematic features to analyze the process of identity construction by various brands in their advertisements. Figure 3.2 presents a graphical representation of the research methodology and framework used for data analysis in the present study:

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The analysis includes the identification of the parameters of study as devised for the current research in the data followed by the application of the developed framework to the observations made based on the parameters at three levels simultaneously. The verbal and visual text (first dimension of text) is described (first dimension of analysis), with its relation to the interpretation (second dimension of analysis) of the processes by means of which the text is produced and viewed (second dimension of text), to explain (third dimension of analysis) the social dimensions (third dimension of text) of the text.

3.10 System of Data Presentation

Due to an extensive amount of data collected over a period of six months, it was not possible to include all the data from the selected brands for analysis owing to the time limits and limited scope of PhD thesis. For this reason it was decided to take selective data for analysis to study the patterns and processes of identity construction. Hence, in the chapters 4, 5, and 6, which deal with data analysis, only representative data is included for analysis. Not only is the data too extensive to be analyzed completely, it is also impossible to include the entire data in appendix in the hard copy of thesis. Therefore, all the data is copied on a CD and is attached in Appendix E. With reference to data analysis there was another limitation as well. Scope of analysis as planned initially was to categorize the data in two major categories based on linguistic and semiotic features in the data. However, at the time of analysis it was realized that the data of different brands showed a varied set of linguistic and semiotic features and since the analysis of the entire collected data was out of question, it was decided to modify the planned scheme of data presentation and analysis into certain other dimensions of presenting and analyzing data that are more suited to the research objectives. Hence, the scheme was modified into domain wise categorization of data categorized in three chapters of analysis having different sections of analysis for the selected three brands from the respective domain. As the focus of the research was to analyze identity construction processes through the use of linguistic and semiotic devices by the brands, it was decided to look into the identity themes present in the data of each domain by including representative data to support the findings of analysis about the patterns of identity construction.

The collected data is divided into three main categories for analysis based on the three domains namely clothing, food, and cosmetics. A chapter each is devoted for the analysis of data from each domain. Data from the respective brands in the domains of clothing, food, and cosmetics is analyzed in Chapter 4, 5 and 6 respectively. Data is presented in three forms. Firstly, the data is partially presented under different sections of analysis in chapters 4, 5 and 6 brand-wise, and is discussed corresponding to the type of identity it constructs. Secondly, presentation of the data as presented and analyzed in the analysis sections of chapters 4, 5 and 6 is provided in Appendix A (A1, A2, A3), Appendix B (B1, B2, B3) and Appendix C (C1, C2, C3) respectively. Thirdly, the entire data of all the selected brands as collected from their official websites and official Facebook pages for the present research is presented in Appendix E. Since the data was huge and when copied from the online sources consumed hundreds of pages of Microsoft Word, its complete presentation in the thesis is problematic due to space constraints. For this reason the complete presentation of data is provided in the CD attached in Appendix E. Appendix (D) provides the links to the official websites and Facebook pages of each brand selected for the current research. It also contains the snapshot images of the Google search results for the official websites and official Facebook pages of these brands. The inscriptions used as captions for pictures in the data are presented underneath the related pictures in the analysis sections and are analyzed in relation to the pictures for which they are used as captions. All the textual inscriptions taken from the data for analysis are presented in bold font and italics, and are further enclosed within single inverted commas. The pictures from the data are occasionally termed as figures, images, photos etc. in the present work. For the purpose of numbering of each image however, the term „figure‟ is used. The numbering of figures is done according to the pattern/scheme of appearance of the figures in the respective chapters of the thesis. The main number is assigned chapter wise; whereas the number after the decimal following the main number represents the order of the figure‟s appearance in the very chapter. For example, the first figure appearing in chapter 3 is numbered as 3.1. Similarly, the ninth figure in Chapter 4 for example is named as Figure 4.9, where the number „4‟ represents the chapter number, while number „9‟ represents the sequence of the picture appearing in the chapter.

As regards the scheme of categories of analysis of data from each brand, initially it was decided to make similar categories of analysis for each brand focusing on dominant identity themes present while analyzing data and to look for the content related to the devised categories in the data. But during the analysis it was found that the brands show some very unique identity aspects that are quite different from each other. Though there are certain identity types that are similar in all the selected brands, there are some significant aspects of identity that are unique to a certain brand only. Hence, it was decided to study the data without having preconceived categories of identity themes to see what kinds of themes are pre-dominant in the data of each brand. Therefore, it can be seen in the analysis chapters that some of the identity themes in the data of the selected brands are same while some are different from that of the others.

3.11 Transcription Key

The text copied as it is from the data for the purpose of analysis is written in bold and in italics and is further enclosed in single inverted commas. Where there are Urdu words or sentences copied from the data in the analysis sections, they are also written in the same format, i.e. in bold and italicized within single inverted commas. The Urdu words and sentences are written in the Roman script and not in the Urdu script so that it becomes comprehensible to the international readers. The translations in English of these Urdu lexical and syntactic patterns however immediately follow the Roman script to make the meanings clear to the international readers. These translations are written in italics and within single inverted commas. Moreover, any term that needs to draw special attention of the reader has also been italicized in the analysis sections.

3.12 Conclusion of the Chapter

This chapter presents a comprehensive account of the research methodology and theoretical frameworks used in the present work. Details about data collection process and the time frame of data collection have also been given. Particulars of the selected brands have been provided and the rationale for the selected sample has also been given. Before moving on to giving details about the type of research approach used in this work,

82 an account of types of research has been given. A detailed description of the conceptual framework including particulars about the research approaches on which the methodology of the current study is based is also taken into account in this chapter. Several research approaches and models are considered to find an appropriate method of analysis for the current research. The chapter also provides details about the system of presentation and transcription of data.

CHAPTER 4

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DOMAIN A: CLOTHING BRANDS

With the emergence of clothing brands in Pakistan, a change in consumption patterns of the consumers has been observed, who more than ever are willing to buy clothes from the brands considered popular in Pakistan. The brands are using online advertising platforms to reach out to more and more consumers by creating a certain desired image for themselves in the advertising discourse. As a result, the concept of identity construction in advertising discourse of brands in Pakistan has found new meanings focusing mainly on the construction of a desired image created by the use of textual strategies by the brand. To study the practices related to identity construction and representation of various clothing brands in the discourse of Pakistani advertisements on internet, data has been taken from the official websites and official Facebook pages of three prominent clothing brands in Pakistan. The data is analyzed to study the processes and practices of identity construction of these brands in the discourse of their advertisements on internet. The study focuses on analyzing the identity themes by examining the linguistic and semiotic features in the text. The findings of the data collected from each brand in the domain of clothing are presented separately in different sections of the chapter and answer the research question mentioned in Chapter 1(sec. 1.11). A discourse analysis based on the parameters designed for the current research (Sec. 3.8, Table: 4) using Fairclough‟s (1989) three dimensional model of CDA includes the description of the visual and verbal elements of the text; an interpretation of the processes by means of which the text is produced and viewed and exploring the situational context, i.e. the producers, their objectives, the context of the production of the texts, i.e. where and for whom the texts are produced, the qualities of the products as

84 proclaimed by the producers etc.; and the explanation of the social dimensions of the text relating the data to its cultural and social contexts. In the analysis sections of the current research where the parameters designed for the present research are incorporated in Fairclough‟s (1989) three dimensional model of CDA, all these dimensions of analysis are discussed side by side to study the process of identity construction of the brands in their discourse of advertising.

4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 1: J.

In this section the data collected from the official website and official Facebook page of the brand „J.‟ is analyzed simultaneously, focusing on the identity themes presented in the discourse of its advertising on both the platforms. Special focus here is on examining the linguistic and semiotic features used in the text that play the most vital role in creating and endorsing those identity themes. It should be noted that the brand owner, named Junaid Jamshed, was a renowned Pakistani pop singer before turning into a religious preacher and scholar, and thus his religious associations are quite evident in the use of textual elements in his brand‟s discourse of advertising. The study of the data shows that the brand J. has been very keen in promoting a certain image and representing a positive multi-faceted identity to its audience. An analysis of the linguistic and semiotic elements in the data has given significant insights into the ways these elements are used to create identity themes by the advertisers. Identity themes are the themes related to various multi-faceted characteristics or personalities of the brands.

4.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in J.’s Advertising Discourse

For the analysis of the identity themes present in the data, the textual elements in the data are described in order to interpret the production processes of the texts in the advertising discourse of the brand J. The interpretation of the production processes includes the study of the producer‟s perspectives, aims and objectives in framing the advertisement texts. The social dimensions of the text that relate the text to its socio cultural contexts are explained in order to study the processes and patterns of identity construction. A

85 study of the linguistic and semiotic elements in J.‟s advertising discourse reveals numerous identity themes which are discussed below.

4.1.1. i Construction of Professional Identity- Focusing on Proficiency

Description and interpretation of the visual content of the advertising discourse of J. shows that the brand has been very keen in establishing a unique professional identity in its advertising discourse. Professional identity as defined by Schein (1978) is one‟s self image that is based on one‟s qualities, practices and proficiencies, which ultimately define a person in their professional character. Professional identity of a brand is created through the means by which it represents itself vis-à-vis its expertise, specialization, skill, proficiency etc. Professional identity constitutes the professional features of the brand that make it noticeable among the other competing brands in the field. Explanation of the social contexts governing the processes of production of the texts in the advertising discourse of J. reveals that from its focus on the representation of the brand as a trendsetter in the clothing industry, to the exemplification of it as being a brand with a personality by calling it a „market leader‟, the advertising discourse of J. establishes its professional identity. J. constructs its professional identity by claiming to be a brand that loves experimentation in designing clothes which makes it a trendsetter in the fashion industry, by focusing on representing the cordial relations between the brand and its customers and staff members, and by its claim of growing fondness of the customers which leads to the brand‟s eminence celebrated across the globe. About the aspect of experimentation, J. claims in the „History‟ section on the website, „In 2011, we took another bold initiative and gave a new look to all our outlets as part of our 'New Outlook, New Outlet' strategy. This broke the monotonous theme of our outlets by making them more modern and different from others‟. Agency is established with the clause such as „…we took another bold initiative and gave a new look to all our outlets…‟. The producers take the position of authority and influence by acting as agents of power, thereby establishing their identity as an influential brand. Presupposition is also used in this extract. In the first sentence the word „another‟ presupposes that the brand has a tradition of taking bold steps which involve the technique of experimentation both in the production/manufacture and advertising

86 domains. Another instance of presupposition is in the last sentence where the advertisers assert, „This broke the monotonous theme of our outlets by making them more modern and different from others‟ thereby presupposing that experimentation is good and change is what makes a product/ brand better than others. The brand represents itself as a trendsetter in the fashion industry. In the „History‟ section on the brand‟s official website, the brand hints at being the principal choice of the followers of the latest fashion by stating, „It all started with an outlet at Tariq Road in 2002. At that time, Tariq Road was, and still is, a shopping hub for those who seek to buy the latest in fashion‟. Here it is presupposed that Tariq Road, where the first outlet of J. was opened, is the heart of fashion and the people who are always keen to buy the latest in fashion go there, presupposing that J. is a brand that produces items/dresses that are in vogue being latest in fashion. Another aspect of J.‟s professional identity is its proclamation of good relations with its customers. Figure (4.1) and the accompanying caption highlights the importance given to the customers by the brand.

Figure (4.1)

Figure (4.1) shows an image of a few people who are standing and have callout shapes on their heads, implying that the customers have certain views and opinions about the brand‟s performance and by using the phrase „We value your feedback‟ as a tag line on the photo, the brand shows its customers that it cares about them and gives importance to their opinion. The text used as a caption with the photo in Figure (4.1) that says, „Help us become better by sharing your feedbacks. Let us know what you expect from us in the future‟, also assert the congenial relationship of the brand with the customer. The text

87 producers here give importance to the views and perceptions of the customers by holding them in a position of power. Agency is given to the customers by holding them as the agents of power who are influential enough to share their feedback regarding the performance of the brand and who will eventually „help‟ the brand to become „better‟. Similarly, in Figure (4.2) the topic „What is the next thing you would like from J.‟ holds the reader in power by asking them directly about their preferences in fashion.

Let us know! Figure (4.2)

The use of the pronoun „you‟ in the text emphasizes the relation between the producers of the text and the readers when the readers are asked to inform about their choice in the comment section on Facebook. The text in the topic position as well as the text accompanying the photo in Figure (4.2) that says, „Let us know!‟, both lend the reader a position of power as they have the choice of presenting of their discourse. In the caption „Let us know!‟ the producers give agency to the readers by asking for their opinions and passivizing themselves. Such advertisements draw the consumers in by making them believe that they have the voice and agency to control what is being projected but the Frankfurt school is quick to remind us that the advertisers have the ultimate power and they exercise that power on the consumers in making them believe that they have a need for the product being advertised. Fairclough (1989) proposes to investigate the pronouns used in a discourse in order to analyze the relational values of a text. Analyzing relational values in a text focuses on studying the choice of words that have an influence on how a text relates with the readers. The use of pronouns such as you, we, your etc. in the discourse of advertising represent a certain relational context. The words „we‟, „you‟, „your‟, „us‟ are used in the

88 discourse of J.‟s advertising to converse directly with the customers emphasizing the relation and giving a sense of casual relationship and amity between the brand and its customers. Consider the following figures for instance.

Figure (4.3) Figure (4.4)

Figure (4.5) Figure (4.6)

The use of the pronouns „you‟ and „us‟ in the Figures (4.3), (4.4), (4.5), and (4.6) highlights the relational values in the text where the producers directly address the readers thus highlighting the amiable relations between the brand and the readers/customers. Building cordial customer relations is a significant aspect of J.‟s professional identity which is created by involving the customers to play little games and take part in fun activities. Such playful advertising strategies using Facebook as a platform to connect with customers prove to be very effective for the brands. Consider the following figures for instance.

Figure (4.7) Figure (4.8)

Figure (4.9) Figure (4.10)

Could you? Figure (4.11)

Figures (4.7), (4.8), (4.9), (4.10) and (4.11) are images posted on J.‟s Facebook page that contain various fun inscriptions for the readers. Figures (4.7) and (4.8) invite the reader to muse over the text for a moment, whereas, Figures (4.9), (4.10), and (4.11) contain a fun quote each that establish the excitement of shopping in general and shopping from J. in particular. The caption „Could you?‟ accompanying the Figure (4.11), directly addresses the readers flaring up their love for shopping. Such playful activities on the part of the brand in its discourse of advertising represent its identity as a user friendly brand which is a substantial aspect of J.‟s individual identity.

Figure (4.12)

Figure (4.12) is an image posted on the Facebook page of J. which contains the inscription, „Welcome the occasion, with J. Midsummer Collection. Choose from a range of vibrant colours and sophisticated styles that‟ll have you looking your best, effortlessly, day or night. Show off your true colours and bring your personality into the spotlight.‟ Analyzing relational values in the text, perpetuated by the repeated use of pronouns such as you and your shows how this text relates with the readers. Agency is given to the audience here by the careful selection of the phrases „…vibrant colours and sophisticated styles that‟ll have you looking your best...‟ and „ Show off your true colours and bring your personality into the spotlight.‟ The modality and tone in the text gives a position of power to the reader signified by the expressive values of grammar in the text. The producers here express their view as a fact rather than presenting subjective evaluations in the text. This tone of certainty gives the discourse an inherent authority. Friendly relations with the customers and their growing fondness for the brand are an asset for any brand that marks the brand‟s success. The increase in the number of J.‟s followers on Facebook is endorsed by sharing a picture on Facebook that says, „CELEBRATING 400,000+ FANS‟.

We like you back 400000 times Figure (4.13)

The caption in the Figure (4.13) announces the celebration of its success at making a huge number of fans. In saying „CELEBRATING 400,000+ FANS‟ the text presupposes that there are more than 400,000 fans or followers of the brand on Facebook. This announcement of the growing number of fans is significant in further increasing the number of fans and customers. Professional identity of the brand J. as claimed in its advertisement discourse is what makes it different from other brands. The „About Junaid Jamshed‟ section on the brand‟s website contains many sub-sections describing about the professional attitude and identity of the brand. J. establishes its professional identity by calling itself a „market leader‟ in the section titled „Performance‟ on the website. It says, „J. is a market leader when it comes to traditional wear. We try to incorporate all those dated embellishments and designs like Gota Kinari and Block Prints in our collection in a manner that they seem part of the latest trends‟. Hence, incorporating traditional and dated designs with the latest trends in fashion is an important aspect of the unique professional identity of J. which enables it to call itself a market leader. The terms „Gota Kinari‟ and „Block Prints‟ are register words used in typical clothing domains. The use of these register words are significant in this context as these words establish the professional identity of the brand. The brand‟s advertisement text further asserts, „Our team consists of skilled artisans and professional fashion designers. This is the reason that when they mix the old with the new, the outcome is seamless and timeless designs that are highly appreciated by our customers.‟ The use of the pronoun our highlights the sense of ownership and establishes the relational values in the text. The producers consider their

92 staff as one family and call them skilled artisans and professional fashion designers. Hence, in considering the team as skilled and professional, the brand hints at the professionalism of the brand itself. Moreover, the text represents the professional identity of the brand by establishing a direct relationship between the professional knowledge and skills of the brand‟s production team and the creation of seamless and timeless designs. Moreover, the phrase our customers highlights the relational values of vocabulary in the text by relating the readers directly with the brand. The tone of certainty (modality) in the text lends agency to the producers when the text asserts, „… the outcome is seamless and timeless designs that are highly appreciated by our customers‟. The expressive values are also established in the sentence where the text expresses the producers‟ opinion of the customer‟s appreciation as a fact evaluated through the producer‟s own set of beliefs, hence giving the discourse an implicit authority. Hence, the agency, lent by the direct assertion and relational and expressive values in the text, leave the reader in no doubts about their appreciation of the brand. The Frankfurt school‟s assumption about the real power residing with the producers holds true here as the consumer is led to believe what the advertisers want. Treating customers and employers like family is another important aspect of the brand‟s professional identity. The text in the section titled „Environment‟ on the website states, „At J., whether it's a customer or an employee we are dealing with, we treat them like a family member‟. The advertising discourse of J. claims to have jovial relations with the customers and the employees as the brand considers these jovial relations to be an essential part of its professional identity. Though the text mainly focuses on describing the brand‟s motto of treating its customers and employees like a family, a closer look at the syntactic structures in the text reveals agency. The agency in the text is established by the use of the pronoun „we‟ and the active voice present in the syntax of the sentence, „At J., whether it's a customer or an employee we are dealing with, we treat them like a family member‟. This agency in the text gives information about the power relations where the producers act as agents of power. Further in the sentence, „Our working environment is positive, supportive and those who perform well are bestowed with awards and certificates to acknowledge their effort and elevate their motivational level‟, the good performers at sales are promised perks and incentives. However, the

93 secondary discourse reveals the power relations in the text. An analytical reading shows that the producers enjoy the power position while the sales team members are passivized. Nevertheless the primary discourse demonstrates the jovial relations of the brand with its sales team members. Consider figure (14) in this regard that shows a playful activity on the part of the brand and highlights the fun and cordial relations of the brand‟s sales team with the brand.

Sales champions of Junaid Jamshed Figure (4.14)

Figure (4.14) shows a picture of some members of the brand‟s sales team in a playful physical formation of the brand‟s name i.e. „J.‟ The staff members are seen to be in a cheerful mood and appear to be happily participating in the seemingly fun activity. The caption accompanying the photo that states, „Sales champions of Junaid Jamshed‟, pays tribute to the team members by calling them the „sales champions‟. Such perquisites and credits are given in the discourse of advertising to provide an added boost to the performance of the employees which in turn boosts the sales of the brand. Hence, the data shows that maintaining and representing a friendly and interactive relationship with the customers/audience in the discourse of advertising in the form of playful activities, quotes, direct communication etc. is an essential aspect of J.‟s professional identity. J. has been keenly careful in its advertising discourse to present itself as a brand with a personality. In the section titled „Brand Personality‟, it states, ‘J. can be defined as a fashion retail brand that is rich, elegant and stylish in traditional ensembles‟. To define the essential components of the brand‟s personality the advertisers choose the adjectives „rich, elegant and stylish‟, thereby asserting its grace and sophistication. The

94 text further asserts, „For our unique and flamboyant designs for men and women, we depend on a team of highly skilled fashion professionals who come from the country's renowned fashion institutes. They start out by studying the latest trends, carrying out research on how these trends can be adopted, selecting the colors and styles that can make the collection extraordinary and then finalizing both casual and formal designs for every season‟. This implies that not only does the brand personality consist of grace and elegance; it is highly professional when it comes to producing exotic designs. The most prominent aspect of the brand‟s professional identity is its squad of highly skilled professionals who make the brand stand out among the other brands of the same domain owning to their expertise and skills. Another important aspect of the brand‟s professional identity is its eminence celebrated across the globe according to the advertising discourse of the brand. Many outlets of the brand have been opened in different cities of Pakistan and in various countries around the world. The text in the „Achievements‟ section on the website states, „Within a short span of time, J. has expanded its reach across Pakistan and abroad. Its 50+ outlets in Pakistan alone are a testament of the efforts the company has put in to become the country's largest fashion retail brand‟. The advertisers here not only announce the opening and functioning of new brand outlets nationwide and abroad, but also straightforwardly declare that the brand is Pakistan‟s largest selling brand in the domain of fashion. This increase in the number of brand outlets worldwide marks the professional identity of the brand. Consider the following photos celebrating the opening of new brand outlets abroad:

Figure (4.15)

Figure (4.15) publicizes and celebrates the opening of a new brand outlet in New York, USA. The topic on the image says, „NOW RISING IN‟ and the inscription further gives the address of the new outlet. The picture also contains the image of the Statue of Liberty which is the trademark of New York. The topic in the photo establishes the modality in the text where the text producers leave no doubt about their faith in the brand‟s impending success in New York. Expressive values of vocabulary are also simultaneously developed when the text presents the producer‟s perspective and strongly held opinion that the brand is „rising‟ with its good performance and the reader is left with no choice as to believe otherwise. An implicit link between the caption and the image of the Statue of Liberty can be made where the brand with its performance strives to reach the grandeur and splendor of the acclaimed and renowned Statue of Liberty. Consider another image in which the launch of the brand at New Delhi, India is announced:

Figure (4.16)

Figure (4.16) contains the address of the place where the brand is launched in New Delhi, India, the dates of the event, the brand logo with the caption, „is in town!‟ and an inscription in the topic position that says, „LIFESTYLE PAKISTAN‟ written in green color. The use of the color green is significant here as it is considered the national color of Pakistan. The brand proudly announces the inauguration of Pakistani clothing style in India. Figure (4.17) is an image taken from the brand‟s Facebook page showing the world map, the brand logo, and a caption.

Figure (4.17)

The highlighted countries on the map in the Figure (4.17) are UK, UAE, USA, KSA, Pakistan and Qatar which are marked by their respective flags. These are the countries in which the brand has opened its outlets so far. The countries are highlighted in order to publicize the brand and to announce its customers/readers about the brand‟s success across the globe. The caption in the picture is in the topic position that states, „Starting out at the fashion hub of Pakistan‟s largest city, J. has made its way from strength setting up outlets across the country while upholding its fervor for quality and originality‟. The text not only stresses on the nationwide fame celebrated by J., but also proclaims that the brand‟s commitment is equally focused on maintaining the quality of its products. Another facet of J.‟s professional identity is that it attempts to reach as many audience/readers as possible. To achieve this purpose J. has been very actively updating its advertising content on social media. Not only does it dynamically advertise on its official website and official Facebook page, it also has a Twitter account (a social networking website) where the advertising content is constantly updated. Figure (4.18) has been shared by the brand on its Facebook page.

Figure (4.18)

Figure (4.18) is a photo that contains the brand logo, an image of a bird that is characteristic of the social networking website Twitter, and an inscription that says „FOLLOW US‟. The picture is shared for the customers/readers on Facebook asking them to follow the advertising content of the brand on Twitter as well. The efforts of the brand to make its advertising content available to the masses on daily basis highlights its professional attitude and identity. Hence, it can be concluded that the professional identity of J. is created and represented by its skillful attitude reflected in the discourse of its advertising. J. has used both the language and images in the discourse of its advertising to create and represent its certified and specialized image. The findings of the analysis show that the brand‟s advertising text producers have constructed a professional identity for the brand that encompasses certain aspects such as its love for experimentation in designing clothes and thus becoming a trendsetter in the field, good relations between the brand and its staff members and also with its customers, brand‟s eminence celebrated nationally as well as internationally owing to the growing fondness of the customers for the brand etc.

4.1.1. ii Representing Individual Identity- Centering on Eastern Spirit and

Traditionalism

Individual identity of a brand in this thesis refers to those aspects of a brand‟s identity that mark its existence and establish its personal uniqueness focusing on its choices, priorities, ideals and beliefs etc. It is a concept of self that is represented by promoting a distinctive and personal quality or a set of qualities in the advertising discourse to the audience. Individual identity of a brand is exemplified by endorsing certain features or characteristics about the brand that present it as an individual entity and that show it as being exclusive and unique among the rest of the brands from the same domain. J. constructs its individual identity by claiming to have an eastern spirit and character. The advertising text producers of J. largely emphasize on representing the brand‟s focus on amalgamating eastern and traditional spirit with a modern one, thereby setting a trend where negotiation between traditionalism and modernism takes place.

The title of the brand is „J.‟, pronounced as „J dot‟. The pronunciation is given in the details available on the website. This shows the brand‟s concept of self and identity where the pronunciation of the brand title is of great significance for the image of the brand. Initially the brand was introduced as Junaid Jamshed, but with the passage of time the name got changed to J., with its increased focus on constructing a more modern identity by replacing the name of the founder of the brand with just the initials of his name. J. has a unique brand logo that differentiates its discrete image from other brands, hence making it an emblem of the brand‟s unique individual identity. Eastern or traditional identity orientations of J.‟s identity are quite common in its advertising discourse. The very caption accompanying the name „J.‟ in the logo of the brand is „Soully East‟. The phrase hints at the underlying quintessence of the brand‟s style reinforcing the eastern identity of the brand. Figure (4.19), taken from the Facebook page of J., represents the brand‟s logo. The inscriptions in the logo contains the name of the brand J., the name of the owner Junaid Jamshed, and a caption that says „Soully East‟ which together make up the brand logo of J..

Figure (4.19) Figure (4.19) shows the brand logo of J. signifying the brand‟s individual identity. The word Soully is a term coined by the brand‟s advertisement text producers by combing the word „soul‟ with the suffix „ly‟. The word soully here would mean „in the true spirit of self‟ and the phrase „Soully East‟ would accordingly mean that the brand is eastern in its character to the very core of its spirit. The use of this phrase as a significant part of the brand logo highlights the eastern character of the brand‟s individual identity. Just as the name of the brand and of its owner is important for the brand‟s identity, so is the caption Soully East that accompanies these names, hence proving to be of utmost significance when it comes to the brand‟s recognition in the consumer market.

A tinge of eastern character is felt even more when the code-mixed linguistic patterns in the text are used where Urdu is mixed with English. Urdu words such as shalwar qameez, kurta, shawl, gota kinari etc. are used in the advertising texts to enhance the eastern and traditional aspects of J.‟s identity. In the section titled „Performance‟ on the website the advertisers write, We try to incorporate all those dated embellishments and designs like Gota Kinari and Block Prints in our collection in a manner that they seem part of the latest trends. The text shows that the producers very carefully intend the brand to be thought of traditional yet modern. Though the soul of the brand is claimed to be eastern and traditional, yet the brand claims to be incorporating old designs with the new in its advertisement discourse to make it appealing to the modern readers of the text. Eastern aspects of the brand‟s individual identity are further highlighted by the fact that the brand makes eastern wear for men. Men‟s designs manufactured and advertised on the website and on the Facebook page are very traditional and Eastern in nature. Consider the following images from the website:

Figure (4.20) Figure (4.21)

Figure (4.22) Figure (4.23)

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Figure (4.24)

The images in Figures (4.20), (4.21), (4.22), (4.23) and (4.24) are all from the website showing traditional men‟s wear in Pakistan such as kullah (turbans), khusa (shoes), waistcoats, kurta/kameez shalwar (national dress of Pakistan), shawls, sherwani (men‟s formal wear gowns) etc. Where almost all the other men‟s wear brands are focusing on western wear, J. has been keen on making and promoting the traditional Pakistani clothing styles for men. Making this traditional style statement as a significant part of their identity the advertisers write in one of the posts shared on Facebook, „It‟s all about the right outfit and the right fit for the occasion when it comes to a man‟s traditional attire. This winter collection, J. Junaid Jamshed is the complete man's wardrobe with Kurtas, Kameez Shalwar, Sherwanis and waistcoats, all signature to masculine perfection‟. In these lines the producers have very subtly associated the man‟s traditional attire with masculine perfection, thereby prompting the male readers to be able to connect themselves with the brand‟s traditional attire with pride. The alliterative phrases right outfit and the right fit further add to the agency in the text leaving no doubts in the minds of the male readers about the perfection of the J.‟s winter collection. In addition to using words with specific connotations, the practice of using jargon is also very common in the discourse of J.‟s advertising. The inscriptions on figure (4.25) show certain words specifically used in the brand‟s jargon.

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Figure (4.25)

The title in the picture shown in figure (4.25) is also reflective of the brand‟s eastern inclinations. The word is from the Urdu language, meaning „new or modern colors‟, used to refer to the new clothing collection launched by the brand. The fact that it is written in Urdu script further strengthens the brand‟s desire to represent its association with the East in its advertising discourse. Though the name of the new collection alludes to modernity, the brand nevertheless uses an Urdu word to name it thus highlighting its emphasis on amalgamating tradition with modernism. As Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, the use of the word in this context is significant as it highligths the brand‟s association with the eastern spirit and traditionalism. The inscription on the picture further proclaims, „The impulse to look good is always at its peak in Winter and J. Junaid Jamshed‟s Nearang range satisfies every bit of it with hand woven embroidered single shirt fabrics styled with exquisite jacquard looming, chiffon dupatta and stylish stoles.‟ Besides corresponding to the traditional overtones of the brand‟s individual identity, both these texts show the use of certain words that are specific to clothing jargon/register. Words related to various types of clothing designs styling techniques such as Petha Silk fabric, Jaal work embroidery, front panels, intricate Zardozi work, jamawar piping, hand woven, exquisite jacquard looming etc. are used in the text. An ordinary viewer may not be able to grasp all the intricacies involved in the technicalities of the usage of these words, but the exquisiteness of such jargon surely impresses the readers and may affect their consumption patterns. J. is a brand that has repeatedly highlighted its individual identity as being traditional yet modern in the discourse of its advertising. In the section titled „Corporate

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Philosophy‟ on the website, the advertisement text producers of the brand state that they have merged traditionalism with modernism in designing the products of the brand, thereby creating a traditional yet modern identity of the brand. They write, „The main idea behind launching J. (J dot) was to reintroduce traditional clothes in Pakistan with a blend of modernism. For this purpose, we initiated with reworking on our Eastern dresses, especially Qameez Shalwar and made them contemporary with the latest elaborations available‟. This indicates that the corporate philosophy behind the trademark designs of the brand is to merge traditional with modern, that is, to blend the eastern wear with the modern embellishments and contemporary schemes. Modality in the text is established by the tone of certainty with which the producers assert the success of the experimentation of blending the traditional with modern. In this excerpt agency is also developed and is assigned to the brand and its creators by using the expressions such as „…we initiated..‟ The text further asserts, „The experimentation with this rare combination resulted in an increased interest of people toward modified Eastern ensembles, which will always be in vogue‟ emphasizing with certainty that the experimentation of blending traditional with modern is a success and that the modified designs created by the brand will always be in fashion. This degree of certainty and authority by which the claim has been made establishes modality in the text. The phrase „rare combination‟ in the text points to the expressive value in vocabulary. The text producers call the blend of traditional with the modern as a rare combination using very clear and direct words and leaving no doubts in the minds of the readers about the uniqueness of the blended designs. Here agency is also assigned to the creators of the new combinations who enjoy power whereas the consumers/ audience are the less powerful as the agency has been taken away from them and they seem the faithful followers of the brand. Similarly, in the section titled „Innovation‟ on the website, the advertisement text producers claim, „Though the philosophy behind establishing J. was to revive our traditional Qameez Shalwar. The aspect of adding a modern touch to them is what makes this brand exclusive‟. The text directly claims that „a modern touch‟ has been added to the „traditional Qameez Shalwar‟, hence highlighting the brand‟s individual identity as being traditional yet modern. Correspondingly it has been presupposed in the

103 text that the mixing of tradition with style is what makes a brand „exclusive‟, hence it can be concluded indirectly that J. is a trendy and popular brand. The title of the section i.e., „Innovation‟ is itself pointing towards the brand‟s modernized outlook when it comes to designing their products. The text further claims, „This rare combination of blending tradition with the latest fashion trends is itself innovative as it give rise to astonishingly amazing designs. This makes the brand a trend setter in the fashion industry. The tone of the text here is assertive, hence modality is established with the help of using very distinct and direct words. The text not only asserts the brand‟s identity as being a unique blend of tradition with style, but also highlights the expressive values in the vocabulary of the text. The text very assertively calls this amalgam of tradition and style as „innovative‟ and as a technique that „…give rise to astonishingly amazing designs‟. These words straightforwardly claim that the innovation on the part of the brand is the cause of the creation of incredible designs, thus leaving no doubts in the reader‟s mind about the marvel of the blended designs. Hence, the expressive values in the text are established by the text producers by expressing their opinions about the brand as facts. The technique of topicalization has been used repeatedly by the brand on its Facebook page to claim the brand‟s identity as being traditional yet modern. Figures (4.26) and (4.27) are examples in this regard.

Figure (4.26) Figure (4.27) Figure (4.26) and (4.27) both show an image of a male model each, both of whom are wearing traditional Pakistani style sherwanis (traditional eastern wear for men) and shawls. Though the dressing is completely traditional, the topicalization on both the images i.e., „Tradition with style‟, asserts that the brand‟s clothing designs are traditional

104 yet stylish. In choosing what to write in the topic position the writers create a perspective that influences the reader‟s perceptions. Therefore, even when the reader sees an image of an absolutely traditional wear he/she cannot help but believe that the attire though being utterly traditional is unique and stylish in itself. Hence, it can be concluded that J.‟s advertising discourse repeatedly claims the brand‟s identity as simultaneously being traditional and modern. The above examples illustrate that the producers very carefully intend the brand to be thought of as essentially being eastern in character with a touch of tradition and modernism.

4.1.1. iii Constructing National Identity- Featuring National Memorandums

J. constructs and represents its national identity by sharing various posts and photos about national events and national figures on Facebook. As the Pakistani flag consists of the colors green and white, changing the color schemes in the ads to green and remembering national heroes is a common practice in the world of Pakistani advertisements. The display picture of J. on Facebook changes to the colors green and white in order to show the brand‟s affiliations with Pakistan.

Figure (4.28)

Figure (4.28) shows both the colors of the Pakistani flag incorporated in the display picture of J. on Facebook. The background in the picture is green in color whereas the inscriptions containing the brand logo „J.‟, the name of the brand owner „Junaid Jamshed‟ and the caption „Soully East‟ are in white color. The use of the colors of the Pakistani flag in the brand‟s trademark logo demonstrates the national identity with which the brand wants to associate itself.

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Pakistan‟s Independence Day is celebrated on 14th August every year with full zest and vigor. The media in Pakistan especially the social media becomes replete with national memorandums this time of the year. Similarly, J.‟s official Facebook page shows various posts about the Independence Day.

Celebrate Independence Day with pride! Figure (4.29)

Figure (4.29) is an image shared by J. on Facebook to celebrate Pakistan‟s Independence Day. The figure shows a green background with white colored inscriptions, corresponding to the color theme of the Pakistani flag. The text in the picture says, „Dil Dil Pakistan‟, and „14th August 1947 – Forever‟. „Dil dil Pakistan’ is a famous national song of Pakistan known well to all the Pakistanis around the world for its honest manifestation of patriotism towards Pakistan. What is noteworthy here is that the song was originally sung by Junaid Jamshed, the owner of the brand J., in his youth when he was a prominent pop singer in Pakistan. Remembering the song on the independence day of Pakistan further lends a nationalistic facet to the brand‟s identity. The text also contains the inscription „14th August 1947 – Forever‟ which further endorses the love of the brand/ or its producers for their homeland. The date of 14th August 1947 is important for the Pakistanis as it marks the day when the Muslims of the Subcontinent got a separate homeland, Pakistan, for themselves to live their lives according to their own religion and desires. „14th August 1947 – Forever‟ shows the hope and faith of the producers to see their country Pakistan safe and sound till eternity, thereby reinforcing the nationalistic overtones of the brand‟s overall identity. The caption with the photo „Celebrate Independence Day with pride!‟ demonstrates the brand‟s pride in its country and exhibits the nationalistic aspects of its identity. The words celebrate and pride assert

106 the unmatched pride of the brand (and/or its producers) in their country which urges them to rejoice on the Independence Day of Pakistan. Not only are photos related to national celebrations of the independence day shared on Facebook, the designs and colors advertised are also associated to this special event.

Figure (4.30) Figure (4.31)

Figure (4.32) Figure (4.33)

Figure (4.34) Figures (4.30), (4.31), (4.32), (4.33), (4.34) are taken from the Facebook page of J.. All these photos show clothes in green color which are especially advertised with reference to the Independence Day celebrations. The green colored clothes for children, ladies and gents all are advertised in accordance with the celebration spirits of the brand.

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The caption on all these photos reads „IT‟S TIME TO GO FOR GREEN‟. The colors used in these captions are green and white, which are the colors of the Pakistani flag. In Figures (4.30), (4.31), (4.32), and (4.34) a green background is used in the text box while the text is in white color. In Figure (4.33) the text is written in green color with no text box background. This use of green color is a way of celebrating the most important day in the history of Pakistan. The caption in all these photos written in uppercase format is the selective voice used by the advertisers both to urge the audience to buy the green themed clothes and also to exhibit their national identity by advertising their designs compliance with the national day/event. Another way of celebrating the love for its homeland, the brand introduces certain sale offers both on the website and on the Facebook page. Consider the following figure in this regard.

Figure (4.35)

Figure (4.35) shows a sale offer at some of the brand‟s outlets. The caption „AZADI SHOPPING NIGHT‟ on the picture is written in the green and white colors and is highlighted in bold. The text here is foregrounded to attract the readers. Azadi is an Urdu word that means independence in English. Using a code mixed pattern where using the Urdu word for independence i.e. „Azadi‟ adds to the feel of the real independence. The word Azadi has certain connotations attached to it as this word was mostly used when campaigning for the demand of a separate homeland by the Muslims of India before 1947. Hence, the codes have been mixed in the caption to generate a specific patriotic feeling in the readers. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan whereas, English is considered to be the language of prestige in Pakistan. Most of the official work is carried out in the English language. Since the English language is a prestigious

108 language spoken mostly by the educated and elite in Pakistan, its use is quite common in the Pakistani media. Likewise, the use of English language in the Pakistani discourse of advertising is a common practice. The main code used in J.‟s advertising discourse is English. Since English is considered to be the language of elite in Pakistan J. uses English as the main code in its advertising discourse as it claims to be a modern brand. However, certain instances of code-mixing have also been observed with the mixing of certain words of the Urdu language into English. Defence day, celebrated on 6th September, is another important day in the history of Pakistan. It marks the victory of Pakistan in an Indian initiated war on Pakistan on 6th September, 1965. J.‟s advertisement texts on Facebook on 6th September paid tribute to the men behind the glorious victory in the war. Figure (4.36) shows an image of a soldier standing on an elevated place under the shadow of Pakistani flag. A helicopter is seen flying in the sky while the soldier is vigilantly guarding his city fully armed with weapons.

Figure (4.36)

The text in the Figure (4.36) written in green color reads, „A DAY TO REMEMBER THE BOLD & COURAGEOUS‟ and „CELEBRATING DEFENCE DAY 6TH SEPTEMBER‟. J. conforms to the nationalistic sides of its identity by paying tribute to the soldiers who valiantly fought in the Indo-Pak War of 1965. The brand dedicates its advertisements on this day to „THE BRAVE & COURAGEOUS‟ soldiers to remember them thereby exhibiting their nationalistic identity. The presence of the brand logo back grounded in the image shows that the brand cannot be dissociated with the celebration of the Defence Day. The brand logo‟s presence in the images shared in the

109 respective advertisement discourses also act as reminders to the audience not to detach the brand from their remembrances of the national events. Other national celebrations such as the Quaid-e- Azam day celebrated on 25th December, has also been celebrated by the brand. The day celebrates the birth anniversary of the great leader. On the respective day, images related to Quaid-e- Azam were shared by the brand‟s advertisement text producers on Facebook thus remembering the true spirits of the national event. Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah is the founder of Pakistan, who toiled day and night for the independence of the Indian Muslims and eventually got succeeded on 14th August, 1947 when a separate homeland, Pakistan, was created. Figure (4.37) contains an image of Quaid-e- Azam, his tomb in Karachi, and an inscription.

Figure (4.37)

The inscription states, „THE MAN WHO TAUGHT US THE MEANING OF FREEDOM--- JINNAH‟. The advertisement text producers of J. remember to pay tribute to the father of the nation on the respective day. The brand appreciates the efforts of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah with pride and shares images and captions honoring Mr. Jinnah. Figure (4.38), shared on the death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam, i.e. 11th of September, 2014 also remembers the contributions of Quaid-e-Azam in honor of his memory.

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Figure (4.38)

Figure (4.38) contains the foregrounded text asserting Quaid-e-Azam as the „FATHER OF THE NATION‟, a historic quote by Quaid-e-Azam, his year of birth and of death, i.e. 1876 and 1948 respectively, and the brand logo. An image of Quaid-e-Azam is also seen embedded in the foregrounded text. The memorable quote by Quaid-e-Azam says, „Pakistan not only means freedom and independence but the Muslim ideology which has to be preserved, which has come to us as a precious gift and treasure and which, we hope other will share with us‟. Hence, remembering and sharing the quote by Quaid-e-Azam that exhibits an honest representation of the Muslim ideology corresponding to our national ideology, the brand represents the facets of its national identity in its advertisement discourse. Connecting with the readers on special occasions having national concerns in the advertising discourse is a common trend. J. is a brand that is seen connecting with the readers on such occasions. Figure (4.39) from the Facebook page of J. remembers the innocent children martyred in the Peshawar School attack on 16th December, 2014.

Join us in honouring the lives of the victims of the PeshawarSchoolAttack today at 6pm at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi. Figure (4.39)

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16th December, 2014 is indeed a black day for Pakistan when more than a hundred students in a Peshawar school were martyred in terrorist attacks during the school hours. Figure (4.39) shows the image of a lighted candle with the inscription, „Come, join us in paying tribute to our little angels today at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi‟. The use of the pronouns „us‟ and „our‟ establishes relational values in the text where the text producers emphasize the relationship between the martyred souls, the readers, and themselves. Not only did they share images paying tributes, the display picture on their official Facebook page was also changed to black color to convey the grievance they felt over the tragic loss. Figure (4.40) was set as the display picture of J. on Facebook after the grievances extended to the media.

Figure (4.40)

Figure (4.40) shows a blacked out picture with only a slightly visible brand logo. The color black when used in expressing grievance over tragedies is considered to be the color of mourning in Pakistan. The use of the black color shows the deep sense of mourning prevalent in Pakistan over the incident and the use of that color as the brand‟s display picture shows the nationwide emotional state of the nation shared by the brand producers. The caption accompanying the display picture asserts, „Our heart go out to all those families affected by the terrible attack in Peshawar‟. This caption establishes the expressive values of the text producers in the text. To understand those expressive values let us consider the complete picture. There are currently two schools of thought prevalent in the country. One, that sides with the army and rebuts the militancy; second, that advocates the militant groups and justify their extremism by blaming the social injustice. Hence, the straightforward declaration of the attack being terrible and consoling the grieved families, the text demonstrates the text producers‟ opinions evaluated through

112 their own set of beliefs. Hence, the brand producers establish the brand‟s identity as being truly Pakistani and promote its ideology of siding with the just while disproving the unjust. Hence, it can be concluded from the data analysis that J. remembers the national events and national figures in its advertisement discourse on the website and especially on the Facebook page. The use of certain colors, pictures, and images related to the national celebrations enables J. to construct and represent its national identity.

4.1.1. iv Creating Religious Identity- Celebrating Religious Events

Pakistan is a Muslim country and therefore most of the religious events celebrated here on a grand scale are those that are based on Islamic traditions. J. communicates with its customers on social media on all such occasions to establish its religious identity. Most important and most widely celebrated religious event for Pakistanis in this regard is Eid (a religious festival following the holy month of Ramadan). J. wishes the readers on the auspicious occasion of Eid by sharing related photos and updating status on Facebook. Consider Figure (4.41) in this regard.

Figure (4.41)

Figure (4.41) is a photo designed and shared on Facebook specifically to wish the readers on the Eid day by the advertisement text producers of the brand. The photo contains the message „EID MUBARAK‟ (translated as happy Eid in English) written both in the English and the Arabic transcript, the brand logo, and a prayer/wish that says, „May every blossom in the garden of life… brighten your eid with joy, and fill your days with the sweet fragrance of happiness…!‟. The wish and prayer shared specially on the

113 blessed event of Eid convey the cultural identity of the brand as it remembers its readers/audience and wishes them with an Eid greeting on this auspicious occasion. Besides remembering the readers on auspicious events and wishing them with prayers, the producers are also using the occasion of Eid to sell their products. Using discourse in such a way so as to make Eid as the occasion that makes it customary for the customers to buy new clothes. Consider Figure (4.42) as an instance.

Figure (4.42)

The inscription on the figure (4.42) says, „This Eid‟s unstitched collection is made for those that love to show their personality! With a series of unique designs in Lawn, Chiffon and Silk, available too as RTW (ready to wear), you can be sure to find one that brings out the true you!‟. The overall agency in the text is established by the tone of certainty that directly claims that „This Eid‟s unstitched collection is made for those that love to show their personality!‟. The claim presupposes that the brand‟s products are generally bought by the people with remarkable personalities as the uniqueness in their personalities is highlighted by the brand‟s products. The advertisement text creators here relate the unique designs to the true you hereby declaring that the Eid collection of designs is the one that will make the customers bring out their true individual personality in fashion. The repeated use of the pronoun you in the text is used to interact directly with the reader. This direct communication lends power to the reader/customer. Consider also Figure (4.43) in this regard which is a photo shared on Facebook after the Eid day.

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Share your interesting stories you had this Eid Figure (4.43)

Figure (4.43) contains the brand logo and an inscription that says, „How did YOU spend your EID holidays?‟ The brand logo is back grounded in the image while the text communicating directly with the readers is foregrounded, in which the words „YOU‟ and „EID‟ are written in capital letters, thus giving the power position to the readers. Involving the readers in various chat forums as these is one way of the brand advertisement discourse to grab the attention of the readers. Furthermore, the use of the pronoun „YOU‟ highlights the relational values in the text where the text producers directly interact with the readers. The relational values of vocabulary established in the text highlight the friendly relationship between the brand and its customers. The text accompanying the figure (4.43), that is, „Share your interesting stories you had this Eid‟ also involves the readers in direct communication by inviting the readers to share their views in the comment section on Facebook. This use of direct communication with the reader in the discourse of advertisement is an advertising strategy using discourse to build up affable relations with the readers/audience. As regards the religious overtones of J.‟s identity, certain observations have been made in the data. Junaid Jamshed, the founder of J., was a renowned pop singer in Pakistan in early 90s but later on turned into a religious preacher and scholar. Islam being his religion, his religious associations are very much noticeable in the choice of semiotic symbols in the discourse of J.‟s advertising. As Islam prohibits the objectification of women we see that no female model is present for advertising purposes both in the website and on the Facebook page. Faceless mannequins are used while modeling for female dresses. Whereas, male models are used for advertising the dresses and accessories for men, but it should be noted that the face of the male models is not shown.

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Hence, it can be observed that there has been a complete avoidance of human face representation in the ads by J.. Consider the following images from the website in this regard.

Figure (4.44) Figure (4.45)

Figure (4.46) Figure (4.47)

Figure (4.44) and Figure (4.45) show that faceless mannequins have been used instead of female models to advertise women‟s clothing. Whereas, in Figure (4.46) a male model is used to pose in men‟s clothing and Figure (4.47) shows the clothing for both men and women but it is noteworthy to observe that no female model is used to pose for women‟s wear, whereas, a male model is used to pose for men‟s wear. However, the Figures (4.46) and (4.47) show that even though the male model‟s body is shown, his face is not shown in the images. This is due to the brand owner‟s religious affiliations that affect the ways in which dresses and other fashion accessories are being modeled in the advertising discourse of J..

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The advertisers create a religious façade of the brand‟s identity by the use of various linguistic and semiotic strategies, thus creating a religious identity associated with the brand. Consider the „Finance‟ section on the website, „All the finance- related decisions are taken by the Finance Team whose responsibility is to make sure the company‟s financial statements are in order and transparent. Also, we believe in non-interest-based financing and comply with all Shariah rules to ensure our money is riba free‟. The finance related issues of the company being in compliance with the Shariah rules (Islamic laws and regulations) hint at the religious facet of the brand‟s identity. Also, the transactions based on riba (an Arabic word for interest) are prohibited in Islam and the followers of Islam have been strictly ordered to refrain from riba. Thus, proclaiming their money to be riba free the brand‟s identity as having religious undertones has been represented. Remembering Islamic events and posting updates about them occasionally on the Facebook page also helps in establishing religious identity of the brand. Consider for example Figure (4.48) in which an image of the Holy Kaaba (pilgrimage site for Muslims in Makkah) is shown along with certain Arabic inscriptions related to the same event i.e. Hajj (pilgrimage of Muslims).

Figure (4.48)

The image in the Figure (4.48) was shared on the Facebook page in October, 2014 with reference to Hajj being performed in the month of October, 2014 by the Muslims around the world in the holy city of Makkah. Such kinds of posts on Facebook represent the religious identity of the brand and its producers.

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Ramadan is a holy month of Islamic calendar for Muslims in which the Muslims around the world fast and pray with a spirit unmatched with what remains the rest of the year. The image of the moon, stars and the mosque in the figure (4.49) correspond to the overall theme of the holy month when the moon is sighted on the eve of 1st Ramadan and Muslims start observing their fasts for the next whole month.

Figure (4.49)

The inscription in Figure (4.49) says, Ramadan Mubarak written in Arabic transcript which is translated as Happy Ramadan in English. The caption which is used as a status update along with this picture says, „May Allah (SWT) bless us all with good health particularly during this holy month‟. The text producers of the J.‟s advertisement discourse wish the Muslims on the beginning of this auspicious month with a prayer of sound health. The picture, wish/prayers and the use of Arabic transcript to wish the readers a blessed Ramadan all represent the religious aspects of the brand‟s identity.

4.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 1

The analysis of textual elements in the data has revealed that the discourse of advertising of the brand J. has created a certain image of the brand that is deemed best suited for its better promotion by the producers. The image is created on the basis of various identity themes present in the discourse of J.‟s advertisements. The prominent identity themes found in the data are professional identity, individual eastern identity, national identity, and religious identity. The professional identity of the brand J. is highlighted by its focus on advertising its unique features such as experimentation in creating modern and unique designs. The

118 professional identity of J. is further marked by the focus in its advertisement discourse on being called a market leader, based on the claim of having skilled professionals working with the brand. The text in the data has also highlighted the brand‟s congenial relations with its customers and team members both by using linguistic inscriptions and sharing pictures. Another important aspect of J.‟s professional identity according to the discourse of its advertisement is its eminence celebrated across the globe evident from the launch of its various outlets. Focusing on presenting a brand in terms of its expertise and specialization makes it stand out among the other competing brands. The data shows that J. is careful in representing its professional uniqueness in order to attract more and more customers. The individual eastern identity is emphasized by the claims in the discourse of its advertisement of using the East as inspiration in designing the clothing materials. The caption „Soully east‟ in the brand logo confirms the traditional eastern spirit of the brand‟s identity. Moreover, the use of certain register words of the Urdu language in the advertising discourse adds to the traditional aspects of the brand‟s identity. Not only does the brand claim to have an eastern identity, it also stresses upon its modern spirit in merging tradition with style. The discourse of J.‟s advertisement has repeatedly claimed to have a modern identity in its endeavor to combine the traditional eastern wear with modern cuts and designs. The uniqueness of J. in terms of a distinctive and personal quality in its advertising discourse is exemplified by endorsing its true eastern spirit. What makes J. unique in terms of its individuality is its focus on merging eastern with modernism. To J. modernism does not necessarily equate with the western as can be seen in its endeavor to merge east with modernity without any reference to the western spirit. The national identity of J. is apparent from its remembering and honoring national events and national figures in the discourse of adverting. The use of green color (color of the Pakistani flag) is very common in the pictures shared on such events. The mixing of Urdu words in English in various advertisement texts also highlights the national identity of the brand. As Pakistan is an Islamic state and most of its religious festivals are based on Islamic events, the advertisement discourse of J. celebrating religious festivals and remembering Islamic events highlights the religious overtones of the brand‟s identity. The avoidance of the representation of human faces in the advertisements also reflects the

119 religious identity of the brand as Islam forbids unnecessary exposure of human faces and bodies.

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 2: Nishat Linen (NL)

To study the identity themes presented in the discourse of Nishat Linen‟s advertising, the data collected from the official website and official Facebook page of the brand is analyzed simultaneously in this section. Nishat Linen (NL) is one of the leading fashion brands of clothing in Pakistan that have various outlets within and outside Pakistan. The brand‟s advertising discourse is analyzed to see how the text producers create a certain image or various facades of the brand‟s overall disposition in the advertising content shared on internet. To study the creation and representation of identity in the discourse of Nishat Linen‟s advertising the linguistic and semiotic configurations used in the text are examined. An analysis of both the linguistic and semiotic patterns in the advertisement discourse shows how these patterns are used by the brand‟s advertisement text producers to create and represent a certain kind of identity for the brand.

4.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in NL’s Advertising Discourse

An analysis focusing on exploring the linguistic and semiotic features in the advertising discourse of the brand NL (Nishat Linen) is carried out in order to study the identity themes present in the data. These textual elements are studied to explore the situational context of the text production which involves the producers‟ aims and objectives, ideas, and motives behind the text. The social contexts governing these processes of production and interpretation are explained in order to study the practice of identity construction of the brands in their advertising discourse. The analysis of the textual elements that include the linguistic and semiotic features in the data of NL‟s advertising discourse depicts various identity themes whose processes of creation and representation are discussed below.

4.2.1. i Creating Professional Identity- Based on Skill and Expertise

The discourse of advertising of the brand Nishat Linen has created and presented its professional identity in the linguistic and semiotic patterns used both on the website and

120 on the Facebook page. From calling its clothing fabric as „the fabric of Pakistan‟ to proclaiming its uniqueness by highlighting the brand‟s international collaborations, the advertising discourse of NL on internet establishes its professional identity. Various aspects that establish NL‟s professional identity are its name and trademark logo, its claim of having expertise in textile industry, its range of products, its focus on customer satisfaction, playful fun activities on Facebook etc. All these aspects as highlighted in the discourse of its advertising construct the professional identity of NL. An important aspect of NL‟s professional identity is its name which is unique in itself and differentiates it from other brands. The brand calls itself „NL‟ which is an abbreviation of the brand name Nishat Linen. In the section titled „OVERVIEW‟ on the website the brand‟s advertisement text producers proclaim, „This website is operated by NL‟. Though the direct reading of this sentence gives the abbreviation of the brand name or the name that is used by the brand in its discourse of advertising, the analytical reading highlights the agency in the text. No nominalization has been used here; rather straightforward information about the power relations has been given where the power lies with the producers. The text further states, „Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to NL‟. The pronouns „we‟, „us‟ and „our‟ are used to include only the brand producers and indirectly exclude the readers out when stating that these refer to NL. This shows the sense of ownership the brand has of its affiliations. This assertion highlights the agency in the text where the power structures correspond with the producers. The brand logo, shown in Figure (4.50), is unique and serves as the trademark of the brand.

Figure (4.50)

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Figure (4.50) shows the brand logo which is a sign made by combining the initials of the brand name i.e. N and L of Nishat Linen. This logo is symbolic of the unique identity of the brand, hence, it is present in almost all the images in the data. The website contains a prominent image of the logo in all of its sections. Consider the following images containing the brand logo.

Figure (4.51) Figure (4.52)

Figure (4.51) and Figure (4.52) are images of two different pages on the website. Both show the presence of the brand logo which makes it clear that the logo is representative of the professional identity of the brand. Similarly, all the pictures and images shared on the Facebook page of the brand contain the brand logo.

Figure (4.53) Figure (4.54)

Figure (4.53) and Figure (4.54) have been taken from the Facebook page of NL. Both show the presence of the brand logo on the pictures. Hence, it can be concluded that the brand logo constitutes an essential part of the brand‟s professional identity.

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The advertising discourse of the brand establishes another aspect of its professional identity by highlighting its expertise in the textile industry of Pakistan. In the section titled „ABOUT‟, on the website NL asserts, „Nishat Mills Limited stands as one of the most well equipped, modern and the largest vertically integrated textiles companies in Pakistan‟. The phrase ‘one of the most well equipped, modern…‟ gives the brand a top rank inspite of the fact that the brand has not directly claimed to be the most well equipped and modern brand in Pakistan. The use of the adjective „modern‟ is significant in describing the contemporary outlook of the brand when it comes to fashion designs which makes it unique and establish its professional identity. NL‟s professionalism also comes from the fact that it designs, manufactures, sells, and advertises products for not only men and women, but also for children. Consider the figure (4.55) which is a snapshot of one of the various sections of the website.

Figure (4.55)

Figure (4.55) shows the different categories of the various collections of the brand such as KIDS, PRET, FASHION, HOME LINEN, NAQSH, and FABRIC, which showcase the kid‟s wear, stitched clothes for women, jewelry, bed sheets, stitched clothes for men, and unstitched clothes for women respectively. Hence, an important aspect of NL‟s professional identity as studied from the linguistic and semiotic patterns of its advertising discourse is its expertise in designing fashion products for men, women and children alike. NL not only advertises its clothes, but also promotes its shoes, bags, jewelry and other accessories on both its website and the Facebook page, which is another important

123 aspect of NL‟s professional identity. Figure (4.56) is an image shared on Facebook to advertise all the various products NL designs to give the customers a certain trendy look. The products advertised include hand bag, shoes, jewelry, clothes and other fashion accessories. The text on the topic position says, „GET THE LOOK‟, which could have been ambiguous if the model with a certain trendy look was not shown in the picture. The caption on the picture, images of various accessories along with the trendy appearance of the model establishes NL‟s concept of being fashionable focusing on using different accessories along with the dresses, which is a significant aspect of its professional identity.

Figure (4.56)

The text accompanying the picture on Facebook, „Get the look with Nishat and steal the spotlight!‟ acts as a co-text and further establishes the meaning of the phrase „GET THE LOOK‟ written on the picture in Figure (4.56). The image of the model in the picture wearing NL‟s clothes and accessories, looking straight into the camera with confidence establishes the brand‟s concept of „the‟ look to be desired by women. NL establishes another substantial aspect of its professional identity by emphasizing its focus on the views and satisfaction of the customers. The text on the section titled „ABOUT‟ on the website asserts, „The sophistication and panache of our dresses is simply breath taking. You inspire us and so we make design that brings the best out of you. For us, it is all about your satisfaction‟. The text here addresses the readers and considers them an inspiration for the brand in creating unique designs and assures them that the brand‟s sole priority is the „satisfaction‟ of its customers. However, a closer analysis of the lexical patterns in the text show the expressive values in the text where the brand‟s advertising text producers have straightforwardly asserted their view of

124 the brand‟s dresses to be „simply breath taking‟. This assertive tone of declaration with a certainty lends modality to the text. The writers have stated their opinion in a declarative manner leaving no doubts in the minds of the readers about the dresses being „breath taking‟ or not. In saying „The sophistication and panache of our dresses is simply breath taking‟, it has been presupposed that the dresses of the brand have sophistication and panache. Moreover, the use of the pronouns „you‟, „us‟, „we‟, and „your‟ highlights the relational values of vocabulary in the text that highlight the sociable relationship between the brand and its customers which is an important aspect of the brand‟s professional identity. Similarly, in the „CONTACT US‟ section of the website the brand‟s advertising text producers invite the readers to contact the brand producers by saying, „Call us on the following number or write us an email and we will get back to you‟. The use of the pronouns „us‟, „we‟, and „you‟ in the text emphasizes the relation between the producers and the readers when the readers are asked to contact the brand producers by means of a phone call or an email. The text here lends the readers a position of power as they are asked to make queries regarding the brand‟s products and/or services thus giving them the choice of presenting of their discourse. In the sentence „Call us on the following number or write us an email and we will get back to you‟ the producers give agency to the readers by asking them to call or write to them to share their opinions. Figure (4.57) is a snapshot image of the „CONTACT US‟ section of the website.

Figure (4.57)

Figure (4.57) shows that the brand involves the readers in direct communication by inviting them to contact the brand in case of any queries. The various modes of

125 contact as shown in the picture are telephone numbers, postal address, email id, and the official Facebook page of the brand. This use of direct communication with the reader in the discourse of advertisement is a strategy on the part of the producers to form friendly relations with the audience. Interacting with readers through playful fun activities is also a significant aspect of the brand‟s professional identity. The fun activities initiated by the brand on its Facebook page are puzzles, quotes and attention-grabbing captions. Consider figure (4.58) below.

Can you guess this one? Figure (4.58)

Figure (4.58) is an image that contains a jumbled up sentence and the readers are asked to „UNJUMBLE THE SENTENCE‟. Rearranging the letters in the puzzle makes it „Fabric of Pakistan‟. Here the primary discourse involves the readers in playful activity of unscrambling the sentence; while the secondary discourse asserts to the readers that NL is the fabric of Pakistan. The secondary discourse works wonders in creating certain social realities and here the secondary discourse claims that NL‟s fabric is the fabric of Pakistan. The caption accompanying the image in Figure (4.58) asks the readers, „Can you guess this one?‟, directly addressing the reader by using the pronoun „you‟. According to Fairclough (1989) the use of pronouns in the discourse of advertising represents a certain relational context and so the pronouns used in the discourse should be analyzed to study the relational values of a text. Studying relational values in a text focuses on analyzing the use of words that have an impact on how a text relates with the readers. The pronoun „you‟ is used in the discourse of NL‟s advertising to converse directly with the customers highlighting the friendly relations between the brand and its customers. Consider the following figures for instance.

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Figure (4.59) Figure (4.60)

Figure (4.59) shows scrambled words put forth for the readers to unscramble; whereas the Figure (4.60) asks a question from the readers of their plans on how they will keep themselves warmed up in the winter season. Both these figures show that the brand regularly invites the audience to participate in various fun activities such as unscrambling the words, participating in question/answer undertakings in the form of comments on Facebook. These playful activities are representative of the cordial relations of the brand with the customers formed by involving the readers to take part in little fun activities. Hence, these kinds of fun filled activities devised by the brand in its advertising discourse represent its identity as a user friendly brand which is a significant feature of NL‟s professional identity. Such advertising techniques on Facebook to connect with customers not only help the brand to create its identity as being a user friendly brand, but also prove to be very effective in the popularity of the brands. For instance, the scrambled words in the figure (4.59) are „NISHAT WINTERS‟; whereas the question posed in figure (4.60) is „HOW WILL YOU WARM UP THIS WINTER?‟. Both these activities compel the readers to stop and ponder over the questions for a moment in search of a logical connection between the brand and the questions asked, before scrolling down to the other newsfeed on the Facebook profile. Hence, more exposure to the brand and its qualities is given by the use of these playful activities in the advertising discourse of the brand. Another important aspect of NL‟s professional identity is its focus on international collaborations. The fact that the brand has its very own international outlets is made known to the audience by sharing the content that announces new varieties being available in the international outlets. Figure (4.61) publicizes about both.

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Figure (4.61)

The inscription on the picture in Figure (4.61) that declares, „New arrivals now available at our U.A.E stores‟, also presupposes that the brand has its very own outlets in United Arab Emirates. This announcement establishes the brand‟s professional identity. Not only does the brand publicize about its international outlets, it also celebrates international events in its advertising discourse to show its global associations. For instance the figure (4.62) shared on the brand‟s Facebook page celebrates UAE‟s National Day.

Figure (4.62)

The text on the image states, „NL Nishat celebrates „UAE National Day‟,‟ whereas the text included with the image in figure (4.62) on the Facebook page says, „NL Nishat wishes its UAE customers Happy National Day!!‟. The text here not only shows the brand to be rejoicing in the national affair of UAE, it also presupposes that NL has customers in the UAE thus highlighting the global aspect of its professional identity.

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Focusing on advertising about its increasing number of followers on Facebook, NL celebrates its six hundred thousand fans on Facebook by sharing the following picture on its Facebook page.

Figure (4.63)

The inscription on the image in figure (4.63) states, „THANK YOU 6 HUNDRED THOUSAND + VALUABLE FACEBOOK FANS‟. Though the image is shared to thank the audience/customers for following the brand on Facebook, it also serves the purpose of highlighting the fondness of customers for the brand. The focus of the brand‟s advertising text producers on the nationwide and international liking for the brand highlights the professional aspect of its professional identity. Hence, it can be concluded that the professional identity of NL is constructed and represented to the audience by its professional attitude displayed in the discourse of its advertising. The use of language and the choice of images in its advertising discourse have helped the brand to create and present its desired image to the audience. The aspects that constitute the professional identity of the brand are its skill and expertise, having a wide range of accessories along with the clothing items, satisfaction of the customers and interactions with them through fun activities on Facebook, international collaborations in the form of international outlets, increasing number of its followers and customers etc.

4.2.1. ii Construction of Individual Identity- Emphasis on a

Modern Outlook

NL has repeatedly highlighted its individual identity as a brand having a modernized outlook in the discourse of its advertising. From its focus on designing western outfits

129 with a touch of contemporary, to claiming about the novelty of its designs in the discourse of its advertising, NL creates and represents the significant aspects of its individual identity. Furthermore, NL‟s focus on style and individuality in creating latest designs is also a significant aspect of its individual identity. Modern identity or modernism in this context refers to the characteristics of the brand of being innovative, trendy, and novel. Unlike, J. whose individual identity centers on the eastern spirit and traditionalism, NL constructs its individual identity as a modern brand having a modernized outlook that loves to experiment with style, fashion, tradition and contemporariness.

The text on a Facebook post by the brand‟s advertising text producers says, „FRESH ADDITIONS to our Western Collection!!! Choose from our latest collection of pretty summer dresses, Trendy Jumpsuits, Classic button-down shirts and More!!!!‟ The statement presupposes that NL has a Western collection, implying the all- encompassing modern outlook of the brand in the domain of fashion. The phrase „latest collection‟ further endorses the novelty and freshness of NL‟s designs. Furthermore, the adjectives „pretty‟, „Trendy‟, and Classic‟ used to describe NL‟s clothing lines establish its identity as a modern western brand that loves to combine the trendy with the classic. This shows that unlike J. who links modernism to the East, NL equates modernism with the West. NL takes inspiration from the west and design clothes based on the western style. By using the adjectives such as „pretty‟, „Trendy‟, and Classic‟ for the west inspired clothing NL expresses how it views the west. Hence, merging of eastern and western identity is witnessed here through these collaborations of the eastern styles with those of the west. The claim of being a modern brand runs throughout the advertising discourse of NL. In the section titled „About‟ on the website the producers assert, „We are responsible for putting forth clothing that represents your taste in dressing up. The beauty is in the colors and the cuts that are modern yet simple and supremely eye-catching‟. The expressive values of the text are established here as the text producers very assertively claim in very clear and direct words that their brand‟s designs are „modern yet simple‟, leaving no doubts in the minds of the readers about the modernity of the colorful and simple designs. The producers act as the agents of power in asserting, „We are

130 responsible for putting forth clothing that represents your taste in dressing up‟. Furthermore, the assertive tone of the text producers in the sentence lends modality to the text which is highlighted by the expressive values in the vocabulary of the text. These expressive values are established by the producers‟ opinion of the customer‟s taste in dressing up as being fully represented by the brand‟s designs. Moreover, the use of the pronoun „your‟ highlights the relational values of vocabulary in the text where the producers directly address the readers to relate them with the brand. Hence, the agency, lent by the direct assertion and relational and expressive values in the text, convince the readers that their taste being fully represented in the brand‟s modern designs. The brand repeatedly claims to have new and latest designs which reaffirm its modern identity. Figure (4.64) is an image showing a trendy clutch bag having a collage of various images.

Figure (4.64)

The captions „Don't follow the crowd.. BE YOURSELF!!!!‟ and „Try something NEW..!!!‟ accompanying the Figure (4.64) on Facebook, directly provoke the readers to try the new trends that are in vogue. In urging the readers to try something new, it is presupposed that the products of NL are new and modern. Another aspect of NL‟s individual identity is its focus on style. The advertising discourse of NL has a special focus on establishing the brand as a stylish brand. A post shared on Facebook just before the arrival of the upcoming new year wishes the readers a happy new year. See figure (4.65) below in this regard.

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We wish our fans a very happy 2015! Figure (4.65)

Figure (4.65) contains the inscription „HAPPY NEW YEAR!‟ along with the brand logo and a caption that says „Start your new year with a SMILE “STYLE”. The special focus on the word „style‟ by writing it in the bold font and by cutting off the word „smile‟ highlights the brand‟s focus on style, thereby highlighting its modern identity that focuses more on innovative style. In Figure (4.66) NL calls its designs as „HOT SELLERS‟.

Figure (4.66)

Figure (4.66) contains an image of three female models endorsing clothes and hand bags. The inscription on the image that says, „HOT SELLERS‟ is used to indicate that NL‟s products are chic and trendy. The word hot used for styles and designs designate a touch of modernism to the products being advertised. Similarly, the models in the image are young and stylish, looking away from the camera, but giving an air of confidence. The trendy look given to the models and the text in the topic position lend a touch of modern character, thereby representing NL‟s modern identity.

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NL‟s focus on innovations in style is what marks its individual identity as a modern brand. See figures (4.67) and (4.68) in this regard. Both the images in the two figures have a special focus on style.

Figure (4.67) Figure (4.68)

Figures (4.67) and (4.68) both show a female model each endorsing clothes and accessories by the brand. The topicalization on the two images reads, „Fashionista on a budget‟ and „STYLE Mashup‟ respectively. The word fashionista is used for a person who has strong fashion interests. The phrase „Fashionista on a budget‟ on the image, along with the prices for each piece of clothing by NL in the picture forms its identity as a stylish yet economical brand that makes its followers/customers appear fashionable thereby creating its identity as a modern and stylish brand. Similarly, in Figure (4.68) along with the female model various fashion accessories are shown in the image. The model in the image is in an Eastern dress, however, the accessories being advertised are presented as being trendy and chic. This additional dimension of meaning given to the accessories is presumed by the use of the word „mashup‟ which means a fusion of disparate elements. Hence, the phrase „STYLE Mashup‟ indicates the brand‟s identity as chiefly being a modern brand that has a special focus on fusing tradition with modernism. NL‟s repeated focus on style and individuality in fashion in the discourse of its advertising establishes its modern identity. The NL‟s advertising text producers assert on Facebook, „Fashion is all about expressing individuality‟. The text here serves as a declaration on the part of the text producers that urges the readers to experiment in fashion in order to discover their individuality. Since the text comes from NL‟s

133 advertising text producers, it also presupposes that the fashion statements made by using NL‟s products or designs express one‟s individuality. The image accompanying this text is shown in the figure (4.69).

Figure (4.69)

The inscription on the image reads, „KEEP CALM & DISCOVER FASHIONABLE FREEDOM‟. The text on the image urges the readers to discover their fashion interests and to experiment new and trendy fashions in order to stand out among the rest. The text is in all bold and capital letters, hence stressing the need to discover one‟s choice in the fashion. The text while urging the readers to discover their fashion sense also presupposes that NL is the brand that gives the freedom to the customers to try and discover their fashion interests, and also to experiment with their choices in order to create a fashionable look for themselves. This image highlights the trendy aspects of NL‟s modern identity. Repeated focus on individuality is present in the discourse of NL‟s advertising. Consider Figure (4.70) in this regard.

Figure (4.70)

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Figure (4.70) shows the image of a female model dressed in NL‟s clothing. The model looks confident staring directly into the camera. The caption accompanying the image on NL‟s Facebook page says, „Don't follow the crowd. BE YOURSELF!!!!‟. Here the text focuses on individuality using the linguistic technique of presupposition. An analysis of experiential values in the text shows the producer‟s perspective which is apparent in the lexical pattern of the text. The text producers presuppose that those who follow the crowd or who follow the trends set and followed by other people have no uniqueness or individuality of their own. The punctuation patterns in the text show that the focus on individuality is accentuated by writing „BE YOURSELF‟ in uppercase and also by using the exclamation mark repeatedly at the end of the sentence. This technique of incorrect punctuation is used by the text producers to stress upon the need to be discrete when it comes to style and fashion. This focus on the need of uniqueness and novelty by the brand is a demonstration of its modern identity. One of the most significant aspects defining the brand‟s individual modern identity is its use of the English language in the discourse of its advertising. Pakistan is a multilingual country where many regional languages are spoken in addition to its national language i.e. Urdu. English is the most widely used international language in Pakistan and is considered to be the language of the educated elite. Since the English language is considered to be the language of prestige in Pakistan NL uses English as the main code in its advertising discourse to construct its elite and modern identity. The data shows that there is a minimal number of Urdu words used. The only Urdu words present in the data are chalghoza and chai meaning pine nuts and tea respectively in English. As discussed earlier (in section 4.2.1. iv) that these words have specific cultural connotations attached as it is a common practice to enjoy the freezing evenings in Pakistan by remaining indoors and enjoying pine nuts and tea. Therefore, to establish the relational values in the text relating the readers with the text on a cultural level Urdu words have been used here. Apart from these words no other Urdu words have been used in the data. An even more interesting finding is that the register words in Urdu are also not used which otherwise is a common discourse practice in the world of advertisements. Unlike J., that has used certain register words in Urdu to highlight the nationalistic aspects of its identity, NL has refrained from this tradition. Thus it can be concluded that the linguistic identity as

135 created by the discourse of NL‟s advertising directly corresponds to its individual identity which largely constitutes modernistic aspects. Being a Pakistani brand belonging to east, the brand does establish its eastern identity in its advertising discourse. However, there has been a greater focus on an incorporation of the eastern style with the western one which highlights the modernistic aspects of NL‟s individual identity. The text on one of the main sections of the brand‟s official website states very clearly about the amalgamation of eastern flavor with the contemporary one. Figure (4.71) is the snapshot image of the concerned section of the website.

Figure (4.71)

The inscription in the figure (4.71) says, „NL brings you colors of east spiced up with style and elegance; transforming fashion and incorporating cultural values into the designs and ideas‟. The text here claims that the brand has used eastern colors in a stylish and elegant way in order to create new fashion styles „incorporating cultural values‟. The brand claims to have merged eastern designs with the contemporary ones in order to integrate the eastern cultural values in the brand‟s modern designs. The focus of the brand‟s advertising discourse is more on representing the brand as modern and as modernity for NL means innovation and experimentation, assertions in the advertising discourse of the brand by text producers have been found that claim to have used eastern designs as inspiration while creating the novel ones.

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4.2.1. iii Creating National Identity- References to National Events

The national identity of NL is constructed and represented on internet by sharing different status updates and photos about national events on Facebook and updating related content on the website. Pakistani media celebrates the Independence Day of Pakistan, celebrated on 14th August, with passion and enthusiasm. Similarly, there are certain references to the Independence Day celebrations of Pakistan in NL‟s discourse of advertising on social media. Figure (4.72) is a picture posted on the Facebook page of NL with reference to Pakistan‟s Independence Day.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY...!!! From team NL.. Figure (4.72)

Figure (4.72) shows a picture of some of the brand‟s team members gathered together to celebrate the independence day of Pakistan. The team members in the picture appear to be joyous and seem to be happily participating in the Independence Day celebrations. To send Independence Day greetings to the audience/readers from all the team members of NL, the caption accompanying the photo states, „HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY...!!! From team NL..‟. The text reveals the brand‟s enthusiasm on the national event thus exhibiting the nationalistic facets of its identity. The team members are dressed up in green and white clothes to honor the Pakistani flag which is green and white in color. The use of the colors of the Pakistani flag in the brand‟s celebration campaigns shows the brand‟s associations with the country and also the nationalistic identity with which the brand wishes to associate itself, thus highlighting the nationalistic implications of the brand‟s identity.

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To involve the readers in the Independence Day celebrations the brand announces various sale offers for the customers. These sale offers are advertised both on the Facebook page and on the website. Figure (4.73) is taken from the Facebook page of NL which shows the sale offer being made by the brand to celebrate the special day.

NL Freedom Offer!!!! Visit NL store or shop online... Figure (4.73)

Not only are these images demonstrating sale offers important in studying the ways in which the brand associates itself with Pakistan, the color scheme used in the images is also significant to study the brand‟s nationalistic associations. The image is outlined by the green color whereas the text on it has been written in white color. The use of the green and white colors, which are also the colors of the Pakistani flag, establishes the relational values in the text. The text producers use the green color to show their ideological agreements with the occasion thereby presenting their patriotic identity to the readers who relate the sale to the Independence Day celebrations. The caption accompanying the picture says, „NL Freedom Offer!!!!‟ which means that NL has advertised a sale offer in correspondence with the Independence Day celebrations. The picture includes the brand logo along with other inscriptions. The word „SALE‟ written in uppercase is foregrounded in the image to capture the attention of the readers as soon as they encounter the picture on Facebook. The text claims to be giving a sale offer with an extra discount by stating in uppercase, „EXTRA 10% DISCOUNT ON ALL PRODUTCS‟. This extra discount on the nationally celebrated event represents the patriotic implications of the brand‟s identity. Motivating the audience/customers to enter

138 the world of fashion the text urges them to visit NL stores nationwide or to shop online through the brand‟s official website. The text „STEP IN FASHION FREEDOM‟ here presupposes that the world of fashion is the world of NL‟s designs and products and by entering the zone of NL fashion they would step in the world of fashion where they are free to experiment with the fashion trends offered by the brand. An interesting word to note here is freedom which is specifically used in this context of Independence Day celebrations as it enriches the patriotic emotions of Pakistanis with regard to their hard earned independence from the British rule in 1947. The word freedom has nationalistic and patriotic connotations attached to it as it was solely for the freedom of Muslims of India from the British and the impending Indian rule that they demanded and struggled for a separate homeland for themselves. Reference to another incident that has serious national concerns has also been made in the data of NL. To mark the day of 16th December, 2014 as a black and tragic day NL uses a blacked out image as its display picture on Facebook. The day is undoubtedly a black day for Pakistanis and also for the whole of humanity as more than one hundred and forty people including students were killed in a terrorist attack on a school in Peshawar, Pakistan. To mourn over the loss of the innocent souls NL blackens its display picture and expresses its grief.

Figure (4.74)

Figure (4.74) is the image used by NL as its display picture on the tragic day. The black colored picture expresses NL‟s grief over the tragedy to the audience of its advertising discourse. As the black color used during the times of tragedies is considered to be the color of mourning in Pakistan, its use in the display picture of NL on Facebook highlights the mournful emotional condition prevalent in Pakistan at that time. This

139 marks as a considerable way in highlighting the brand‟s nationalistic identity overtones in the discourse of its advertising. NL presents winter season as a cultural fiesta enjoyed in Pakistan. Although Pakistan enjoys all the four seasons in a year but basically it is a warm country as the summer season is far longer than the winters. Hence, the winter season is often considered to be most enjoyable by the Pakistanis. NL welcomes the season and highlights the perks of the most cherished season in Pakistan. Consider Figure (4.75) to illustrate this point.

Nishat invites you to experience winter your way! Figure (4.75)

Figure (4.75) is a picture shared on NL‟s Facebook profile on the arrival of winter season to welcome the season. The picture contains certain inscriptions and various images of female models posing to advertise the designs by NL. The caption written on the Facebook page to accompany the photo states, „Nishat invites you to experience winter your way!‟. The same text is inscribed on the picture as well along with some other inscriptions. Though the text claims to be inviting the audience/customers to experience the winter season in the way they desire, the picture gives the options given by the brand text producers to the audience for spending the season. The options include „silken fabrics‟, „pashmina shawls‟, „crunchy chilghozas‟, and „warm mugs of chai‟. Not only does this picture welcome the season it also advertises about the products NL has to offer for the upcoming winter season. The very mention of the silken fabrics and pashmina shawls in relation to winter season establishes the relational values in the text where the readers associate the silken fabrics and pashmina shawls with winters leading

140 to their relating of winters with NL. The analysis of the socio-cultural dimensions of the text explains how the cultural identity is being created by the brand text producers in relating the culturally celebrated events with the brand. For instance, the other perks of the most loved season in Pakistan as offered by the brand‟s advertising text producers are „crunchy chilghozas‟ and „warm mugs of chai‟. Chilghoza and chai are Urdu words that mean pine nuts and tea respectively in the English language. The Urdu equivalent of pine nuts i.e. „chilghozas‟ is used here in order to make it known to more people as the English counterpart is not so commonly used in Pakistan. Moreover to make the plural form of chilghoza, the plural form „s‟ from the English language has been added with the Urdu word thus making it a case of noun hybridization. Similarly, the Urdu counterpart of the word tea i.e. chai is used here. Though the word tea is a well-known and largely used word in Pakistan, it is not used here. The reason is to establish the relational values in the text that relate the audience with the text on a socio-cultural level as the word chai has certain ethnic and traditional connotations attached to it. It is a customary tradition in Pakistan to enjoy the cold wintry evenings inside the house, sitting in front of heaters and enjoying pine nuts and tea. When the urge to drink hot tea increases in the winter season, it becomes all the more a cherished and loved beverage in Pakistan. Hence, in referring to this tradition of eating pine nuts and drinking tea in winters, the advertising text here makes the readers/audience relate the beauty of winter season in Pakistan with the brand. Highlighting another significant aspect of its nationalistic identity the brand associates itself with Pakistan and calls its fabric as „The fabric of Pakistan‟. The text is a kind of a selective voice that is cited on the main sections of the website and also on many of the pictures shared on Facebook. This sentence is significant in analyzing all the three kinds of values to be studied in a text as provided by Fairclough (1989) i.e. experiential, relational and expressive values in the text. The sentence shows the producer‟s perspective apparent in the arrangement of the words which shows that the producers think the brand to be representative of the indispensible Pakistani soul thus highlighting the experiential values in the text. The relational values in the grammatical features of the text are also established as the text producers have used the declarative mode in asserting that NL‟s fabric is the fabric of Pakistan to influence the readers in forming their (the readers‟) perceptions in a way the producers want. Expressive values in

141 the text are highlighted by the text producers by expressing their opinions as facts evaluated through their own set of beliefs and also by using very clear assertive tone in stating that NL is the fabric of Pakistan leaving the readers in no doubt. Hence, relating the brand to the country by the use of such a selective voice recurrent at numerous places on the website and Facebook page presents the brand‟s national affiliations. Hence, remembering national events and connecting with the audience on occasions having national concerns NL constructs and represents its national identity in the discourse of its advertising. The data analysis shows that NL has used certain words, images, colors and references that relate the brand to its country i.e. Pakistan, thus highlighting its national identity.

4.2.1. iv Youth and Gender Identity Construction

NL is a fashion brand of clothing which regularly updates its seasonal new varieties in both stitched and unstitched fabric in stores and online. Customers include both the young and old women who have a desire to follow fashion trends and wear trendy clothes. Not just the designs produced by the brand are appealing to the women; also the desire to wear clothing by popular fashion brands is a trend emerging quite rapidly in Pakistan. Although women of all the ages are customers of NL, the discourse of its advertising shows that the brand has been keener in presenting its youth identity. The models used in the ads both on the Facebook page and on website include only young women who seem confident and buoyant.

To represent its youth identity NL uses the image of confidant young women in its advertising discourse as the educated and confident young women having a good sense of fashion are looked up to by the young girls in Pakistan. In portraying its youth and gender identity NL presents an image of women who are young and elegant. Consider Figure (27) in this regard.

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A Nishat woman is elegant and à la mode at all times. Figure (4.76)

Figure (4.76) shows the image of three young women, all with big smiles and facing directly towards the camera. The fact that only young women are seen modeling for the brand in the advertising discourse of NL both on the website and Facebook page demonstrates that the brand associates itself more with the younger generation. As regards gender implications, the brand has used only women to advertise their clothing items on their Facebook page. No male model is seen in the data collected from Facebook. However, a few male models are seen on the website modeling for the men‟s wear. The caption used with the image states, „A Nishat woman is elegant and à la mode8 at all times‟. The phrase „a la mode‟ is a French word meaning stylish and fashionable in English. Mixing of the French word in an otherwise English syntax is used to create the brand‟s modern/western youth identity. As France is famous for being a hub of fashion and style for the youth, the mixing of this phrase from the French language in the English sentence structure relates the brand with the style of France thereby creating its youth identity focusing on style and fashion. Not only does the text create a modern/western youth identity for the brand, it also creates the image of a Nishat woman. A Nishat woman is a woman who follows the clothing and accessorizing trends by NL. On one side the phrase Nishat woman relates Pakistani women to the brand and on the other side the sentence relates the Nishat woman with its concept of a fashionable woman by claiming that she is a fashionable and elegant woman. The expressive values in the text are established by the direct assertion of the text producers in stating that a Nishat woman is a fashionable and elegant woman.

8 According to Merriam-Webster‟s Learner‟s Dictionary, „a la mode‟ means “fashionable or stylish” (n.d.).

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Even though the fact that NL produces and sells clothing for men as well it is significant to note that the data from Facebook contains the references to only the products being advertised for women. Only the female wardrobe designs are advertised in the data collected from Facebook and the models are all young females. Figure (4.77) shows the image of three female models posing in the clothing by NL.

Figure (4.77)

Figure (4.77) is a snapshot image of one of the sections of the website. The models seem to be friends and are seen in a playful mood having a fun time together. Friendship is one of the recurrent themes found in the discourse of NL‟s advertising. As today‟s younger generation is college/university going, where they make a lot of friends and have fun together, friendship among youngsters is considered to be an important aspect of youth identity. By making use of this aspect of friendships among young women in its advertising discourse NL establishes its youth identity. Figure (4.78) is an illustration of how NL uses the theme of friendship to present its youth identity.

Figure (4.78)

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Figure (4.78) shows a collage of various images of young girls who appear to be friends with each other as they are seen to be spending time together shopping, partying and having fun. The text on the image reads, „Send us your BFF selfie wearing Nishat & WIN Exciting prizes!‟, and „Fashion is what you buy; style is what you do with it!‟. The words BFF and selfie used in the image are typical of today‟s youth. Selfie is the word used for a picture shot of one’s self in the world of social networking and mobile phones texts. Similarly, the abbreviation BFF is used to abbreviate best friend forever in the cyber world. What is more interesting here is that the text producers have altered the meaning of BFF in their advertising campaign to suit their purpose of creating new suitable meanings for their brand‟s image. The inscription on the picture states, „TAG YOUR BFF- BEST FASHIONISTA FRIEND‟. This variation in the commonly used meaning is symbolic of youth identity trends in the discourse of youth. The text urges the audience to take a snapshot of them with their best friends and share it with the text producers on the Facebook profile to win exciting prizes. This way of relating the audience with the themes presented in the discourse of advertising is a way to relate the audience with the brand. The readers or audience of the text relate themselves with the friendship themes depicted in the ads. This technique by the text producers of the brand is used not only to highlight the relational values in the text, relating the audience with the brand, but also to construct and present its youth identity.

4.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 2

An analysis of the linguistic and semiotic features in the data shows that NL creates a certain image for itself based on multifaceted identities that include professional identity, individual identity, national identity, and youth and gender identity. The professional identity of the brand is constructed by its focus on the professional skill and expertise. The unique aspects of the brand as highlighted in the advertisement discourse such as the name, logo, range of products, international outlets and collaborations, interaction with audience through playful, fun and interactive activities, customer satisfaction and the growing number of followers, all contribute in the construction and representation of the brand‟s professional identity.

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The data shows that NL celebrates national events such as Pakistan‟s Independence Day and remembers events having national concerns in its advertising discourse, thereby constructing its national identity. The brand relates itself with Pakistan by calling its fabric as the fabric of Pakistan and remembers important national events by sharing related pictures and memorandums on Facebook. NL focuses more on representing itself as a brand for the youth by using young female models in the ads to advertise the clothing range. An image of assertive, buoyant and self-assured young women is created in the advertising discourse of NL to represent its youth identity. Although the brand caters to both men and women, old and young; the advertising discourse especially the images of the models used focuses more on representing and thus relating the brand with youth especially with women of young age. The individual identity of the brand is created by its emphasis on a modernized outlook. The brand has repeatedly reiterated its claim of being a modern brand with a special focus on the novelty of its designs, on style and on individuality. The discourse of NL‟s advertising has established the brand as a classy and trendy brand and the customers of the brand as being fashionable and stylish. Another aspect of the brand‟s modernity is its association with the westernized style of clothing. NL has equated modernity with the western spirit and while calling itself a modern brand, very straightforwardly declares its inspirations coming from the west. Significantly enough, it can be observed that NL shows equally tremendous fervor in representing its eastern identity. This shows a merging of identities. Since Pakistan lies at the crossroads of the South Asia, Orient, and the Middle East, it is essentially an eastern country. The term East refers broadly to the various cultures, social structures and philosophical systems of Asia and the nations and cultures east of Europe. East and west have more of a cultural boundary rather than a geographical one as they basically differ in history, religion, sociological and political systems etc. However, in this modern world of globalization today, where different cultures are in contact with each other on daily basis through television, internet, and other communication systems, cultural boundaries of the East with the West are now seemed to be blurred. The West has its impact and Pakistan as a post-colonial nation is greatly inspired by it. Moreover, the use of English language as the main code in the advertising discourse with a very small number of Urdu words mixed in the main code

146 highlights the brand‟s desire of being considered as a modern brand having Western associations. Another instance of the merging of East with West is the theory used in the present research work. Most of the theory used in the present work is penned by western scholars. The work is based on Pakistani discourse contexts, yet the theories used are western by origin. Thus, it can be implied that theories related to the analysis of advertising discourse contexts have the same implications even in the East. The use of these western theories in eastern contexts shows the commonalities in the theoretical backdrops of both east and west.

4.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain A- Brand 3: Khaadi

The linguistic and semiotic features in the data collected from the official website and the official Facebook page of Khaadi are analyzed in order to study the patterns and practices of identity construction in its advertising discourse. Khaadi is one of the most renowned clothing brands in Pakistan. It is considered to be a style symbol in the fashion industry of Pakistan where more and more people like to be associated with the brand. The textual strategies used in the advertisement discourse of the brand on internet give insight into the means that make the brand unique and likeable to the customers. A certain kind of image that is appealing to the audience is created by the brand text producers based on the multifaceted identities constructed and represented by various linguistic and semiotic features in its advertising discourse.

4.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Khaadi’s Advertising Discourse

To study the process of identity construction in the advertising discourse of Khaadi an analysis of the advertising texts is carried out. The analysis focuses on an exploration of the textual elements in the data which include both the linguistic and semiotic features that help in identity construction of the brand. The analysis of the textual features in the data reveals certain identity themes created for the brand by the producers in its advertising discourse which are discussed as under.

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4.3.1. i Professional Identity Construction- Focusing on Transnational

Marketing

Professional identity is the unique identity that is created by the brand by which it represents itself to the audience in relation to its specialization, expertise, capability, achievements etc. Professional identity is based on the professional potentials of the brand that make it distinguishable from the other brands of competition in the field. The data both from the website and the Facebook page of Khaadi shows that it constructs its professional identity by focusing on representing its international collaborations and expansions. A great importance has been laid on exhibiting the international collaborations and associations of the brand in the advertising discourse of Khaadi. The advertising content in the data shows that a fairly large space is given to the content referring to the international outlets of the brand. This is one way of marking the brand‟s success in the international fashion clothing circles. The main page of the official website of the brand shows channels for customers belonging to various countries. See figure (4.79) that has been captured as a snapshot image from the main page of the website.

Figure (4.79)

Figure (4.79) shows an image taken from the website‟s main page in which a selection box has been placed that grabs the attention of the audience/readers at soon as they visit the website by stating, „Select Your Country‟, and showing the names of different countries such as Pakistan, India, United States, Canada, and Mexico. Even though it is not straightforwardly mentioned as to why this distinct selection process has

148 to be made, it is very conveniently presupposed that the brand has its sale outlets in all of these countries. The fact that this distinction had to be made as soon as one visits the website shows how keen the brand is to represent its international affiliations. This is one way of establishing the brand‟s success nationwide and abroad. The announcements of new outlet openings both on the website and Facebook page are quite common in the discourse of Khaadi‟s advertising. Figure (4.80) is an exemplification of one such instance.

Figure (4.80)

Figure (4.80) announces a new outlet opening in Birmingham, England. The picture contains the brand logo, an image of a female model dressed in Khaadi‟s design, and an inscription that states, „NOW OPEN IN BIRMINGHAM AT THE BULLRING MALL‟. This demonstrates the opening of new retail store in England which is considered to be a commercial success for the brand. The opening announcements are often followed by a note of thanks by the brand to acknowledge the customers for a great response given to the launch. Consider figure (4.81) as an illustration.

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Figure (4.81)

Figure (4.81) is a picture shared on the Facebook page of the brand to publicize the success of the latest store launched in England. The picture is a collage of various images of the new retail store flooded with customers who seem very keen and engrossed in selecting and purchasing the products. The text accompanying the picture on Facebook says, „Thank You Birmingham... For such a warm response!‟. The meaning of the phrase „Thank you Birmingham’ is understood more clearly from the co-text, „for such a warm response’. This shows that the brand not only announces the opening of a new store abroad, it also follows up by sharing its success of the latest launch with the readers/audience on Facebook. The picture here and its accompanying text is not only meant to express gratitude to the customers but also to publicize the news of the opening once again. Moreover, in thanking the customers for giving a warm and fervent response the text also presupposes that a very welcoming and passionate response was given to the new outlet by the customers, which has eventually marked it as a success for the brand. In addition to the opening of new retail stores in the international markets the brand shows a keen interest in launching online shopping stores for the foreign customers which is eagerly publicized by the brand‟s advertisement text producers on the website and on social media. Figure (4.82) is an image taken from the Facebook page of Khaadi that is shared to advertise the virtual shopping services that have now been provided to the customers in India.

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Figure (4.82)

Figure (4.82) shows an image of a female model dressed in a design by Khaadi. The inscription on the picture shows the brand logo and the text that says, „SHOP ONLINE INDIA‟. The picture is shared by the brand to invite the Indian customers to experience the online shopping facility just introduced by the brand. The word India is written in three colors i.e. orange, white and green, which is significant as these are the colors of the Indian flag. Hence, by using the Indian flag‟s colors in writing the name of the country the text producers establish relational values in the text where they relate the Indian customers with the brand highlighting an implied association between them and the brand. The status update accompanying the picture on Facebook states, „You heard us right, India! Your favorite brand Khaadi is now just a click away! Let the shopping begin!‟. The text here uses the pronouns „you’ and ‘your‟ to highlight the relational values in the grammar. Fairclough (1989) suggests exploring the use of the pronouns in a text in order to examine the relational values of a text. Relational values are established by the choice of words that influence the ways a text relates with the readers. Hence, the use of the pronouns you and your in the text represents a certain relational context. These pronouns are used here to converse directly with the Indian customers accentuating the relationship of the customers with the brand based on friendship and reliance. Moreover, the phrase „your favorite brand‟ establishes the expressive values in the text using very clear and direct words in asserting the fondness of the customers for the brand leaving no doubt in the minds of the readers whether it is their favorite brand or not.

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In the section titled „About Us‟ on the website the brand‟s advertising text producers state, „„In 2010, Khaadi expanded internationally by opening its doors in the United Arab Emirates, first in Dubai and later in Abu Dhabi. In 2013, stores opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and London, England. The online store was launched in Pakistan in 2014 and Khaadi will look to open its digital doors to various countries throughout the year.‟ This statement establishes a significant aspect of Khaadi‟s professional identity that focuses mainly on expanding and successfully administering new sale outlets in different parts of the world. In addition, the text reveals the desire of the brand to inaugurate and administer new online shopping stores in different countries. The text further states, „The company continues on its aggressive expansion strategy by opening several retail stores in smaller cities of Pakistan‟. The phrase „aggressive expansion strategy’ highlights the brand‟s precedence of expanding its retail stores all over the world. The sentence also presupposes that the brand has previously expanded its retail outlets in the bigger cities nationwide and is now resolute in further expanding the number of stores operating in smaller under privileged cities of Pakistan where the fashion brand outlets are almost nonexistent. Hence, it can be concluded that the main aim of the brand is to reach as many people as possible within and outside the country. The data shows that not only are the international outlets of the brand fervidly publicized in the discourse of its advertising, the inauguration of the nationwide branches are also advertised with a great zest. Consider figure (4.83) in this regard.

Figure (4.83)

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Figure (4.83) is an image shared on Facebook which announces the opening of a new retail store in Lahore, Pakistan. The inscription on the picture asserts, „Exciting New Shopping Experience at GULBERG, LAHORE!‟. In addition to providing the address of the new outlet of the brand, the text uses the adjective „exciting‟ for the noun phrase „new shopping experience‟ to make the whole shopping experience appear engaging and appealing to the audience. Whereas, the text written on Facebook to accompany the picture says, „Lahore are you ready for the best shopping experience ever? Join us for the opening to avail some exciting surprises!‟. The text here uses the pronouns „you‟ and „us‟ to highlight the relational values of grammar in order to create a friendly relation between the brand and its customers. The question asked by the text producers presupposes that the best shopping experience ever is the experience got by shopping at Khaadi. Furthermore, the phrase „the best shopping experience ever‟ represents the degree of certainty in the claim made by the brand text producers which establishes the expressive values in the text. These expressive values are established by the use of very clear and direct words by the text producers leaving the audience in little or no doubt about the claim being made by the brand. As discussed earlier that the content of Khaadi‟ advertising discourse follows up on the event even after the opening of a new outlet. As the brand is very keen in advertising the launch of its new retail outlets, it makes sure to follow up by thanking the customers for making the launch a success for the brand. Figure (4.84) that is taken from the Facebook page of Khaadi is an illustration.

Figure (4.84)

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Figure (4.84) shows a collage of various images displaying the shopping experience of the customers at the newly launched store of the brand. The customers appear excited and deeply engrossed in shopping. The text updated on the Facebook page in consort with this picture states, „Thank you Lahore for an awesome kick start at Gulberg!‟. In addition to expressing gratefulness to the customers the statement presupposes that the launch event at Gulberg, Lahore was a huge success. Not only is this note of thanks a token of gratitude by the brand, it is more of an advertising technique that marks the success of the brand‟s sale/marketing endeavors even for those audience who were never a part of the event. This linguistic strategy on the part of the text producers plays a vital role in constructing the professional identity of the brand which focuses mainly on the escalating of the brand‟s sale markets. Though the local merchandise has also been publicized and advertised on the website and on Facebook, however there is a greater focus on promoting the brand with relation to its international affiliations by the advertising text producers. Not only the advertising content but also sales are announced frequently for the international customers. The data shows that more sale offers are advertised for the customers abroad.

Figure (4.85) Figure (4.86)

The figures (4.85) and (4.86) announce sale offers for the USA and Canada customers and for the clients of Malaysia respectively. Both these figures show that Khaadi uses its online platforms to announce certain perks and perquisites for its international customers thus attracting more and more clients from the countries outside of Pakistan. This shows a keen desire of the brand to establish its identity as a

154 transnational brand. Representing the professional identity of the brand by advertising the sale expansions and displaying consumer fondness for the brand seem to be the top priority for the brand‟s advertising content producers. The text producers celebrate the growing number of followers of the brand on Facebook by sharing a picture along with a thank you note on Facebook. Figure (4.87) shows a collage of various images of happy customers.

Figure (4.87)

The picture is shared on the Facebook page to celebrate the brand‟s one million followers on Facebook. The inscription on the picture says, „Khaadi CELEBRATING ONE MILLION FANS!‟ whereas the images show numerous customers happily shopping at the brand‟s outlets. The text written as a caption for the photo states, „Overwhelmed by how much love and support we have been given in all these years. We are all smiles over here and want to thank everyone for this fantastic milestone!‟. The statement expresses a straightforward expression of thanks to the customers; however, on analyzing the secondary discourse it becomes clear that the text presupposes that it has succeeded in receiving love and admiration from the customers owing to its expertise, skill and quality products. Following Fairclough‟s (1989) third dimension of textual analysis the explanation of the social dimensions of the text shows how relating the data to its social and cultural contexts help the brand in the process of identity construction, which in this case, depends largely on the professionalism of the brand. Thus it can be concluded that the dominant focus of Khaadi‟s advertising discourse is its emphasis on creating a professional identity for the brand which is based basically on the aspect of sales promotion and expansions both nationwide and in foreign countries. Different brands depend upon different aspects of identity construction for the promotion

155 of their brands and Khaadi mainly focuses on its international marketing expansions as observed in the data.

4.3.1. ii Representing Eastern Identity- Centering on Traditionalism

Eastern bearings of Khaadi‟s identity are repeatedly highlighted in the discourse of its advertising. The very name of the brand i.e. „Khaadi‟ is derived from the traditional hand weaving practice in the east thus showing the eastern identity implications of the brand. In the section titled „ABOUT US‟ on the website the text producers write, „Khaadi, which means “hand-woven”, has stayed true to its name and continues to produce a fusion of styles to complement both the east and west, while still using hand-woven fabrics on select products.‟ The text here claims that the brand aims to blend the eastern taste with western; however, the phrase hand-woven and the brand‟s claim to maintain the true nature of the brand‟s name highlights the quintessential eastern nature of the brand as the practice of hand weaving is typically associated with east. Hence, the text here creates eastern identity of the brand by its assertion of merging eastern with western style. The text producers further write on the website, „… the chairman and founder, had the intent of reviving the ancient craft of the handloom and popularizing the traditional medium in a contemporary manner‟. As asserted in the text the aim of the brand has always been to use the traditional eastern medium as its foundation thereupon combining some modern western elements to suit the contemporary users of the modern world. Though there are occasional instances in the advertising discourse of Khaadi that establish the brand as being a blender of the east with west, the eastern identity orientations of Khaadi are predominantly represented in its advertising discourse. Figure (4.88) is an image shared both on the website and Facebook in anticipation of the brand‟s upcoming winter collection in the clothing line.

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Figure (4.88)

The text on the figure (4.88) states, ‘…Khaadi cambric collection vol. 2 is inspired by central and south Asian designs adorned with embroideries and created on an array of deep wintry hues‟. The text claims to have used the designs from the central and south Asia as an inspiration for the brand‟s upcoming clothing collection thus emphasizing on its preference for the traditional eastern spirit. Figure (4.89) is another picture shared both on the website and Facebook that hints at the brand‟s preference for eastern outlook.

Figure (4.89)

The text inscribed on Figure (4.89) states, „…INSPIRED BY CHINESE TEXTILES AND ARTS, ADORNED WITH INTRICATE EMBROIDERIES AND BEAUTIFUL COLORS…‟. This shows another inspiration for the brand‟s clothing line coming from the traditional Chinese arts. Hence, the eastern identity of the brand is created and represented by the advertising text producers of Khaadi by focusing on advertising its reliance upon eastern arts and designs. Though the focus of the brand has been on representing its essential eastern identity there are nevertheless certain hints at the westernized identity of the brand which is however a mix of both eastern and western.

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The brand not only focuses on producing and advertising the eastern designs, it creates westernized clothing for the modern customers who like to combine style and innovation with tradition. The image in figure (4.90) shows a female model dressed up in a western outfit.

Figure (4.90)

The caption with the picture shared on Facebook says, „Black embroidered tops - stylish essentials for your western wardrobe!‟. It can be observed that the brand does produce and advertise the westernized style clothing but the focus of the brand is more on creating its eastern identity as there has been a greater representation of the brand‟s eastern identity in its advertising discourse. Unlike Nishat Linen (NL) who has been keener in constructing its modern western identity, Khaadi endorses its eastern identity implications more in the discourse of its advertising. Analysis of the linguistic codes used in the advertising discourse of Khaadi gives an understanding of how the brand aims to represent its modern western identity all the while maintaining its eastern identity. The main language used in the advertising discourse is English which is an international language and which enjoys the status of being a prestigious language in Pakistan. Though the medium of communication is basically English in the advertising discourse of Khaadi on internet, there are numerous instances of code mixing where Urdu words are mixed in English syntactic structures. These words are mostly register words such as Kurtas, dupattas, Pakistan Zindabad, Azadi etc. which mean shirts, shawls, long live Pakistan, and independence respectively. The mixing of these Urdu words where the English counterparts could have been used shows that the brand wants to convey the additional connotations attached to these Urdu equivalents. The words kurtas and dupattas are used instead of their English counterparts

158 as these words convey the traditional eastern connotations while the addition of the English plural „s‟ with these words making these cases of noun hybridization, lend an equally western character to the whole discourse. Where mostly the brand has emphasized on eastern traditional identity it has not compromised on the language used. This may be due to the reason that the brand wants to reach more and more customers on internet. Besides, as the focus of the brand is more on international collaborations, it is but convenient for the brand to use an international language to reach the masses.

4.3.1. iii Construction of National Identity- Nationalistic and Cultural Stance

Just like J. and NL, Khaadi also never compromised on exhibitng its nationalistic identiy in the data. The national identity of Khaadi is constructed through expressing its love for its motherland Pakistan. Numerous pictures are shared depicting the brand‟s association with its country. Figure (4.91) has been taken from the Facebook page of Khaadi.

Figure (4.91)

Figure (4.91) shows an image of the Pakistani flag on which „KHAADI LOVES PAKISTAN‟ is written. What is more interesting here is that the picture is shared on no specific national event. This shows that the brand is keen in demonstrating its associations with Pakistan thus representing its nationalistic identity to both the national and international audience. The text producers aim to associate the brand with Pakistan in its advertising discourse. In a Facebook post they write, „Just like truck art or the roadside dhaabe ki chai or even political turmoil, Khaadi too has become a quintessential symbol of Pakistan‟. The phrases truck art, dhaabe ki chai, and political

159 turmoil, all have specific connotations attached in the Pakistani socio-cultural context. Truck art is a popular form of ethnic art in Pakistan featuring floral patterns and poetic calligraphy to decorate a truck or a lorry. Truck art is an emblem of traditional cultural spirit of Pakistan. Similarly, the Urdu phrase dhaabe ki chai means tea from the roadside tea stalls in English. In the Pakistani context this custom of enjoying the roadside tea is typical of the essential cultural tradition which is loved by the rich and poor alike. Likewise, the term political turmoil is representative of the political scenario in Pakistan which has always seen confusion and disorder. The statement presupposes that truck art, the roadside tea stalls and political turmoil are quintessential symbols of Pakistan; likewise relating the brand with these socio-cultural elements of Pakistan and calling the brand a similar ethnic symbol that has become a trademark of Pakistan. Similarly, celebrating the Independence Day of Pakistan by sharing content representing the brand‟s affection and esteem for its motherland is another important way of constructing the brand‟s nationalistic identity. Pakistan‟s Independence Day is celebrated on 14th August every year with great enthusiasm. All the media channels in Pakistan including the social media focus greatly on sharing national memorandums and messages having significance in this context to celebrate the independence day of their country. In the same way, Khaadi‟s Facebook page shows various advertising updates related to the Independence Day. The brand text producers share numerous pictures and updates on Facebook regarding the Independence Day celebrations. Figure (4.92) is shared on Facebook to mark the brand‟s love for Pakistan.

Figure (4.92)

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Figure (4.92) shows the inscription „Khaadi LOVES‟, and an image of a crescent and star that are the trademark symbols of the Pakistani flag thus signifying that Khaadi loves Pakistan. The background of the picture is green whereas the inscriptions are in white color which is significant as both these colors are the colors of the Pakistani flag. The phrase „Khaadi LOVES‟ and the symbols of the crescent and the star have been foregrounded in the picture and are topicalized. The use of this technique of topicalization lends agency to the text and hence, gives the power position to the brand. Similarly the assertive tone, the expressive values in the phrase and the font size of the text also give a position of power to the brand. The caption written at the bottom right corner of the picture which states, „Happy Independence Day! 14 August 2014‟, shows that the brand wishes its audience/customers an independence day greetings, thus representing its patriotic character. The advertising text producers repeatedly assert the love of the brand for its country by writing „Khaadi Loves PAKISTAN!‟ as a caption with various pictures shared on Facebook. This statement establishes the relational values in the text by showing how the writers assert their love for their motherland by directly showing their ideological agreements and choosing to influence the readers in this way. The love and association of the brand with Pakistan is further highlighted by the sale offers it gives to the customers on national events. Figure (4.93) demonstrates one such endeavor.

Figure (4.93)

Figure (4.93) shows the announcement of a sale offer publicized specifically on the occasion of the independence day celebrations by the brand by stating, „Celebrate Independence Day with Khaadi‟. The caption „Jashn-e-Azadi‟ is foregrounded in the

161 picture and is topicalized. The colors of the Pakistani flag are used in the picture to relate the brand with its country in which the background of the picture is green in color whereas the inscriptions are in white. The foregrounding of the text is done to attract the readers. Jashn-e-Azadi is an Urdu noun phrase that means independence celebrations in English. The use of code mixing here lends the patriotic suggestions to the text as the word Azadi meaning independence in English has certain connotations attached to it for the Pakistanis. Where rest of the text is in English, using the Urdu words that have strong patriotic connotations attached to them is a technique that relates the brand with the country, subsequently relating the brand with the audience by generating specific patriotic feelings in the readers. Another technique of relating the brand with the audience is to highlight the relational values in the advertising texts. Fairclough (1989) suggests studying the use of pronouns in the text to analyze the relational values in the text. These relational values explain how the text relates with the readers depending on the context. Exploring relational values in a text focuses on examining the words that affect the ways in which a text relates with the readers. The use of pronouns in the advertising texts to converse directly with the audience represents a certain relational context that accentuates the amiable relation between the brand and its customers. The words „we‟, „you‟, „are‟ etc. are used in the advertising discourse of Khaadi‟s to highlight the cordial relations of the brand with its customers. The text producers share a picture of a little girl who is visiting one of the brand‟s sales outlets on the occasion of Pakistan‟s Independence Day celebrations on its Facebook page.

Figure (4.94)

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The text accompanying the picture shown in figure (4.94) states, „Khaadi Loves Pakistan! Sweet little patriotic girl at our store!‟. The text further states, „We are ready to welcome you all! Happy Independence day to all the lovely people out there. Pakistan Zindabad!‟. The use of these pronouns helps in highlighting the ways in which the text producers relate the brand with the audience. The picture and the text show the brand‟s celebration of the special occasion by welcoming the customers to its sales outlets. The adjectives „sweet‟, „little‟, „patriotic, and „lovely‟ are used to describe the customers highlighting the brand‟s noble conception of its customers thus relating the brand to the audience. The use of the words „Patriotic‟ and „Pakistan Zindabad‟, which means „long live Pakistan’ in English, is significant in this context as both these terms have specific nationalistic connotations attached to them in the Pakistani socio-cultural context. Hence, by celebrating the national events and involving the audience in the advertising discourse related to these events, Khaadi constructs its nationalistic identity and presents it to its audience/readers on the internet. Communicating directly with the audience by using certain pronouns in the text is an effective advertising technique that ensures audience‟s attention even more when they are scrolling through an array of advertising images on the internet. The text producers write on the occasion of Eid, another religious- cultural event in Pakistan. Eid is more of a religious event for the Muslims of the world in general, but for the Pakistanis in particular it has become more of a national and social event that is celebrated with full zest and zeal across Pakistan. On the occasion of Eid the text producers write on their Facebook page, „Little rock stars wearing Khaadi Kids on EID! Thank you so much parents for sending us such adorable images!‟. The text is written as a caption to the images in Figure (4.95).

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Figure (4.95)

The noun phrase „Little rock stars‟ is used for the little kids whose pictures have been shared in Figure (4.95). The picture shows images of little kids supposedly wearing the dresses from Khaadi and having fun on the Eid day. The text assumes that the children have become all the more attractive by wearing the brand‟s dress designs and look like fashionable and trendy rock stars. The analysis of the primary discourse shows that the text intends to thank the parents for sending the photographs of their little children wearing dresses by Khaadi on the occasion of Eid to the brand‟s advertising discourse producers on Facebook. The analysis of the secondary discourse however reveals that the brand text producers want to establish the brand as the true representative of the spirit of Eid in Pakistan thereby making it a preferred choice of the Pakistanis on national and cultural events. The nationalistic identity of the brand is also represented by its straightforward greeting messages on Eid. Figure (4.96) shows a simple Eid greetings message for the audience.

Figure (4.96)

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The text inscribed on the picture states, „Khaadi wishes you and your loved ones a blessed Eid! Eid Mubarak‟. This forthrightly simple Eid greeting is shared on the Facebook page of the brand to wish the audience a happy Eid. However, this simple message serves the purpose of relating the brand to the special occasion and reminding the audience about the patriotic implications of the brand. Hence, it can be concluded that the national identity of the brand is created and represented on its internet advertising channels by sharing advertising content related to the events having national and socio- cultural associations.

4.3.1. iv Gender Identity Construction- Male and Female Portrayal

An overall discourse analysis of the advertising content of Khaadi on its website and Facebook page shows certain gender themes. The brand‟s gender identity is constructed by its demonstration of these gender roles and themes in its advertising content. The analysis shows how these demonstrations in the data are reflective of the brand‟s concept of gender identity. The data shows that both the traditional and modern types of women are shown in Khaadi‟s advertising content. The traditional Eastern look consists of the images of the models wearing eastern dresses such as shalwar qameez, translated as shirt with a trouser in the English language. Shalwar qameez is an eastern wear that mostly includes various forms and lengths of full shirts with trousers or pants having traditional cuts. As usually the traditional eastern wear aims to cover up most of the body it is considered to be the attire best suited for eastern countries such as Pakistan. It is also a part of the Pakistani national dress. Figure (4.97) shows the image of models wearing shalwar qameez.

Figure (4.97)

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Not only are the models seen to be wearing the Pakistani dress, they are also seen to be showcasing eastern inferences such as introversion, reserve, and timidity by leaning on to the background wall to show the typical eastern image of a shy woman in the images shown in Figure (4.97). The stereotypical gender images are strengthened by the brand in its advertising discourse as the images displaying the western wear seem to showcase the woman image in a completely different light. Consider Figure (4.98) for instance.

Figure (4.98)

The figure (4.98) shows the westernized style clothing by the brand. In these images the image of the woman is completely changed as the women in the picture are seen directly gazing into the camera with confidence and self-assurance. Even though the dresses are similar to what they were in Figure (4.97), however the westernized style cuts make all the difference here in this picture. Not only are the gazes direct, there is a certain air of confidence and boldness about the models shown in the images. This is due to the typical gender representation when it comes to showcasing the eastern gender identity or the western one. What is more interesting here is the fact that just like the brand NL, Khaadi also uses the images of only young and pretty women in their ads. There are a few instances where men are also shown modeling for the men‟s wear, but it is only occasionally such as on the event of Eid. Only one post has been found in the data where men are seen modeling. The clothes are specifically designed for men and are modeled by men only. Figure (4.99) shows three different images of a male model wearing clothes from the brand‟s Eid collection of clothes.

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Figure (4.99)

The text accompanying the picture in Figure (4.99) states, „Khaadi Menswear in stores now! Grab your Eid kurta before its gone‟. The text while announcing the menswear launch at the special occasion of Eid also presupposes that the dresses from this menswear collection are so appealing that they will soon be all sold out. Hence, the male viewers are directly addressed by using an imperative and the pronoun „your‟, prompting them to buy from the store at their earliest. In the picture three different dresses are advertised but the same male model is used to model for all the three dresses; whereas in the advertisements having female models there is a different practice. The male model shown in the picture is seen standing and gazing directly into the camera with poise and confidence in all the three images which shows the stereotypical matter- of-fact and unsentimental image of men usually portrayed in advertising discourses. The overview of the gender identity themes in the discourse of Khaadi‟s advertisements reveals that a greater number of female models is used in the advertising discourse of Khaadi portraying both the eastern and western image of women. Where there is an advertisement of an eastern wear, an image of a shy and timid woman is seen; whereas while advertising the westernized styled dresses the women are shown to be more confident and bold. These images are constructed and manifested through the gaze, bearings, sitting or standing position etc. of the models.

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4.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain A- Brand 3

The analysis of the discourse of Khaadi‟s advertising shows that the brand is very keen to construct and represents its professional identity that is focusing on its international business collaborations and expansions. To represent the brand as the most sought after clothing brand of Pakistan in the international spheres, the focus of the advertising text producers of the brand is to promote the launch of new retail stores in various parts of the world. This strategy shows the brand to be highly in demand, not only nationwide, but also internationally. Anything demanded worldwide is naturally seen as high quality. What is significant to note here is that though the brand projects its eastern personae throughout its advertising discourse and also in its designs, still has a market outside of the East. This shows that not only is the East inspired by the West, the West is also seen to be motivated by the East. This also shows the merging of the cultural boundaries between the east and west.

The analysis shows that a multi-faceted identity has been constructed by Khaadi but there are certain identity aspects that are more dominantly represented to the readers/audience. Unlike J. and NL who are seen focusing more on creating their multifaceted identities that include socio-cultural, national, linguistic, modern identity etc., Khaadi is seen creating its professional identity focusing on international marketing more than representing any other aspect of its identity. However, the construction and representation of certain other aspects of the brand‟s identity such as traditional eastern character and national identity suggestions are also found in the data. The traditional eastern identity is generated by the very name of the brand, Khaadi which means hand-woven referring to the practice of hand weaving which is typically associated with east and also by the brand‟s aim to preserve the true spirit of the brand‟s name. Moreover, the brand‟s claim of using the designs from the central and south Asia as an inspiration also indicates the eastern identity of the brand. Not only does the brand claim to have an eastern identity, it also represents its national identity. The national identity of Khaadi is constructed by its celebration of national days and cultural events of Pakistan. The discourse of Khaadi‟s advertising also uses certain register words from the Urdu language which adds to the traditional and nationalistic aspects of the brand‟s identity.

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4.4 Conclusion of the Chapter- A Summary of the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Clothing Brands

In order to study the processes and practices of identity construction of brands on internet a linguistic analysis of the Pakistani discourse of advertising is carried out. The current chapter presents the analysis of the data from the domain of clothing. The brands selected for analysis from this domain are three prominent clothing brands in Pakistan that are loved by many in Pakistan. The analysis focuses on examining the linguistic and semiotic elements in the text to study the identity themes or the types of identity each brand desires to create for itself. The analysis of the textual elements in the data has given significant understandings about the ways in which these elements are used by the advertisers to create a certain identity or identities for the brand. The analysis shows that all the three brands selected in the domain of clothing i.e. J., NL, and Khaadi, construct a certain distinct identity for themselves in their advertising discourse. The distinctive characteristics of the brands as emphasized in their respective advertising discourse such as the name and logo, international marketing collaborations, customer satisfaction etc., all contribute in the construction and of the brand‟s distinct identity. Numerous other aspects of their identities have also been presented by the brand text producers; however there is a unique aspect of identity that overshadows all the other aspects of their respective identities. The findings show that J. has been very focused on constructing its professional identity focusing mainly on representing its proficiency and expertise in the field. The ways in which a brand represents itself regarding its specialization, certifications, and expertise in its field represents the professional identity of the brand. A great focus has been laid on presenting the brand‟s professionalism by highlighting its professional accomplishments such as claiming to have skilled professionals working with the brand, maintaining its good relations with the customers, expanding its sale endeavors abroad by launching new outlets in various parts of the world. The propagation of this aspect of professional identity that focuses on highlighting the expansion of international retail stores is a common trend in the advertising discourse of all the three brands in this domain. Nishat Linen has also proudly emphasized its global associations; however Khaadi is the brand whose main focus in constructing its

169 professional identity is on the pronouncements of its international collaborations and expansion policies across the globe. It feels proud of its international collaborations and associations and gives this aspect of its unique individual identity the greatest space in its advertising discourse. It can be concluded that each brand has a preferred façade to portray for itself in its advertising discourse with which it typically wants to be associated with. For instance, J.‟s main focus is constructing its individual identity focusing on professionalism, whereas, NL chiefly constructs and highlights its modern identity. On the other hand Khaadi has established its professional identity by focusing mainly on the promotion of its international sale expansions. Therefore, it can be concluded that unlike NL and J. who are observed to be concentrating more on constructing identities that include various aspects of identity such as youth and gender, cultural, nationalistic, modern, etc., Khaadi focuses more on creating its professional identity based on transnational marketing. Pakistan is an eastern country which is considered as a symbol of traditional cultural values, hence to be associated with the Pakistani culture all the three brands claim to have an eastern identity which they represent through sharing related content on their websites and on their respective Facebook pages. The data shows that Khaadi constructs and represents its traditional eastern identity more than the other two brands of the same domain. The very name of the brand i.e. Khaadi which means hand-woven in English refers to the traditional hand weaving practice usually associated with the east and the brand‟s objective to preserve the real essence of its name as proclaimed in the advertising discourse of Khaadi demonstrate the brand‟s quintessential eastern nature. On the other hand J. promotes its attempt to merge tradition with style in order to construct a traditional eastern yet modern identity; whereas NL focuses mainly on promoting itself as a modern brand. As the content representing eastern identity in the data of NL is much less than that of the content demonstrating the modern identity, it can be concluded that NL wants to be related more with modernism than with traditionalism. Moreover, the advertising discourse of NL shows that the modern identity of the brand is constructed by displaying the stylish and confident looking female models in westernized styled clothes, laying focus on the innovative designs and style, and making direct claims about the modernity of the brand‟s outlook in the advertising discourse. The brand does claim to

170 have an eastern identity but that facet focuses mainly on the amalgamation of both the eastern and the contemporary style. Thus it can be concluded that the modernistic implications of NL‟s identity remain predominant in its advertising discourse. As regards national and religious identity, only J. has been observed to construct the two together in its advertising discourse. This is due to the religious affiliations of the brand owner, named Junaid Jamshed, a renowned Pakistani pop singer turned religious preacher and scholar whose religious associations are quite evident in the use of semiotic elements in his brand‟s discourse of advertising. There has been a complete avoidance of human face representation in the ads by J.. Since he is a Muslim following Islam as his religion, the advertising content on his brand‟s website and Facebook page have no female model present to advertise the brand‟s products as Islam prohibits the objectification of women. On the other hand, as NL presents itself as a modern brand best suited for outgoing and modern day confident young women, the advertising discourse of NL focuses more on constructing its youth identity by using the images of young female models in the advertising content to promote its clothing collection. An image of self- confident, assertive, and poised young women is presented in the advertising discourse of NL to construct its modern youth identity. A common identity constructed by all the three brands in the domain of clothing is national and patriotic identity. The brands have shared content on their cyber advertising platforms more specifically on their Facebook pages related to national events and national figures in honor of occasions having national significance. All the brands have very enthusiastically shared pictures, greetings, national memorandums etc. in honor of the Independence Day of Pakistan, celebrated on the 14th of August. The green color (color of the Pakistani flag) has been observed to be a recurrent color theme in the pictures shared on such events. Not only are national days celebrated with fervor and zeal, cultural festivals in Pakistan are also celebrated with great enthusiasm as most of the cultural festivals are based on Islamic events. Where NL and Khaadi have been observed to be only celebrating Pakistan‟s Independence Day and the religious festival of Eid, it is significant to note here that J. has celebrated most of the national and religious events celebrated in Pakistan by regularly updating its advertising content on its website and Facebook page. The celebration of such cultural and religious festivals and remembrance

171 of the Islamic events in the advertising discourse of J. highlight the cultural and religious overtones of the brand‟s identity.

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CHAPTER 5

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DOMAIN B: FOOD BRANDS

This chapter analyses the advertising discourse of three prominent Pakistani brands from the domain of food. The brands selected for analysis from the domain of food are National Foods Limited (NFL), Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee (Sufi) , and Qarshi Food and Beverages (Qarshi). The advertising discourse of each brand is studied to analyze their practices of identity construction and representation on internet. The data has been taken from the official websites and official Facebook pages of the three brands selected for analysis. The analysis focuses on examining the linguistic and semiotic features in the advertising texts to study the identity themes. The data from the brands is separately analyzed in different sections to study the kind of identities being constructed by each brand.

5.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 1: National Foods Limited (NFL)

National Foods Limited (used as NFL henceforth in the current work) is a Pakistani food brand that produces spices, beverages, jams and pickles. The company was founded in 1970 and has long been considered as a household brand in Pakistan owing to the variety of food products it offers. The data collected from the official website and official Facebook page of the brand NFL is analyzed in this section, to study the identity themes found in its advertising discourse on internet. The analysis focuses on studying the linguistic and semiotic elements in the text that are significant in constructing and representing a particular identity or various multifaceted identities as deemed suitable for the brand by the producers.

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5.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in NFL’s Advertising Discourse

The scheme of analysis designed by incorporating the parameters designed for the current research into Fairclough‟s (1989) scheme of analysis for CDA is used to study the processes and practices of identity construction by the brand. The analysis includes an examination of the linguistic and semiotic aspects in the advertising discourse of NFL. These textual elements are described to understand the text production processes in the advertising discourse of NFL. The analysis includes an interpretation of the text production processes to examine the aims and objectives of the producers in creating the advertisement texts in a certain way. Furthermore, the social dimensions of the text are explained for the purpose of studying the processes and patterns of identity construction. The description, interpretation and explanation of the data from NFL‟s official website and Facebook page reveal a certain predominant identity created for the brand which is discussed as follows.

5.1.1. i Constructing Individual Identity- Focusing on Pakistani Culture Orientations

Individual identity of a brand refers to those personal characteristics of its identity that establish its uniqueness and promote an individual self for the brand which makes it exist as a distinct entity. Individual identity of a brand endorses certain features of its existence that make it unique and identifiable such as its preferences, priorities, values, achievements etc. As the name of the brand refers to its national associations, National Foods Limited strongly adheres to its idea of constructing an individual identity for itself in the discourse of its advertising that is based on the national implications. The individual national identity is constructed by the references made to the cultural events, connotations attached to those events, and by using words, pictures, foods etc. that have cultural connotations attached in the Pakistani context. This national identity serves as the individual identity of the brand as this aspect of nationalism predominates all other aspects of identity of the brand been represented in its advertising discourse. Most of the text in NFL‟s advertising discourse refers to its adherence to the Pakistani culture. Unlike the clothing brands that show strong inclinations of constructing their modern and

174 western identity as discussed in Chapter 4, NFL focuses mostly on representing its national and cultural identity intimations. One reason of promoting the brand‟s products in the backdrop of Pakistani culture could be that generally good food in Pakistan is associated with the Pakistani culture and also because traditional Pakistani food is famous worldwide due to its flavor and taste. Most Pakistanis usually relish the distinctive spicy food of Pakistan typically associated with their culture and traditions, despite having their occasional likings for the international food. NFL being a food brand associates itself with the Pakistani culture as an effective marketing strategy. Consider figure (5.1) which is a snapshot image from the brand‟s official website.

Figure (5.1)

Figure (5.1) shows an inscription in a foregrounded position which states, „The Complete Pakistani Food Experience‟. The presence of the brand logo just above the inscription shows how the brand‟s advertising text producers relate the brand with the archetypal Pakistani food. The text here acts as a selective voice that asserts the relation between the brand and the Pakistani food experience. Moreover, the image of the Mughal art in the picture further highlights the brand‟s association with the traditional food of Pakistan as much of the traditional Pakistani food has been derived from the Mughal Empire culinary. Mughals were the Muslim rulers who ruled the sub-continent for over 300 years and are famous for leaving behind a legacy of food among other traditions for the people of this region. Since Pakistan is a part of the region once ruled by the Mughals, it has taken many Mughal traditions including the traditional food varieties. Hence, relating the Pakistani food experience with the Mughals by using the Mughal art in the picture, NFL associates itself with the quintessential Pakistani food inspired from

175 the Mughal culinary. Further, in the section titled „Exports‟ on the website the text producers write, „Providing you the exotic taste of Pakistan...‟. The text while presupposing that the taste of Pakistan is exotic also stresses on the association of NFL with the typical Pakistani taste in food, thus reiterating the brand‟s relation with the Pakistani food experience. Another image from the website that shows the famous Badshahi Mosque in Lahore further highlights the brand‟s national and cultural associations. See figure (5.2) in this regard.

Figure (5.2)

Figure (5.2) shows an image of the Badshahi Mosque situated in Lahore which is one of the historical cities of Pakistan. Though the image doesn‟t contain any text in relation to the picture of Badshahi Mosque, a certain relationship between the brand and this historical place of Pakistan is however assumed by the reader. Since the mosque was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Aurungzeb in late seventeenth century, the picture of this mosque on NFL‟s website endorses the brand‟s notion of its relationship with the traditional and historic culture of the region. Figure (5.3) shows a picture shared on the Facebook page of NFL which likewise refers to the Mughal culture.

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Figure (5.3)

The caption as seen on the figure (5.3) that says, „National Culture Kahani‟ is a series of informative accounts occasionally shared by the brand on its Facebook page. Kahani is an Urdu word that is translated as story in English. Hence, as the title suggests, these accounts chronicle the cultural food facts specifically related to the food traditions in Pakistan. Along with the image of a Mughal art that shows an image of men and women of the Mughal era enjoying their meal, the inscription states, „Moghulai style of cooking evolved at the Moghul court & thrives even today all over the world. Some famous Moghulai dishes are Chicken Tandoori & Shahi Tukrey‟. Regardless of the fact that the text here doesn‟t proclaim any relation of the Moghulai style of cooking with NFL directly, the relationship between both is nevertheless assumed by the reader. The text‟s choice of wordings along with the use of the brand logo placed in alignment to the image of a scene from the Mughal era relates the brand to the traditional Mughal style food. The very fact that the informative text in the figure is about the origin of the Mughal style of cooking which has its roots in a royal historic chapter and which still thrives in the modern world establishes the value of the Mughal style of cooking. By placing the informative text in configuration with the brand logo establishes the relational values in the text. As NFL sells the spices and ingredients for both the dishes mentioned in the text i.e. Chicken Tandoori and Shahi Tukrey the relational values are established in the text that influence the readers in making them associate the brand with the traditional Mughal styled food. The traditional historic intimations of the regional culture along with the purely Pakistani culture emerging from its provincial traditions are related by the brand‟s advertising text producers with NFL‟s individual identity.

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The advertising texts in NFL‟s data are largely reflective of the Pakistani culture relating the food by NFL to specific cultural occasions and events. Figure (5.4) is a picture shared on the Facebook page of NFL which is a perfect example of the reliance of the advertising text producers of the brand on the Pakistani culture while promoting the brand on its online media portals.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when we say „Shaadi‟? Figure (5.4)

Figure (5.4) shows an image of a man wearing the traditional dress of Punjab that includes the turban and the kameez (translated as shirt in English). Punjab is Pakistan's most populated province and is the second largest province in terms of land area. It is the most fertile province of Pakistan due to its rivers and has many vibrant traditions. The language of the people belonging to this province is Punjabi. A lot of references to the Punjabi traditions have been made in the advertising texts of NFL. Similarly, in this picture the male model seems to be wearing the Punjabi dress and his expressions and gestures show that he is enjoying the food at a wedding. The relation between weddings and food is made through the caption accompanying the picture that states, „What is the first thing that comes to your mind when we say „Shaadi‟?‟. Shaadi is an Urdu word that means wedding in English. The question uses pronouns „your‟ and „we‟ to highlight the relational values in the text while enquiring about the concept mostly associated with weddings in Pakistan from the readers. The answer is given by the text producers themselves in the text written on the picture that says, „Shaadis are all about GREAT FOOD‟. Here the expressive values in the text are established by the producer‟s direct assertion about the definition of weddings in Pakistan leaving the reader in no doubt

178 about any other possibility. The opinion of the producers is presented as a fact evaluated through the producers‟ own set of beliefs in the form of a selective voice that asserts the significance of food in Pakistani weddings. The presence of the brand logo along with the statement being made in the text further establishes the relational values in the text relating the event of shaadi to food, thereby relating the food to NFL. This in turn relates NFL to Pakistan‟s most popular and loved private event i.e. shaadi, thus making the brand an essential part of the Pakistani weddings. Another informative account in the form of the segment „National Culture Kahani‟ as part of the brand‟s advertising campaign on its Facebook page narrates the cultural food fact specifically related to the food traditions in the rural Punjab. See figure (5.5) in this regard.

Figure (5.5)

Figure (5.5) shows an image of the traditional food of the Punjab province i.e. sarson ka saag and makai ki roti translated as „mustard leaves cooked in spices‟ and „corn bread‟ in English. This food is essentially associated with the quintessential spirit of Punjab when it comes to customary food culture in the province. The inscription on the picture states, „Sarson ka Saag is the staple food of the rural people of Punjab. The saag topped with rich homemade butter fits the lifestyle of the village people who laboriously work in the fertile lands of the province‟. The text not only states the food fact about the rural Punjab, it also gives an insight into the life of a villager in the province. The text captures the spirit of the Punjabi culture which is used by the brand to highlight its association with the Pakistani culture in general and with the cultural food of

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Pakistan in particular. NFL has been very keen in constructing and representing its cultural identity in its advertising discourse. According to Fairclough (1989) the social dimensions in a text are explained by relating the text to its socio-cultural contexts. Hence, to study the cultural identity of NFL a special focus on the explanation of the socio-cultural contexts of the text production is required. This explanation further elucidates the processes and practices of identity construction by the brand. The fact that NFL mostly uses cultural themes in its advertising discourse establishes the ways in which it wants to be perceived by the readers/audience i.e. in relation to and also as being symbolic of the Pakistani traditional culture. Not limiting itself only to the Punjab province, NFL shares pictures and text related to other provinces of Pakistan as well. Figure (5.6) is an exemplification.

Figure (5.6)

The image in figure (5.6) is of big frying pans in which various snacks in the Pakistani cuisine are deep fried and which a trademark of food streets in Pakistan. The inscription in the picture states, „Although, Lahore‟s Food Street is the most famous food street in Pakistan, there are several others in different cities like Islamabad, Karachi and Peshawar‟. An enquiry into the secondary discourse of the text here reveals that the statement is significant for analysis as it highlights all the three values in the text as proposed by Fairclough (1989), i.e. experiential, relational, and expressive values. Firstly, the first clause in the sentence establishes the expressive values in the text where the producers of the text state their opinion about the Lahore‟s Food Street as being the most famous, leaving the reader in no doubt about the authenticity of the statement. This

180 certainty is lent by the assertive tone in the text evident from the declaration made on the part of the producers. Secondly, the use of the word „Although‟ in the same clause highlights the experiential values in the text where the choice of the word reflects the knowledge and belief of the producers about the claim being made in the text about the fame of the Lahore‟s Food Street. Thirdly, the relational values in the text place the food in the city of Lahore well above the ones available in the other cities mentioned in the statement. The text presents the food available in Lahore‟s Food Street as being more famous than the ones available in the other cities, consequently making the readers assume the superiority of the Lahore‟s Food Street over the food streets in other cities. However, further analysis of the primary discourse reveals that besides Punjab the brand wants to associate itself with other provinces of Pakistan as well. The cities mentioned in the text i.e. Islamabad, Karachi, and Peshawar, belong to three different provinces of Pakistan, namely Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa respectively. This shows that the brand does not only associate itself with the province of Punjab, but also with other provinces in Pakistan, hence representing its national identity. Most of the advertising discourse of NFL uses cultural references to promote the brand. Figure (5.7) shows a picture shared on the Facebook page of NFL that introduces a new series of cultural facts. Just like the series titled „National Culture Kahani‟ that focuses on sharing cultural food facts related to the region, similarly the segment titled „National Rasm-o-Rivaj‟ share information related to certain cultural events in Pakistan.

Figure (5.7)

Rasm-o-Rivaj is an Urdu phrase that means norms and traditions in English. As the topic „National Rasm-o-Rivaj‟ suggests this picture contains a certain fact about a

181 particular tradition in Pakistan. Figure (5.7) shows an image of a rice dish served in an eastern style cutlery. The inscription that shares the cultural tradition in the picture states, „Chauthi is the fourth day after the wedding when the bride‟s parents host a dinner for the newly weds!‟. The text relates about a norm usually observed in the Pakistani culture in which the newly wedded bride and groom are invited over dinner at the house of the bride‟s parents. Though it only seems to be a normal everyday dinner but in reality this dinner is looked upon by the relatives and is celebrated as a kind of a cultural event. Weddings in Pakistan are usually flamboyant and despite being private affairs are often considered to be a cultural emblem owing to their traditional ostentations and glitz. These are colorful events that witness the gatherings of extended families, an array of colorful dresses and jewelry, an assortment of lavish foods etc. among other extravagant customs. The bridegroom in a typical Pakistani wedding comes amidst his jubilant family, fireworks and musicians to marry the bride in a week long celebrations. Post wedding celebrations are part of this event that has now come to be recognized as more of a cultural thing than otherwise. Hence, relating the brand‟s name with the traditional event in the series called „National Rasm-o-Rivaj‟ the brand relates itself with the cultural norms and traditions of Pakistan, which in turn makes the readers associate the brand with the Pakistani culture. Hence, the description, interpretation and explanation of the textual content in the advertising discourse of NFL with relation to its socio-cultural contexts shows that the brand‟s advertising text producers greatly rely on promoting the brand‟s values as deeply entrenched in the Pakistani culture and values. This focus on the national and cultural adherence in the advertising discourse establishes the brand‟s unique individual identity that focuses mainly on its associations with the Pakistani culture and traditions.

5.1.1. ii Constructing Linguistic Identity- A Study into Language and Culture

Pakistan is a multilingual country where many regional languages are spoken along with the national language Urdu, and the international language English. Being the national language of Pakistan Urdu is used in most of the administrative and educational spheres. Since Pakistan is a multilingual country, people use language depending upon their social needs and contexts. Mother tongue or even the regional languages are generally spoken in

182 homes and in immediate circles of ones acquaintances. However, in more formal settings people tend to use the Urdu language as it is the national language of Pakistan. English language on the other hand is considered to be the language of the learned and prestigious in Pakistan. Moreover, it is a universal language that widely serves as the medium of communication between people having different linguistic backgrounds. The advertising discourse in Pakistani media domains especially the discourse available on internet is in English language. The way Urdu is mixed in the English syntactic structures in the advertising discourse of various brands depends upon the aims and agendas of the respective brands.

Linguistic identity is constructed by the use of language and the focus of NFL‟s language use has been to present its characteristic cultural identity. The data shows that the linguistic features used in the text are somehow representative of the Pakistani national spirit and is related to the Pakistani culture. Since English is the language of the masses using internet it is but convenient for the brand to use English language as its medium of communication. However, NFL takes the opportunity of using a lot of code mixing and code switching practices to construct its national and cultural identity by using words that have strong cultural implications attached to them. A lot of code mixing has been used in the advertising discourse of NFL where words from the Urdu and Punjabi language are mixed in English syntactic structures. This mixing of Urdu and Punjabi words is significant as it serves the brand‟s purpose of relating itself with the Pakistani culture. Since vocabulary words from these native languages have special cultural connotations attached to them the mixing proves worthwhile in creating the cultural identity of the brand. Consider an instance of the use of code-mixing from the Punjabi language in figure (5.8).

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Tell us! Figure (5.8)

The topic of the text is placed at the bottom position which states, „National Shaadi Sangeet‟, translated as „National wedding music‟ in English. The word „National‟ is from the name of the brand linked here with the concept of wedding music. As discussed earlier that a typical traditional Pakistani wedding witnesses an array of a variety of food, similarly music has a great importance in the weddings in Pakistan. Food, colorful dresses, jewelry, and music all constitute a significant part of a traditional Pakistani wedding. The inscription on the image in the comparatively prominent position states, „Have you ever performed a luddi to Chitta Kukar?‟. „Luddi‟ is a typical dance form of the Punjab province, whereas „Chitta Kukar‟ is the most famous song in the Punjabi language which is sung by women all over Pakistan especially in the weddings. The dance form and the song mentioned in the text both are representative of the culture of the Punjab province in Pakistan. Hence, by using a reference to the traditional dance form and song the producers instigate the cultural feelings of the readers thus making them associate the brand with the Pakistani culture. Though the text addresses the readers by posing a direct question to them, the purpose of the question is just to make the readers associate the brand with the Pakistani culture. Making references to certain concepts that have strong cultural implications help the producers to create the cultural identity of the brand even more so by using words having strong cultural connotations attached to them. Since English is commonly used in the advertising domain of Pakistani media, the main code used in NFL‟s advertising discourse is English. However, to represent the cultural identity of the brand, the advertising discourse of NFL contains numerous

184 instances of code-mixing and code switching. Another instance of code mixing used to capture the spirit of a sweet dish called „Gajjar ka Halwa‟, which apparently will lose its connotation if replaced with the English equivalent i.e. carrot pudding. Consider figure (5.9) in this regard.

Give your wedding a taste of fusion Figure (5.9)

Figure (5.9) shows an image of a sweet dish with an inscription, „Serve Gajjar ka Halwa with vanilla ice-cream!‟. Gajjar ka Halwa is an Urdu noun phrase which means carrot pudding in English. It is a famous sweet dish of Pakistan that is recognized by the Pakistanis more by its name than by anything else and is cooked and eaten in all parts of the country especially in the winter season. Since readers can associate more with the noun phrase Gajjar ka Halwa than with the noun phrase carrot pudding, the producers have used the Urdu counterpart in an otherwise English syntactic structure. This instance of code mixing where Urdu has been mixed in English sentence serves the purpose of capturing the true spirit of the word so that people associate the brand with the taste of Pakistan i.e. the taste and flavor created in the Pakistani cuisine that is loved by the Pakistanis all over the world. Most of the code mixing and code switching is done to capture the true sense of the words and phrases mixed in English syntactic structures. Consider figure (5.10) for instance which contains instances of both code mixing and switching.

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Figure (5.10)

Figure (5.10) demonstrates a perfect example of code switching and code mixing where the producers use English and Urdu language interchangeably. The topic of the picture is written at the bottom center of the picture which reads as, „Things people say at Shaadis‟. The word „Shaadis‟ is from Urdu language, translated as weddings in English. The word is mixed here in the English syntax in order to keep intact the true spirit of a Pakistani wedding so that it becomes more relatable to the Pakistani audience. The answer to this sentence placed in a topic position is highlighted and is placed in a more dominant position than that of the topic itself. The statement written as an answer to or continuation of the text in the topic position is, „Pulao agar mutton mein hota toh zyada acha hota‟. This is an Urdu sentence which is translated in English as, „it would have been nicer if the Pulao had been cooked with mutton in it’. The text in the topic position is basically in English, whereas in the rejoinder to the topic the text producers switched to the Urdu language with a code-mixed word „mutton‟ taken from the English language. Pulao is an Urdu word for a rice dish often cooked with chicken, mutton or beef. The word doesn‟t have an English counterpart as it is a typical Pakistani dish inherited from the Mughal legacy. The word mutton is from the English language and is mixed here as it sounds more sophisticated and is generally used in the Pakistani context. So using the Urdu sentence along with the Urdu name of the dish is significant in capturing the true essence of the Pakistani dish in particular and the Pakistani traditional cuisine in general; whereas the use of code mixing in the sentence where the English word for the type of meat is used to relate the text with the modern Pakistani readers/audience. It is significant to note that the text producers have used a lot of Urdu words and cultural references in

186 the discourse of NFL‟s advertising which are only comprehensible to the Pakistani audience. Unlike the mixing of register words in the advertising discourse of the clothing brands i.e. J., NL, and Khaadi, that is meant to represent the brands‟ modern western identity, the code-mixed words in NFL‟s advertising discourse are representative of the cultural identity orientations of the brand. A cultural fact narrated in the picture taken from the brand‟s Facebook page is an example which is presented as figure (5.11).

Figure (5.11)

Figure (5.11) contains the inscription, „Doodh Pilai is a famous tradition in which the bride‟s family feeds the groom milk and receives gifts and money in return‟. The statement is about a tradition in Pakistan that is usually practiced in the weddings. „Doodh Pilai‟ is an Urdu phrase used for a tradition in which the family of the bride demands money and gifts from the groom in exchange for the glass of milk they feed him on his wedding day. The purpose of narrating the facts related to the traditional customs in the Pakistani culture serves the purpose of the brand to be associated with the true Pakistani culture. Though these cultural facts do not directly promote the brand‟s products to the audience, however, the intent of making the audience relate the brand with the Pakistani culture is successfully achieved by these narrations based upon the Pakistani culture. Hence, from the use of the language and the cultural references made in the brand‟s advertising discourse it can be concluded that the target audience of the advertising texts of the brand is basically the Pakistani audience. From the language use

187 in the advertising discourse of the brand it can be inferred that the brand wants to be associated more with the traditions of the quintessential Pakistani culture as a part of its marketing strategies.

5.1.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- A Reflection into the Pakistani Culture

Since NFL has principally used references to the norms and traditions of the Pakistani culture to promote itself as a food brand, many insights into the Pakistani culture are found in its advertising discourse on internet. Most importantly we find some insights into the ways gender in the Pakistani culture is perceived by the brand. The analysis of data is significant in studying gender representation in NFL‟s advertising discourse. Since, the brand closely relates itself with the Pakistani culture; an insight into the gender representation in the advertising discourse of NFL will give us significant insights into studying the ways in which gender is perceived in the Pakistani culture. Consider figure (5.12) which is a picture shared on the brand‟s Facebook page narrating yet another cultural fact under the segment „National Rasm-o-Rivaj‟ that shares information about a certain cultural affair in Pakistan.

Figure (5.12)

The picture in the figure (5.12) shows an image of a sweet dish served in a platter. The inscription on the picture states, „The first time a bride enters the kitchen she is expected to cook a sweet dish for her in-laws!‟. The text informs about the tradition in

188 which the bride has to cook something most specifically a sweet dish for her in-laws after her wedding. This tradition gives an insight into the traditional Pakistani culture where usually the bride has to take over the kitchen and manage the kitchen related issues after marriage. This is considered to be a usual custom in Pakistan. This cultural fact as shared by NFL in its advertising discourse reveals that an average woman in Pakistan is a house wife whose basic duty after marriage is to cook and care for the family. Similarly, while sharing a lunch box recipe for the school going kids NFL writes, „Foodie moms, here‟s a crispy and super easy Crunchy Potato Cutlet recipe for your kid‟s tiffin!‟. The text here communicates directly with the moms about a recipe for the kids‟ lunch box to be taken at school. This direct communication with the mothers highlights the relational values in the text where the producers directly address the mothers by using phrases such as „Foodie moms‟, and „your kid‟s tiffin‟. This ruling out of fathers or any other male member of the family from the kitchen reflects the general trend of gender participation in the average household duties in Pakistan where usually it is the duty of a mother to prepare meals for the whole family. Figure (5.13) is another such instance.

Figure (5.13)

Figure (5.13) shows a collage of various images including an image of a table decorated with food platters, NFL‟s readymade spices, and an image of a man and a woman holding food bowls. The text in the topic position states, „National- HUMARAY KHANAY HUMARA PYAAR‟, which is translated as „National- Our meals, our love‟ in English. This picture is significant in understanding the status of good food in an average Pakistani household. Placing of the brand logo and the image of NFL‟s spices together

189 with the textual inscription establishes the relational values in the text as this placement influences the readers/audience in assuming a connection between good food and the brand. Besides highlighting the importance of good food the text also represents how gender representations are insinuated in the Pakistani cultural contexts. The man in the picture is seen in a happy mood pointing towards the woman who seems to have prepared the meal for him. This gender role play can be presumed by another piece of text by the producers which states, „National Foods Limited products … proved to be the preferred choice of women seeking healthy breakfast and light meal options for their families‟. Though the study of the primary discourse shows that the producers here claim to be the preferred choice of women when it comes to cooking for the whole family, the study of the secondary discourse reveals an interesting insight into the gender roles played by men and women in the Pakistani culture. The fact that only women are mentioned to be choosing NFL over other brands shows that cooking is basically a duty attributed mostly with women. Hence, it can be conveniently assumed that women in Pakistan are expected to be managing the kitchen duties along with tending of other house hold stuff while men go out to work and earn for the family. Even though many women in both the urban and rural areas go out to work to earn a living for their families, it is nevertheless expected of them to be equally adept in the house hold duties that include cooking and cleaning, tending of the kids, and taking care of their in-laws family. Consider another instance for example.

Figure (5.14)

Figure (5.14) is a snapshot image taken from the brand‟s website that shows an image of a man and a woman, most probably a husband and a wife, enjoying a picnic

190 party in a park. The couple is looking happy and the wife is shown putting a morsel of food in her husband‟s mouth aiming to show love usually associated with good food in the narrative created by the brand in its advertising discourse. This image highlights a social reality of the Pakistani culture where women are usually the housewives whose primary job is to cook for their families and to feed them. Similarly, in the section titled „Our History‟ on the website the producers write, „National foods‟ initiatives were, to make food that is hygienic, reduce time spent in the kitchen by women, … so that people who use our products would be able to experience a more rewarding life-style‟. In claiming that the aim of the brand is to reduce the time spent in the kitchen by women the text here presupposes that it is women who manage the kitchen and cook for the whole family. Hence, in claiming to provide an easier and rewarding life that reduces the time spent by the women in the kitchen, the advertising discourse of NFL reflects the social reality that gives insights into gender representation in the Pakistani culture. Not only does the discourse reflect the social reality it also creates a reality and reinforces its narrative in the social reality in which the texts are viewed and understood. For instance, in the section titled „Corporate Logo‟ on the website the text producers write, „For over 40 years, we‟ve been known as the one brand women all over Pakistan count on, but just like people grow and change, we‟re growing too… The new Pakistani homemaker is feisty and vibrant and our new image is helping her feel just as we have generations of food lovers feel – completely at home‟. In these lines the producers claim that the brand is loved and trusted upon by women all over Pakistan. Pakistani woman is called a „Pakistani homemaker‟ and the very fact that only women are claimed to be satisfying their home making needs of creating good food in little time shows that it is basically a woman‟s duty to cater for the household needs especially for the food needs of the family. In the text the modern Pakistani woman is attributed with the qualities of being „feisty and vibrant‟, the attributes that are usually shown in women modeling in the print and electronic media advertisements in Pakistan these days. Though the brand uses the vibrant image of women as being portrayed in the media these days to relate with the new image created for the brand in terms of a new brand logo, it nevertheless determines the place of women who despite being feisty and vibrant belong in the kitchen. The brand assumes a position of power here when it asserts to be helping women feel at ease in

191 doing the household duties, at the same time determining a set way for them by passivizing them and suggesting them to use NFL products that make life easy for them by making them feel „completely at home‟. It is significant to note here that though the brand changes its image in terms of visual aspects by changing its logo and matching the new vibrant colors of the logo with the modern vibrant appearances of women models in the ads, it nevertheless stereotypes the women in the Pakistani society by limiting their roles only to housewives. Hence, it can be concluded that the advertising discourse of NFL gives many insights into the Pakistani culture as it has predominantly used references from the norms and customs of the Pakistani culture as a backdrop for its promotion as a food brand. Many customs of the Pakistani culture are highlighted in NFL‟s advertising discourse which reflects the brand‟s comprehension of the social realities in Pakistan including the ways in which gender manifestations in the Pakistani culture are viewed by the brand. The analysis of data is significant in studying gender representation in NFL‟s advertising discourse. Since, the brand closely relates itself with the Pakistani culture; an insight into the gender representation in the advertising discourse of NFL will give us significant insights into studying the ways in which gender is perceived in the Pakistani culture.

5.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 1

The analysis reveals that the focus of the brand is to represent its individual identity based on national and cultural identity overtones in its advertising discourse more than representing any other distinctive identity. Most of the data contains references to the Pakistani culture aiming to make the audience relate the brand with the Pakistani culture. As the name of the brand i.e. National Food Limited itself refers to the nationalistic overtones of its individual identity, the advertising discourse of the brand also aims at constructing a national identity for the brand. This essential aspect of identity is what makes the brand unique. The brand realizes the importance of national food preferences and in the backdrop of those preferences projects itself to be deeply rooted within the Pakistani culture. The advertising discourse of NFL has mostly used references made to the Pakistani culture in order to highlight its association with the Pakistan‟s cultural identity. The references include information about cultural events that have specific

192 connotations attached in the Pakistani context. Moreover, the use of words, images, and folk anecdotes having cultural connotations attached to them, all contributed in creating the national and cultural identity of the brand. Contrary to the discourse practices of the clothing brands that mainly aim at constructing their modern western identity as discussed in Chapter 4, NFL concentrates mostly on representing the cultural overtones of its identity. Endorsing the brand‟s products in the milieu of Pakistani culture could be an effective marketing strategy for the brand as the recurrent cultural references made in the advertising texts make the readers/audience relate the brand with the Pakistani culture. Since the traditional Pakistani food is mostly loved by the Pakistanis owing to its peculiar flavor, therefore promoting the brand as representative of the traditional cultural spirit of Pakistan makes the brand more relatable to the country thus making it an effective advertising strategy.

As the promises of taste and health cannot be experienced in the virtual demonstrations, the brand focuses on the visual representations of Pakistani culture in which the national taste preferences have been rooted. Food provides an important link to our cultural heritage and has cultural and symbolic meanings. Though there is a liking for the fast food offered by different international food chains in Pakistan, most Pakistanis however, typically enjoy the traditional spicy food of Pakistan usually associated with their cultural traditions. NFL associates itself with the Pakistani culture as an effective marketing strategy because it seems to understand that within the Pakistani cultural context any advertisement text of food intrinsic to the Pakistani culture will have a strong impact on the audience in terms of consuming the advertised food products.

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5.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 2: Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee (Sufi)

Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee (occasionally used as Sufi in the current work) is a Pakistani food brand that produces cooking oil and ghee. Ghee is an Urdu word that means processed oils in English. In the section titled „Company Profile‟ on the website the text producers give an introduction about the brand as, „… in a brief period of less than 20 years, has championed quality assurance and customer satisfaction to emerge as one of the top two market leaders in the Edible Oil and Ghee industry in Pakistan‟. This shows that the brand is less than twenty years old at the time of data collection i.e. in 2014. Though the exact number of years of the brand‟s origin has not been mentioned it is nevertheless assumed that it has been in the market for quite some time and has gained expertise owing to the experience in the field. It is also mentioned that the brand is one of the top two edible oil manufacturing companies in Pakistan, hence assigning the position of a market leader to the brand. The producers also claim that the brand has ensured quality provision and customer satisfaction. To study the identity construction practices by the brand in the discourse of its advertising data has been collected from its official website and official Facebook page. The analysis includes an examination of the linguistic and semiotic components present in the advertising texts that enable the brand‟s advertising text producers to construct and represent a particular image or identity or various multifaceted identities depending upon the marketing demands of the brand.

5.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Sufi Cooking Oils’ Advertising Discourse

The analysis of the processes and practices of identity construction in the discourse of advertising of the brand includes a description and interpretation of textual elements in the data to study the aims and objectives of the producers in making the linguistic and semiotic choices in the texts. The analysis on the whole aims at studying the linguistic and semiotic features in the advertising texts of the brand to study how these choices in the texts help in creating a certain identity of the brand as desired by the producers. The various types of identities predominantly found in the advertising discourse of Sufi are discussed as under.

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5.2.1. i Creating Individual Identity- Representation as a Health Conscious Brand

The data shows that Sufi presents itself as a highly health conscious brand in its advertising discourse. From claiming itself to be a producer of healthy products to sharing content related to health and nutrition, Sufi endeavors to construct its individual identity as an extremely healthy brand. The most important reason for the construction of such an identity is that being a producer of cooking oils which are generally not considered to be healthy, the brand has to market itself as a healthy brand. Excess of oils and ghee (processed oils) are generally considered to be unhealthy for a human body owing to the presence of cholesterol and other such constituents. Hence, presenting itself as a brand that is highly conscious about the consumers‟ health is an effective marketing strategy of the brand.

The discourse of Sufi‟s advertising is replete with messages about health and general wellbeing. The very home page on the website of the brand establishes the brand as a trustworthy brand when it comes to healthy eating. Figure (5.15) is a snapshot image of the home page of the official website of the brand.

Figure (5.15) Figure (5.15) shows an image of a happy family who apparently uses Sufi‟s oils in their meals and a text in the topic position that says, „THE NAME YOU Trust‟. The topic acts as a selective voice that asserts a trustworthy relation between the brand and the readers. Though the name that is trusted by the readers/audience is not mentioned directly, however, the presence of the brand logo on top of the picture, the oil bottles, and the description about the various cooking oils produced by the brand, relate the text in the

195 topic position to the brand. Relational values are expressed in the text where the pronoun „YOU‟ is used to address the readers directly, thereby highlighting the one to one candid relationship between the brand and the readers. This one to one conversation also makes the readers believe the statement being made by the producers about trusting the brand. The image of a cell phone in the center of the picture also contains an inscription that states, „Spending on the latest trends, new cars, hip clothes and smart phones but ARE YOU EATING SMART?‟. The text here questions the eating habits of the readers and makes them ponder over the question being posed as according to the producers the readers lavishly spend on everyday luxuries but shirk when making better food choices. The text while asking if the readers are spending on the right health option establishes the brand as the right option when it comes to eating healthy. Moreover, the image of the happy faces of the family who apparently use Sufi oils present the brand as a healthful and nourishing brand. In the section called „ABOUT US‟ on the website the text producers claim that the brand, „has championed quality assurance and customer satisfaction to emerge as one of the top two market leaders in the Edible Oil and Ghee industry in Pakistan‟. Claiming the brand‟s competence by using the words such as „championed‟, „quality assurance‟ and „customer satisfaction‟ contribute in establishing the relational values of vocabulary where the use of these words lend a great value to the brand. The choice of words in a text has a great influence on how that text relates with the readers. These words are powerful and have strong positive connotations which make the readers relate the qualities of a champion, of assurance, of satisfaction etc. with the brand. Moreover, proclaiming the brand to be „one of the top two market leaders‟ lends the brand a certain edge where none can doubt the claim being made as the brand does not directly claim to be the top oil brand. The text further claims, „... it is the only company in Pakistan providing pure oils and banaspati to its customers‟. Here the text focuses on the purity of the oils the brand produces. The use of the words „the only company‟ imparts a degree of surety to the claim being made and convinces the readers in believing it due to the convincing nature of the discourse. Focusing on the purity and naturalness of the oils it manufactures is a key trend in the advertising discourse of the brand. Figure (5.16) from the Facebook page of the brand is an example.

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Figure (5.16)

Figure (5.16) shows an image of a cooking oil bottle with inscriptions such as, „SUNFLOWER COOKING OIL- 100% PURE OIL‟. Though the image is quite simple the message conveyed through the text is nevertheless convincing. The claim of the brand of producing 100% PURE OIL lends agency to the text which is imparted by the use of the definitive claim being made using numerical percentage. The use of the capital letters aims to emphasize the point and further provides a tone of certainty to the claim being made in the text. This draws the consumers in and the ideology being projected exercises power over them. According to the Frankfurt school, the advertisers have the ultimate power which they exercise on the consumers in making them believe that they have a need for the product being advertised (Adorno & Horkheimer, 1998). As discussed earlier that due to the brand being a manufacturer of oils which are generally considered unhealthy for the human heart and other bodily functions, Sufi has to construct its individual identity as being a health conscious brand that is extremely healthy for the human body. Hence, the advertising discourse of Sufi is replete with direct as well as indirect claims about its health provision. Consider figure (5.17) that has been taken from the website of the brand.

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Figure (5.17)

Figure (5.17) is a snapshot image from the brand‟s website that shows an image of a man and a woman who are seen to be jogging. Both of them appear to be physically fit and active. A few oil bottles and a platter containing food are also shown in the picture. The inscription on the image states, „100% pure, healthy & enriched with vitamins‟. This text positioned right beside the jogging couple imply that their seemingly active physical state is because of consuming Sufi‟s products. The positioning of all these images together with the text in the topic position relates the text with the consumption of the brand‟s products that are claimed to be pure and healthy providing enough supply of vitamins. Another picture from the website as presented in figure (5.18) makes the same point.

Figure (5.18)

Figure (5.18) shows an image of a happy family who is enjoying a barbeque party. The trademark oil bottle from Sufi is also shown in the image, accompanied by an inscription that has been topicalized in the center of the picture which states, „Smarter

198 living through smarter choices‟. The text implies that the smarter choice in cooking is the use of Sufi‟s oils which guarantee health and happiness that comes through the smart choice of selecting Sufi as their trusted brand for cooking oil. Hence, it can be concluded that the aim of the advertising discourse is to present the brand as a healthy brand whose consumption makes the consumer healthy, happy, fit and active. Highlighting its goal of ensuring health for its consumers the brand‟s advertising text producers write about the aims of the brand in a section titled „Vision‟ on the website, which are, „To create a healthy and a prosperous future for the generations to come; To share our knowledge with people around the globe, for a better tomorrow; To become consumer‟s most trusted brand‟. The text establishes the brand as a competent brand which not only aims to provide health assurance to the consumers but also wishes to share its expertise with people around the world. Though it is not mentioned how it will be done but it is claimed nevertheless that it aims to share its knowledge with people around the globe and also to become the most trusted brand of the consumers. The main focus here again is the construction of the brand‟s identity as a healthy brand. The text producers of the brand have been resolute in presenting the brand as a health conscious brand by not only claiming the nutritional qualities of the brand, but also by using content that contains health facts and tips, exercise tips, workout tips, kitchen tips, information about various diseases etc. in the advertising discourse. Figure (5.19) is an illustration.

Figure (5.19)

Figure (5.19) is a snapshot image taken from one of the sections of the website. The picture shows several subsections that provide information on various subjects that

199 include health facts, kitchen tips, fusion workouts, and health problems such as bronchitis, frozen shoulder etc. The content available on such diverse health related topics show the brand‟s concerns about health matters. Various blogs have also been shared on the website about different health issues that illustrate the brand‟s eager concern about health and fitness. In a status update on the Facebook page of the brand the text producers write, „Always stay healthy and fit with Sufi. Life is beautiful!‟. The first sentence of the text here relates health and fitness with Sufi, while the second one is a declarative statement about the life being beautiful. The text implies that a beautiful life is a healthy and active life which can be attained by using the products of Sufi. An image on the website as shared in figure (5.20) is an exemplification of the producers‟ aim of presenting an association of a healthy and meaningful life with Sufi.

Figure (5.20)

Figure (5.20) shows an image of a mother who is feeding a morsel of food to her son. A few vegetables and fruits are placed on the table along with a couple of oil bottles by Sufi. The whole image of a happy family, fruits and vegetables, and the Sufi oils, implies a happy and healthy life. This healthy life will automatically be credited to Sufi by the readers as the implication in the picture is too clear to be missed. Since the goodness of fruits and vegetables for human health cannot be denied, placing the Sufi bottles along with these nutrients includes the brand into the equation. The text in the topic position reads, „Celebrating life‟, which further implies that Sufi ensures a happy, healthy and active life. Focus on health and well-being is necessary for the brand but the text producers do not forget about the taste provided in the brand‟s products. They write

200 on the website, „Add taste as well as health to all your food by using Sufi Sunflower Cooking oil‟. This shows that the advertising texts of the brand do not compromise on presenting the brand as a combination of taste and health. Being a food brand it can not only present itself as a healthy brand but a need to profess about the good taste is also needed to attract more readers/audience to but the products of Sufi. It is after all the taste together with health that according to the brand‟s advertising discourse enable the people using Sufi products to lead an active and healthy life. Figure (5.21) shows a picture that captures the spirit of the brand in one image.

Taste and health for everyone with Sufi Oil! Figure (5.21)

Figure (5.21) is a picture taken from the Facebook page of the brand that shows an image of a big happy family including men, women and children that are seen to be enjoying and celebrating life. The caption accompanying the picture says, „Taste and health for everyone with Sufi Oil!‟, which ultimately relates the joy and celebration portrayed in the picture with Sufi. Health along with taste as provided by Sufi is what makes everyone in the family happy and joyous according to the producers. Repeated focus on a healthier lifestyle has been the main focus of the brand‟s advertisement discourse in order to construct the individual identity of the brand as a healthy brand. Hence, it can be concluded that presenting the brand as a healthy brand in the discourse of its advertising is an effective advertising strategy by the text producers as the cooking oils in Pakistan are usually deemed unhealthy for the human body. Therefore constructing the individual identity of the brand as an extremely healthy brand is crucial for its sales in the retail market.

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5.2.1. ii National Identity Construction- Taking a Nationalistic Stance

Though the focus of the brand‟s advertising text producers is to present the brand‟s individual identity as being a healthy brand, there are however certain other marginal identities that have been observed to be constructed by the brand in the discourse of its advertising. Unlike National Food Limited (NFL) whose main focus of identity construction was to present its individual identity by focusing on a national stance in its advertising discourse, the main focus of Sufi has been on presenting its identity as a healthy brand. However, apart from constructing its individual identity as a healthy brand, national identity intimations have also been found in the advertising discourse of Sufi. This aspect of the brand‟s identity is constructed by remembering national events, figures, places, traditions etc.

The national identity of the brand is constructed and represented by sharing content about national events and national figures on Facebook. Consider for example figure (5.22) which was shared on the brand‟s Facebook page to celebrate the birth date of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the Pakistani nation who struggled hard for the independence of the Muslims of the Subcontinent from the British rule and for the creation of a separate homeland called Pakistan for the Muslims in the early half of the twentieth century.

Figure (5.22)

The picture shown in the figure (5.22) is shared on 25th December to mark the birthday celebrations of Quaid-e-Azam. The image in the picture shows a silhouette of the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam. The outline of the portrait is made by the repetitive use of

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Quaid‟s well known motto, i.e. unity, faith, and discipline. Further inscription on the picture says, „QUAID DAY- 25th December, 1876‟, along with the brand logo both written in the white color. The background of the picture is green in color. The use of these two colors is significant as the colors in the Pakistani flag are green and white, thus denoting the national associations of the brand. The presence of the brand logo on the upper left hand corner of the picture shows that this image is specifically created by the brand‟s text producers for the specific purpose of showing the brand‟s love and association with its country. As Quaid-e-Azam is considered to be the father of the Pakistani nation, events related to his birth, life, and death are equally reminisced in the advertising discourse of Sufi to honor his efforts for acquiring a separate homeland, Pakistan, for the Muslims of the Subcontinent. Figure (5.23) has been shared on the Facebook page of the brand to remember the Quaid on his death anniversary, celebrated on 11th September every year in Pakistan.

On this day let us remember the father of the nation and also live by what he preached! Figure (5.23)

Figure (5.23) shows an image of Quaid-e-Azam with the inscription, „Death anniversary of QUAID-I-AZAM 11 September, 1948‟ along with a quote by him that says, „With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve‟. The remembrance of the founder of Pakistan on his death anniversary and sharing his quote that urges the Pakistanis to have faith and devotion in order to achieve the desired goals, shows the national overtones of the brand‟s identity. The text producers further write on the Facebook page, „On this day let us remember the father of the nation and also live by what he preached!‟. The text here shows the

203 brand‟s aspiration of remembering the Quaid on this day and its wish for its fellow countrymen to spend their lives according to his preaching. The pictures together with the textual inscriptions demonstrate the brand‟s national identity that it constructs by updating content related to the father of the nation on special national events. References to other national figures and events are also found in the data by Sufi. One such reference includes the celebration of Iqbal day, celebrated on the 9th of November every year in Pakistan to mark the birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal, the national poet of Pakistan.

Figure (5.24)

Figure (5.24) shows an image of a portrait of Allama Iqbal with „IQBAL DAY NOV, 9‟ inscribed on it. A stanza from his Urdu poetry has also been inscribed which gives a message of adaptability and subsistence to his nation. Allama Iqbal was the great thinker and philosopher who dreamed about having a separate homeland for the Muslims of Subcontinent. Every year Pakistanis celebrate his birthday by arranging ceremonies to honor him. Similarly, Sufi celebrates Iqbal Day to show its national associations thus constructing its national identity. Another national event celebrated by the brand is Independence Day of Pakistan which is celebrated by sharing related content on the Facebook page. Figure (5.25) is a picture shared on Facebook to share the day‟s celebrations with the readers/audience.

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Figure (5.25)

Figure (5.25) shows images of various national figures that actively took part in the freedom movement for Pakistan including Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Madam Fatima Jinnah (sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah) etc. The text inscribed on the picture says, „14th AUGUST HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY‟. Independence Day of Pakistan is celebrated on 14th of August every year by the Pakistanis around the world. Similarly, wishing the readers with an Independence Day message exhibits the brand‟s association with its country. The text accompanying the picture on the Facebook page states, „Youm e azadi mubarik‟, which is translated as Happy Independence Day in English. A similar greeting has already been shared in English on the picture shown in figure (5.25), however the text producers deem it necessary to include Urdu here as Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and wishing the readers in Urdu will have stronger impact on them. The word „Azadi‟, meaning independence in English, is an ideologically significant word for the Pakistanis as their forefathers laid their lives in lieu of the azadi (freedom) movements run for the acquisition of Pakistan. Not only does the brand share content related to national figures and national events, other instances exhibiting the brand‟s nationalistic overtones are also present in its advertising discourse. Consider for example figure (5.26), which has been shared on the brand‟s Facebook page.

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Because we are one big food loving nation! Figure (5.26)

Figure (5.26) shows an image of the Pakistani map with its provincial subdivisions. Pakistan has four provinces that have been marked on the map as shown in the picture. What is more interesting is that four food dishes each representative of the four provinces have been placed with the respective province, highlighting the traditional food of each province. The caption along with the picture on Facebook states, „Because we are one big food loving nation!‟. The text producers here highlight the relational values in the text by using the pronoun „we‟ that includes the producers and the audience alike in the equation of people who love food. The words such as „we‟ and „nation‟ in the statement affect the way in which the text is perceived by the readers. The choice of wordings in the sentence creates social relationships between the producers and the audience. The whole statement is an assumption by the text producers that declares the love of good food that Pakistanis have in general. This declaration by the producers show their ideological agreements in highlighting the national identity intimations shared both by the readers and the producers. The text here influences the readers in believing the same and in assuming the relationship of the brand with the country. Another instance of highlighting the national identity implications of the brand is its technique to share content related to the legacy of the country in such a way that the brand seems a part of the national heritage. Figure (5.27) as shared on the Facebook is an illustration.

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Lahore is all about tasty food and rich heritage. Is that the reason why it is called the „heart of Pakistan?‟ Figure (5.27)

Figure (5.27) shows an image of the Badshahi Mosque in the historical city of Pakistan called Lahore. The picture contains the images of a few Sufi oil products that have been edited on to the picture of the historical place and placed in an upfront position in the picture. The text written as a caption for the picture on Facebook says, „Lahore is all about tasty food and rich heritage. Is that the reason why it is called the „heart of Pakistan‟?‟. The text here asserts the splendor of the rich culture of the historical city of Lahore which is famous for its Mughal heritage and for its rich tradition of tasty food. The second sentence though asks a question from the readers prompting them to contemplate for a moment for the answer; it nevertheless presupposes that Lahore is called the „heart of Pakistan‟ most probably due to its rich traditions of food and heritage. Placing the Sufi products in the picture is a strategy to relate the brand with the legacy of tasty food and rich heritage of Pakistan as mentioned in the caption. This is an effective strategy of the text producers to establish the relational values in the text where while mentioning about the cultural heritage of Pakistan the brand text producers enable the readers to relate the brand with the rich heritage of Pakistan. Using references to national monuments in the advertising discourse the brand‟s text producers reflect their national interests and highlight the nationalistic aspects of their identity. Many other references of national significance have also been made in the discourse of Sufi‟s advertising. These references include messages of unity, optimism and harmony for the Pakistani nation. Other references of national significance as shared in the discourse of its advertising include allusions to famous historical places in

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Pakistan, food traditions especially of hospitality and dining in Pakistan, religious places for the Muslims and non-Muslims of Pakistan, most loved dishes in Pakistan etc. Though Sufi is a food brand whose main focus is on constructing its identity as a healthy brand, it nevertheless constructs and represents its national identity. The national identity is constructed by making textual references to national memorandums and events in its advertising discourse, thereby relating itself to the quintessential Pakistani spirit and traditions. As good food holds a strong position in the milieu of Pakistani heritage, it is but an effective marketing strategy to construct its national identity in its advertising discourse.

5.2.1. iii Constructing Religious Identity- An overview

Another aspect of the brand‟s identity as constructed in its advertising discourse is its religious identity. Though the main identity of the brand as presented in its advertising content available both on its website and Facebook page is its identity of being a healthy brand, many religious overtones in the advertising discourse have also been observed. These identity suggestions have been highlighted by sharing the content related to religious events and occasions. The brand has been persistent in sharing a Friday greeting for the Pakistanis on every Friday. Figures (5.28), (5.29) and (5.30) are a few examples.

Figure (5.28) Figure (5.29)

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Figure (5.30)

The figures (5.28) and (5.29) show an image of a mosque each, whereas the figure (5.30) shows an image of a praying woman. These figures are shared on Facebook by the brand on different Fridays to send a Friday greeting to its audience. The inscription on all these pictures read, „Jumma Mubarak‟, translated as Happy Friday in English. Jumma is the Arabic name for Friday and is the sacred day of the week for Muslims who offer special prayers on this day every week. The producers send a greeting to the audience every week and in this way exhibit their religious interests to the audience. The presence of the brand logo on all these pictures shows that the producers do not want the implication of the brand‟s religious identity to be missed by the readers. This is one way of creating a place for the brand in the everyday lives of the readers. Other references to religious occasions include Eid, which is one of the holy festivals of Muslims celebrated with much fervor and enthusiasm. Consider figure (5.31) as an instance.

Eid Mubarak! Figure (5.31)

Figure (5.31) shows a picture of a mosque with an inscription in the English as well as Urdu transcript, which states, „EID MUBARAK‟, translated as Happy Eid in

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English. Eid is a holy festival of Muslims on which Muslims around the world celebrate and greet each other with Eid messages. Similarly, representing the brand‟s religious identity the text producers of Sufi‟s advertisements greet the Muslims with special Eid day messages. Alongside Eid greetings many references to other religious events and occasions have also been shared in the discourse of Sufi‟s advertisements, especially on its Facebook page. Special messages for the audience with reference to the holy month of Ramadan are also observed in the data. Ramadan is the holy month of Muslims in which they observe fasts for one whole month. The text producers constantly update content related to the holy month in order to construct the religious identity for the brand. The content mostly includes messages for the Muslims related to observing their fasts with ease and to fully get the sacred benefits from the month. One such post is presented in the figure (5.32).

Ramadan tip: Take a short nap. Either just before Dhuhur or after it. It helps your maintain your energy levels and gives you the necessary boost for the evening. Figure (5.32)

Figure (5.32) shows an image of a figure lying in bed with the inscription, „EITHER JUST BEFORE DHUHUR OR AFTER DHUHUR‟, whereas the text alongside the picture on Facebook says, „Ramadan tip: Take a short nap. Either just before Dhuhur or after it. It helps your maintain your energy levels and gives you the necessary boost for the evening‟. „Dhuhur‟ is the afternoon prayer of Muslims and in suggesting the readers to take a nap before or after the prayer shows the producers‟ concern in making the readers feel comfortable during their fasts. The text here shows relational values as the producers create a social relationship between themselves and the

210 readers where both are related by the same religion and are subjected to the same religious experience. There are numerous examples of such instances in the data where the producers highlight the relational values in the text in order to relate the brand with the audience by using religious references. For instance,

Figure (5.33) Figure (5.33) shows an image of a hand donating in a charity box. The inscription in the picture in the topic position reads, „Give lots of Physical Sadqah‟. Sadqah is an Arabic word which means charity in English. Physical sadqah refers to the good done to others in terms of monetary and corporeal aids. The caption accompanying the picture on the Facebook page states, „Ramadan tip: Give sadqah and be charitable‟. The noun phrase Ramadan tip means a tip or suggestion for the Muslims particularly in the context of the holy month of Ramadan. The whole message given in the picture and the text to the readers is to give charity to the poor and needy. This message shows the relational values in the text that relate the brand and the audience with the religious identity they both share. Focusing on the religious overtones in the advertising discourse enables the brand text producers to make the brand an integral part of the customers‟ lives by constructing a religious identity for the brand that is also shared by the audience. Religion is shown to be an integral part of one‟s life by the brand text producers by its focus on reinforcing religious experiences. Figure (5.34) contains a message in an imperative tone.

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Figure (5.34)

Figure (5.34) shows an image of a man praying before God, while the text reads as, „Ramadan tip: Salah first, all else comes later‟. Salah is an Arabic word which is translated as prayer in English. The text written on the picture says, „PLAN YOUR RAMADAN DAYS AROUND SALAH TIMES. NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND!‟, thus focusing on the importance of prayer in everyday life. The text here shows the religious preference of the brand‟s text producers who consider religion as the most obligatory part of one‟s life. The text written in the picture as well as in the caption accompanying the picture shows that Salah or prayer is the most important aspect of a person‟s everyday life and thus he should plan all his activities according to the prayer timings so that the prayers are not missed. This focus on the importance of religious affairs exhibit the religious identity constructed for the brand by the brand‟s advertising text producers.

Figure (5.35)

Figure (5.35) shares another message for the audience in the context of the holy month of Ramadan which is significant in offering both the spiritual and health benefits

212 to the Muslims observing fasts. The picture shows an image of a running man and the inscription, „Have sincere intentions and hard work‟. The text written on the Facebook page alongside this picture says, „This Ramadan don‟t let your fast make you slow. Work hard with a clean intent‟. The text aims to suggest the readers to be active and not let exhaustion make them weary because of fasts that drain one‟s energy due to long gaps during meals. Though the inscription is not related to the running or jogging activity it is nevertheless assumed that indulging in physical activities is an effective way to remain energetic during the month of fasting. Furthermore, the text shows experiential values that reflect the producer‟s perspective about the month of Ramadan being an exhausting and wearing month owing to the long fasts. Therefore, in suggesting ways to boost up energy during fasts, the producers reflect their belief and knowledge of their understanding about this month as being energy draining. This reference to maintaining health and fitness corresponds with the individual identity of the brand which is constructed by presenting it as a health conscious brand. Hence, the religious identity of the brand is constructed by the text producers by referring to religious experiences in the Pakistani social context in the advertising discourse, whereas the individual identity is reinforced by the focus on health and fitness. The sharing of such content that refers to religious matters is significant in constructing and presenting the brand‟s religious identity overtones. Therefore, it can be concluded that the advertising text producers of the brand create a religious identity for the brand to relate it more with the audience and to reinforce its presence in their lives by continuously posting content on the Facebook page about religious events and experiences in order to become a mandatory part of the audience‟s lives.

5.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 2

The findings show that the main focus of the brand‟s advertising discourse is to construct its identity as a healthy brand that is extremely conscious about the health and fitness of its consumers. Being a food brand that produces cooking oils, the focus on health is an effective advertising strategy of the brand. The findings reveal that the individual identity of the brand Sufi is highlighted by the focus of the text producers on promoting it as a health conscious brand in its advertising discourse. Since food is an essential part of

213 one‟s life and oils are used for cooking, any oil brand could become the priority of the Pakistanis. However, Sufi makes it a preference to stand out among other cooking oil brands because of its focus on health. As it was observed in the findings of the data from National Foods Limited’s (NFL) that the text producers of NFL‟s advertising discourse focused more on constructing the cultural identity for the brand. NFL is a spice brand and hence concentrates more on the taste aspect which was highlighted by its reliance on the Pakistani culture as an inspiration while manufacturing the products. Hence, NFL‟s focus is more on constructing its national and cultural identity. On the other hand, as Sufi is oil producing brand its focus is more on presenting its identity as a healthy brand in order to attract more and more customers. Most people have health concerns when it comes to using oil in food so it is but convenient for the brand to promote itself as a healthy brand which is done by various linguistic and semiotic strategies used in the advertising discourse. These strategies include both the direct claims/assertions made by the text producers and also by indirect references to health concerns by using various images and information on different health issues. These strategies enable the readers/audience to relate the brand with health which proves an effective marketing strategy for the brand.

Other prominent identity types found in the data are national and religious identities. National identity is constructed by using various references to national figures, events and occasions. Certain references to national places and foods have also been made. Unlike the clothing brands whose focus is more on presenting themselves as modern western brands, the food brands show an inclination towards representing themselves as trademark Pakistani brands which is done by using textual and semiotic references to events, food and people in the Pakistani backdrop. Along with food religion is also a part and parcel of an average Pakistani Muslim‟s life; hence, Sufi has used various religious references in its advertising discourse. The references include allusions to holy days and months, religious and spiritual messages and greetings for the readers/audience etc. It can also be concluded that health in its broadest sense, as both physical and religious, is being marketed here. By using the holy month of Ramadan as the backdrop to promote health and fitness, Sufi is marketing its identity as a health conscious brand that focuses on developing both the physical and religious health of its consumers. Thus, the incorporation of the themes of health and religion lends the brand

214 an agency which makes it possible for the brand to create a demand in the consumers, making them want to consume the product which focuses on health in its relation to religion. This agency to create demand in the consumer where he is made to accept that he needs the commodities being advertised is what Adorno and Horkheimer (1998) from the Frankfurt school also believed to be the role of advertising.

5.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain B- Brand 3: Qarshi Food and Beverages (Qarshi)

Founded in 1968 Qarshi Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. (used as Qarshi henceforth in the current work) is one of the largest natural products companies in Pakistan which produces drinks and medicines using herbal formulations. As claimed on the website the brand manufactures and markets leading natural food products that have become household names in Pakistan. In the section titled History of Qarshi on the website the text producers write, „As a leading manufacturer of Natural Products, Qarshi is engaged in promoting healthy living for over seven decades. It has been offering blend age-old Oriental and Greek herbal preparations with the latest advancements in science and technology to provide safe and effective products to its customers‟. The text here establishes the brand as one of the leading natural products manufacturing companies in Pakistan whose main objective is to incorporate the goodness of nature with the progressions in science in order to ensure a healthy living for its consumers. To study how the brand represents itself and constructs its identity in the discourse of its advertising the linguistic and semiotic features in the data collected from the official website and the official Facebook page of Qarshi are examined. The analysis of the linguistic and semiotic features present in the advertising discourse shows how the advertising text producers of the brand aim to construct and represent the identity or various multifaceted identities of the brand. These advertising strategies used in the advertising discourse of the brand on internet give an understanding about the ways in which the brand is made to stand out among other competing brands.

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5.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Qarshi’s Advertising Discourse

The analysis focuses on the description and interpretation of the linguistic and semiotic elements present in the advertising discourse of Qarshi to study the patterns and processes of identity construction in its advertising discourse. The analysis of the textual elements from the data taken from Qarshi‟s official website and Facebook page reveals the kinds of identities with which the brand desires to be associated with. The various types of identities predominantly found in the advertising discourse of Qarshi are discussed as under.

5.3.1. i Creating Individual Identity- Representation as a Socially Responsible Organization

The analysis of the advertising discourse of Qarshi shows that the producers have presented the individual identity of the brand as being a socially responsible brand. From proclaiming to be „a socially responsible organization‟ on its website to sharing updates about its participation in various social activities on its Facebook page, the advertising discourse of Qarshi establishes its unique individual identity as being highly conscious of the social surroundings and represent it as a socially responsible brand. The discourse of the brand‟s advertising shows that the brand has been very keen in participating various social cause events and activities. The analysis of the advertising discourse of Qarshi shows that one of the most important aspects of its individual identity is its participation in various social activities which is unique in itself and differentiates it from other brands.

Description and interpretation of the textual content in the advertising discourse of Qarshi shows that the producers have been very keen in constructing a unique individual identity of the brand in its advertising discourse on internet. Explanation of the social contexts governing the text production processes shows that presenting the brand as participating in various activities of social cause constructs its individual identity as a socially responsible brand. In the section titled „Corporate Social Responsibility‟ on the website the advertising text producers write, „Qarshi is a socially responsible organization that fulfills its mission and lives by its values‟. The text proclaims that Qarshi is not only a food brand but also a complete organization that is responsible when

216 it comes to social causes, that considers it a mission to be socially responsible and whose aim is to live by the values selected as representative values for the brand. The fact that the producers write about the brand‟s corporate social responsibility on its website when mostly the other brands write about the characteristic features of the brand in the introduction sections on the website, it becomes evident that presenting the brand as fulfilling social responsibilities is of utmost concern of the producers. Here the producers deem it necessary to write about the mission of the brand that is to be socially responsible. Though it is a food brand, however, the producers consider the facet of being socially responsible to be the main aspect of the brand‟s identity to be promoted on internet. The brand has been seen participating in various activities of social cause such as providing relief in terms of food and financial assistance for flood and earthquake affected people, providing financial assistance in the field of education and medicine etc. What is more it has its own welfare organization that manages the brand‟s participation in the social activities. Figure (5.36) shows the logo of the brand‟s foundation.

Figure (5.36)

About the Welfare Organization the producers write on the website, „Qarshi Foundation carries out social welfare activities with focus on Health, Education, Welfare Projects and Environment Conservation‟. The aim of the welfare organization as described in the text here is to provide assistance on the issues related to health, education, environment and other welfare projects. This shows the brand‟s keen desire to participate in social causes. Hence, an important aspect of the brand‟s identity as presented in its advertising discourse is its participation in the events of social

217 significance. Being a brand from the domain of food where usually the focus is on the taste or quality of the products manufactured and sold by the brand, the focus on social activities seems a bit unusual. The brand nevertheless chooses this as the main theme of its identity which could be an operational marketing strategy for the brand. Other activities carried out by the welfare organization as claimed on the website are, „to bring sustainable development by raising health awareness, and promoting professional and technical education and research activities… The foundation has established Tibbi Dispensaries, Mother Child & Health Care Centres and Hospitals‟. The text here describes various fields in the social plains such as health and education in which the welfare organization contributes. The text establishes that the aim of carrying out the social cause activities by this organization is to bring sustainable development in the country in the long run i.e. a progress that is maintainable in a relatively long period of time. The Facebook page and the website of the brand both show the active participation of the brand/organization in various activities for flood and earthquake affected people. In the section titled, „Corporate Social Responsibility‟ on the website, the producers write, „we contribute to the welfare of the people in devastating situations. For example in calamities like earth quake, we took part in rehabilitating the victims and helping to prevent outbreak of infectious diseases in the affected areas. In recurrent flood situations, quick relief is provided in terms of food (Jam e Shirin, Garden‟s powdered drinks, Ramadan items, Jams and Pickles) natural medicines such as Aab e Nuqra (for making water bacteria-free) and Kare drops( for preventing epidemic infections of eyes, nose and throat). The text here gives a detailed account of all the social work activities carried out by the brand‟s organization in times of flood and earthquake devastations. Not only does the brand claim to have provided for the rehabilitation of the affected but also claims to have helped in terms of medical and food facilities. It is significant to note here that the producers have mentioned the rehabilitation services while not giving any details about those services and activities. On the other hand, help activities in terms of food and health have been mentioned along with details about the services and products provided to the affected people. A possible reason of giving details about the food items and medicines could be that the brand itself is a food

218 brand and this is one way of promoting the brand‟s products. The text shows that the names of the food products as well as those of the natural medicines produced by Qarshi have been mentioned in the text, thus both the food items and medicines have been advertised in this way. Consider figure (5.37) that has been shared on the Facebook page of the brand depicting the brand‟s organization helping some flood affecting people.

Qarshi helping Flood Affected People Figure (5.37)

The text on the picture is written in Urdu language, which is the national language of Pakistan. The text written as a caption for the picture says, „Qarshi helping Flood Affected People‟, which establishes the brand‟s participation in the social cause events. The text in the topic position translates as „Health problems of the flood affected people and their cure‟ in English. The picture also contains the brand logo and a few images in which the flood affected people are shown to be helped by the organization‟s team members. The text in the picture also gives details about various herbs concentrated by the brand that can be given to the people suffering from cold and flu during flood times. While presenting the socially responsible aspect of the brand‟s identity, it simultaneously advertises and promotes its products, which is an effective way to market the brand in online circles. Among other social plains in which the brand participates include education and environment. Despite being a food brand Qarshi actively participates in activities related to the field of education. On the website the producers write, „In the area of education

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Qarshi Foundation is sponsoring schools, running a Vocational Training Centre, Engineering College... The foundation also provides education materials to schools, gives scholarships to bright students and offers Qarz-e-Hasna to deserving students for higher and technical studies‟. The text here mentions various activities in which the brand participates to promote education in Pakistan which include sponsoring schools, vocational training centers, colleges etc. It also claims to have helped in providing education materials and scholarships to deserving students. The producers make sure to write on the website about all the social work the brand has been doing in the field of education. Though not directly related to the food products being manufactured by the brand, the participation in social cause events however, construct a unique identity for the brand which establishes the brand as a highly responsible brand when it comes to contributing in social causes. The producers seem to prefer presenting the brand‟s image as a socially responsible brand. Another aspect stemming from the brand‟s identity as being socially responsible is its focus on caring for the environment. The discourse of Qarshi‟s advertising focuses a great deal on its focus on preserving environment. Though not directly related to environment and despite being a food brand, Qarshi uses discourse of its advertising on internet to raise awareness on the subject of environment. In the section titled ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ on the website the text producers write, „We care for the environment through direct and in direct environment conservation practices… For the maintenance of … environment, we have long standing relationships with government and non-government organizations... We also regularly sponsor exhibitions, flower festivals and workshops and seminars for building awareness of environmental issues at leading colleges‟. The text asserts that the brand cares for the environment and hence for its conservation it takes part in various practices that ensure the maintenance and preservation of the natural environment. The practices and activities include conducting exhibitions, flower festivals, seminars etc. at various educational institutes to raise awareness among younger generation about environment related issues. The text producers further write, „Qarshi Research International has also won widespread appreciation for its remarkable efforts for Environment Conservation, sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants, maintaining Qarshi Herbs Centres and

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Herbal Gardens‟. The producers establish an aspect of professional identity for the brand that centers upon its efforts on environment preservation activities and achievements. The clause „won widespread appreciation for its remarkable efforts‟ are all positively charged words that represent a positive identity for the brand which is based upon its success in the field of environment preservation. The website of the brand contains a section devoted to environment preservation in which the brand‟s participation in various activities related to environment conservation is publicized. One such instance is its participation in the celebration of the Earth Hour as shown in Figure (5.38).

Figure (5.38)

Figure (5.38) shows a collage of various snapshot images taken from a news channel of Pakistan which shows the brand celebrating the Earth Hour. Earth Hour is celebrated worldwide every year to raise awareness about pollution threats to environment. Qarshi shows its socially responsible side by celebrating the Earth Hour in an effort to raise awareness about the environment issues faced by the earth. Hence, it is observed that Qarshi constructs its identity as a socially responsible brand in the discourse of its advertising with a special focus on its endeavors in the social welfare programs such as providing financial and medical relief to calamity stricken people and on focusing to preserve environment for the sake of humanity. This focus on health, environment and nature is an effective advertising strategy for the brand as it claims to manufacture refreshing and natural products to ensure the goodness of nature being

221 preserved in the products. The tagline of the brand‟s advertising discourse is „goodness of nature within your reach‟, and therefore, the focus on naturally refreshing products, natural health care, and preservation of natural environment is an effective marketing strategy for the brand. Since Qarshi claims to produce products that contain natural goodness in them it is but convenient for the brand to represent its identity as a preserver of the environment. In the section titled „CE's Message‟ on the website the producers write, „Humanity faces immense challenges today. Vast economic expansion on a worldwide scale has placed the people‟s health at a high priority. As a leading manufacturer of Natural Products, Qarshi Industries is engaged in promoting healthy living for over seven decades… Our aim is to be a global leader in Natural Products and we are fully geared to achieve this goal‟. The message by the Chief Executive of the brand is quoted on the website to add an air of authority to the text which asserts the brand‟s priority of preserving natural goodness in the products it produces. The clause „As a leading manufacturer of Natural Products‟ assumes the superiority of the brand in manufacturing natural products over other brands of the same domain. The sentence „Our aim is to be a global leader in Natural Products and we are fully geared to achieve this goal‟ constructs the brand‟s identity as a producer of natural products whose main aim is to preserve the goodness of nature in its products and to eventually become a global leader in the manufacturing of natural products. Hence, it can be concluded that Qarshi constructs its individual identity of being a socially responsible organization by focusing on representing its participation in various events of social cause. From its focus on providing financial and medical relief to the calamity stricken people to its emphasis on the environment conservation awareness programs, Qarshi constructs and represents its identity as a brand that despite being a food brand, focuses a great deal on the social cause programs.

5.3.1. ii Construction of Professional Identity- Reflections on Expertise in the Field

The way a brand constructs its professional identity tells a great deal about the way it wants to distinguish itself from the other brands of the same domain. The qualities assigned to the products in the advertising discourse by the producers establish the

222 professional identity of the brand. The data both from the website and the Facebook page of Qarshi demonstrates that a great importance has been laid on exhibiting the products of the brand as being natural, healthy and refreshing. The study of the advertising content in the data reveals that a lot of space has been given to the content referring to the products as being natural and refreshing. In the section titled „History of Qarshi‟ on the website, the text producers proclaim, „Qarshi… is one of the largest natural products companies in Pakistan… As a leading manufacturer of Natural Products, Qarshi is engaged in promoting healthy living for over seven decades. The producers call the brand as one of the largest natural product companies in Pakistan, thus establishing the brand‟s identity as a reliable brand. Furthermore, by the use of the preposition „as‟ in the clause, „as a leading manufacturer of Natural Products‟ it is presupposed that Qarshi is the leading manufacturer of natural products. Further the text highlights the services of the brand in providing healthy living to people for over seven decades. This mention of the brand‟s services that expands over a period of seventy years lends the brand a reasonable authority and power owing to its experience in the market. This focus on the quality of the brand being natural and healthy is associated with the brand‟s professional identity as this aspect of identity is what makes it different from other brands of the same domain. Natural and refreshing are the two qualities Qarshi wants its products to be associated with the most. A snapshot image taken from the website as shown in figure (5.39) demonstrates the focus of the producers on promoting the brand‟s products as natural.

Figure (5.39)

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Figure (5.39) shows the image of a green colored leaf with water droplets resting on it. The image of the leaf gives a feeling of freshness and goodness of nature. The text inscribed in the topic position in the picture states, „The goodness of nature within your reach‟. The text presupposes that the products of Qarshi have the goodness of nature in them and hence are natural and pure. In choosing what to put in the topic position the writer creates a perspective that influences the perception of the audience/readers. The text highlights the expressive values in the text. It expresses the opinion of the writer as a fact evaluated through the producer‟s own set of beliefs which is presented using very clear and direct words leaving the reader in no doubt about the products being natural and healthy. Further inscription in the picture reads, „Qarshi takes pride in producing high quality products by acquiring latest technology and procedures to deliver superior value to its prestigious customers‟. The statement „Qarshi takes pride in producing high quality products‟ presupposes that the products of the brand are of a high quality. Moreover the use of the phrase takes pride lends a tone of authority to the text and therefore agency is given to the brand here. The word pride has positive connotations attached to it as it refers to the progressive and constructive qualities possessed by the brand that enable it to be proud of those qualities. The text focuses on the brand‟s products as being natural and of high quality focusing on the provision and maintenance of health. Furthermore the use of the phrases high quality products, latest technology and procedures, superior value, prestigious customers etc. in the text all are positively connoted and hence attribute positive and progressive qualities to the brand thus creating the professional identity of the brand that is based basically on the high quality products produced by the brand owing to its expertise in the field. Focusing on the slogan of being „natural and refreshing‟ the text producers create a tag line for the brand that says, „Lite Lite Refreshing‟. Consider figure (5.40) which shows the use of this tagline.

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Figure (5.40)

Figure (5.40) is an image taken from the Facebook page of the brand which advertises a drink produced by the brand called Jam-e-Shirin. Jam-e-Shirin is an Urdu term which means „goblet of sweet drink’ in English. The picture shows an image of two bottles of the drink and a glass filled with the same drink. The inscription on the picture says, „Lite Lite Refreshing‟ along with certain points that are about the Product Uniqueness which state, „Refreshing Syrups with 100% Distillates of Herbs. No Water Added‟, „265 Quality Tests and Checks for Jam-e-Shirin‟, „276 Quality Tests and Checks for Jam-e-Shirin Sugar Free‟, and „60% Market Share in the Category- Pakistan‟. All the points written on the picture refer to the brand‟s qualities of being naturally pure and reliable. The term Lite Lite Refreshing refers to the product being light and refreshing which is the trademark quality of the brand‟s products as claimed in its advertising discourse. Incorrect spellings of the word light are used as lite in the discourse. This use of incorrect spellings is a reflection on the producers‟ practice of the use of SMS language. This use of incorrect language is usually considered as the „cool‟ language by the youngsters of today who spend a lot of time communicating on online chat forums and mobile phones using this technique of incorrect spellings either to save time and space or to be a part of the „cool‟ communication culture. The use of the incorrect spelling on the part of the producers represents the brand as establishing rapport with the young audience. Another possible interpretation of the use of the spellings as lite can be made with reference to Coca-Cola lite, a western import. As has been discussed earlier in the previous chapters, a reference to anything western has huge drawing power in the market.

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To represent the status of the brand in the professional market circles the text producers write in a section titled, „History of Qarshi‟, on the website, „… Qarshi Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. … was conceptualized 75 years ago by the venerated eastern poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal... opened by Shifa-ul-Mulk Hakim Muhammad Hassan Qarshi, He was a practitioner of herbal medicine and health supplements… In 1968 the youngest son of Shifa-ul-Mulk, Mr.Iqbal Ahmed Qarshi after completing M.S.C in Chemical Engineering, laid the foundations of Qarshi Dawakhana that has now evolved into Qarshi Industries, a modern and successful company that outweighs by far, the expectations of its original founder‟. This piece of text is significant for analysis as it gives insight into the ways language especially vocabulary is used to construct identity focusing on the use of certain words that have positive connotations attached and that help to establish certain relational values in the text. Relational values are established by the text‟s selection of words relying on creating social relationships between members of a particular social group. These lines place the brand in a social relationship with the audience where the brand is established as a reliable brand having a history of its own. The text is a complete account of the background history of the brand. Giving a detailed account of the history lends authenticity and legitimacy to the brand name. The text describes how the brand was conceived, how it started working, and how through consistent hard work and quality maintenance it reached to its present status of prominence. Attaching famous names of influence such as „Allama Muhammad Iqbal‟ and „Shifa-ul-Mulk Qarshi‟ to the brand adds authority to the brand as both these figures are renowned historic personalities in the history of Pakistan. Description of both the personalities has been given alongside their names to leave no ambiguity in the minds of the readers. The phrase „venerated eastern poet‟ has been used alongside the name of Allama Muhammad Iqbal, whereas the word „Hakim‟, translated as a naturalist physician in English, has been written alongside the name of Shifa-ul-Mulk to make the readers aware of their identity. Associating famous names with a brand is a significant advertising strategy as such associations assist the brand in constructing a rich brand identity. Such associations lend emotional values to the brand which enable it to stand out among its competing brands. The text on the website further states, „Qarshi Industries is highly rated company in its category in Pakistan. It has consolidated its image as a

226 quality-conscious company and has, over the year, demonstrated its firm commitment to quality and strict adherence to international standards‟. The text demonstrates that the text producers of the brand‟s advertising discourse focus on creating a strong and progressive image of the brand. The phrases in the text such as „highly rated company‟, „a quality-conscious company‟, „firm commitment to quality‟, „strict adherence to international standards‟, are all highly charged with positive undertones and represent the brand as an extremely specialized brand whose professionalism is principally based on its quality assurance and value maintenance agenda. The advertising discourse of Qarshi constructs the brand‟s professional identity by focusing on publicizing its expertise in the field. The brand repeatedly claims to have all the qualities that make any brand stand out among the rest. Figure (5.41) taken from the Facebook page of Qarshi claims that the brand is considered to be „The Best of Asia‟.

Figure (5.41)

Figure (5.41) shows a picture containing images of a product called Johar Joshanda, a product by Qarshi that claims to be the „BEST FOR EVERY SEASON‟. Here expressive values are highlighted in the text as the producers express their opinion as a fact, evaluated through their own set of beliefs. Very clear and direct words are used to claim the suitability and supremacy of the product leaving no doubts or questions about the statement in the minds of the readers/viewers. Moreover, an image showing the cover page of the Time Magazine is shown on which the statement „The Best of Asia‟ is inscribed. The image of the magazine cover has been enlarged as compared to the other images present in the picture and has also been foregrounded. It is important to highlight

227 that Time Magazine is a western publication and the product appearing on the cover of this magazine gives it more cache and power. Any product belonging to the East when authenticated by West gets a kind of a license of approval within the marketing communities. Hence, the brand feels it an honor to have been called the best among the rest in Asia by the western publication. The claim made here has been reiterated in another post made on Facebook in which a somewhat similar reference has been made. Consider figure (5.42) in this regard.

Figure (5.42)

Figure (5.42) shows an image of various people holding either the product sachet or a cup containing the product being advertised i.e. Qarshi Johar Joshanda (a tonic for cough and flu). The people in the picture seemingly belong to different parts of the world as per their dress codes. Moreover, the images of various well known monuments in the world such as Eifel Tower in France, Statute of Liberty in USA, PETRONAS Towers in Malaysia, Burj Al Arab in UAE etc. have also been included in the picture. This implication has been made to substantiate the claim being made by the brand when it says, „Pakistan Ka Jana Pehchana.... Sari Dunya Ne Mana...!!!‟. This statement has been made in Urdu language which is translated in English as „well known in Pakistan…. acknowledged by the whole world‟. The text producers here imply the worldwide acceptance and recognition of the brand and its products. This assertion of the brand about its global acknowledgement is an important aspect of its professional identity. The image of the cover of Time magazine in the picture which declares the brand to be „The

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Best of Asia‟ indicates that the brand feels proud of the statement made by the magazine as it is a renowned international magazine whose headlines are taken seriously around the world. As this declaration made by Time magazine is a matter of pride for the brand, it finds its way in many of the advertisement texts created by the brand‟s advertising text producers. Furthermore, the caption written on the Facebook page to accompany the picture is a testament of their pride which states, „Declared "Best of Asia" by TIME Magazine‟. The word „best‟ is significant here as it is used to make a superlative claim regarding the supremacy of the brand Qarshi, which rules out the possibility of greater qualities claimed by other competing brands. According to Aaker (1996) an important part of the brand identity is brand position and value offer which needs to be communicated to the target audience in order to have an advantage over the competing brands. Hence, this announcement on the part of the brand is significant as it establishes the credibility of the brand in the eyes of the consumers who need certifications from celebrities or other big names of credibility. Another important feature of Qarshi‟s advertising discourse is its focus on celebrity endorsements. Famous personalities from showbiz have been associated with the brand to mark its wide acceptance and popularity in the general populace. Celebrity endorsement works to grasp the attention of the viewer as celebrities are generally attractive to the viewers, and hence helps in persuading the customers (DeBono & Harnish, 1988). Celebrities are used in the advertisements to increase the market value of the brand. Similarly, Qarshi uses many famous celebrities including singers, actors, anchorpersons etc. in its advertising discourse to promote its products in the marketing circles. Figure (5.43) from the Facebook page of the brand is an example.

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Figure (5.43)

Figure (5.43) shows a famous Pakistani singer named Rahat Fateh Ali Khan endorsing a cough syrup for the brand. Along with the image of the singer the picture contains the brand logo, product image, name of the product called „Toot Siah‟ along with its description that states, „effective for throat pain, swelling and irritation‟. The product name is in Urdu which means „black mulberry‟ in English. The caption on the picture says, „Sur se sur mila- Toot Siah sirf Qarshi ka hi laa‟, translated as „merge musical notes together with one other- and bring only Qarshi’s Toot Siah (the cough syrup)‟. The text here is significant as it establishes a connection between the product‟s effectiveness, the art of singing, and the singer himself. Since for any singer a clear voice and a clear throat is essential for singing, hence the text producers relate the product to the singer thereby establishing a relationship between the product advertised and a clear voice and throat. The practice of using renowned celebrities to endorse a brand is very common in the world of advertisements all over the world. The practice is done to achieve the successful marketing value for the brand. The fact that a singer is used to endorse the cough syrup highlights the importance of promoting a connection between the celebrity and the product being advertised as according to Ratneshwar and Chiaken (1991), celebrities having expertise in a particular field may be credible sources if used in correspondence with the product being endorsed. As a famous Pakistani singer is used to endorse a cough syrup the implication of the product‟s effectiveness cannot be missed by the viewers. Figure (5.44) taken from the Facebook page of the brand is another example of Qarshi‟s celebrity endorsements. The picture shows an image of a famous TV personality promoting a product by the brand.

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Product Endorsement of Qarshi Jam-e-Shirin by Amir Liaquat Figure (5.44)

The famous Pakistani TV personality known as Amir Liaquat as shown in the figure (5.44) is seen endorsing a drink by the brand called Jam-e-Shirin, which means goblet of sweet drink in English. The caption accompanying the picture on Facebook states, „Product Endorsement of Qarshi Jam-e-Shirin by Amir Liaquat‟. The celebrity is looking straight into the camera with a confident smile holding a glass of the drink being advertised. The caption on the picture reads „raunaq-e- Ramadan‟ which is an Urdu noun phrase translated as „grace of Ramadan‟ in English. Ramadan is considered as a sacred month in Islam in which the Muslims all over the world observe fasts and strive to purify their souls by abstaining from evil and adhering to good. The celebrity used in this advertisement is famous for conducting and hosting religious TV programs, and hence, religious implications are usually associated with him. To promote the brand‟s refreshing drink in the month of fasting is an effective advertising strategy to ensure a high persuasion pattern and subsequently a high consumption pattern. Also, by using a TV personality usually linked with religious affiliations in Pakistan, the advertising text producers establish relational values in the text in which a relationship is created by the audience between the product and the holy month of Ramadan. The use of the renowned personality in the advertisement along with the reference to the holy month works together to grab the attention of the audience and hence helps in persuading the consumers. Consider another instance of celebrity endorsement in the data. Figure (5.45) shows the cast of a famous Pakistani comical TV show called Bulbulay (translated as bubbles in English), endorsing a drink called Jam-e-Shirin by Qarshi.

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Don't forget to watch 'Jam-e-Shirin' integration in Bulbulay on ARY Digital at 11:30 pm tonight! Figure (5.45)

Figure (5.45) shows a picture of a few famous Pakistani actors of a TV show along with the image of the product being advertised. The caption along with the picture shared on Facebook states, „Don't forget to watch 'Jam-e-Shirin' integration in Bulbulay on ARY Digital at 11:30 pm tonight!‟. The inscriptions on the picture and in the caption urge the readers/viewers to watch the show on the particular day so as not to miss the incorporation of the product‟s advertisement in the show. The text gives information about the time, day, and the channel and program‟s name to ensure the viewership of the integrated advertisement in the show. This practice of using celebrities in advertisements is an effective advertising strategy used by the advertising text producers of the brand to attract and persuade the viewers to buy the product. Many other instances of celebrity endorsements are also present in the advertising discourse of Qarshi, however, due to space constraints in the thesis writing and the requirements of the scheme of analysis for the current research only a few examples have been shared in this section. All the instances show that Qarshi uses famous celebrities in its advertisements to influence the viewers. The purchase patterns of the consumers are greatly influenced due to the attraction they have for certain celebrities. Moreover, the recommendation of a celebrity essentially enhances instant authenticity and reliability to a brand or its product.

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5.3.1. iii Socio-Cultural Identity- Depiction of Social Relations

The linguistic and semiotic elements in the advertising discourse of Qarshi give a glimpse into the Pakistani culture and society. The concept of family, social relations, cultural values and ethos all find a way in the advertisements designed by Qarshi‟s advertising text producers. These social relations depicted in the advertising content represent the socio-cultural identity overtones in the advertising discourse of the brand. The data gives a glance into an average Pakistani way of life which includes a glance into the family life setup, societal relationships, religious bearings etc. All these cultural and social aspects present in the advertising discourse of Qarshi highlight the socio-cultural identity of the brand. Consider figure (5.46) for example, which has been taken from the Facebook page of Qarshi that advertises about a sweetened drink.

Figure (5.46) Enjoy your favorite refreshing syrup "Jam-e-Shirin" with Milk in Winter.

Figure (5.46) shows an image of a family which includes a husband and a wife with their two children. The family is enjoying the product and is shown with happy faces smiling towards the camera. The foregrounded inscription which is in the topic position on the picture states, „Warmth of being with loved ones is natural…‟, while the text in the continuation of this is placed at the bottom of the picture which states, „… just like enjoying Jam-e-Shirin with milk in winter is natural‟. The endorsement of the product is done through the incorporation of the claimed goodness of the product by the text producers with the beauty of the family setup in Pakistani society. The text associates the

233 naturalness of the warmth experienced in a family among loved ones with the naturalness of having Jam-e-Shirin (the sweet drink) in winter. In the Pakistan society family life and social relations are given utmost importance. Most families live together in joint family system where large families live together. The children live with their parents until the girls are wedded off to some other family whereas the boys continue to live with their families even after their marriages. Even if the families live separately with their immediate relations, the children nevertheless stay with their parents or if the parents are deceased they live with their grandparents or some other close relatives. In the current advertisement a strong image of a happy family is used to attach emotional value with the brand. By this practice of using an image having socio-cultural implications for Pakistanis, the brand producers construct and represent a socio-cultural identity of the brand. Consider another image that has been shared on the Facebook page of the brand to promote the same product i.e. Jam-e-Shirin.

Figure (5.47)

The image in figure (5.47) shows a man and a woman having a glass of the drink being advertised. The image of the product has been shown in a foregrounded position in the picture whereas the inscription in the topic position on the picture reads, „Serve your loved ones with a natural drink when they come home‟. By urging the desired audience to serve their loved ones with a natural drink the text here presupposes that Jam-e-Shirin is a natural drink. In this image the family structure of a typical Pakistani household has been used to promote the product. From this statement it can be inferred that the man and woman in the picture are husband and wife as live in relationships without marriage are

234 extremely rare and prohibited in the Pakistani society. Even if there are people living in extramarital relationships, their relationships are completely concealed from the society. Hence, the image of a married couple has been used in the advertisement to promote the brand by attaching emotional value to it. Here again the brand text producers relate the goodness of the drink with the bliss of conjugal life. Another insight into the Pakistani society can also be discerned in this picture which highlights the dominant patriarchal structure existing in Pakistani society where mostly the husband goes out to work and earn for his family while the wife stays at home and manages the household chores. Deeper readings into the secondary discourse of Qarshi‟s advertising reveals the deep rooted socio-cultural configurations in the Pakistani society that find a way in the advertising discourse of the brand thereby reflecting its socio-cultural identity. Other socio-cultural events used as backdrops to various advertisements include the occasion of Eid which is a religious festival, among other festivals. Pakistan being a Muslim state officially celebrates Eid along with other events having religious significance for the Muslims of Pakistan who are in vast majority in Pakistan. Though not strictly a socio-cultural event, Eid in Pakistan is nevertheless celebrated as if part of a socio-cultural setup. Product endorsement on such events of religious significance is a common practice in the advertising world of Pakistani brands. Similarly, Qarshi also uses these events as milieus to promote its products. Figure (5.48) shows product advertisement on the occasion of Eid.

On this occasion, may you have a wonderful and memorable time with family and friends. Figure (5.48)

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Figure (5.48) shows an image of a man and woman smiling towards the camers. Both are wearing national dress of Pakistan called Shalwar qameez. The text written in Urdu in the topic position in the picture states, „Eid ki khushiyoun mein Jam-e-Shirin ka saath natural hai‟ which can be translated as „In the happiness of Eid the company of Jam-e-Shirin is natural‟ in English. Here the text relates the brand or more specifically the product being advertised with the religious event of Eid thereby attaching the emotional value to the brand. The image of the couple in the picture is used to highlight the value of social relations in the Pakistani society where all the socio-cultural and religious events are celebrated with family. The text written as a caption to the picture on the Facebook page of the brand also highlights the importance of celebrating such events with friends and family by stating, „On this occasion, may you have a wonderful and memorable time with family and friends‟. The brand wishes Eid greetings to its audience with a special reference to the social setup of family and friends in one‟s life. This shows that the brand‟s advertising text producers realize the importance of social relations in the Pakistani society and urge their audience to keep these relations intact by sharing the happy times with each other. Hence, the incorporation of advertisements with images having societal and ethnic significance represents the socio-cultural identity of the brand. An instance of code mixing is also observed in the above statement where the word „natural‟ from the English language has been mixed in an otherwise Urdu syntactic structure. Pakistan being a multilingual country allows the speakers to use a mixture of languages in their everyday lives. The mainstream media however uses either Urdu or English, or even a mixture of both these languages as it reaches to a wide audience across Pakistan and even abroad. The use of such linguistic practices of code mixing and code switching in the discourse of Qarshi‟s advertisements is also reflective of its socio- cultural identity.

5.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain B- Brand 3

The analysis of the socio-semiotic linguistic features of Qarshi‟s advertising discourse reveals that the brand constructs its individual identity as a socially responsible brand by demonstrating its participation in various activities of social cause in its discourse of advertising. The brand though being a food brand, has its own welfare organization that

236 aims to provide assistance and relief to the masses on the issues related to health, education, environment and other welfare projects. This shows the brand‟s aim of participating in social cause events is what makes it unique and different from other competing brands of the same domain thereby giving the brand a distinct individual identity. The social cause activities include flood and earthquake relief programs, environment preserving awareness programs, providing financial and medical relief to the calamity afflicted people in Pakistan etc. Hence, it can be concluded that Qarshi constructs its individual identity as being a socially responsible organization by concentrating on representing its participation in social cause events.

Another important aspect of identity represented by the advertising text producers of Qarshi in the advertising discourse is its professional identity which is constructed by focusing on publicizing its expertise in the domain of food and health. Other aspects of the brand‟s professional identity as claimed by the text producers are its qualities of manufacturing natural and refreshing products, the time span of its services in the market which establishes authority and trust for the brand, celebrity endorsements etc. Moreover, the focus on the characteristic of the brand‟s products as being natural and healthy is also associated with the brand‟s professional identity. A glimpse into the Pakistani culture and society is given by the linguistic and semiotic features in the advertising discourse of Qarshi. Various socio-cultural aspects of the Pakistani society find a representation in the advertising discourse of Qarshi. The social relations shown in the advertising texts of the brand signify the socio-cultural identity implications in the advertising discourse of the brand. Several images that signify social relations in the Pakistani society have been portrayed in the advertisements of the brand which characterizes the socio-cultural identity of the brand. Hence, it can be concluded that despite being a food brand Qarshi‟s main aim is to represent itself as a socially responsible brand that focuses on promoting social work, quality, need for expertise in the field, and socio-cultural implication.

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5.4 Conclusion of the Chapter- Summarizing the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Food Brands

The current chapter presents the analysis of data collected from the domain of food to study the processes and practices of identity construction of various food brands on internet. The findings indicate that though the brands belong to the domain of food, the focus of the text producers of each brand is not on the promotion of the taste of the products of the brand, rather the focus has been on issues somewhat unrelated to the typical food domain. NFL‟s focus is on the promotion of its products in the backdrop of Pakistani culture, Sufi‟s is on health, and Qarshi‟s focus is on promoting itself as a socially responsible brand that participates in various social cause events. Hence, there has been a great diversity in the choice of the types of identity these food brands associate themselves with. Unlike the clothing brands whose main focus has been on promoting themselves as modern, Western, stylish, trendy etc., the food brands have a certain inclination towards promoting their products in relation to the socio-cultural setup. Where the focus of the food brands may be traditionally thought to be concentrating the most on taste and health, it has been observed that each food brand has a unique strategy for marketing itself in the advertising circles. Food provides an important link to a nation‟s cultural legacy and thus the references to the Pakistani cultural heritage are given much importance in the advertising discourse of the selected food brands. As the findings indicate the advertising text producers of NFL construct its professional identity by focusing on Pakistani culture orientations. Relating the brand with the Pakistani culture is an effective advertising strategy on the part of the text producers as it helps in attaching an emotional value with the brand. Pakistanis being food lovers get attracted to the products promoted in the backdrop of Pakistani culture. This also enables the brand to represent its national and cultural identity overtones to the audience. Moreover, the advertisements of food set in the milieus of Pakistani culture grab the attention of the viewers more than anything else. Hence, the producers of NFL use the Pakistani cultural backdrop to attract more and more consumers to buy the products manufactured by the brand. Since Pakistani culture and society are used as backdrops in the discourse of NFL‟s advertising, a glimpse into gender identity

238 orientations are also found in the advertising discourse of NFL that exhibit gender patterns in the Pakistani society. Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee on the other hand constructs its professional identity by representing itself as a health conscious brand that focuses on the health and well- being of its consumers. Instead of promoting taste and flavor as is customary to the advertisements of food brand, Sufi stresses on its promotion as a healthy brand that ensures health in the first place. A significant reason could be that being a cooking oil brand, which is normally considered unhealthy for humans, it has to focus on the provision of health to ensure more and more consumers. Hence, the focus of Sufi remained on promoting itself as a healthy brand. The third food brand i.e. Qarshi Food and Beverages constructs its individual identity by representing itself as a socially responsible organization that engages itself in various social cause events that include providing relief to calamity struck people in Pakistan, caring for environment and other such events of social significance. As far as its professional identity construction is concerned, the text producers represent it by reflecting on the brand‟s expertise in the field by highlighting the historical background of its conception, celebrity endorsements, and certificate of excellence from credible media sources.

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CHAPTER 6

DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DOMAIN C: COSMETIC BRANDS

Three prominent brands from the domain of cosmetics have been selected for analysis. In order to study the patterns and practices of identity construction and representation in the discourse of Pakistani advertisements on internet, the data has been taken from the official websites and official Facebook pages of these brands from the domain of cosmetics and beauty products. The study aims at examining the linguistic and semiotic features in the text to analyze the types of identity constructed by each brand. The analysis of the data collected from the official website and official Facebook page of each brand is presented separately in different sections of the chapter. The three brands selected for analysis in this chapter from the domain of cosmetics and beauty products are Lux, Sunsilk, and Olivia. Data from their respective official websites and official Facebook pages has been selected to examine the ways in which linguistic and semiotic elements in the text help the brands to construct a desired identity for themselves.

6.1 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 1: Lux

LUX is a global brand having consumers around the world. The range of products includes beauty soaps, shower gels, hair shampoos and conditioners. However, it is mostly owing to the manufacturing of beauty soaps that the brand is famous in Pakistan. Since the present study focuses on analyzing the linguistic and semiotic features used in Pakistani discourse of advertising, hence the official Facebook page and official website of Lux being administered in Pakistan by the Pakistani advertisers aimed at the Pakistani audience have been taken for analysis. Therefore, any mention of the official website and

240 official Facebook page of Lux thereon in the present work would refer to the official website and official Facebook page being operated in Pakistan for the Pakistani audience.

6.1.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Lux’s Advertising Discourse

For the analysis of identity construction practices of Lux in the discourse of its advertising, data has been collected from its official website and official Facebook page. The linguistic and semiotic features in the data are analyzed to study the dominant identity manifestations in the advertisement discourse of Lux. The analysis of the advertising discourse of Lux shows how the textual elements assist in creating a certain identity or various multi-faceted identities of the brand. The predominant identities constructed and represented in the advertising discourse of Lux are discussed below.

6.1.1. i Constructing Professional Identity- Focusing on Celebrity Endorsements

The ways in which a brand represents itself regarding its specialization, certifications, and expertise in its field represents the professional identity of the brand. It is based on those professional characteristics of the brand that establish its professional uniqueness in the field. A significant feature of Lux‟s advertising discourse is its focus on celebrity endorsements. Famous personalities from showbiz have been linked with the brand to represent the wide popularity of the brand among the people of influence. Lux creates its professional identity by making use of celebrity endorsements. Most of the advertisements by Lux contain a famous personality from showbiz. The advertising text producers of Lux heavily rely on celebrity endorsements while designing advertising content. As celebrities are usually the role models of the common people, endorsements by famous celebrities make the audience attracted to the products being advertised. The audience wanting to follow their role models gets attracted to the products and hence gets persuaded by the advertisements having celebrities in them. From the marketing point of view celebrities are used in the advertisements to increase the market value of the brand. Similarly, Lux uses many famous celebrities including actors, fashion designers, fashion models etc. in its advertising discourse to promote its products in the advertising circles.

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Moreover, the brand selects a famous face as the brand ambassador in particular for promoting it in the marketing circles. The ambassadors selected are typically from the world of showbiz having a huge fan following in the country. Figure (6.1) from the Facebook page of the brand is an example of how the text producers introduce new brand ambassadors to the audience/viewers.

Figure (6.1)

Figure (6.1) shows the image of a famous Pakistani TV actor called Fawad Khan who is a well-known and generally loved actor in Pakistan. Owing to his emerging career in the film industry of Pakistan‟s neighboring country India; he has become all the more renowned in the world of Pakistani showbiz. Hence, Lux uses him as its male brand ambassador for promotions of its various products that mostly include beauty soaps. The inscription on the picture states, „New Lux Star - FAWAD AFZAL KHAN‟. The brand calls its ambassador a „Lux Star‟ and the fact that he is the new face attached with the brand, shows that the producers keep on changing the celebrities associated with the brand to break the monotony and to ensure the interest of the audience. Once the brand ambassador is selected, the text producers keep on maintaining the interest of the audience by introducing the female lead to pair up with the male celebrity. Figure (6.2), taken from the Facebook page of the brand shows how the text producers build up the interest and raise the curiosity level of the audience by involving them in the discourse to ensure their interest.

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Figure (6.2)

Figure (6.2) shows a half cut image of a Pakistani celebrity and an inscription that states „Can you guess who‟s our new Lux Lady this season?‟. The audience is involved in the discourse and is invited to make a guess about who the new female brand ambassador is going to be. The adverbial phrase „this season‟ shows that the brand keeps on changing the brand ambassadors over a certain period of time. This shows that the text producers realize the consumer psychology and use different celebrity faces to associate with the brand in order to maintain the interest of the audience in the advertisements produced by the brand. The image of the celebrity is not shown completely in order to raise the curiosity of the viewers and to build up their interest in the advertisement discourse. Figure (6.3) is a picture shared on the Facebook page of Lux in continuation of the advertisement campaign as shown in figure (6.2).

Figure (6.3)

Figure (6.3) finally unveils the celebrity face and name that had previously been made a source of anticipation for the audience of the brand‟s advertising discourse. The picture shows the image of the female celebrity who has now been chosen as the new

243 female celebrity brand ambassador. The text shown in the foregrounded position on the picture reads, „New Lux Girl- IMAN ALI‟. Iman Ali is a Pakistani actress and fashion model who is a well-known face in the showbiz industry of Pakistan. This shows that the brand‟s advertising text producers use both a male and a female celebrity at a time to endorse the brand on the advertising platforms. The word „new‟ in the text above however presupposes that some other celebrities were previously associated with the brand as its brand ambassadors. Not only does the brand use celebrities as brand ambassadors to endorse its products, it also uses famous celebrities in the advertising discourse just to show associations with those celebrities. This aspect of associating different famous personalities from the world of showbiz constructs the unique professional identity of the brand which reflects how the brand focuses mainly on celebrity endorsements and associations as an integral part of its advertising campaigns. One significant way of achieving this end on the part of the brand is by organizing style awards featuring the popular and renowned faces of Pakistan‟s fashion and entertainment industry. The award program is called Lux Style Awards or LSA, and is known for assembling the celebrated faces of the Pakistani showbiz world on one platform to honor them with awards for their services in their respective fields in the entertainment industry. The practice of organizing award programs for the showbiz personalities seem extraordinary for a cosmetic brand which mainly manufactures and sells beauty soaps, however this seems as one way of relating the brand with the glamorized and striking faces from the entertainment industry. Though apparently it seems that the celebrities associate themselves with the brand, however, on a deeper level this practice of celebrity associations reveals the need of the brand to associate itself with the people of the glamor world. As Lux is a cosmetic brand, relating it to the glamorized faces from the showbiz world helps to influence the viewers more in persuading them to buy the product. As the faces from the fashion and glamor world are often glamorized and attractive, the viewers associate their beauty with the products they are most often seem to be associated with. Figure (6.4) is an image taken from the Facebook page of Lux which shows a collage of images captured on the event of Lux Style Awards.

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Three gorgeous ladies at LSA-Winner‟s Celebration 2014. Figure (6.4)

Figure (6.4) shows three prominent faces of Pakistan‟s entertainment industry. The caption accompanying the picture on Facebook reads, „Three gorgeous ladies at LSA-Winner‟s Celebration 2014‟, which shows that these celebrities participated in the LSA (Lux Style Awards) ceremony organized by the brand. The women in the picture belong to three different domains within the entertainment industry of Pakistan. One is a famous television actor, one is a hairstylist, and one is among the top fashion models in Pakistan. The fact that these celebrities are featured in the advertising discourse of the brand on internet means that the text producers proudly flaunt the association of these personalities with the brand. Even on the official website of the brand a significant space is given to the content and news about different celebrities. Consider figure (6.5) for example which has been taken from the official website of the brand.

Figure (6.5)

Figure (6.5) shows a snapshot image of one of the sections of the brand‟s official website which shows a segment called „Celebrity News‟. The celebrity news covers a

245 report on the „Leading Pakistani male actors-TOP 3‟, which shows that the focus of the advertising content on the website also is on celebrities. The news report is about the male actors who are ranked top three in the world of Pakistani showbiz. It can be observed here that instead of focusing on the properties of the brand‟s products as is customary in the advertising discourse of most brands, the advertising discourse of Lux focuses more on the content related to celebrity news and associations. The data shows that almost all the sections on the website are about news related to various Pakistani celebrities. As due to space constraints in the thesis not all the examples can be shared and discussed here in the analysis section, so only one example demonstrating the focus of celebrity associations in the website has been discussed in this section. The findings however show that the brand‟s focus is more on exhibiting its celebrity associations rather than advertising its properties that make it unique and different from other competing brands of the same domain. On the basis of this observation it can also be concluded that the brand focuses on establishing its professional identity by highlighting the aspect of celebrity endorsements more than any other marketing strategy aspect in the discourse of its advertising. Another advertising strategy by the brand that uses celebrities is to relate different fragrances or soap variants of Lux with different celebrities and the color scheme of their dresses. This is one way of incorporating celebrity images into the advertising campaigns by the brand Lux. Consider figure (6.6) that has been shared on the brand‟s Facebook page in this regard.

Models in dresses inspired by various Lux beauty bar variants at the House of Lux Figure (6.6)

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Figure (6.6) shows a picture containing seven female models dressed in outfits of different colors. The caption accompanying the picture on Facebook states, „Models in dresses inspired by various Lux beauty bar variants at the House of Lux‟, which shows that each model is wearing a color that is inspired by a specific variant of Lux beauty bar. As different variants of Lux beauty soaps come in different colors, the color schemes used in the dresses of the models show an adherence to a specific variety of Lux beauty bar. Thus it can be concluded that celebrity endorsements constitute a significant part in the advertising discourse of Lux. This feature represents the professional identity of the brand which shows a great reliance of the brand‟s text producers on celebrity associations for marketing purposes.

6.1.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Representation as a Fashion Brand

Individual identity of a brand is the one aspect of the brand‟s overall identity suggestions that distinguishes it from other competing brands of the same domain. The aspect that represents Lux‟s individual identity is its representation of itself as a fashion brand. Though Lux is a beauty soap brand, whose main aim as based on the traditional criteria should have been on promoting its products in the light of their quality and utility, the brand however chooses its association with the world of fashion for its promotion. As discussed earlier in the previous section (6.1.1. i) the advertising discourse of Lux is replete with the glamorous images of celebrities including fashion models, actors, fashion designers, hair stylists etc. Along with this feature of celebrity association, Lux heavily relies on the aspect of its association with the world of fashion for constructing its individual identity as a fashion brand. Consider figure (6.7) taken from the Facebook page of the brand as an example.

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The stunning Humaima Malik with the brand ambassador of the new Lux perfume bar, Fawad Khan. Humaima is dressed in Elan and Fawad is wearing Omar Farooq Figure (6.7)

Figure (6.7) shows the image of two renowned Pakistani celebrities. The caption included with the picture states, „The stunning Humaima Malik with the brand ambassador of the new Lux perfume bar, Fawad Khan. Humaima is dressed in Elan and Fawad is wearing Omar Farooq‟. The text establishes the identity of the man in the picture to be the brand ambassador of Lux named Fawad Khan. The woman in the picture is a Pakistani actress named Humaima Malik whose identity has not been disclosed in the text rather only an adjective „stunning‟ has been used to describe her. It seems that it has been assumed by the text producers that the occupation of the female celebrity is famous enough to be mentioned. The two renowned personalities are related with the brand by highlighting their presence in an event organized by Lux. More than any other aspect of their personalities the way they are dressed up has been highlighted by the brand by mentioning the names of their dress designers i.e. „Elan‟ and „Omar Farooq‟. This shows that relating the fashion implications with the brand is of utmost importance to the advertising text producers to construct and represent the individual identity of the brand which focuses mainly on representing it as a fashion brand. Many fashion statements have been given by the text producers on the Facebook page of Lux. Numerous images have been shared that contain a fashion statement or a lesson on life based on fashion. A few examples are shared in this section. Figure (6.8) shared on Facebook page gives a lesson of splendor and gorgeousness to the female followers of the brand on Facebook.

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So keep your head as high as your heels, Lux lovers! Figure (6.8)

Figure (6.8) shows an image of a woman dressed in an elegant black gown. The foregrounded text on the picture states, „Gorgeousness is an attitude, not an attribute‟, which teaches the women to be gorgeous as according to the text producers gorgeousness is a state of mind of one‟s own self rather than an attribute given by other people. So giving them a lesson of grandeur the text producers write in the caption, „So keep your head as high as your heels, Lux lovers!‟. This shows that the image and the related text are meant for women as is implied by the figure of the woman in the picture and by the phrase „as high as your heels‟ in the caption. As heels are usually worn by women, so the message given by the brand is oriented more towards women, which also means that the noun phrase „Lux lovers‟ is used to address the female users of the brand. The text on the picture and in the caption both are intended to empower women in their attitude by giving them a lesson on jauntiness while still glamorizing the message. This shows that the brand focuses a great deal on giving lessons on life that involve fashion, glamor and grandeur to the Pakistani women. In Pakistan it is mostly women who decide or choose on what household commodity to buy while doing groceries. Since mostly women are the buyers of the products used for domestic purposes; and since it is women who generally know more about fashion in Pakistan than men in general, it is them who are targeted more as audience in the advertisements. This can be said on the basis of the observations made in the data that show that the advertisement texts mostly present women images and the fashion statements given to the viewers are largely aimed at the woman audience. For

249 example the fashion tip given in figure (6.9) taken from the Facebook page is categorically aimed at women and gives them a lesson in self- confidence.

Rocking bold lips is easy when you know how to! Figure (6.9)

Figure (6.9) shows an image of a female model posing for the camera by looking directly into the camera lens. This direct gaze is symbolic of boldness which is used to further strengthen the claim being made in the text written on the picture which states, „Bold lips are a definite show stopper!‟. Show stopper means something that is exceptionally attractive and is meant to grab the attention of the audience. Expressive values are established in the text by this direct assertion on the part of the text producers who assertively give their point of view about the alluring power of bold lips. The word „definite‟ also lends an affirmative tone to the text, hence establishing modality in the text which is further supported by the assured and confident gaze of the model in the picture. The noun phrase „bold lips‟ is used to refer to the lips made red by applying a bold red colored lipstick to the lips. This can be inferred from the image of the model in the picture who is wearing red lipstick. Red is a bold color and is often considered to be a symbol of love, passion, seduction and anger. The text in the caption says, „Rocking bold lips is easy when you know how to!‟. The word „rocking‟ here means flaunting whereas „bold lips‟ refer to the red colored lips. The text here assumes that there is a proper way to flaunt bold lips and from looking at the picture of the model it can be assumed that flaunting the bold lips needs glamorized or sensual expressions on the face which as the picture implies include parted lips and direct gaze. Hence, the producers here make a fashion statement advising the women to wear a dark bright red colored lipstick to leave

250 an impact on the people around by getting their attention. Hence, it can be seen that the text producers focus on presenting the fashionable side of the brand by making fashion statements and giving fashion tips to the audience. Another fashion tip for the viewers as seen in figure (6.10) focuses on teaching women as how to incorporate style in their attires.

Embrace your flower power look! Figure (6.10)

Figure (6.10) has been taken from the Facebook page of Lux that shows a picture of a female model wearing a jumpsuit posing for the camera. The inscription on the picture states, „Style your floral jumpsuit with high heels and a contrasting clutch bag‟, whereas the caption along with the picture on Facebook says, „Embrace your flower power look!‟. This shows that this piece of text is also directed towards women as jumpsuits and clutches are dress accessories used only by women in Pakistan. The text addresses women in particular and gives them a styling tip which recommends them to accessorize their jumpsuits with high heels and a clutch bag. Moreover, the text in the caption suggests them to flaunt their flower power look, which presupposes that any look having flowers or floral elements in it is a power look which is always in fashion. These fashion tips and suggestions on styling given by the brand in its advertising discourse show that although being a beauty soap brand, Lux focuses more on representing the aspect of fashion and style adherence as the main part of its identity.

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Strictly adhering to present the brand as a fashion brand, the text producers make fashion statements incorporating the brand in those statements thus subtly relating it with fashion. Consider figure (6.11) in this regard.

Figure (6.11)

Figure (6.11) shows a silhouette image of a woman that has been glamorized by the revealing dress and shy gaze directed away from camera. The inscription on the picture states, „WE ARE COMMITED TO BEING GLAMOROUS EVERYDAY! ARE YOU?‟. The text here acts as an assertive declaration that proclaims the brand‟s commitment to glamor and charm. This declaration is followed by a question involving the audience that asks them if they are also glamorous following the league of the brand, thus making the audience associate the attribute of glamor with the brand. It can also be implied here that in asking the audience if they are also glamorous just like the brand, it is to actually ask them if they use the beauty bars by Lux. Thus, it can be concluded that a significant part of Lux‟s advertising discourse is specified to highlighting its association with the world of fashion. From using celebrities from the fashion world as endorsers of the brand to giving fashion statements and tips on the Facebook page, the advertising text producers of Lux focus more on presenting the brand as a fashion brand rather than as a soap brand. This particular aspect marks the individual identity of the brand that makes it stand out among the other competing brands of the same domain i.e. of cosmetics and beauty products.

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6.1.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- Addressing the Feminine

The way Lux represents gender in its advertising discourse tells a great deal about the way it perceives gender. As discussed earlier in the previous section that it is women who are mostly addressed in the advertising discourse of Lux, hence we observe a certain kind of woman image created and presented to the audience. This particular woman image is constructed based on style statements and lessons of life found in the advertising discourse of Lux for women in particular. The discourse creates an image of an emblematic lux girl who is trendy, fashionable, stylish, flirtatious, alluring, confident and bold while still maintaining the feminine in her. Let us consider a few instances where the text producers have created an example of a perfect Lux girl. Figure (6.12) taken from the Facebook page of the brand defines what the brand means by the noun phrase „Lux girl’.

Brace yourself, world. Our Lux girls are all about confidence! Figure (6.12)

Figure (6.12) shows a picture taken from the Facebook page of Lux which shows an image of a woman smiling towards the camera. The text inscribed on the picture states, „CONFIDENCE- A slight, self assured smile tells the world you believe in yourself‟. The text here gives a lesson on life and teaches women to be more confident and self-assured. The text included as caption to the picture says, „Brace yourself, world. Our Lux girls are all about confidence!‟. This statement defines the typical Lux girl as the one who is full of confidence and self-assurance. This creates a strong image of women who are confident. „Brace yourself, world‟ is a word of caution to the world that it better beware of the women who are confident and who believe in themselves and can

253 make the mountains move due to the confidence they have. Hence, we see that a strong image of women has been created in the text. Projecting the glamorous, flirtatious and alluring image of a woman the text producers urges the women to be independent and classy. Figure (13) taken from the Facebook page of Lux is an example.

Figure (6.13)

Figure (6.13) contains a sketch of a woman‟s face painted in black and white whereas the lips are highlighted in dark bright red color. The lips are parted and the gaze is directed away from the camera aiming to give a glamorized look to the woman. This image is meant to portray the look of a flirtatious woman as the text on the picture states, „Just cause I flirt doesn‟t mean I‟m interested‟. From this statement it can be inferred that the ideal woman for Lux is flirtatious and ruthless who is indifferent to her admirers. The statement here gives agency to women as the statement comes from a woman‟s perspective evident from the use of first pronoun „I‟ in the text. Moreover, agency is further established when a woman is portrayed as one who has the choice of flirting while not meaning to have long term commitments. This is a somewhat revolutionary image of a woman in Pakistan as Pakistani society is mainly a patriarchal society where mostly the men are at the helm of making decisions about marriage, family and other domestically oriented matters. This caption gives this woman power as she undercuts centuries of deeply rooted social and gender relations in Pakistan. Hence, portraying the women to be the flirtatious ones shows the image of unconventional women Lux desires for its female audience. Urging them to be alluring and attractive the advertising discourse of Lux

254 adheres to presenting a style suggestion to women that will make heads turn. See figure (6.14) in this regard.

Figure (6.14)

Figure (6.14) is a picture added on the Facebook page for giving another styling tip to women. The picture contains an image of a woman‟s face wearing a pair of sunglasses. The text on the picture reads, „Shades ON! DAZZLE your admirers with your favorite sunglasses‟. The statement gives a fashion suggestion about wearing sunglasses. It urges women to wear shades in order to attract their admirers and to look more striking to them. This is meant to make women aware of a trendy way to stand out among the rest. The word DAZZLE when used as a verb means to astound and amaze, and the fact that it is written in capital letters shows the writers‟ emphasis on the need to appear alluring to the spectators. Relational values in the text are highlighted as the writers show their ideological agreement on creating a strong attractive image for women by establishing agency in the phrase „DAZZLE your admirers‟ where the power position is lent to women, first by making them believe that they can have a dazzling power and second by conveying to them that they have the option of tempting/ alluring their admirers. This is again a revolutionary woman image for the Pakistani women as the general female populace in Pakistan is mostly clad in modest clothes and uninviting means of accessorizing. Hence, the advertising discourse of Lux shows that it creates an unconventional image of women which encompasses confidence, boldness, self- assuredness, and most of all style. It should however be noted that Lux‟s image of women does not shy away from

255 femininity rather the ideal woman image portrayed in the emblematic Lux girl focuses more on the combination of confidence with feminine pride. Unlike most of the modern women images advocating women privileges as portrayed in the media in today‟s world that focus more on negating the feminine in a woman while highlighting the bold in them, Lux creates an image of a modern woman who embraces audacity while still holding on to her feminine side. This can be explained by the fact that Lux takes pride in the femininity of women and relates feminine with floral which is a trademark symbol of Lux. On one occasion the text producers write, „Floral is feminine, flirty and perfect for every … lady!‟. This is a straightforward declaration by the writers that shows that the brand considers floral to be feminine and vice versa. According to them the floral aspect of Lux beauty bars is not only feminine; it is also flirty which makes it perfect for every woman. Throughout the advertisement texts the writers relate floral with feminine. One reason could be the promotion of the floral fragrances in each Lux beauty bar variant. Figure (6.15) is an illustration.

What scent are you? Figure (6.15)

Figure (6.15) shows an image containing a few flowers of different types, a perfume bottle, and an inscription on it which says, „Floral- Sweet and romantic, these scents are the “good girls” of the fragrance aisle. Florals are sometimes single note, but generally combine the scents of various flowers to create a classic feminine appeal‟. The text is all about delicacy and sweetness of the floral scents of Lux beauty bars. However, it can be noted that these floral aspects of Lux beauty bars have very

256 subtly been associated with femininity. The text producers call the scents as sweet and romantic and then relate this sweetness and romance with their idea of „good girls‟. Hence, for the writers sweet and romantic are the two aspects that constitute their definition of „good girls‟. Further on the text claims that the brand has combined various floral scents „to create a classic feminine appeal ‟. This shows that the brand relates femininity with flowers and their fragrances, as the writers claim to have combined different fragrances together in order to create an archetypal womanly charm for their beauty soaps. The background color of the image and the color of the font in which the text is written are both pink in color. Pink color is usually associated with girls and therefore the whole image has been created to relate the Lux beauty bar variants with femininity. The advertising discourse of Lux endeavors to make women feel proud of their femininity and hence urges them to flaunt it in style. Figure (6.16) shared on the Facebook page of the brand teaches women to embrace their femininity and to feel proud of it.

Figure (6.16)

Corresponding to the text producers‟ practice of establishing a correlation between floral and feminine the image in the figure (6.16) shows a woman with her back towards the camera wearing a floral dress, and holding a bouquet in her hands. The inscription on the picture reads, „Since feminine and floral make a strong alliance, women have no reasons to complain‟. This statement highlights a strong alliance of feminine with floral and further highlights this alliance as a strong point for women as they no longer have to worry about their looks if their dresses have floral prints in them. Hence, another styling suggestion meant for women comes from the brand‟s text

257 producers that focus on the importance of flower or floral aspects in a woman‟s attire to make it more stylish and a success in fashion circles. Lux constructs its gender identity by projecting a certain image of women which shows how the brand perceives gender. A glamorized image of women has been created in the advertising discourse of Lux. The image has been created by presenting women as fashionable, stylish, glamorous, alluring and bold through different pictorial and textual aspects in the advertisements. Another important way to understand how the brand perceives gender is to consider how it uses various noun phrases and/or adjectives to define women in its advertising discourse. The following table contains the noun phrases and/or adjectives used both for men and women in the advertising discourse of Lux.

Table 5 Noun Phrases/ Adjectives Used for Men and Women in the Advertising Discourse of Lux

Sr. Noun Phrases/ Adjectives Used for Women Sr. Noun Phrases/ Adjectives Used for Men no. no.

1. The stunning Aamina Sheikh 1. Fawad Khan looks sharp in a suit

2. The gorgeous Cybil Chowdry 2. The renowned designer HSY

3. The beautiful Sanam Saeed 3. Nomi Ansari, the designer behind one of

4. Three gorgeous ladies at LSA the Lux gowns

5. Three beauties at LSA 4. The brand ambassador of the new Lux

6. Iman Ali looks elegant perfume bar, Fawad Khan

7. The stunning Humaima Malik

8. The beautiful Ayesha Omer

9. The ravishing Iman Ali

10. Glamour queens

Table 5: Noun Phrases/ Adjectives Used for Men and Women in the Advertising Discourse of Lux

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The findings in Table 5 show that the noun phrases and/or adjectives used for women are all related to beauty and glamor which shows that the brand defines women in terms of beauty, charm and allure. The terms such as stunning, gorgeous, beautiful, elegant, glamour queens and ravishing all represent the charm of the women for whom these are used. Hence, a glamorized image of women has been created in the discourse of advertising of the brand Lux. It can also be observed in the data that most of the noun phrases and/or adjectives used for males are the professional ones which are solely related to their occupation and professional status. For example noun phrases such as renowned designer, brand ambassador etc. define the professional status of the men for whom these terms are used. Only the adjective sharp defines the personality of the man for whom the word is used which hints at the intelligence and smartness of the person. This word is very different from the adjectives or noun phrases used for women which are mostly used to describe the physical beauty of those women. Hence, it can be concluded that Lux portrays a glamorized yet bold and strong image of women in its advertising discourse thereby corresponding to its identity as a fashion brand and simultaneously representing to its audience the ways in which it perceives gender.

6.1.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 1

The analysis of the socio-semiotic linguistic aspects in the advertising discourse of Lux shows that the brand constructs its professional identity by celebrity endorsements. All through the advertising discourse different celebrities belonging to the world of showbiz and fashion have been used to promote the brand to the audience. Well-known personalities from the entertainment industry of Pakistan have been associated with the brand to represent its widespread fame among the famous people of Pakistan. As celebrities are generally admired by the common people, hence certifications coming from the famous people attract the audience more strongly to the brand and its products being advertised. The audience wishes to be like their role models and therefore want to purchase the commodities endorsed by their favorite celebrities. Lux promotes its celebrity endorsements in its advertising discourse and successfully trying to increase its market value.

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Lux uses celebrities from the fields of showbiz and fashion. Besides using celebrities in its advertising discourse, Lux exhibits a strong adherence to the world of fashion. The text producers represent the brand more as a fashion brand than a beauty soap brand. Where most of the other competing brands of the same domain advertise their products focusing on promoting their quality and effectiveness, Lux chooses to promote its association with the world of fashion. Thus Lux distinguishes itself from other competing brands by constructing its individual identity more as a fashion brand than as a soap brand. Since women in Pakistan are mostly the ones who do grocery shopping and who are more concerned about the beauty products they use, it is them who are mainly addressed in the advertising discourse of Lux. In speaking to the women audience Lux creates a certain image of women in its advertising discourse and calls the Lux using women as „Lux girls‟. The image of the Lux girls as created by the text producers of Lux portray them as strong, bold, self-assured, fashionable, stylish and glamorous. The exemplary Lux girl in addition to being trendy is flirtatious, alluring, and bold who proudly maintains the feminine in her. This woman image as created by Lux is a revolutionary image for the women in Pakistan as they are generally not open to the world of glamor and audacity. Lux seems an advocate of women empowerment as it urges women to be more confident and bold while still flaunting their beauty and femininity. The gender identity of Lux is constructed by its projection of the strong woman image as it shows how the brand perceives gender. To Lux women are all about beauty, femininity, self-assuredness, confidence and strength. This shows that a glamorized yet bold image of women is portrayed in the advertising discourse of Lux which shows the gender identity implications of the brand.

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6.2 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 2: Sunsilk

Sunsilk is a hair care beauty brand produced by the Unilever group. The brand was originally introduced in 1954 in the UK; however its production, sales and marketing later spread to countries around the globe. As the present study centers on analyzing the linguistic and semiotic features used in Pakistani discourse of advertising, therefore data has been collected from the official website and official Facebook page of Sunsilk being administered in Pakistan by the Pakistani advertisers targeted at the Pakistani audience. For that reason any reference to the official website and official Facebook page of Sunsilk in the present research work refers to the official website and official Facebook page being operated in Pakistan intended for the Pakistani audience.

6.2.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Sunsilk’s Advertising Discourse

The linguistic and semiotic features in the data collected from the advertising discourse of Sunsilk both from the brand‟s official website and Facebook page are analyzed to see what kind of identity or various multi-faceted identities are constructed and represented by the brand. The main purpose of analyzing the linguistic and semiotic components in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk is to study how these textual features help to create various multi-faceted identity implications of the brand. The data shows some predominant identity implications represented in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk which are discussed and analyzed as under.

6.2.1. i Constructing Professional Identity- Focusing on Expert Celebrity Endorsements

Professional identity of a brand is constructed through the ways in which it represents itself as regards its skill, specialization, expertise, proficiency etc. in its field. Professional identity constitutes the professional characteristics of the brand that make it stand out among the rest of the brands in the same domain. It focuses on highlighting the aspects that constitute the professional self of the brand. The way Sunsilk presents its professional self, focusing on its certifications and endorsements in the discourse of its

261 advertising establishes its professional identity. Just like the brand Lux (Sec. 6.1.1. i), Sunsilk also focuses on celebrity endorsements as part of its professional identity. However, unlike the celebrities used in the advertising discourse of Lux that were mostly from the world of showbiz, the celebrities used by Sunsilk mostly include famous persons from the fashion industry of Pakistan. Celebrities related to Pakistan‟s fashion industry are mainly dress designers, hair stylists and fashion models. What is interesting to note here is that Sunsilk only uses the established fashion personalities of Pakistan‟s fashion industry who are famous for being the experts in their field for endorsement purposes. The choice of only using fashion experts highlights the brand‟s desire to associate itself with the experts from the field thus relating the brand with expertise and skill of the fashion personas used in advertisements. Figure (6.17) taken from the official website of Sunsilk is an example of how the brand associates itself with the experts to highlight its own expertise in the field of beauty products.

7 SUNSILK EXPERTS Figure (6.17)

Figure (6.17) shows an image of seven people including both men and women, each holding a shampoo bottle in their hands, whose identity has been disclosed in the caption accompanying the picture as „7 SUNSILK EXPERTS‟. The inscription on the picture that states, „PARTNERED WITH 7 OF THE BEST EXPERTS IN THE WORLD- TO CREATE THE BEST EVER SUNSILK‟, further explains the text in the caption thereby establishing the identity of the people in the picture as experts who have partnered with the brand to create new and improved Sunsilk products. The text at the

262 bottom of the picture states, „SUNSILK CO-CREATIONS‟ which further highlights the significance of the people used in the picture. The people hence used in the picture to endorse the brand are experts from the field who have shared their expertise and skill in the creation of new Sunsilk products. The inscription written as a caption to the picture stating, „We work with world-leading experts in every aspect of great hair to bring you Sunsilk. They‟re the best in the business when it comes to curls, colour, cutting-edge style and everything to do with your hair‟, further highlights the professional partnerships of the brand with experts from the field of fashion and beauty. The statement establishes agency in the text where the power resides in the brand as the text producers take up an active voice and become the active doer of things when they say, „We work with world-leading experts…‟. This may be an ideologically motivated choice of words for the purpose of showing the dominance and supremacy of the brand in the domain of expert hair care beauty products. The terms „world-leading‟, „experts‟, „great hair‟, and „best‟, all have positive connotations attached to them that bring out the best in the brand‟s image and highlight the skillful partnerships of the brand and hence establish its skill and expertise in the creation and production of the hair beauty products. Focusing on endorsing partnerships with the renowned specialized personalities from the world of fashion, the text producers further write on the website, „Sunsilk believes that everyone deserves beautiful hair. That‟s why we‟re collaborating with the world‟s top hair experts and applying their knowledge and secrets to our range.‟ The first sentence presupposes two things. First, that beautiful hair is something that is a must have for everyone, and second that it is obtained by using Sunsilk products. The text focuses on emphasizing the expert collaborations of the brand with „the world‟s top hair experts‟, thereby representing its professional identity to the audience in the online discourse of its advertising. This professional identity is constructed by associating the brand with experts and specialized persons in the field of hair care and represented in its advertising discourse by making references to these associations with experts. The text further stresses on the need for these collaborations as, „With their help, Sunsilk is designed to help you get perfect results, whatever your hair type‟. The text here implies that the expert advice is needed to create a range of products that are aimed at providing „perfect results‟ ensuring beautiful hair of the consumers.

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It is significant to note here that unlike the brand Lux that focuses on relating the brand with the famous people from showbiz and fashion industry of Pakistan that includes actors, fashion models, fashion stylists, dress designers, hairstylists etc., Sunsilk mainly uses references to the specialists from the fashion and hair care industry. The advertising discourse of Sunsilk only endorses the brand‟s associations with the people from the top of the hierarchical order in the domain of fashion hair care beauty products. Figure (6.18) taken from the Facebook page of Sunsilk is an example.

A shout out to three of the designers of Sunsilk Fashion Edition '14! Figure (6.18)

Figure (6.18) contains an image of three people who apparently have designed the fashion edition bottles of the brand as their identity is revealed in the text accompanying the picture on Facebook which states, „A shout out to three of the designers of Sunsilk Fashion Edition '14!‟. The phrase „a shout out‟ is an expression of thanks and admiration and its use here shows the brand‟s gratitude towards these designers who gave their expertise in designing the fashion edition range for the brand. The fashion edition range is a series of designer bottles of the brand‟s hair beauty products. The woman in the picture is Huma Adnan, a fashion designer and owner of the fashion wear brand called FnkAsia, the man in the center is HSY who is also a famous Pakistani fashion designer, and the third person standing at the other corner is Shamoon, fashion designer associated with the clothing brand Khaadi. The launch and marketing of these fashion edition bottles is reflective of the brand‟s desire to be associated with the fashion industry of Pakistan to construct its professional identity based on the associations and collaborations with the fashion world of Pakistan. Moreover, this association of fashion edition bottles of Sunsilk

264 with the leading fashion designers in Pakistan is reflective of the brand‟s desire to create its image based on the skill and expertise of these certified people from the field of fashion. The hair shampoo range of Sunsilk has been linked with the specialized celebrities who have designed the bottles of these shampoos. Though the brand has always had graphic designers of its own, however, this endeavor of the brand of seeking designing collaborations is for the purpose of representing its associations with the experts from the fashion world. The personalities shown in figures (6.19), (6.20), and (6.21) are Maheen Kardar, Maria B., and Shamoon respectively. All these persons are famous fashion designers from the fashion industry of Pakistan who are believed to be the expert leaders in administering their respective designer fashion brands. The figures shown and discussed below are snapshot images taken from the official website of the brand that show how different variants of Sunsilk shampoo have been linked with these personalities from the fashion world of Pakistan.

Figure (6.19) Figure (6.20)

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Figure (6.21)

Figures (6.19), (6.20), and (6.21) show how different variants of Sunsilk shampoo have been associated with renowned personalities of Pakistan‟s fashion industry. Each of the pictures shared above contains a variant of Sunsilk along with the image of the designer who designed the bottle of that particular variant. The pictures also contain the names of the persons and a brief description of their personalities that are meant to be associated with the respective Sunsilk variant. For instance the inscription on the picture in figure (6.19) says, „BOLD & BEAUTIFUL MAHEEN KARDAR- THICK & LONG‟, which means that the characteristics BOLD & BEAUTIFUL attributed to the designer Maheen Kardar’s personality have also been associated with the variant „THICK & LONG‟ by Sunsilk. Similarly, the attributes „WILD & UNIQUE‟ assigned to the designer Maria B in figure (6.20) are also indirectly attributed to the variant „SOFT & SMOOTH‟ by the brand. The picture in figure (6.21) is also meant to relate the attributes of the designer Shamoon‟s brand KHAADI i.e. „FUNKY & TRENDY‟ with the variant called BLACK SHINE by Sunsilk. Celebrity endorsement is significant when it comes to breaking through the immensely clustered media images in the present day media environment where one is constantly bombarded with advertisement texts. In this scenario celebrity endorsements become more effective as the celebrities bring their charm and appeal to the products being advertised and hence make the brand more appealing and successful in the market circles. Moreover, the endorsements by celebrities who are more famous for their skill and expertise than for their charm are more effective in persuading the audience to feel more positive towards the brand and its products. Hence, it can be concluded that besides relating the products with the attributes of the

266 designers linked to them in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk, these references are made and highlighted in the advertisements in order to establish the brand as widely accepted and recognized among the people of influence. This association of the brand with specialized people from the field of beauty and fashion construct the brand‟s professional identity which is further represented in the advertising discourse by highlighting the brand‟s associations and collaborations with these specialized people in designing their products. The affiliation of the brand with the celebrated skilled personalities famous for their expertise in the field of beauty and style establishes the professional identity of the brand by emphasizing its skill and proficiency as endorsed by the expert celebrities.

6.2.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Addressing the Youth

Individual identity of a brand is constructed by endorsing a special and unusual quality in the advertising discourse that is easily seen by the audience. Individual identity is represented by presenting some quality or aspect about the brand that exists as a distinct entity and that makes the brand unique and different from other competing brands. The data from the Facebook page and website of Sunsilk shows that the text producers have taken a particular stance in the advertising discourse which focuses on representing the youth identity implications of the brand. The advertisement texts are directed more towards the youth of the country as the models in the texts are all young and also the fashion statements and style tips given to the audience are directed more towards the youth. Just like the brand Lux, Sunsilk also gives fashion and style statements to its audience, but unlike Lux that presented itself as a fashion brand through those style statements, Sunsilk focuses more on identifying with the youth by giving them styling tips and also a few lessons on life. This aspect of catering mainly to youth and focusing on representing the youth identity intimations in the advertising discourse establishes the individual identity of the brand.

In the advertising discourse of Sunsilk youth has been related with style, fashion, friendship, happiness, and beautiful hair. Though the brand is a hair care beauty brand, its advertisement texts focus heavily on providing styling suggestions to the youth. This is one way of relating the brand with the youth and also to represent the brand as a fashion

267 brand in the advertising circles. A few examples of the brand addressing the youth and representing its youth identity suggestions have been taken from the data to discuss here. Consider figure (6.22) which addresses the young audience of Sunsilk‟s media texts.

Pair your outfits up with fun accessories to get a trendy look! Figure (6.22)

Figure (6.22) has been taken from the Facebook page of Sunsilk which shows an image of a wrist of apparently a young girl wearing a number of bracelets. The caption accompanying the picture states, „Pair your outfits up with fun accessories to get a trendy look!‟. This picture along with the accompanying text is addressed to the young female audience of the advertising discourse of Sunsilk in order to provide a styling tip to them. The phrases „fun accessories‟ and „trendy look‟ establish the fact that the text is oriented more towards youth, offering them suggestions on how to look more trendy and stylish. In giving a style statement to the audience the text here suggests that youth should be trendy and fashionable in order to be more attractive and appealing to the spectators. Consider another fashion statement given to the audience on the Facebook page of Sunsilk.

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A touch of brightness for a pop of color to your outfit can look great. Which of these looks do you like the best? Figure (6.23)

The picture shown in Figure (6.23) is a collage of various images showing different dress scheme options for young women that will make their outfits look great as claimed by the text producers. The text written as a caption to the picture states, „A touch of brightness for a pop of color to your outfit can look great. Which of these looks do you like the best?‟. The statement is a styling tip for women that advises them to add a touch of bright color to their outfits in order to make them stand out owing to their colorful dresses. The text further involves the audience in making them participate in the discourse by asking them about their favorite dress scheme. This technique of involving the readers/audience by asking questions and making them ponder over for a moment is an effective advertising strategy as it tends to grab the attention of the audience before he/she moves forward to some other media text. It can be observed in the data that the styling and fashion tips are mainly aimed at the young female audience which tells a great deal about the gender identity implications of the brand which will be discussed in the next section (6.2.1. iii). Many other instances of such styling advices are present in the data that are mainly directed towards youth. It can be observed that such types of texts are not related to the actual products of the brand. The question then arises as to why these texts are given a considerable amount of space in the advertising discourse? It can be said that the aim of the text producers of the advertising content of the brand in presenting fashion and style statements for the youth is to represent their youth identity orientations. The brand

269 wishes to be associated more with fashion and style and hence chooses to address the youth in its advertising discourse to be able to present its youth identity by simultaneously focusing on fashion and style. As the youth in Pakistan is generally fonder of fashion and style, so relating youth with fashion in its advertising discourse represents the brand‟s youth identity. Being a hair care beauty brand Sunsilk also focuses on endorsing texts related to hair and hair care. But here again the text producers rely heavily on youth images for advertising purposes. The text producers relate hair care also with youth and more specifically with women. Besides giving fashion and style statements aiming/directed towards the youth, the advertising text producers also give suggestions and lessons on hair care using the concept of youth identity intimations as a tool. Figure (6.24) has been taken from the Facebook page of Sunsilk that embarks on the concept of courage and audaciousness acquired by having the confidence of having beautiful hair usually related with youth.

Brave the weather, and still look beautiful when you have great hair! Figure (6.24)

Figure (6.24) shows a picture of a smiling young woman who seems happy and accomplished. Her hair is let loose and as the green fields in the background suggest she is standing outdoors in an open field. The dress of the woman is also green in consort with other graphics on the picture that are also green in color. The use of green color is symbolic here as it is often associated with the goodness of natural environment and health. This color scheme together with the overall image in the picture concurs with the inscription on the picture that states, „LOVE LIFE, BEING OUTSIDE, AND YOUR

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BEAUTIFUL HAIR!‟. The audience is advised here to appreciate the beauty of life by enjoying the freshness in the environment without having any fear of losing the beauty of hair. This message is important as women mostly avoid going out in wind or in the sun to avoid getting their hair damaged. The text is directed more towards the young audience as these aspects of loving life, being outside, and being able to flaunt hair in a rugged weather are associated more with youth and specifically with women. Moreover, the text written as a caption to the picture on Facebook states, „Brave the weather, and still look beautiful when you have great hair!‟, hence advising the audience to be brave enough to embrace the weather with courage and without feeling any fear of damaging of hair as the brand claims to give a finish to the hair that stays and is not spoiled by the ruggedness of the weather. Hence, it can be concluded that the concept of youth has been used to endorse the hair shampoos by the brand. The data shows that all the text pieces designed to endorse the hair care products use images of youth in the milieu of characteristics that are more associated with young women. Consider another picture taken from the Facebook page of Sunsilk.

When each day is a great hair day, why worry! Figure (6.25)

Figure (6.25) shows an image of a young girl lying on grass smiling towards the camera. The smile on her face shows that she is in a happy mood. The whole image corresponds well with the inscription on the picture that states, „BE HAPPY AND CAREFREE WHEN EACH DAY IS A GREAT HAIR DAY!‟. The text here encourages the audience to be happy and carefree, which according to the producers are the traits

271 acquired by having and maintaining beautiful hair. Since the text comes from Sunsilk, it is assumed that using Sunsilk products leads to happiness and exuberance. Relating buoyancy with beautiful hair in the advertising texts also establishes the relationship between the brand, beautiful hair and happiness. The caption of the picture on Facebook asks a hypothetical question from the audience by saying, „When each day is a great hair day, why worry!‟. This statement also establishes a relationship between beautiful hair and happiness. It is assumed in the text that if one has great hair, one doesn‟t have any reason to be worried. Hence, great hair has been made a priority by the advertising text producers of Sunsilk with their association of beautiful hair with joy, enthusiasm and confidence, the attributes mostly associated with youth. The youth identity orientations of the brand are further highlighted by its focus on the theme of adolescent friendship in its advertisement texts which is archetypal of youth in general. Most of the texts are based on the theme of friendship among the youth which further represent the youth identity orientations of the brand. Figure (6.26) is an example that illustrates the point well.

Figure (6.26)

Figure (6.26) shows an image of two friends sitting together and conversing with each other. The friends shown are young girls who are seen to be having a quality time together over a cup of coffee. The inscription on the picture reads, „SOMETIMES THE BEST TIME CAN BE A SIMPLE CUP OF COFFEE AND A GREAT FRIEND!‟. The text here highlights the importance of friendship in life which according to the text producers is one of the main sources of happiness in one‟s life. Highlighting the

272 importance of friendship the text emphasizes that the best time is the one which is spent together with friends. This theme of friendship is used in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk to attract more and more young consumers. The reason for mainly addressing the youth in the advertisement discourse is that mostly the youth are more concerned about the way they look and give much importance to their hair care in this regard. Hence, using the theme of friendship in advertisement texts enables the brand to associate more with the youth in order to attract the young customers. Figure (6.27) is another example that illustrates how Sunsilk uses the theme of friendship to construct its youth identity.

Figure (6.27)

The picture in figure (6.27) shows an image of three friends walking together who apparently are college/university friends which is evident from the shoulder bags they are carrying that are meant for carrying books and also from the book one of the friends is holding in her hand. The inscription on the image states, „HAPPINESS IS SIMPLY BEING WITH FRIENDS‟, thus highlighting the underlying message of friendship for the audience. The theme of friendship is used in the text to attract more and more young audience. The youth in Pakistan are the most ardent users of Facebook and other virtual media platforms; hence, the purpose of using themes easily identified by the youth such as friendship, fashion, style etc. in the online advertisements is to identify more with the youth and also to attract them towards the brand which eventually persuades them to buy the product. Friendship is one of the persistent themes found in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk. However, it may be noted that the advertisement discourse embark only upon friendship among the youth. No image of elderly or middle aged people is found in the

273 data. Even the theme of friendship is also focused on using exclusively the images of youth. As the younger generation of Pakistan is mostly a part of some college or university, friendship among batch mates or with other youngsters is very common. Hence, the concept of friendship is considered to be an important aspect of Pakistani youth. So relating the advertisement texts with the concept of youth and friendship represents the youth identity of the brand. The fact that only young women are seen modeling for the brand in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk on the Facebook page shows that the brand associates itself more with the younger generation and more specifically with women. The gender implications of the brand‟s identity have been discussed in detail in the next section (sec. 6.2.1. iii).

6.2.1. iii Gender Identity Representation- Constructing a Particular Woman Image

Although men and women of all ages are consumers of Sunsilk shampoo, the discourse of its advertising shows that the brand focuses more on catering to women in its advertisement texts. The way Sunsilk addresses the feminine in its advertising discourse represents its gender identity. The use of female models, the fashion tips directed towards women, hair styles for women, etc. all represent the gender identity of the brand. As it is women who are mainly addressed in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk, hence a certain kind of woman image is created and presented to the audience. Somehow related to the woman image created by the brand Lux that is based on its emblematic lux girl who is fashionable, stylish, modish, flirtatious, glamorous and bold; Sunsilk presents its ideal woman as young, glamorous, independent, sociable and outgoing on the basis of how it presents women in its advertising discourse. Let us consider a few instances where the text producers have created an example of a perfect Sunsilk woman who is strong, charming, affable, and is a dreamer. Figure (6.28) taken from the Facebook page of the brand demonstrates its vision of an ideal woman.

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Well said! Figure (6.28)

Figure (6.28) shows a half cut image of a woman facing towards the camera. She is seen wearing sunglasses and an unconventional outfit which is different from the outfits women in Pakistan usually wear. The inscription in the picture that states, „BE the kind of woman that makes other women want to be you‟, urges the women audience of the advertisement text to be the perfect examples of role models for other women. The text in the caption position states, „Well said!‟, thus establishing the expressive values in the text by straightaway agreeing with the quote written on the picture. Expressive values in the text are established by the producer‟s approval of the statement being made in the inscription on the picture. The remarks „well said‟ show that the producers are in a direct harmony with the thought presented in the statement, hence further reflecting the gender identity intimations of the brand that show that the brand is all in favor of women empowerment. Hence, the brand exhibits its desire to see women become strong and independent as in the Pakistani patriarchal society women are often dependent on their families especially on the men in their families. Interpretation of the image and inscription in the text demonstrates the kind of image which the brand wants the women to have. An ideal woman, hence, for the brand is the one who pursues after her dreams of self-accomplishment. As figure (6.29) which has been taken from the brand‟s Facebook page also reaffirms.

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Figure (6.29)

The message in the picture shown in figure (6.29) urges women to follow their dreams. The picture shows an image of a young girl holding a guitar in her hands. The girl is apparently singing and playing on the guitar. Her eyes are closed that show the intensity of her excitement and passion for singing. The inscription on the picture states, „NEVER LET GO OF YOUR DREAMS‟, which reiterates the message of following ones dreams. As discussed earlier that Pakistan has a patriarchal society where men enjoy all the privileges of free will, freedom and rights, while women have to let go of their dreams of their preferred career, liberty, and sometimes even education rights. The girl in the picture is shown happy as it is implied that singing is her dream and following that dream has made her truly happy. Hence, it reflects that Sunsilk uses its advertisements as a platform to motivate women to exercise their free will by never letting go of their dreams. The presence of the brand logo on the picture and the loose/open long hair of the girl relate the image to the brand as it is a shampoo brand, thereby relating the whole message in the picture with the brand‟s conception of gender. Emotional strength and women empowerment are the two themes that are recurrent and are interlinked in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk. Many pieces of texts shared both on the website and on the Facebook page of the brand contain the message of women empowerment with the focus on emotional strengths of women. To be able to cope well with stress and unhappiness to which the women of our society usually succumb to owing to the gap between their provisions and emotional needs, Sunsilk gives messages of feeling happy by making women realize their worth and value. Figure (6.30) is an example.

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Girls! Being happy doesn‟t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections! Figure (6.30)

Figure (6.30) has been taken from the Facebook page of the brand. The figure shows an image of a young girl standing with her arms wide open in the fields of mustard with blooming flowers. The inscription written as the caption to the picture states, „Girls! Being happy doesn‟t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections!‟. The word „Girls‟ in the statement shows that the text is directed towards women in particular and hence the message of contentment in the text is also aimed specifically at women. The brand defines the concept of happiness as being able to look beyond the limitations in life and to be able to be contented with the blessings one has in life. The blue color of the sky in the background and the yellow and green colors of the mustard crops lend a sense of life, happiness, and joy, which goes well with the message given by the image of the girl with her open arms which is symbolic of embracing the goodness from the nature. Firstly, the text confirms the observation made earlier about women being the main addressees of Sunsilk advertisement texts. Secondly, it shows the brand‟s conception of strong women who are strong enough to look beyond the imperfections and limitations in life. Sunsilk loves the idea of boisterous women who are fun-loving, high-spirited and exuberant. Figure (6.31) confirms the findings based on the observations made earlier in this section regarding the gender and youth identity of the brand. Consider the following figure for further discussion in this regard.

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Who doesn't love going on a shopping spree. So head out with your friends today and tell us what you got! Figure (6.31)

The figure shows an image of four young girls who apparently are friends and are out together shopping and having fun as is established by the caption of the picture which states, „Who doesn't love going on a shopping spree. So head out with your friends today and tell us what you got!‟. The statement highlights experiential values in the text. Experiential values are established through the producer‟s perspective apparent in the use and arrangement of words. The clause „Who doesn't love going on a shopping spree‟ shows the belief of the producers about shopping being loved by everybody. The phrase „shopping spree‟ means shopping extravagantly and the experiential values in the statement show that it is the personal ideological framework and belief of the producers that indulging oneself in extravagant shopping is the source of sheer happiness. By asking this rhetorical question the producers not only construct but also reflect a social reality where shopping is made a desirable activity as discourse is both the reflective and constructive of social realities. Coming back to the findings based on the observations made in the data the text represents both the youth and gender identity of the brand. The image together with the inscription shows the theme of friendship among youth which highlights the youth identity of the brand. Furthermore, gender identity is also constructed by using only women as models in the text and also by relating the themes of youth, friendship, and shopping with women. The advertising discourse of Sunsilk shows that the Sunsilk woman is young, enthusiastic, and fun-loving. However, an analysis of the secondary discourse of Sunsilk‟s advertising discourse shows that besides creating an ideal woman image that is

278 focused on style, beauty, emotional strength and self-assuredness, the advertisement texts of Sunsilk create a stereotypical image of women‟s beauty. The beauty standards put forward by the brand‟s advertising text producers are those that exclude heavy or overweight women, the women of color, older women, and women having not so glamorous looks and hair. The woman beauty image created by Sunsilk is the one that focuses upon fair complexion, straight and frizz free hair, youth, and glamor.

Girls do you love the way your hair looks when it is Perfectly straight? Figure (6.32)

The inscription on the picture that states, „ARE YOU THE SUNSILK GIRL?‟ along with the writing in the caption stating, „Girls do you love the way your hair looks when it is Perfectly straight?‟, draws an implicit connection between straight hair and the term Sunsilk girl which shows that the Sunsilk girl is the one having straight hair. Although Sunsilk is a hair shampoo brand that caters to women of all hair types, the advertising discourse focuses on promoting straight hair as the only fashionable option in the milieu of the usual media texts that show straight hair to be the most glamorous and desirable. Hence, the ideal woman for Sunsilk is the woman who has straight hair. Figure (6.33) further illustrates the point.

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Always had wacky hair? Maybe its time for a STRAIGHT forward solution! Figure (6.33)

The picture shows a cartoon image of a girl having curly and frizzy hair. The expressions on her face are shown to make her look disturbed and wretched because of her hair. The inscription in the topic position on the picture reads, „WACKY HAIR CAUSING TROUBLE?‟, which together with the image of the unhappy girl shows that the brand considers frizzy hair to be wacky that means crazy and weird, thus creating the ideal woman image to be the one having straight and sleek hair. The producers further offer a solution for the curly hair in the text written as the caption to the picture which states, „Always had wacky hair? Maybe its time for a STRAIGHT forward solution!‟. The text here addresses the women who have curly or frizzy hair and offer them a straight forward solution, which apparently is the Sunsilk variant of beauty shampoo claimed to straighten hair into perfect sleekness. The producers in offering a solution to curly or frizzy hair construct the beauty image of an ideal Sunsilk girl to be having straight and sleek hair. Not only straight and sleek hair are established as a beauty symbol in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk, but the aspects of fair complexion and youth also constitute the ideal beauty image of the brand. All the models in the advertisement texts of Sunsilk are females, who are fair complexioned, young, slim, and glamorous. „Whiteness‟ and „fair and lovely syndrome‟ are the impacts of colonialism that refuse to go away from the subcontinent. White imperatives remain embedded in Pakistan, a postcolonial state, as a part of the colonial legacy. The colonial notions of power and superiority are linked with white skins. The obsession with whiteness in the Pakistani society is rooted in the institutions of colonialism.

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By projecting this particular image of woman beauty in its advertising discourse, Sunsilk constructs its gender identity by showing how it perceives gender. The fact that only young women are seen as models for the brand in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk both on the website and on Facebook page shows that the brand associates itself more with the younger generation and specifically with women. In addressing women in its advertising discourse it creates a certain woman image that portrays an ideal woman to be young, glamorous, and having a fair complexioned skin tone. Hence, a stereotypical beauty image of women has been created in the advertising discourse which focuses upon portraying beauty as being contained in the white skin tone, straight hair, and young age.

6.2.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 2

The findings of the analysis show that the brand constructs its professional identity by focusing on expert celebrity endorsements which means that Sunsilk only uses the recognized personalities from the fashion industry of Pakistan in its advertising discourse who are famous for being experts in their field. This preference for only using fashion experts highlights the brand‟s aspiration to associate itself with the expertise and skill of the fashion personas used in advertisements. This is a significant advertising strategy that enables the brand to associate itself with the experts in order to highlight its own proficiency and skill in the field of beauty products. Unlike the brand Lux which focuses on linking the brand with the famous Pakistani actors, fashion models, fashion stylists, dress designers, hairstylists etc., Sunsilk predominantly uses references to the experts from the beauty and hair care industry. The associations with the people known to be the certified ones in their respective fashion and beauty fields help the brand to construct its identity as an accomplished and proficient brand, thus representing the professional identity of the brand. Individual identity of a brand is constructed by its focus on mainly addressing the youth. Sunsilk concentrates a great deal on identifying with the youth in its advertising discourse by using young models, catering to youth by giving styling tips to them, and by using themes such as friendship, shopping, hair care etc. in its advertisement texts that are usually associated with youth. Furthermore, the producers greatly rely on using youthful images that show the aspects of happiness, buoyancy, playfulness, exuberance etc. in its

281 advertisements to represent its youth identity implications in its advertising discourse thereby establishing the individual identity of the brand. The focus of the brand on the aspects of youth and femininity in its advertising discourse represents its gender identity. The use of female models, hair styles for women, styling tips directed towards women, etc. all represent the gender identity of the brand which focuses primarily on representing a specific woman image in its advertising discourse. Sunsilk presents its concept of an ideal woman named as the Sunsilk girl who is young, glamorous, sociable and fun-loving. However, a study of the secondary discourse of Sunsilk‟s advertising discourse shows that Sunsilk creates a stereotypical image of women‟s beauty that promotes fair complexion, straight and frizz free hair, youth, and glamor. The way in which the brand projects its ideal image of woman‟s beauty in its advertisement texts shows how it perceives gender. The ideal woman image as presented in the advertising discourse of Sunsilk is the one that embodies a white skin tone, straight hair, and young age.

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6.3 Data Presentation and Analysis of Domain C- Brand 3: Olivia

Olivia is a cosmetic brand which according to the official website was established in 1982 in Pakistan. It manufactures various beauty products such as bleach creams, body lotions, make-up products, hair dyes etc. and is considered a household name in Pakistan. Olivia is one of the leading cosmetics and beauty care companies in Pakistan. The brand has become a household name in Pakistan owing to the reasonable prices of its products and easy accessibility to the consumers. The brand‟s advertising discourse on internet i.e. on its official website and official Facebook page is analyzed to study how the advertising text producers construct and represent a certain kind of identity or various multi-faceted identities for the brand. For this purpose the linguistic and semiotic patterns used in the advertisement texts of Olivia‟s advertising discourse are examined.

6.3.1 Analysis of Identity Themes in Olivia’s Advertising Discourse

To analyze the linguistic and semiotic features used in the advertising discourse of Olivia, data has been collected from the official Facebook page and official website of the brand. The analysis follows an interpretation of the textual components in the data in the milieu of the social contexts governing the texts. The aim of the analysis of textual elements in the data is to study the patterns and processes of identity construction and representation of the brand in its advertising discourse on internet. The analysis shows certain predominant identity suggestions present in the data which have been discussed and analyzed as under.

6.3.1. i Construction of Professional Identity- Focusing on Reliability and Recognition in Pakistani Beauty Industry

The ways in which a brand represents its professional self as regards its proficiency, skill, expertise and certifications establishes the professional identity of the brand. Highlighting the professional aspects of its identity is significant for the brand in establishing itself as a reliable and trustworthy brand in the consumer circles. Hence, the discourse of advertising is largely used to construct and represent the brand‟s professional identity.

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Similarly, Olivia represents its professional identity in its advertising discourse on internet by presenting itself as a reliable and trustworthy brand in the domain of cosmetics, and also as a preferred choice among the film industry celebrities. Hence, the focus of the brand remains on promoting itself as a preferred and loved brand in the consumer circles, owing to its long term experience and expertise in the field of cosmetics. The appreciation of the brand among film celebrities is demonstrated by the film celebrity endorsements through which the brand demonstrates its recognition in the beauty circles. Hence, it can be stated that a strong focus on presenting the brand as a reliable brand in the beauty industry of Pakistan has been made in the advertising discourse of Olivia.

The reliability among the customers is highlighted by giving a brief history of the brand in the section titled „Olivia at a Glance‟ on the website. The text producers write, „We are one of the leading cosmetics and beauty care products company in Pakistan, established 25 years ago and are currently Market leaders in the Bleach Crème category‟. The text here not only establishes the brand as a reliable brand owing to its vast experience in the field, but also uses certain words and phrases that highlight the power structures in the text. Agency is established in the clause, „We are one of the leading cosmetics and beauty care products company in Pakistan‟. The text producers give the position of authority and influence to the brand by acting as agents of power, thereby establishing the brand‟s identity as an influential, hence a reliable brand. The added information about the „25 years‟ of experience in the field further represents the reliability and trustworthiness of the brand. The whole text quoted in this extract tends to highlight the professional aspects of the brand‟s identity, as the phrase „one of the leading‟, also places the brand among the top rank of cosmetic brands in Pakistan. The text further calls the brand as „Market leaders in the Bleach Crème category‟, hence highlighting the expressive values in the text where the producers use very clear and direct words in proclaiming themselves as market leaders, leaving no doubts in the minds of the readers. The opinion is expressed as a fact by the use of a straightforward declaration, an opinion which has been evaluated through the own set of beliefs of the producers. The text in the section further states, „Our Brand Name “Olivia” is a very recognized and established Brand name in the Industry‟. The phrase „Our brand name

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Olivia‟ shows the producers‟ sense of ownership and pride associated with the brand. The text further asserts the recognition and eminence of the brand in the market circles by declaring the brand name to be „very recognized and established‟ in the domain of beauty industry. This focus on presenting Olivia as a reliable brand in the beauty industry of Pakistan establishes the professional identity of the brand. This aspect of trustworthiness promoted in the advertising discourse of Olivia is based upon the brand‟s affirmation of the claims of quality control made in the advertisement texts. The advertising text producers write on the website, „The qualified chemists at Olivia exhaust all means to ensure that every single batch made is of satisfactory quality before it is sent for packaging‟, thus asserting the high quality maintained while manufacturing the brand‟s beauty products. The phrases „qualified chemists‟, „exhaust all means‟, and „satisfactory quality‟, all lend an implicit authority to the brand as these phrases are positively connoted signifying the amount of care and caution being put to ensure the satisfactory quality of the products being produced by the brand. This focus on representing the brand‟s forte of maintaining quality in the production of its products is what lends an air of skill and expertise to the brand which has been thoroughly endorsed in the advertising discourse of the brand. The advertising discourse of Olivia shows that it focuses on promoting the brand as being the preferred choice among the beauty circles as a significant aspect of its professional identity. This claim of recognition among the beauty conscious people is founded on the brand‟s focus on quality insurance and caution in manufacturing its products. The text producers write on the website, „Therefore all ingredients used in Olivia products are blended with extra care in order to meet the international quality standards. That is why famous professional make-up artists confidently rely on the outstanding range of Olivia products‟. In giving the reason for the reliance of professional make-up artists on Olivia, the text presupposes that the brand‟s products are confidently relied upon by the specialized beauticians. The text establishes a relationship between the „international quality standards‟ of the brand‟s products and its recognition among the „famous professional make-up artists‟. Both these phrases are positively connoted and lend a sense of accreditation and authorization to the brand as the terms used in these phrases such as international quality standards, famous and professional

285 all have associated meaning of excellence and worth. Hence, according to the producers it is due to the high quality of the brand‟s products that it is relied upon by the influential people from the domain of beauty industry. Famous female actors from film industry have been linked with the brand to represent the wide popularity and admiration of the brand among the people from the showbiz industry of Pakistan. Olivia constructs its professional identity by making use of film celebrity endorsements in its advertising discourse. The fact that Olivia‟s products are endorsed by famous movie celebrities is a testament to the brand‟s focus on promoting its certifications by the people well known in the domain of beauty. The aspect of beauty is what is generally associated the most with the movie personalities in Pakistan, especially with the female celebrities. Hence, the movie celebrity endorsements demonstrate the brand‟s recognition in the beauty circles as through these endorsements the brand is presented as a reliable brand in the beauty industry of Pakistan. Consider an example of endorsement by a female Pakistani film actor.

Figure (6.34)

Figure (6.34) has been taken from the website of the brand which shows an image of a famous Pakistani film star named Reema, whose name has been written in the bottom left corner of the image. The celebrity in the picture is seen to be holding a pigeon in her hands and is gazing away from the camera. She is also shown to be wearing jewelry and make up with her hair let loose. The whole image lends a sense of romanticism and fantasy to the text. These aspects of beauty and quixotic romanticism are the trademark of

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Pakistani films. As the brand is a beauty brand and is seen associating with the beauty portrayed in the Pakistani movies, it can be said that the use of celebrities from the Pakistani films is to relate the brand with the Pakistani ideal of beauty. The inscription in the picture that states, „Enhance the beauty of your complexion…‟ is a testament to the fact that the advertising text producers of Olivia relate the brand with the beauty aspects of the movie stars. The inscription urges the audience to increase their beauty by using their beauty products, a beauty which according to the text is all about skin complexion. A study into the meanings of these inscriptions in the backdrop of the socio-cultural contexts in Pakistan tells us a great deal about the way beauty is perceived in Pakistan which is discussed in the section (6.3.1.iii) of this chapter. Coming back to the Pakistani celebrity endorsements let us take another example from the website of Olivia.

Figure (6.35)

Figure (6.35) shows a picture of another Pakistani film celebrity promoting a bleach cream by the brand. The name of the celebrity i.e. Veena is written below her image in order to strongly infer the implied connection between the brand and the beauty image of the celebrity used in the text. Bleach creams are usually considered harsh on the skin owing to their acidic qualities; hence an impression of delicacy has been created in the picture by subtly using the beauty image of the celebrity. The model is seen holding a bunch of white flowers in her hands and is smiling towards the camera. Both her smile and the flowers are meant to add to the sense of delicacy being implied in the whole beauty image in the text which is supposed to be associated with the brand and especially with the bleach cream being advertised here.

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The data shows that all the celebrities used in the advertisement texts of Olivia are either from the film industry of Pakistan or India. Two points are significant to discuss in this regard. First, we see the use only of movie celebrities endorsing the brand in the advertisements. The question arises as to why movie celebrities only? And second, we observe that the celebrities are only from Pakistani and Indian film industries and not from any other country. So the question arises as to why only Indian or Bollywood movie stars have been used alongside the Pakistani film stars in the advertisement texts of Olivia? It can be said that unlike Hollywood where strong acting skills and personalities constitute stardom in the movie industry, in Pakistan and India the focus mainly remains on the beauty aspects of the female actors. India is the neighboring country of Pakistan whose language and culture are quite similar to Pakistan owing to their common socio- cultural historic background before the partition of the Subcontinent in 1947. Hence, though apart from each other, both the countries still have certain common attitudes about the way beauty is perceived in both the countries. Both the countries though being politically hostile to each other are joined together with each other by the film and entertainment industry as productions from the film industries of both these countries are viewed and enjoyed across their respective borders. Figures (6.36) and (6.37) taken from the Facebook page of the brand are an illustration of Indian celebrity endorsement by Olivia.

Figure (6.36)

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Figure (6.37)

Figure (6.36) shows an image of a film celebrity from the Indian film industry known as „Nargis Fakhri‟ whose name has been written at the bottom of the picture. The actor is apparently applying the moisturizing lotion on her face that is being advertised in this piece of text. Figure (6.37) also contains an image of a Bollywood film actor promoting a hair removing cream by Olivia. The picture also contains an image of a clip from one of the movies done by the celebrity. The name of the movie i.e. „Race‟ has also been written on the image to ensure that the audience fully relates the brand with the actor and her professional background and also to imply a certain connection between the actor and the brand. Both these instances shown in figure (6.36) and (6.37) demonstrate how the brand makes use of film actors from across the border to promote its products. As Indian movies are quite enthusiastically watched in Pakistan, the celebrities from Indian film industry are very well known in Pakistan and are admired greatly by the Pakistani audience. Since beauty is a key aspect that determines success or fame of a female celebrity in Pakistan and India, relating the advertisement texts with them through celebrity endorsements makes the brand stand out among the rest of the competing brands in the domain of cosmetics and beauty services. Hence, it can be concluded that Olivia uses film celebrities who are known for their beauty for endorsement purposes to be associated with them and to make the audience relate their beauty attributes to the brand. Being a cosmetic and beauty brand Olivia relies heavily on relating its products with the beauty images created and presented in the discourse of Pakistan and Indian movies. Moreover, to make the beauty products appear more attractive for the audience celebrity endorsement plays a very significant

289 part. Not only does it help the audience to substantiate the brand‟s claims of enhancing physical beauty by relating the celebrities with the brand, it also establishes the brand‟s credibility and reliability in the circles of influence which is crucial to any brand‟s professional identity.

6.3.1. ii Constructing Individual Identity- Highlighting the Nationalistic Aspects of the Brand‟s Personality

The data collected from the website and Facebook page of Olivia shows a certain bent towards the construction and representation of nationalistic identity overtones. The text producers use certain linguistic and semiotic strategies so as to present the brand as a purely Pakistani brand and in doing so somehow neglects the international audience who might view the brand‟s advertisement texts on internet. As discussed earlier in the previous section that the concept of beauty being presented in the advertising discourse of Olivia is the one based on the Pakistani ideals of beauty. Similarly, the data of Olivia is replete with instances of code-mixing and code-switching where the languages keep on changing between English and Urdu. This use and mixing of the national language i.e. Urdu into an otherwise English syntactic structures define the brand‟s recognition of the significance of national language in its endeavor to reach out to more and more Pakistani audience. Not only does the mixing of Urdu enable the brand to reach out to more audience in Pakistan, it also helps to highlights the deep rooted nationalism in the brand‟s ideology which makes it stand out among the other competing brands in the domain of cosmetics and beauty care whose main aim is to represent themselves as being reached out to both the Pakistani as well as the audience worldwide.

The slogan of the brand which is widely used in its advertising discourse is „Olivia Shukria‟. Shukria is an Urdu word which means thank you in English; hence the phrase when translated in English, means „Thank you Olivia‟. The phrase though devised by the text producers of Olivia which is meant to reflect the consumers‟ appreciation for the brand, also presupposes that the brand satisfies the consumers and hence deserves the gratitude of the people. It is significant to note here that the word Shukria is not so commonly used in Pakistan when expressing gratitude rather its English equivalent Thank you is most often used in spoken Urdu even by most of the uneducated people in

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Pakistan. The polite expressions such as sorry, thank you, please, etc. are quite frequently mixed in spoken Urdu, yet the producers chose to design the brand logo in Urdu thereby expressing its desire to be represented as a national brand having national identity orientations. A lot of code-mixing practices have been observed in the data. Numerous text pieces contain the mixing of Urdu and English where English is mostly the primary language in which Urdu words and phrases have been mixed. Moreover, instances of code-switching have also been observed where the text producers switch between both the languages at sentence level. Consider an instance of code- switching in the figure below which has been taken from the Facebook page of the brand.

Figure (6.38)

Figure (6.38) shows an image which contains the inscriptions in English, „Olivia NATURAL SKIN CARE‟ and „Moisturizing & Cleansing Milk‟, whereas the inscription in Urdu is written in the Urdu script which can be written in the roman script as, „khushk mausam mein aik mulaim ehsaas‟, translated as „a soft sensation in dry weather‟ in English. Here we observe the instance of code-switching where after the two phrases in English, Urdu is used thereby showing a switch in the language used in the advertisement text. The sayings in English used in the image promote the product‟s name and distinctive characteristics, whereas the Urdu phrase establishes the utility of the product for the audience. The use of code- switching here is significant as it indicates how the names of the beauty products in Pakistan are always in English and in order to reach out to a wider audience in Pakistan who are not quite familiar with the English language, a

291 switch to Urdu is practiced to further describe the functions of the products being advertised. Figure (6.39) taken from the Facebook page of Olivia further demonstrates the point.

Figure (6.39)

The picture in the figure (6.39) shows an image of a Bollywood celebrity endorsing a product called „Olivia Perfumed Talc‟. Images of various fragrances of the product have also been included in the picture. The inscription describing the product in terms of its utility has been written in Urdu, which reads as „Is ki khushboo mein kho jao‟. The sentence can be translated in English as „lose yourself in its fragrance‟. As discussed earlier that the names of the beauty products are almost always formulated in English no matter how indigenous the target audience or consumers are. However, to reach out to more local audience an Urdu word or statement is often used in the advertisement text. Similarly, in this piece of text the use of Urdu is meant to further describe the quality of intense fragrance of the product to the local audience. Various instances of code-mixing have also been found in the data where words from the Urdu language have been mixed in otherwise English sentences. Consider figure (6.40) for instance.

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Figure (6.40)

Figure (6.40) shows an advertisement text advertising a bleach cream product by Olivia. The picture contains an image of the product being advertised and an image of a Pakistani film celebrity endorsing the product. The inscriptions on the picture are both in English and in Urdu. The title of the picture is the name of the product which is in English and reads as, „Olivia Fruity Bleach Cream‟. The descriptive text is again in Urdu which reads as, „Pehli baar Olivia Fruity Bleach Cream strawberry ke sath‟. The sentence can be translated in English as „for the first time Olivia Fruity Bleach Cream is in strawberry flavor‟. It can be noted here that the words „Fruity‟, „Bleach‟, „Cream‟, and „strawberry‟ mixed in the Urdu syntax are from the English language. It is significant to note here that the English words mixed in the sentence do not have any commonly known equivalents in the Urdu language. The producers have preferred the Urdu statement regradless of the fact that the Urdu counterparts of the mixed words are almost non-existent in spoken Urdu. To overcome that barrier words from the English vocabulary have been used as the general populace in Pakistan are quite well aware of these terms. Another inscription in Urdu included in the picture says, „Jo rang bhar de ap ki zindgi mein‟, translated as „that which fills color in your life‟ in English. Here again an Urdu statement is used to promote the quality and utility of the product in order to reach out to a vast majority of Pakistani audience especially those who are not familiar with the English language. Thus it can be concluded that the text producers‟ preferred language in the advertising discourse is Urdu. This frequent use of the Urdu language in the advertising discourse of Olivia shows the pride of the brand for its national language thus establishing its national identity.

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The brand further represents its national identity through its claims of extensively catering to the Pakistani consumers. In the section titled, „Company History‟ on the website the producers write, „Olivia also brought on board a professional cosmetologist to develop formulae for new products, suitable for the climatic conditions of Pakistan and its people‟. Here the text producers give agency to the Pakistani audience as they enjoy the position of power when being extensively catered to by the brand. The producers realize the effects of respective climatic conditions on the skins of people using beauty products. Keeping in mind the skin tone needs of its Pakistani consumers, the brand claims to have hired a professional cosmetologist for formulating new beauty care products that are highly suitable for their skins. This focus on specifically catering to the skin needs of Pakistani consumers shows that the main target consumers and audience of the brand are Pakistanis, which also represents the national identity intimations of the brand. Unlike the other two cosmetic brands selected for analysis i.e. Lux and Sunsilk that do not share anything related to national and cultural events celebrated in Pakistan, Olivia shares various posts related to the events happening in the national spheres of life on its Facebook page. This further strengthens the claim that Olivia reflects its nationalistic identity orientations more than the other two brands. Many different texts are shared by Olivia that correspond to its national identity orientations. Consider figure (6.41) in this regard.

Figure (6.41)

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Figure (6.41) is a picture shared on the Facebook page of the brand after the tragic terrorist attack that took the lives of more than one hundred and thirty students of an army school in Peshawar Pakistan. The inscriptions on the picture that read, „BLACK DAY 16- 12-2014‟ and „#PeshawarAttack‟, establish the context for sharing the picture. The use of the black color in the background in the picture is significant in expressing the grief of the brand as the color black is considered to be the color of mourning in Pakistan. This incident has been an issue of serious national concern in Pakistan and the fact that Olivia chooses to empathize with the tragic event in its advertising discourse represents the nationalistic side of its personality. Hence, we see references to various issues and events of national concerns in the advertising discourse of Olivia which is something we didn‟t observe in the data of the other two cosmetic brands studied in this work, i.e. Lux and Sunsilk. Hence, Olivia seems more national identity oriented than Lux and Sunsilk. Not only this incident mentioned above but many other events and occasions of national concern find a way in the advertising discourse of Olivia. Consider figure (6.42) in this regard that has been shared on the Facebook page of the brand to celebrate the independence day of Pakistan with the brand‟s advertising texts audience.

Figure (6.42)

Figure (6.42) is an image shared by Olivia on its Facebook page to rejoice in the celebrations of Pakistan‟s Independence Day celebrated by Pakistanis on 14th August every year with much enthusiasm. Celebrating the independence day of Pakistan on its Facebook page by sharing posts related to the day lends a nationalistic facade to the brand‟s identity. The picture shows an image of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah,

295 the founder of Pakistan and an inscription in Urdu which states „Meri pehchan Pakistan‟ translated as „Pakistan is my identity‟ in English. The producers forthrightly proclaim the brand to be having an identity deeply entrenched in nationalism. Moreover, the fact that the statement has been written in Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, further highlights the association of the brand with its country. As one‟s national language is the core of one‟s identity, choosing to use Urdu in declaring the true nationalistic identity of the brand is a significant linguistic strategy. The text also contains the inscription „14th August A Day of Freedom‟ which further endorses the love of the brand for its country. 14th August is important for the Pakistanis as it marks the day when in 1947 the Muslims of the Subcontinent got freedom from the British rule. Hence, it can be concluded from the data analysis that Olivia remembers national events and national figures in its advertisement discourse to mark its national identity. Moreover, using Pakistani celebrities in the advertisement texts, focusing on the Pakistani ideals of beauty, and an extensive use of the national language i.e. Urdu through code- mixing and code-switching also highlight the national implications of Olivia‟s identity.

6.3.1. iii Creating a Beauty Narrative- A Study into Feminine Identity Construction

The study of advertising discourse of Olivia has given insights into the ways beauty and gender is perceived in Pakistan. As Olivia has remained true to presenting an adherence to its nationalistic side, it has created advertisements based on the Pakistani socio-cultural contexts. As the texts are created based on their socio-cultural perspectives and on the suitability for the Pakistani audience, the narrative of beauty created in its advertising discourse is reflective of the Pakistani ideals of beauty. The kind of beauty ideals or narrative created in the advertisement texts of Olivia show what is considered to be beautiful in Pakistan. All the advertisement texts by Olivia as seen in the data portray a certain image of women that has been made desirable by certain linguistic techniques. The advertisements by Olivia show a representation of certain stereotypical aspects of physical beauty such as fair complexion, glowing skin, delicacy, youthful appearance, slimness etc. such advertisements create a narrative about the ideal features of a woman‟s beauty.

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The advertisement texts of Olivia show that there is a great emphasis on increasing the beauty of women which is exclusively dependent on fair complexion of skin. A slogan by the brand „Fairness within your reach‟ presents fairness to be a desirable attribute and a goal to be achieved. By informing the audience that through a fairness product by Olivia, they can find fairness in their reach, the slogan presupposes that fairness is something that is the most desirable quality in a woman and it should be achieved at any cost. Figure (6.43) shows the focus of the brand‟s advertising discourse on the promotion of a fair skin.

Figure (6.43)

Figure (6.43) shows an image of a female model who is apparently applying the whitening cream being advertised on her face. The inscription on the picture states, „NOW INTRODUCING Olivia Whitening Cream- FLAWLESS FAIRNESS IN JUST 15 DAYS‟. The brand claims to deliver a flawless fairness to the consumers who use the product in a time as short as fifteen days. Alliteration is used in the phrase flawless fairness to focus the audience‟s attention on the text. The fact that the brand manufactures whitening creams is in itself a reflection into the beauty narrative prevalent in the Pakistani society in which the fair complexion of skin is hailed as a sign of beauty. Advertising about these whitening products further strengthens these beauty ideals predominant in the society. Not only are the whitening creams manufactured by the brand, it also produces bleach creams which tend to whiten the skin tone owing to the use of certain chemicals in their production. Promoting a bleach cream on their Facebook page the text producers write, „Olivia Herbal Bleach Crème... The natural way to

297 fairness‟, thus urging the audience in believing that fairness or white skin tone is something that is most desirable and should be sought after. For those audience who believe that harmful chemicals constitute the fairness products, the brand text producers use the words „herbal‟ and „natural‟ to culminate the fear of the audience about the presence of chemicals in fairness products. Another desirable aspect of beauty as presented in the advertising discourse of Olivia is glowing skin. In a picture shared on the Facebook page the text producers define beauty in terms of glow. Consider figure (6.44) in this regard.

Figure (6.44)

Figure (6.44) shows a picture of a female celebrity looking straight into camera with a confident gaze. The model is young and has a fair skin tone which further becomes prominent by her white dress in contrast with her black hair. The inscription on the picture states, „Olivia- Beauty is an experience, nothing else. It is something felt, a glow‟. The text here relates beauty with glow and defines beauty as an attitude, something that can be felt and experienced. When the text is viewed in relation to the image of the model included in the picture an implicit link is established between beauty, youth, fair complexion and glowing skin. Hence, a certain beauty narrative is constructed in the advertising discourse of Olivia which presents beauty to be lying in white complexion, youthful appearance and a glowing skin. Numerous instances in the data have been found in which a glowing skin is considered to be the beauty standard. Figure (6.45) taken from the Facebook page of the brand is an example.

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Figure (6.45)

The picture in figure (6.45) shows an image of a young female celebrity wearing a pink colored dress and gazing straight into camera. The model has a white skin tone and the light pink shades of make-up that compliments the color theme of her pink dress, enhance the glow on her face, giving her a soft and subtle look. The advertisement is basically of a hand and body lotion which more than anything else has been claimed to give a glowing skin. The inscriptions in the picture include the name of the product being advertised i.e. „Olivia Hand & Body Lotion‟, a caption in the topic position that reads, „Acquire the Natural Glow!‟, and an inscription below the title stating, „Make your presence felt and enhance the natural glow within you. Enriched with Aloe Vera, Olive Oil and Vitamin E, it gives the perfect embrace to your skin‟. Though the text talks about enhancing the „glow within‟, it actually refers to the outer skin glow which essentially makes one‟s presence felt in a social circle according to the beauty narrative created by Olivia in its advertising discourse. The text here establishes a connection between a strong presence of noticeable effect and a glowing skin by relating an impressive personality of influence to a glowing skin. The use of the phrase „natural glow‟ is significant here as the word natural when ascribed to any cosmetic being advertised in Pakistan adds to the perception of genuineness and harmlessness of the product in the audience. The text further includes the names of certain natural elements such as „Aloe Vera‟, Olive Oil‟ and „Vitamin E‟ that are claimed to be the constituents of the product, which further lends authenticity to the product in the eyes of the audience. The inscription at the bottom of the picture reads, „Olivia… your skin‟s desire‟. In persuading the audience in believing that Olivia is their skin‟s desire the brand‟s text

299 producers hint at the need of using whitening products by Olivia. According to the beauty standards set in the brand‟s advertising discourse, it is all about the desire to be white, glowing, youthful, and appealing. A sense of deprivation is generated in the women audience by making them believe that they are not anything close to what is considered as desirable and that what is beautiful is still out of their reach. The advertising discourse creates a narrative which makes women believe that the real beauty lies in the images portrayed in the advertisements and that is what they start desiring for themselves. An example of a piece of text from the data where the text producers write, „The exclusive beauty care treatment to give you the looks you‟ve always desired‟, further highlights this point. In this statement again the women audiences are made to believe that they are not satisfied with their looks and that they desire something even better than what they presently have as regards their beauty. Expressive values in the text are highlighted as the producers express their views in an assertive manner and not leaving any doubts in the minds of the readers about the claim being made. This tone of certainty gives the brand an inherent authority. The degree of certainty by which the claim of providing an ultimate beauty care treatment has been made lends a position of power to the brand. The brand acts as an agent of power whereas the audience is the one who is looking towards the brand to be uplifted in spirits by an enhancement of their beauty which will be done by the brand‟s whitening products. According to Olivia‟s advertising discourse looking beautiful is essential in order to look attractive and to appear appealing to others especially to men. In figure (6.46), taken from the website of the brand, the producers highlight the benefits of being beautiful.

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Figure (6.46)

Figure (6.46) shows an image of a young female model dressed in white standing among a group of men at a party. The men in the picture are shown to be in awe of the beauty of the woman standing among them. The woman is gazing into the camera confidently and is seen comfortable in the position she is currently in. The inscription in the picture states, „Olivia- For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it‟. The word beauty has been personified in the image of the woman in the picture who is enjoying the admiration and attention of men directed towards her. If we look closely at the image to see what kind of beauty image has been created in the picture we observe that beauty as defined in the text in both its linguistic and semiotic considerations is something that is white or fair complexioned, has a glowing skin and a youthful appearance, and is feminine. The text also suggests that the need to seek beauty and to look beautiful never goes to waste as beauty is always admired by those who have an eye for it. The advertisement hence presents the social benefits of using the products of the brand, the most important one of which is male approval and success in the romantic endeavors all owing to a fairer skin. The findings of the analysis indicate that the desire to look beautiful and attractive has been made the only priority of women in the advertising discourse of the brand. Hence, it can be concluded that beauty according to the beauty discourse of Olivia lies in a fair complexion, a glowing skin and a youthful image. Numerous references to fair skin as a much sought after attribute among women in Pakistan have been made in the data. The beauty narrative created by the brand places the fair skin well above any other attribute in a woman that makes her beautiful, confident and desirable.

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6.3.2 Conclusion of the Section: Domain C- Brand 3

The findings indicate that the advertising text producers of the brand represent the professional identity of the brand by focusing on representing it as a reliable brand which is well recognized in the beauty industry of Pakistan especially in the film industry of Pakistan whose chief focus is generally on the beauty aspects of the actors rather than on their acting skills. The brand uses celebrities from the film worlds of Pakistan and India for endorsement purposes in order to demonstrate its recognition in the beauty circles. This focus on reliability and recognition among the beauty circles constitute the main part of the brand‟s professional identity. The fact that Olivia‟s products are advertised by eminent film celebrities is a testament to the brand‟s emphasis on promoting its endorsements by celebrities who are quite renowned in the domain of beauty. As the aspect of beauty is what is associated the most with the film actors in Pakistan, the brand‟s associations with these celebrities make the audience relate their beauty aspects with the brand. Not only do the film celebrity endorsements help the viewers to substantiate the brand‟s claims of enhancing physical beauty by relating the celebrities with the brand, it also establishes the brand‟s credibility and reliability in the circles of influence which is vital for any brand‟s professional identity.

Being a Pakistani brand that is a manufacturer and retailer of beauty products of low prices and easy availability across Pakistan Olivia shows a certain bent towards the construction and representation of national identity. The brand has been presented as a purely Pakistani brand by its focus on catering mainly to the Pakistani audience in its advertising discourse by using numerous instances of code-mixing and code-switching where we see an excessive use of Pakistan‟s national language Urdu. The brand further represents its national identity through its proclamations of exclusively catering to the Pakistani consumers. This emphasis on explicitly catering to the skin needs of Pakistani consumers demonstrates that the main target audience of its advertisements and the main target consumers of its products are Pakistanis, which also represents the national identity implications of the brand. As Olivia displays a certain bent towards the nationalistic side of its identity, it has generated advertisement texts based on the Pakistani socio-cultural perspectives.

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Hence, the narrative of beauty created in its advertising discourse is reflective of the Pakistani ideals of beauty thus giving insights into the ways beauty and gender is perceived in Pakistan. The beauty image constructed in the advertising discourse of Olivia is based on certain stereotypical aspects of beauty such as fair complexion, glowing skin, youthful appearance, slenderness etc. Therefore, it can be concluded that as the brand relies on the Pakistani ideals of beauty in promoting its beauty products, the advertising discourse of Olivia reflects the beauty ideals prevalent in Pakistan. Not only does the brand reflect the beauty standards prevalent in Pakistan it also creates a certain beauty narrative which is yet again distributed in the society through its advertisements thereby strengthening those beauty ideals. Focus on skin bleach and whiteness as a standard of beauty reflects the impacts of colonialism. The advertising discourse of Olivia with its focus on idealizing women with white complexion shows that it is marketing the age-old beauty myth that beauty lies in white skin tone. This media glorification of fair skin by equating whiteness with beauty has only strengthened Pakistan‟s cultural obsession with fair skin over time. White skin has a colonial notion of power and superiority. The preoccupation with fairness as evident in the media stems from the institutions of colonialism and global White supremacy. What is ironic here is that while the cosmetic brands claim to empower women in their advertising discourse, they are all the more making them weak in strengthening their obsession with fairer skin tones by selling the idea that women with fairer skins are more desirable.

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6.4 Conclusion of the Chapter: An Overview of the Identity Construction Practices and Patterns of Cosmetic Brands

The analysis shows that all the three brands selected in the domain of cosmetics and beauty products characterize a certain professional identity for themselves, each having a focus on a different aspect. Lux represents its professional identity by focusing on celebrity endorsements. Famous personalities from the entertainment industry of Pakistan which includes showbiz and fashion have been linked with the brand to represent its widespread eminence among the famous celebrities of Pakistan. To increase the market value of the brand the advertising text producers of the brand promote celebrity endorsements in its advertising discourse. Celebrity endorsement is an effective advertising strategy which is extensively used by Lux to attract the audience as generally the certifications by well-known celebrities persuade the audience in buying the products being advertised. Celebrities used in advertisements of Lux are famous personalities from TV and fashion industry such as actors, fashion designers, fashion models, hairstylists etc. Sunsilk on the other hand uses only experts from the field of fashion for endorsement purposes which means that only those recognized personalities from the fashion industry of Pakistan are used to promote the brand in its advertisements who are considered to be the specialists and experts in their field. This association with only the experts highlights the brand‟s desire to associate itself with the skill and expertise of those specialists. Unlike, the brand Lux that uses actors, hairstylists, and fashion models, Sunsilk mainly uses experts from the beauty and hair care industry. Associations with these certified people help the brand to construct its identity as an expert and proficient brand, thus representing the professional identity of the brand. As regards professional identity of the brand Olivia, it is chiefly constructed by the text producers‟ focus on representing its reliability and recognition in the beauty circles. For this purpose female celebrities from the film world of Pakistan and its neighboring country India have been used. As the female actors from both these countries are usually recognized because of their beauty, using them for endorsement purposes makes the audience to associate the brand with their beauty aspects. Moreover, the advertisements by the famous film actors who are known for their beauty establishes the brand‟s recognition among the beauty circles of

304 influence. Hence, we see that all the three cosmetic brands use celebrity endorsements with slightly different slants from each other for representing their professional identity. As regards the construction and representation of individual identity it is observed that all the three brands have a different focus. Lux displays a strong inclination to the world of fashion by using celebrities from the fields of showbiz and fashion and also by organizing various fashion events. Though it is basically a beauty soap brand it relies heavily on promoting its association with the world of fashion in Pakistan. Sunsilk on the other hand, represents its individual identity by identifying with youth and catering to them by advising them about fashion statements and lessons on life. All the themes depicted in the advertisements of Sunsilk are related to youth which highlights the youth identity orientations of the brand thus distinguishing it from other competing brands of the same domain. On the contrary Olivia constructs its individual identity by portraying nationalistic associations in its advertising discourse. Not only does it represent its national identity through its declarations of exclusively catering to the Pakistani consumers, it exhibits an excessive use of Pakistan‟s national language i.e. Urdu in its advertising discourse. Moreover, the beauty ideals portrayed in the advertisements are based on the beauty narratives prevalent in Pakistan which further gives insight into the ways beauty and femininity is perceived in Pakistan. Besides relying on the beauty narrative predominant in the country, Olivia also constructs its own narrative of beauty which is largely based on certain stereotypical aspects of beauty such as fair complexion, glowing skin, youthful appearance, slimness etc. The fact that only female models are used in the advertisement texts of Olivia shows that the beauty narrative created by the brand is the one that is chiefly based on the feminine aspects of beauty. Hence, according to the findings of the data, Olivia‟s beauty ideals comprise of femininity, white or fair complexion, glowing skin and youth. As regards the woman image constructed by Lux, it is strong, bold, confident, glamorous and stylish. For Lux women are all about femininity, self-assuredness, poise and strength. Portraying a glamorous and bold image of a Lux girl in its advertising discourse shows the gender identity suggestions of the brand that associate beauty with feminine simultaneously projecting women as strong individuals. On the other hand, the findings indicate that though Sunsilk portrays an ideal woman as stylish, desirable, outgoing and

305 high-spirited, a study of the secondary discourse of the brand‟s advertising discourse demonstrates that a stereotypical image of woman‟s beauty is created which endorses fair or white complexion of skin, straight and frizz free hair, youthful appearance, and appeal. Hence, it can be concluded that the study of advertising discourse of selected brands from the domain of cosmetics and beauty products has given some useful insights into the ways identity is created and exemplified in advertising discourse. As the brands are closely related to the domain of beauty, a special focus on the associations of the brands with beauty, fashion and style has been observed in the advertising discourse of all the three brands. The findings show that the advertising discourse of the brands use both the linguistic and semiotic elements including images, vocabulary items, subject matter and themes, etc. These linguistic and semiotic elements relate the brand to the socio-cultural frameworks of the text production processes in an attempt to generate an identity for the brand that makes it unique and relatable to the audience of the texts.

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CHAPTER 7

KEY FINDINGS- SOME ADDITIONAL INTERPRETATIONS

7.1 Introduction to the Chapter

The present research aims at studying the processes of identity construction and representation of brands on internet through the analysis and interpretation of linguistic and semiotic features in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. The data for this purpose is collected from the official websites and official Facebook profiles of nine brands and is analyzed under various sections in chapters 4, 5 and 6. The data is presented, analyzed and interpreted domain wise in these chapters. However, a more holistic picture of the processes and practices of identity construction and representation in the world of cyber advertisements is obtained through a broader interpretation of the data. The current chapter presents some key findings obtained from data analysis and their additional interpretations by bringing together the strands of the conclusions obtained from data analysis of the selected brands and giving further insights into the advertisement practices in Pakistan in terms of identity construction, reflections into Pakistani society, perceptions related to certain sociological events/realities prevalent in Pakistan. In other words, this chapter presents some key findings that are important in understanding various linguistic and socio-cultural implications in relation to the Pakistani discourse of advertising.

7.2 Bringing the Strands Together: Reflections on the Key Findings

The interpretation of the identity construction processes practiced by various brands in Pakistan through the discourse of advertising in the present study shows the ways in

307 which different brands in Pakistan construct a desired image and identity for themselves using certain linguistic features in their advertising discourse. The analysis of data focuses on analyzing the linguistic and semiotic features used to create certain themes in the advertising content of these brands. The themes as studied during the analysis include the themes of nationalism, professionalism, individualism, gender, youth, modernism, traditionalism etc. The conclusions drawn from data analysis of each brand are discussed domain wise in the respective chapters. However, to give a comprehensive and holistic picture of the conclusions drawn from the data of the selected brands, this section brings together the strands of conclusions for a comprehensive understanding of the findings.

The analysis is based on incorporating the parameters designed for the current research (Sec. 3.8, Table: 4) into Fairclough‟s (1989) three dimensional model of CDA which includes the description of linguistic and semiotic features of the text, an interpretation of the processes of production of texts and the situational frameworks in which the texts are produced, including the aims and objectives of the text producers and the context of the text production. The model also includes explanation of the social dimensions in which the texts have been produced thus relating the data to its socio- cultural contexts. The analysis including the description and interpretation of the textual content of the advertising discourse of these brands exhibits how a unique identity is constructed for the brand by the advertising text producers. Further the explanation of the social contexts of the text production processes of these brands reveals that the textual features such as the linguistic and semiotic components and the thematic aspects in the data relate the brand to the socio-cultural contexts thus creating a certain identity for the brand that makes it more identifiable and distinguishable to the audience.

7.2.1 Common Identity Themes The findings of the analysis show that the main focus of the clothing brands remains on using the theme of style; the food brands focus more on representing the themes of health and family; whereas, the cosmetic brands focus a great deal on using the themes of beauty, youth and style in their advertising discourse. This shows that the text producers desire to create a certain identity as suited for the brands by using different themes in the advertising discourse focusing on the aspects that are usually attributed to the brands of

308 certain domains. However, there are certain identity themes that are common in the advertising discourse of certain brands irrespective of the different domains to which they belong. A common identity theme that is present in the advertising discourse of brands from the domains of clothing and food is nationalism. Reflecting love for the country on special national events through advertisement content on websites and Facebook pages is a common practice of these brands. However, in the domain of cosmetics, other than the brand Olivia, the other two cosmetic brands selected in the present study do not show any such inclination in their advertising content. The focus remains on the themes of beauty and youth throughout the advertising discourse of all the selected brands from the domain of cosmetics. In Pakistan, beauty care and whitening products are used very commonly by both males and females, though the number of female users is more than that of the males, which shows that the people especially women in Pakistan are quite concerned about their beauty. Owing to the beauty concerns and priorities of the general public regarding beauty products, the cosmetic brands focus more on creating an identity based on beauty and youth.

7.2.2 Individual Identity Themes

Speaking of the individualities, it is found that there is a unique aspect of identity in every brand despite having a mutual aspect of identity found in the brands belonging to the common domains. This unique aspect of identity differentiates the brand from other competing brands of the same or different domains. For instance, J. from the domain of clothing focused on identifying itself as a traditional yet modern brand; NL focused more on exhibiting itself as a stylish and trendy brand; whereas, Khaadi focuses on constructing its professional identity through the declarations of its global collaborations and extension policies. Similarly, the brands from the domain of food although construct a common identity of being health conscious brands for themselves, yet have certain individualities which make them stand out among the rest of the food brands. For instance, the advertising text producers of NFL construct the brand‟s unique identity by focusing on Pakistani culture orientations and by relating the brand with the Pakistani culture.

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Whereas, Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee reflects its uniqueness by representing itself as a health conscious brand that focuses more on the health and well-being of its customers. Qarshi Food and Beverages on the other hand, constructs its unique identity by representing itself as a socially responsible association that endeavors to participate in various social cause events providing relief to calamity struck people in Pakistan. As regards the unique aspects of identity of the brands from the domain of cosmetics, it is found that all the three brands selected from the domain of cosmetics and beauty products have a certain individual identity for themselves that focuses on distinctive aspects. Lux, for instance, represents its uniqueness by focusing on celebrity endorsements in its advertising discourse by linking famous personalities from the showbiz and fashion industries of Pakistan. Despite being a beauty soap brand, it depends heavily on promoting its associations with the world of fashion in Pakistan by using fashion celebrity endorsements to signify its widespread renown among the celebrated personalities of Pakistan. Sunsilk on the other hand, identifies more with the young people by addressing the youth in its advertising content, catering to them by recommending fashion statements and lessons on life to them, thus constructing its youth identity. The third brand Olivia creates its individual identity by focusing the most on representing its nationalistic overtones in its advertising discourse by declaring to be exclusively addressing the Pakistani consumers and by excessively using Pakistan‟s national language „Urdu‟ in its advertising discourse. Hence, it can be concluded from the findings of data analysis that the description of the textual features in the advertising discourse of the selected brands, the interpretation of the text production procedures, and explanation of the social frameworks governing the text production practices demonstrate the ways in which the advertising text producers of the respective brands create a desired identity for the brand that serves as a mark of identification and recognition for the brands in the marketing circles.

7.3 Key Findings- Additional Insights

A broader understanding of data gives a more holistic picture of the identity construction and representation practices and processes in the world of online advertising. An extensive interpretation of data analysis has provided further understandings into the

310 discourse practices in Pakistan as regards identity construction, reflections into Pakistani socio-cultural norms and practices, perceptions regarding various sociological realities existing in Pakistan. This section provides some significant additional insights to the key findings that are helpful in understanding certain linguistic and socio-cultural intimations in relation to the discourse of advertising in Pakistan. Findings related to linguistic and socio-cultural implications in terms of Pakistani discourse of advertising are as follows:

7.3.1 Linguistic Trends in Pakistani Discourse of Advertising

Pakistan is a multilingual country where many different languages are spoken. Where Urdu is the national language, many other regional languages are also spoken in Pakistan. English language enjoys the status of being the language of educated in Pakistan owing to the prestige factor attached to it due to the colonial background history in the region. English is taught as a second language in Pakistan and is the medium of instruction in the private schools. Since English is considered to be the language of the learned and has a status of being the language of prestige in Pakistan, it is usually witnessed as being the primary language in the media of Pakistan. Thus, it can be said that the base language in the Pakistani media is often English with instances of code-mixing and code- switching in the texts. Similarly, it has been observed in the data selected for the current research that all the brands from the three different domains use English language as the base language in their advertising discourse. The inscriptions on the pictures, inscriptions in captions to pictures, linguistic forms used on the websites and Facebook, all show the use of English language as the primary language. However, many instances of code-mixing and switching have also been observed in the data. The practices of these instances of code-mixing and code-switching are done for a number of reasons. Firstly, code-mixing is done to construct a national identity by using words from the native language where certain meanings need to be created. The data contains numerous references to Urdu words that have specific connotations. For instance, words such as „azaadi‟, „Rasm-o- Rivaj‟, „Meri pehchan Pakistan‟, translated as „independence’, „cultural traditions’, and „Pakistan is my identity‟ respectively in English, have strong connotations of nationalism and love for the country. There are numerous other instances in the advertising discourse of the selected brands that are used to communicate a specific meaning to the audience.

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This practice of using words from the native language i.e. Urdu into an otherwise English sentence displays a significant method of constructing a certain identity. Besides using these instances of language mixing for the purpose of national identity construction, these instances are also used to construct other types of identities such as professional, individual, cultural etc. depending upon the desired image or identity by the brand producers. The advertising media uses the practices of code-mixing and code-switching in its discourse to a large extent, thus affecting the ways in which language speaking skills are perceived in Pakistan. Rasul (2009) has pointed at the role of media in affecting the code-mixing practices which are greatly being increased due to media communications. Mixing of English and Urdu has become a trend in Pakistani discourse of advertising, thus affecting the linguistic practices of people in Pakistan, who are now generally being witnessed as using a kind of a hybrid language having components both from the English and Urdu languages.

7.3.2 Creating Desired Images through Discourse of Advertising- Issues of Persuasion and Influence

The discourse of advertising over the years has taken a form of social discourse, as El- daly also (2011) calls advertising as “a social discourse with rhetorical force” (p. 26). What this implies is that advertising discourse is forceful, dynamic, and powerful. Powerful enough to influence the social realities within the contexts in which it is produced and consumed or circulated. Advertising discourse is a kind of discourse which is the result of planning. It is with careful deliberation that the advertisement texts are created by the producers. Hence, advertising discourse serves as a primary tool of identity construction for the brand or the products being advertised.

The findings of the present work show that advertising discourse serves as a platform for various brands to construct their identity. Creating a desired image for the brand is important for the producers to influence the readers/audience. A desired image is created in the advertisement texts, which is aimed at relating the brand with the audience. Creation of the desired identity for the brand is significant in affecting the consumption patterns of the audience and influencing them to buy the commodities being advertised.

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The analysis focused on examining various identities as created by the brands. The multi- faceted identities as created by the brands include professional identity, individual identity, national identity, gender identity, religious identity, socio-cultural identity etc. All these aspects of identity are constructed through various linguistic devices used in the advertisement texts. Examining these identities and trying to place this process of identity construction in the milieu of advertising world, it is observed that creating a certain image of the brand is essential to influence the audience in persuading them to consume the advertised products. But how does the practice of creating desired image affect the issues of persuasion and influence? The following paragraphs of this section tend to answer this question. Constructing a certain kind of identity enables the producers to place the brand in the relational contexts with the audience. Presenting the nationalistic side, professional self, gender implications, eastern or western associations, or global affiliations, lends a kind of a personality to the brand, which aims at influencing the audience in relating themselves with the brand and subsequently affecting their consumption patterns. Representation of diverse identity forms have been observed in the data of the present work. None of the brands represents only one aspect of identity. All demonstrate various multi-faceted identities, which is an effective advertising strategy, used to relate the brand image with a larger audience. Some of the audiences identify with the nationalism of a brand, some with its eastern or western inclinations; some may acknowledge a brand‟s modernism, while some appreciate its cultural associations. Hence, the identities created on internet through projecting certain images of the brands help to promote and sell the brand image to a wider circle of audience. The power of advertising discourse influencing the consumption patterns of consumers can never be undermined. A gradual yet great increase in the consumption practices has been observed in Pakistan with an upsurge of brands in the country and an increase in the advertising networks of these brands. With the rise of internet providing companies in Pakistan, internet services are available in almost every household in the major cities of the country. Since access to web portals is now made convenient, people spend a significant amount of time surfing the internet. In such a growing network of online users, brand producers have shifted their advertisement channels more towards

313 online modes of media. As people view advertisements of these brands all the time, they get influenced by the advertisement texts and start desiring to purchase services or products being advertised in the media texts. This type of successful marketing has consequently led to an increase in the number of brands in Pakistan over the years, ultimately increasing the consumership in the country.

7.3.3 Reflections into Pakistani Socio- Cultural Traditions

Discourse does not exist in isolation, rather it is created within social contexts and reflects the norms of the society in which it is produced and circulated. Advertising discourse is also a reflection of the society in which it is produced and consumed. Similarly, in the data collected for the present work, certain socio-cultural norms and traditions find expression. The advertising discourse of the selected brands depicts certain deep-rooted belief systems in the Pakistani society. Though the purpose of analysis was to study the patterns and processes of identity construction and representation of various brands, the data however, gave insights to the socio-cultural norms of the Pakistani society which are worth discussing in order to provide some additional insights related to the findings of the analysis.

The data shows how the concepts of fashion, nationalism, modernism, traditions, culture, religion, gender etc. are perceived in the country. As Pakistan is a multilingual, multi-cultural country, its socio-cultural norms are diverse in nature. The findings from the insights related to the major themes are presented as under.

7.3.3. i Addressing Nationalism

Nationalism offers a sense of belonging that is connected with a nation‟s language, culture, religion, or ethnicities. Pakistan was created in 1947 after years of freedom struggle by Muslim political leaders and common people of the Subcontinent. A demand for a separate homeland was made on the basis of Two Nations Theory which emphasized the socio-cultural and religious differences between the two major religious groups in the region i.e. Muslims and Hindus. Ever since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the Pakistanis have demonstrated their love of homeland on nationalistic fronts.

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Nationalism in Pakistan has always been valued and most Pakistanis take pride in their nationality. The advertisers in Pakistan make use of this patriotic inclination of the common people and thus very frequently project the theme of nationalism in their advertising discourse. The national identity as constructed by the brands demonstrates the importance of nationalism for the people in Pakistan. Due to the long history of colonialism, the people of this region value independence which is apparent from the textual content updates in the advertising discourse of these brands in times of national concerns. For instance, the data shows that the brands have updated their advertisement content in connection to Independence Day celebrations to show their love for their homeland. What is noteworthy here is that almost all the brands remembered to celebrate this day with audience by creating texts depicting their national associations. Moreover, references to other issues of national concern in the advertising discourse of the brands such as the days celebrated in memory of the wars fought, birth and/or death anniversaries of national figures etc. also reflect nationalistic intimations of the brands, thereby reflecting the value of nationalism in the country. What is significant to note here is that though the brands take various inspirations from the West as regards fashion and style, their identity centers on their deeply rooted nationalism. Hence, a very obvious merging of east with west can be seen in the advertising discourse of Pakistan, but no complete adherence to the West has been promoted in the advertising discourse.

7.3.3. ii Addressing Fashion and Style

The concept of fashion and style as studied in the advertising discourse of brands reflects the trends followed in the country as regards styling preferences. As regards fashion trends in Pakistan, the data shows a variety of trends. There is an inclination towards a diverse range of styles such as western, eastern, contemporary, amalgamation of eastern with western, merging of tradition with style, etc. The data shows that mostly these fashion trends are followed by the youth especially by women in Pakistan. With an exception of only one brand, i.e. J., the models used in advertisements of clothing brands are mostly females and the brands produce and advertise mostly for women. Hence, it can be concluded that mostly the young women in Pakistan are the followers of fashion

315 trends that range over a variety of styles. This finding presents an altogether different image of Pakistani women than the one being presented by the media around the world which shows Pakistani women to be „burqa-clad‟, oppressed, and subservient. The images in data on the other hand present a very strong and modern image of Pakistani women who are trend setters in fashion. Although a lot of women still are deprived of certain social benefits, yet the advertising discourse of the brands present the other facet of reality mostly unknown to the world. As advertising discourses of a nation are deeply embedded in the socio-cultural contexts, this representation of women with special reference to their styles, modernity and outgoing personas indicate that how women are generally perceived in Pakistan. Not only is the advertising discourse a creator of social meanings, they are also reflective of the existing social realities. No doubt there still are some regions in Pakistan where women are deprived of individual and social liberties, the mainstream media however more often tends to project the image of women who are strong, educated and modern. Moreover, the very trend of the emerging fashion brands in Pakistan is reflective of the Pakistani women‟s desire and increasing purchasing power to follow the latest trends in fashion and style. Further discussion related to gender representation in Pakistani discourse of advertising is presented in section (7.3.3. iv) dealing primarily with gender intimations in the data.

7.3.3. iii Addressing Socio-cultural Norms

The advertising discourse of the selected brands reflects the dominant socio-cultural norms in Pakistan. Since the selected brands are from clothing, food, and cosmetic domains, the data chiefly represents the trends prevalent in these three domains in the country. However, as advertising discourse reflects social realities of the contexts in which it is produced, reflection of many socio-cultural norms finds its way in the data. The images portrayed in the texts show an inclination towards a family oriented life style. Families live together and are respectful toward one another. The texts in the data of the food brands specifically create an image of an ideal happy family, which consists of a married couple, their parents, and their children all living together with the bonds of love and respect. This image is a reflection of typical Pakistani family, a phenomenon that is observed in most of the households. Love of food is another aspect

316 that resonates with the idea of families eating together on a table which is a customary tradition in Pakistan. Moreover, the images in the data of food brands show the wife or the mother cooking in the kitchen, looking after the children, preparing dinner tables, etc. for the whole family. This also is a reflection into the Pakistani society where women generally play the role of a housewife. Even if they are working and earning outside of their houses, it is expected of them to look after their houses as well. Hence, it can be said that the advertising discourse of the selected brands reflects the prevalent socio-cultural norms in the society. References to other socio-cultural traditions that find their way in the advertising discourse of the selected brands are Pakistani weddings, lavish dinners, traditional dresses, religious festivals etc. all these references as found in the data create a certain desired identity for the brand, likewise reflecting the socio-cultural norms existing in the Pakistani society. Embedding the advertising discourse in the socio-cultural traditions makes the brand more identifiable to the audience and hence advertising in Pakistan is not treated as simply a way of persuading people to buy a product or service, but as appealing to people‟s sense of who they are, based on shared values within a community of audience sharing the same socio-cultural contexts.

7.3.3. iv Addressing Gender

The images in the data show a very strong and powerful image of women in Pakistan. They are shown as bold, fashionable, fun-loving and outgoing by most of the brands. This portrayal leads to the construction of a woman‟s image that depicts them as strong, confident and independent beings. The data shows that unlike one clothing brand i.e. J., whose owner is a religious minded person and thus is not in favor of women objectification in advertisements, all the remaining eight brands use women as their primary models. Even most of the personalities used for celebrity endorsements are females. This shows a trend in the advertising world of Pakistan that focuses primarily on women portrayal in advertisements. Though a strong and positive woman image is created in the primary discourse of advertising, however, on examination into the secondary discourse provides an insight into the ways a certain stereotypical image is promoted in Pakistani advertising discourse. The ideal woman image to be desired for as

317 shown in advertisements consists of beauty which is based on fair skin complexion, straight hair, slim figure and youthful appearance. Some of the cosmetic brands even produce and advertise skin whitening products, using models who are shown to be having dark skins before using the said product, and then miraculously experiencing their skin transforming into a fair complexion. Such advertising practices create a sense of depravation in the women who appear different from the ones being portrayed „beautiful‟ in the advertisements. The representation of an ideal woman image based on preferred beauty concepts is also reflective of the socio-cultural concepts of beauty existing in Pakistan that reflect how beauty and ideal women are perceived in the Pakistani society.

Analysis of the primary and secondary discourse of the data shows that Pakistan is theoretically at the crossroads of East and West where a fusing together of various ideals and values may be observed. Due to the influence of the West a very strong, independent and positive woman image has been observed emerging in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. However, the simultaneous adherence to the deep rooted nationalism and traditionalism in Pakistani socio-cultural and media contexts shows a balance between the more modern and traditional woman image. Though the women are shown as bold and confident, fashionable and zestful; they are at the same time rooted in the eastern traditional culture where they focus on the grooming of their beauty, and where they are the home-makers who cook, take care of the house and bind the families together, despite being independent and career oriented.

7.4 Conclusion of the Chapter

This chapter presents some key findings that are obtained from data analysis by bringing together the strands of the conclusions obtained from data analysis of the selected brands, and gives further insights into the advertisement practices in Pakistan as regards the practices of identity construction, reflections into Pakistani society and insights regarding certain sociological events and realities prevailing in Pakistan. The current chapter also provided some additional insights of the findings of data analysis. An insight into these findings may provide additional understandings into the advertising discourse practices in Pakistan. The chapter commented on the linguistic codes used in the Pakistani discourse

318 of advertising and reasons and outcomes of these linguistic variations. It further discussed the linguistic practices in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. The chapter further discussed the creation of desired image in the advertising discourse in relation to the issues of persuasion and influence. A detailed discussion on the reflection of socio- cultural traditions in the advertisement discourse as regards the issues of addressing the main themes present in the data such as nationalism, fashion statements, socio-cultural norms, and gender, has also been presented in this chapter.

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CHAPTER 8

CONCLUSION

8.1 Introduction to the Chapter

The chapter gives an overview of the findings of the analysis providing a brief summary of the research findings and gives a comprehensive picture of the role of language in constructing identity in discourse of advertising. Providing conclusions to the work, chapter 8 also gives an account of the limitations of the research. The chapter further offers details about the contributions of the research in terms of broadening understanding of the linguistic processes involved in identity construction in the Pakistani discourse of advertising, assisting in understanding the socio-cultural aspects involved in identity construction, and contributions to research methodology in Pakistan in the research areas of discourse and identity. The chapter concludes by giving suggestions for further research that will assist the researchers in the future prospects of study in the field of discourse and identity.

8.2 Findings of the Research: An Overview

Keeping in view the aim of the research, i.e. to examine by means of a discourse analysis, how different brands are represented through discourse i.e. linguistic and semiotic strategies used in their advertising discourse on internet, and how they create multi- faceted identities through language, the analysis focused on analyzing the discourse practices in the advertising discourse of the selected brands. The qualitative paradigms of analysis helped in examining „how‟ identity or multi-faceted identities are constructed and represented in advertising discourse on internet through linguistic devices; and also facilitated in exploring „what‟ types of multi-faceted identities are constructed by the brands in Pakistan through different linguistic and semiotic features of language used in advertisements. Not only are the textual features analyzed in the chapters dealing with analysis, but also the themes underlying the texts of the selected brands are taken into

320 consideration in order to understand the role of conceptual patterns and subject matters existing in the secondary discourse in the process of identity construction. The findings indicate that the linguistic and semiotic schemes used in the advertisement texts help in creating multi-faceted identities for the brands that include individual, professional and social identities, comprising national, traditional, modern, youth, and gender identities. Findings from all the three chapters dealing with analysis of data from the domains of clothing, food, and cosmetics have been summarized as under. Chapter 4 studied the linguistic and semiotic features of language present in the advertisement discourse of the brands selected from the domain of clothing. Analysis of the linguistic and semiotic structures used in the advertising discourse of the brands selected from the domain of food has been dealt with in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 aimed at analyzing identity construction and representation patterns and practices of the brands selected from the domain of cosmetics with a focus on understanding the role of textual elements in the advertising discourse in constructing and negotiating the desired image of the brands to the audience. The analysis focused on examining the varieties of textual features used by the advertising text producers of the brands in their respective advertisement texts which ultimately helped in representing the desired image of the brands to the audience. For this purpose a qualitative inquiry was made into the textual features, both linguistic and semiotic, used in the advertising content of the brands. The textual elements of data that are studied in chapters 4, 5 and 6 include the linguistic features such as code-mixing/switching, use of certain vocabulary items, lexical patterns, topics and taglines, ideologically significant words having specific connotations etc., and the semiotic features such as images, graphics, colors, signs and symbols. Moreover, the subject matter, themes, producer‟s perspectives etc. in the texts have also been explored. The examination of these varieties of linguistic and semiotic arrangements in the advertising discourse of clothing, food, and cosmetic brands establish how these textual patterns and discourse practices by the advertising text producers of the respective brands serve as a significant mode of identity construction. The overall findings represent the national, modern, eastern and/or western, and global affiliations of the brands, thus revealing the multi-faceted identities of these brands.

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Despite the fact that the brands were taken from three different domains, the analysis indicates certain common findings that point toward the conclusion that no matter to what domain the brand belongs, language plays an analogous part in identity construction of these brands. Though some of the kinds or types of identities created by brands differ from each other depending upon the agenda of the respective brands, the means or tools i.e. the linguistic devices with which they construct and represent those identities, are same throughout the three domains. The analysis of the textual elements in the data aimed at examining the types of linguistic and semiotic devices used by the advertising text producers in the advertising texts of their respective brands. The linguistic elements in the data that are found to be most common and most significant in generating a certain type of identity for a brand are words with specific connotations, mixing and switching of the codes between English and Urdu, register and/or jargon words, taglines and slogans of the brands, etc. Mostly used visual or semiotic aspects in the data for the purpose of identity construction are images, graphics, font sizes, models used in the advertisements, colors, picture sizes, and other signs and symbols etc. The findings of the secondary discourse i.e. the thoughts and ideologies present underneath the surface levels of the actual text, have given insights into the linguistic concepts of presuppositions, agency, modality, and experiential, relational and expressive values in the text etc. The examination of all these aspects of discourse present in the data has led to the conclusions that language with both its linguistic and semiotic elements has a power to construct identity. The tendency to use these textual features in the advertising discourse of Pakistani brands has successfully marked the negotiation of a certain desired image or various multi-faceted identities for the brands. The way these features are highlighted or understated, back grounded or foregrounded, emphasized and repeated or deemphasized, tells a great deal about the preferences or conceptions of the text producers and establishes how they want their brands to be perceived in the consumer circles. Thus, the findings of the analysis reveal that the advertising discourse of all the selected brands make use of images, vocabulary items, lexical and syntactical arrangements, themes, and other linguistic and semiotic elements of language that relate the brand to the socio-cultural contexts in which the texts are produced with the aim of

322 creating an identity for the brand that makes the brand more distinguishable and relatable to the audience. For instance, the clothing brands focused more on representing themselves as experts in fashion clothing by concentrating on highlighting their international affiliations, experimentation with fusing eastern with western, and/or traditional with contemporary etc.; the food brands represented their focus on health and fitness, quality of living, and national inspirations; whereas, the cosmetics brands as being closely related to the domain of beauty, laid a special focus on the associations of the brands with beauty, fashion and style in generating their identity and representing it to the audience.

8.3 Summary of the Outcomes of Research Objectives

The main aim of the present work has already been mentioned in chapter 1 (1.10) which establishes the present research as mainly endeavoring to study how various multi- faceted identities are constructed and represented through the use of linguistic and semiotic strategies used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising by various brands on internet. However, a few subsidiary research objectives regarding the ways in which linguistic and semiotic features of language are used in the advertising discourse and their role in creating desired multi-faceted identities of the brands were also asked. The qualitative dimensions of analysis aimed at finding out answers to these questions. Following is a brief summary of the outcomes of these objectives and research questions.

8.3.1 Objectives Related to the Linguistic and Semiotic Practices

Objectives related to the linguistic and semiotic practices focused on exploring the ways in which different brands in Pakistan use both the linguistic and semiotic features of language in the discourse of advertising to represent and promote their identity. The analysis showed the use of these strategies in advertisements by studying how the texts, both linguistic and semiotic, on internet are being used in creating desired identities of brands. Analysis of the data indicates that it is through the use of these linguistic devices that the brands create their identity just as they represent and negotiate these identities through language of advertisements. The objectives also focused on exploring the kinds

323 of linguistic and semiotic features used in advertisement texts such as codes, vocabulary, lexical/syntactic structures, images, graphics etc. used in Pakistani discourse of advertising to represent a certain identity of brands on internet. The data analysis shows that these textual features as used in innovative arrangements by the brands in Pakistani discourse of advertising to construct and represent a certain identity or various multi- faceted identities.

The linguistic features in a given text were identified to see their impact in the meaning making processes. Once identified, the linguistic features used were explained in the backdrop of their linguistic and socio-cultural implications. Their possible role in the texts in the construction of identity was examined. Since words have meanings which may or may not exist independently, meanings of words and other linguistic elements in a given text were considered on the basis of the socio-cultural contexts. The analysis focused on examining the codes used in the data, i.e. studying the practices of code- mixing/switching in advertising discourse. The study of these linguistic practices paved the way in understanding power and prestige factors in the language domains. Use of codes gives insight into the kinds of identity or the type of image the brand desires for itself. Since the advertising text producers „create‟ advertisement texts and much deliberation is involved into the creation of these texts, code-mixing/switching becomes more a phenomenon that serves as a tool of constructing identity than a practice done solely to fill the gaps in the times of linguistic deficiencies during communication. Hence, code-mixing/switching serves as an identity construction tool. Similarly, the examination of the vocabulary items used in the data including words having specific connotations gives an insight into the secondary discourse of texts. The analysis has shown that whether vocabulary items exist independently in a text on their own, or are used in lexical or syntactic stretches, are the most significant tools in identity construction for the brands in advertising discourse. From straightforward proclamations of certain qualities and attributes, to giving subtle hints at the qualities and individualities of the brands, the vocabulary items in the advertisement texts show their power and significance in portraying a certain image of the brand as desired by the text producers. Other linguistic techniques used in the advertising discourse such as presupposition, agency, modality etc. in the advertisement texts have also been identified

324 in the data and studied in order to understand how and what types of identity is being created by the brand. Moreover, in choosing what to put in the topic position in a text, logos, slogans etc.; what to emphasize, what to understate, allusions, references, connotations, all are essential tools used in the advertising discourse. These linguistic patterns are significant in presenting the desired image of the brand, sometimes directly through direct assertions, while other times by just alluding to references, suggestions, implications etc. through the use of lexical and syntactic structures in the advertisement texts. Also, the analysis shows that advertisement texts have certain experiential, relational, and expressive values. These values are reflective of how the text producers see the world, how they perceive social realities, and how they relate the text with the readers or audience. Understanding the producer‟s perspectives is crucial to understand the kind of identity they wish to be created for their respective brands. Features that constitute the semiotic aspects in the advertising texts in the data are pictures, graphics, colors, size of the fonts and pictures, signs and symbols, models used, images created etc. in the texts. Examining all these features in the data led to the understanding of identity construction by brands through semiotic patterns. Not only are the words and their arrangements in a text important in constructing identity, signs and symbols, images and other visual elements are equally important in the construction and representation of identity. Study of the semiotic elements used in the data paved the way for understanding the underlying themes in the texts. Semiotic features in an advertisement text are reflective of the belief systems of the producer and represent social realities encompassing the texts. Analyzing semiotic features included an analysis of the ways certain inscriptions were highlighted through the use of colors and font sizes, to represent certain aspect of the brand‟s identity. It also included an examination of social realities being portrayed in pictures used in texts, such as woman image or gender portrayal, family life, social and cultural scenario in Pakistan etc. which ultimately lead to the construction of a certain kind of identity as desired by the brand. The analysis shows that advertisements with their linguistics and semiotic constituents in the data are not just a source of information, rather a reflection into the ideologies, stand points, notions and belief systems of the

325 producers, and also of the social realities and contexts in which the advertisement texts have been produced.

8.3.2 Objectives Related to the Underlying Themes in the Texts and Kinds of Identities Created

The analysis aimed at exploring the meanings both on the surface level and in secondary discourse. For this purpose an enquiry into underlined themes and ideologies present in the data have been explored. The themes most commonly found in the data are related to gender, nationalism, cultural associations, religion, professionalism etc. These themes correspond to the kind of identity the brand wants to create for itself. For instance, the recurrent theme of nationalism that is present in the advertising discourse of most of the selected brands points to the nationalistic orientations of the brands, thus creating a national identity for the brands.

Considering the predominant themes in the advertisement discourse of the selected brands, it is observed that those themes are underlined in the texts by brand producers that suit their purpose of constructing a specific kind of identity. All the brands have certain preferences as regards the type of identity they want themselves to be associated with. Based on the findings of analysis it can be said that brands from the same domains may or may not have a preference for a certain kind of identity. For instance, one of the cosmetic brands presented its identity as a fashion brand, one focused on its expert affiliations, while the third represented itself as a beauty brand. Though all belong to the same domain of cosmetics, not all of these brands want to be associated solely with any common type of identity as their core identity. Similarly, in the domain of food, where two brands constructed their identity as healthy brands having health and social concerns, the third brand represented its principal identity as being a national food brand focusing more on reflecting its national and cultural associations in its advertising discourse. Based on the findings of the analysis of the clothing brands, it can be said that the dominant identity themes found in the data of one of the clothing brands focused on presenting it as an expert brand owing to its innovative experimentations in the clothing fashions; the other focused on presenting its modern identity while the third represented itself as an Eastern brand.

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Hence, the analysis of the objectives related to the study of types of identities constructed in the Pakistani discourse of advertising shows that the identities constructed and represented by each brand are diverse in nature and reflect the kind of image desired for the brand by the advertising text producers. The insights of these findings are significant in understanding the varied nature of identities being constructed in the Pakistani discourse of advertising. Therefore, it can be concluded that shared and common or disparate and diverse natures of identities are constructed and represented in the Pakistani discourse of advertising as desired by the respective brands.

8.4 Limitations of the Research

Present research had a few limitations which are discussed in this section. Firstly, though the advertising discourses of numerous other domains in Pakistan such as entertainment industry, education, property dealing business, dramatic arts etc. also offer a rich area of study as regards the processes of identity construction, only three domains are selected for analysis in the current work due to the limited scope of PhD thesis. After much deliberation it was decided to select the domains whose products are commonly used commodities in real life. Another limitation was to present the code-mixed linguistic patterns. Since the thesis is written in English language and the data contains a lot of code-mixed patterns, their presentation in the present work was an issue. As the present research is not about the study of various types of code-mixing/switching and only looks at this process as one of the tools used in the process of identity construction and representation, therefore the work does not exert the scope and space limitations by providing a translation key for all the code-mixed/switched instances in the data. It does however give an English translation of the code- mixed and/or switched linguistic patterns being discussed during analysis in the same section.

8.5 Contributions of the Research

In Pakistani advertising industry where numerous brands are competing with one other in reaching more and more audience on everyday basis and in attracting them toward their products through their advertisements, the present study about the phenomenon of

327 identity construction in Pakistani discourse of advertising is of immense significance. Not only does the study help in understanding the phenomenon and processes of identity construction in advertising discourse, it also helps in understanding the ways in which language is used in the Pakistani advertising discourse in the backdrop of indigenous socio- cultural contexts. Where on one hand the study reflects on the socio-cultural contexts in which the texts are produced and viewed, it also reflects on the sociolinguistic background in Pakistan. The study contributes towards understanding in the following research areas:

8.5.1 Broadening Understanding of the Linguistic Processes Involved in

Pakistani Discourse of Advertising

The research concentrates on discourse analysis by focusing on studying the linguistic processes involved in identity construction in online advertisements in Pakistan. The ways in which language is used in advertising discourse to construct identity has been the focus of this research. Hence, it gives insights into the types and use of linguistic devices in the discourse of Pakistani advertising. Branding is a relatively new phenomenon in Pakistan. With an upsurge of brands in Pakistan advertisement texts have seen a great change in terms of linguistic variations and creativity. And with an increasing number of audiences owing to an easy access to online sources of advertisements, the domain of advertising discourse on internet has become an area significant enough to be studied in reference to its innovative forms and textual constituents. A lot of work on identity construction in advertisements has been done before but this work is significant in furthering understanding of the construction of brand identity in Pakistani discourse of advertising. The present study investigates the aspects of identity construction and representation specifically in relation to Pakistani discourse of advertising of brands on internet. As Pakistan is a multilingual country where Urdu is the national language and English is considered to be the language of the educated owing to the prestige factor attached to it, the advertising texts contain a mixing of both these languages significant enough to be studied. Therefore, the phenomenon of code-mixing/switching has been studied, though not as the center of research, but nonetheless as a significant aspect in

328 constructing identity. Numerous other linguistic and semiotic features have also been studied such as vocabulary items, words with certain connotations, experiential, relational and expressive values in texts, tone and modality in the texts, images, themes, color schemes, graphic presentations etc. These linguistic devices have been studied in the present work for the purpose of analyzing the ways in which these are used by brand text producers to create a desired image of their respective brands. Hence, the study contributes in giving insights into the ways textual elements including linguistic and semiotic features are used to construct identity in advertising discourse. The research investigated into the linguistic devices used by identifying these aspects, categorizing them with reference to their role in constructing and negotiating a certain type of identity as desired by the producers. Therefore, it can be concluded that the present research has made contributions in the field of discourse by furthering the understanding of the linguistic processes involved in Pakistani discourse of advertising.

8.5.2 Furthering Understanding of the Socio-cultural Aspects Involved in

Identity Construction

Not only does the research contribute in the study of linguistic and semiotic features used in the Pakistani discourse of advertising, it also helps in understanding the social aspects involved in identity construction of brands in advertisements. Discourse neither occurs on its own, nor does it occur in isolation. For discourse to have a purpose it is to be created, viewed and experienced in a social setup. Similarly, the discourse of advertising is essentially social in nature, which not only is created in the backdrop of socio-cultural contexts, but is also reflective of the social norms on which it is based. Furthermore, being persuasive and all invasive in nature, discourse of advertising affects the norms and ideologies of the society in which it is produced and circulated. Since the process of identity construction through language is a sociolinguistic phenomenon which has been the focus of this study, the present work contributes in broadening the understanding of socio-cultural aspects that bind discourse and identity. By doing a comprehensive sociolinguistic analysis, the study offers insights into the social bindings in the linguistic choices made in advertising discourse.

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8.5.3 Contributing to Research Methodology in the field of Discourse and

Identity Construction

The identification and analysis of linguistic and semiotic aspects in the data with reference to their sociological implications in the present research have made contributions in simplifying research methodology in in the field of exploring linguistic patterns in online advertisement texts in Pakistan. The study though focuses on discourse practices on the websites and Facebook pages of brands, it nonetheless contributes in offering a guideline of research frameworks to future researchers who wish to work on analyzing textual and/or linguistic features in the domain of print media, broadcast media or even other sources of internet such as web comics, e-mails, chat rooms, or any other social networking website etc. The present work not only focuses on studying the linguistic configurations in advertising discourse but also explores other sociolinguistic phenomenon including the aims and objectives of the producers in using innovative linguistic devices in advertisement texts, the practice of creating a desired image through language use in advertisements, and the implications of socio-cultural contexts in the processes of identity construction. As the findings of analysis also gave insights into the ways identity, gender, nationalism, and fashion are addressed in the Pakistani discourse of advertising; this research may be helpful for the researchers from fields other than Linguistics such as gender studies, sociology etc. as a guiding framework for their future research endeavors. Additional suggestions for further research are given in section (8.6) that further describes the possible areas of research in the field of discourse and identity.

8.6 Suggestions for Further Research

The present research focuses on the analysis of advertising discourse of brands in Pakistan and has raised a few issues that need to be further explored. The study used a holistic approach and identified the themes in the advertising discourse by exploring the textual aspects in the data including both the linguistic and semiotic elements of language used. The linguistic and semiotic features explored in the data include well defined classifications such as vocabulary items, code-mixing and code-switching, ideological

330 meanings of words, font and image size, appearances of the models used, images, colors, graphics etc. followed by a discussion on their use as tools of identity construction. All of these textual elements independently or combined in sets can be taken up by researchers from the field of Linguistics for their future research undertakings to explore these elements comprehensively depending upon their preferred area of interest. The work opens up ways for further studies focusing on the exploration of these linguistic and semiotic categories on any mode of media such as the print media including newspapers, magazines, brochures etc.; broadcast media including television, radio etc.; and internet including any of its virtual platforms such as gaming rooms, chat rooms, e-mails, blogs, web cartoons etc. Moreover, the use of textual elements as studied in the present work can also be explored in SMS, group chats, social networking websites etc. Furthermore, study of the linguistic and semiotic categories identified and analyzed in the current work may be taken up in a research focusing on a content analysis or a conversational analysis to quantify the frequency of these features occurring in the data and further analyzing the data with regard to any linguistic or socio-cultural domain. The research helps in understanding the sociolinguistic aspects of the process of identity construction in the discourse of advertising and indicates to the need of studying the domain further. Furthermore, the study of the patterns and processes of identity construction and negotiation in diverse sociological fields can also be undertaken based on the insights from the present work. Gender intimations and portrayal in the data is also an aspect significant enough to be revisited in the analysis, therefore the analysis also includes findings on the ways gender is perceived and represented in Pakistan. As the analysis gives insights into the ways gender is addressed in Pakistan, the present work can be a guiding framework for the researchers from the field of gender studies. Moreover, various types of identity such as national, individual, professional, gender, religious, socio-cultural, eastern, western, modern etc. are studied in the Pakistani discourse of advertising in the current work. The findings of these identity themes can assist researchers from various fields such as linguistics, gender studies, sociology etc. in planning and designing new researches in their respective domains or areas of interest in the future.

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APPENDIX A Data Presented in Chapter 4, Domain A (Clothing Brands)

Appendix A1 Data Presented in Chapter 4, Domain A (Clothing Brands): Brand 1- J.

Figure (4.1) Let us know! Figure (4.2)

Figure (4.3) Figure (4.4)

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Figure (4.5) Figure (4.6)

Figure (4.7) Figure (4.8)

Figure (4.9) Figure (4.10)

Could you? Figure (4.11)

333

Figure (4.12)

We like you back 400000 times Figure (4.13)

Sales champions of Junaid Jamshed Figure (4.14)

334

Figure (4.15)

Figure (4.16)

Figure (4.17)

Figure (4.18)

335

Figure (4.19)

Figure (4.20) Figure (4.21)

Figure (4.22) Figure (4.23)

336

Figure (4.24)

Figure (4.25)

Figure (4.26) Figure (4.27)

Figure (4.28)

337

Celebrate Independence Day with pride! Figure (4.29)

Figure (4.30) Figure (4.31)

Figure (4.32) Figure (4.33)

338

Figure (4.34)

Figure (4.35)

Figure (4.36)

Figure (4.37)

Figure (4.38)

339

Join us in honouring the lives of the victims of the PeshawarSchoolAttack today at 6pm at Dolmen Mall Clifton, Karachi. Figure (4.39)

Figure (4.40)

Figure (4.41)

Figure (4.42)

340

Share your interesting stories you had this Eid Figure (4.43)

Figure (4.44) Figure (4.45)

Figure (4.46) Figure (4.47)

Figure (4.48)

341

Figure (4.49)

Appendix A2

Data Presented in Chapter 4, Domain A (Clothing Brands): Brand 2- Nishat Linen (NL)

Figure (4.51) Figure (4.52)

Figure (4.53) Figure (4.54)

342

Figure (4.55)

Figure (4.56)

Figure (4.57)

Can you guess this one? Figure (4.58)

343

Figure (4.59) Figure (4.60)

Figure (4.61)

Figure (4.62)

Figure (4.63)

344

Figure (4.64)

We wish our fans a very happy 2015! Figure (4.65)

Figure (4.66)

345

Figure (4.67) Figure (4.68)

Figure (4.69)

Figure (4.70)

346

Figure (4.71)

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY...!!! From team NL.. Figure (4.72)

NL Freedom Offer!!!! Visit NL store or shop online... Figure (4.73)

347

Figure (4.74)

Nishat invites you to experience winter your way! Figure (4.75)

A Nishat woman is elegant and Figure (4.77) à la mode at all times. Figure (4.76)

348

Figure (4.78)

Appendix A3

Data Presented in Chapter 4, Domain A (Clothing Brands): Brand 3- Khaadi

Figure (4.79)

Figure (4.80)

349

Figure (4.81)

Figure (4.82)

Figure (4.83)

350

Figure (4.84)

Figure (4.85) Figure (4.86)

Figure (4.87)

351

Figure (4.88)

Figure (4.89)

Figure (4.90) Figure (4.91)

352

Figure (4.92)

Figure (4.93)

Figure (4.94)

Figure (4.95)

353

Figure (4.96)

Figure (4.97)

Figure (4.98)

354

Figure (4.99)

APPENDIX B

Data Presented in Chapter 5, Domain B (Food Brands)

Appendix B1

Data Presented in Chapter 5, Domain B (Food Brands): Brand 1- National Foods Limited (NFL)

Figure (5.1)

355

Figure (5.2)

Figure (5.3)

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when we say „Shaadi‟? Figure (5.4)

356

Figure (5.5)

Figure (5.6)

Figure (5.7)

357

Tell us! Figure (5.8)

Give your wedding a taste of fusion Figure (5.9)

Figure (5.10)

Figure (5.11)

358

Figure (5.12)

Figure (5.13)

Figure (5.14)

359

Appendix B2

Data Presented in Chapter 5, Domain B (Food Brands): Brand 2- Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee (Sufi)

Figure (5.15)

Figure (5.16)

Figure (5.17)

360

Figure (5.18)

Figure (5.19)

Figure (5.20)

361

Taste and health for everyone with Sufi Oil! Figure (5.21)

Figure (5.22)

On this day let us remember the father of the nation and also live by what he preached! Figure (5.23)

362

Figure (5.24)

Figure (5.25)

Because we are one big food loving nation! Figure (5.26)

363

Lahore is all about tasty food and rich heritage. Is that the reason why it is called the „heart of Pakistan?‟ Figure (5.27)

Figure (5.28) Figure (5.29)

Figure (5.30)

364

Eid Mubarak! Figure (5.31)

Ramadan tip: Take a short nap. Either just before Dhuhur or after it. It helps your maintain your energy levels and gives you the necessary boost for the evening. Figure (5.32)

Figure (5.33)

365

Figure (5.34)

Figure (5.35)

366

Appendix B3 Data Presented in Chapter 5, Domain B (Food Brands): Brand 3- Qarshi Food and Beverages (Qarshi)

Figure (5.36)

Qarshi helping Flood Affected People Figure (5.37)

Figure (5.38)

367

Figure (5.39)

Figure (5.40)

Figure (5.41)

368

Figure (5.42)

Figure (5.43)

Product Endorsement of Qarshi Jam-e-Shirin by Amir Liaquat Figure (5.44)

369

Don't forget to watch 'Jam-e-Shirin' Enjoy your favorite refreshing syrup integration in Bulbulay on ARY Digital "Jam-e-Shirin" with Milk in Winter. at 11:30 pm tonight! Figure (5.46) Figure (5.45)

Figure (5.47)

On this occasion, may you have a wonderful and memorable time with family and friends. Figure (5.48)

370

APPENDIX C

Data Presented in Chapter 6- Domain C (Cosmetics)

Appendix C1

Data Presented in Chapter 6- Domain C (Cosmetics): Brand 1- Lux

Figure (6.1)

Figure (6.2)

Figure (6.3)

371

Three gorgeous ladies at LSA-Winner‟s Celebration 2014. Figure (6.4)

Figure (6.5)

Models in dresses inspired by various Lux beauty bar variants at the House of Lux Figure (6.6)

372

The stunning Humaima Malik with the brand ambassador of the new Lux perfume bar, Fawad Khan. Humaima is dressed in Elan and Fawad is wearing Omar Farooq Figure (6.7)

So keep your head as high as your heels, Lux lovers! Figure (6.8)

Rocking bold lips is easy when you know how to! Figure (6.9)

373

Embrace your flower power look! Figure (6.10)

Figure (6.11)

Brace yourself, world. Our Lux girls are all about confidence! Figure (6.12)

374

Figure (6.13)

Figure (6.14)

What scent are you? Figure (6.15)

375

Figure (6.16)

376

Appendix C2

Data Presented in Chapter 6- Domain C (Cosmetics): Brand 2- Sunsilk

7 SUNSILK EXPERTS Figure (6.17)

A shout out to three of the designers of Sunsilk Fashion Edition '14! Figure (6.18)

Figure (6.19) Figure (6.20)

377

Figure (6.21)

Pair your outfits up with fun accessories to get a trendy look! Figure (6.22)

A touch of brightness for a pop of color to your outfit can look great. Which of these looks do you like the best? Figure (6.23)

378

Brave the weather, and still look beautiful when you have great hair! Figure (6.24)

When each day is a great hair day, why worry! Figure (6.25)

Figure (6.26)

379

Figure (6.27)

Well said! Figure (6.28)

Figure (6.29)

380

Girls! Being happy doesn‟t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections! Figure (6.30)

Who doesn't love going on a shopping spree. So head out with your friends today and tell us what you got! Figure (6.31)

Girls do you love the way your hair looks when it is Perfectly straight? Figure (6.32)

381

Always had wacky hair? Maybe its time for a STRAIGHT forward solution! Figure (6.33)

382

Appendix C3

Data Presented in Chapter 6- Domain C (Cosmetics): Brand 3- Olivia

Figure (6.34)

Figure (6.35)

Figure (6.36)

383

Figure (6.37)

Figure (6.38)

Figure (6.39)

384

Figure (6.40)

Figure (6.41)

Figure (6.42)

385

Figure (6.43)

Figure (6.44)

Figure (6.45)

386

Figure (6.46)

387

APPENDIX D

Links to the Brands Selected for the Current Research

i. Links to the Official Websites and Facebook Pages ii. Snapshots of the Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Pages iii. Snapshots of the Official Websites and Facebook Pages with the Number of Followers/Likes

 Domain A: Clothing

Domain A- Brand 1: J.

Website link: http://junaidjamshed.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/j.junaidjamshed

Google Search for the Official Website and Facebook Page:

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

388

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

Domain A- Brand 2: Nishat Linen (NL)

Website link: http://estore.nishatlinen.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/NishatLinenOfficial?hc_location=timeline

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

389

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

Domain A- Brand 3: Khaadi

Website link: http://www.khaadionline.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/khaadi

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

390

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

 Domain B: Food

Domain B- Brand 1: National Foods Limited (NFL)

Website link: http://www.nfoods.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/nationalfoodslimited

391

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

392

Domain B- Brand 2: Sufi Cooking Oil and Ghee

Website link: http://www.sufioilandghee.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/SufiOilandGhee?ref=ts

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

393

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

Domain B- Brand 3: Qarshi Foods and Beverages (Qarshi)

Website link: http://www.qarshi.com/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/QarshiPakistan

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

394

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

395

 Domain C: Cosmetics

Domain C- Brand 1: Lux

Website link: http://www.lux.com.pk/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/LuxPakistan/timeline

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

396

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

Domain C- Brand 2: Sunsilk

Website link: http://www.sunsilk.com.pk/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/SunsilkPakistan

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

397

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

398

Domain C- Brand 3: Olivia

Website link: http://olivia.com.pk/

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/oliviashukria (Link available on the official website)

Google Search for the Official Websites and Facebook Page:

399

Snapshot of the Official Website of the Brand:

About the Facebook Page

Snapshot of the Facebook Page with the No. of Followers/Likes:

400

APPENDIX E

Data Presentation of the Entire Data Collected for the Present Research

401

402

403