The Power of Humor and Wit in the Advertisement of Food and Beverage Products: A Multimodal Social Semiotic Analysis

This multimodal social semiotic analysis study delved into the humorous advertisements of food and beverage products in the Philippines. The study endeavored to gain a deeper understanding of the connection between humor, wit, and social meanings expressed by food and beverage product advertisements, as well as how these elements are perceived and interpreted by the audience. Fifty-one humorous food and beverage advertisements served as the research materials, and 10 participants were involved in the in-depth interview. Results revealed that the humorous food and beverage advertisements employed semiotic modes such as linguistic, visual, gestural, spatial, and movement. Movement strategies included pan, tilt, track, crane shot, and zoom in/out—all of which were demonstrated through specific camera shots. Additionally, the representational, interactional, and compositional metafunctions of Visual Grammar were utilized by the advertisements to structurally, indicatively, and strategically appeal to the audience.