Constructing Drug Abuse Narratives in Digital Spaces: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis of Selected Facebook Anti-Drug Campaign Videos

This study examined how visual and multimodal elements construct persuasive narratives against hard drug use in five high-engagement Facebook campaign videos targeting Nigerian audiences. Drawing on Kress and Van Leeuwen’s (2020, 2021) multimodal discourse analysis framework, the research investigated how semiotic resources—including visual composition, colour symbolism, gestural communication, sonic elements, and spatial arrangements—work together to communicate the dangers and consequences of drug abuse more effectively than text-based messages alone. The selected videos, which collectively garnered millions of views, employed diverse genres, including musical performances and dramatic skits, to reach mass audiences across digital platforms. Through systematic analysis of representational, interactive, and compositional meanings, the study revealed how multimodal affordances enabled campaign creators to construct emotionally resonant and culturally grounded narratives that transcend linguistic barriers. The findings demonstrate that the strategic deployment of visual metaphors, embodied performances, and audio-visual synchronisation creates layered meaning-making opportunities that amplify anti-drug messages within Nigeria’s digital public sphere. The study contributes to understanding digital health communication strategies in African contexts and underscores the importance of multimodal literacy in contemporary social advocacy campaigns.