Identity resonance in advertising: postcolonial representation in Guyana, Togo, and Trinidad And Tobago

This study examines advertising representation in three postcolonial countries including Guyana, Togo, and Trinidad and Tobago from the perspectives of audiences and producers. The research interrogates how diversity and social identity in advertising texts are perceived in these three countries. Across audience member and professional practitioner accounts, four overarching themes were identified: ‘lack of vocal authenticity’, ‘need for cultural resonance’ and ‘desire for diversity and local representation’, and ‘privileging Wester timbre’. While audience members emphasized their experiences of cultural and linguistic representation, professional practitioners provided insights into production practices and client expectations. The theme of privileging Western timbre was supported by evidence from both participant groups in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago but was not directly evidenced in Togo. The research reveals that ensuring representation of ‘authentic’ diversity in postcolonial advertising texts is a complex mediation of identity and hybridity. The findings further suggest that audio and visual representations reflecting locally recognizable cultural identities may contribute to perceived authenticity and cultural resonance, although the study does not directly assess advertising effectiveness.