A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis of Sunscreen Promotional Discourses on Social Media Platforms in Pakistan

Abstract

This study explores the sunscreen advertisement construct discourse of health, beauty and wellbeing on social media platforms through Multimodal strategies. Drawing on the theory of Social Semiotics and Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis MCDA, this research investigates ten prominent sunscreen brands. This study employs a dual layered analytical framework, which uses salience along with its five principles as tool for visual analysis (Machin & Mayr, 2012). It further incorporates legitimation strategies of Van Leeuwen (authorization, rationalization, moral evaluation and mythopoesis (Leeuwen, 2007). The analysis focuses primary on three dimensions. Firstly, textual elements are analyzed through Van Leeuwen’s legitimation strategies: authorization, rationalization, moral evaluation and mythopoesis. Secondly, visual elements are analyzed through the salience as a tool including its principles (color, size, focus, tone and foregrounding). Thirdly, it explains the combination of textual and visual elements within the advertisements to gain trust and credibility. This study aims to explore the sunscreen marketed on social media platforms construct message of health, beauty and wellbeing using these strategies. The findings of this study reveal that advertisers employ visual and textual strategies. To highlight products credibility and gain trust of consumers. This study concludes that sunscreen advertisements market in Pakistan construct message of health, beauty and wellbeing using design with scientific discourse and appealing lifestyle.