Authorial Voice Behind the Use of Multimodal Metaphors in Fashion Magazine Advertising

Abstract

This paper proposes the integration into a coherent whole of current insights from two linguistic approaches, cognitive and systemic functional linguistics, with the aim of trying to develop an analytical tool that will allow users a deeper understanding when examining advertising discourse, which is characterized by relying on a multimodal universe since two are the semiotic modes used: language and pictures. Under this framework, two different advertisements, taken from two magazines, Telva and Gentleman, have been analyzed with specific attention to the role of the authorial voice. The goal is twofold: firstly to investigate how, in every advertisement, this multimodality works towards presenting a particular product from a very desirable and attractive perspective; and secondly to unravel the values and ideology behind the use of this type of discourse. The results show that values such as those of exclusivity or refinement (first advert) or having a perfect shape (second advert) are highly valued in the culture where those adverts are embedded.