Aspects of visual metaphor: an operational typology of visual rhetoric for research in advertising

ABSTRACT

Metaphor is routinely expressed through pictures in contemporary advertising. Earlier work on visual rhetoric in advertising sought direct analogues for the tropes and schemes specific to verbal rhetoric. More recently, theory has developed out of characteristics particular to pictures, culminating in a typology of visual rhetoric by Phillips and McQuarrie. Subsequent work by Šorm and Steen considers processing stages in metaphorical interpretation. Phillips and McQuarrie's typology is adapted and expanded here in order to better describe the variation found in ads that utilize visual metaphor and its allies, thus identifying a range of examples that confound the original. A new processing model that directly addresses visual features described in the expanded typology is outlined, which builds on ideas from Šorm and Steen, but represents a distinct framework. Additional variables are identified that advertising researchers should either investigate or control in experimental studies of visual metaphor.

KEYWORDS:

• Advertising
• image
• interpretation
• metaphor
• metaphor processing
• picture
• typology
• visual metaphor
• visual rhetoric

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Kevin Wise at the University of Illinois for his previous collaborations on visual metaphor in advertising, which helped focus my own thoughts as presented here.

The illustration work featured in Figures 1, 3, 6(b), 7, and 8 was supported by a College of Fine and Applied Arts Creative Research Award from the University of Illinois.

Disclosure statement

The author has no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

College of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Creative Research Award.

Notes on contributors

Matthew O. Peterson

Matthew O. Peterson holds a PhD degree in Design from North Carolina State University. He has extensive professional experience in graphic and interaction design. His research investigates the interpretation of meaningful visual media, including issues such as text–image integration, visual metaphor, and visual narrative. This theoretical and empirical work spans disciplines including advertising, communication, and science education.