The following paper will look into the usage of conceptual metaphors in advertisements from the ten most popular beer brands in the UK. I will present the four predominant general metaphors in beer advertisements and their different function. Firstly, the essay outlines Lakoff and Johnson’s (1980) approach to metaphor. Hence, I will explain the Conceptual Metaphor Theory. Secondly, the method of data collection will be illustrated and I will clarify how I identified the conceptual metaphors. Subsequently, the research results will be described and interpreted. Lastly, I will summarise my results and discuss the effect these advertisements might have on society.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Theoretical Background
3 Research Methodology
4 Findings
4.1 BEER IS A HUMAN
4.2 DRINKING BEER IS A GOOD TIME
4.3 BEER IS COMPLEX OBJECT
4.4 BEER IS A FRUIT
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper investigates the application of Conceptual Metaphor Theory within the marketing strategies of the ten most popular beer brands in the UK. The primary research goal is to analyze how these brands construct complex networks of meaning to present beer as an added value to the consumer's life, rather than merely a product.
- Application of Lakoff and Johnson's Conceptual Metaphor Theory.
- Identification of four predominant metaphorical source domains in beer advertising.
- Methodological corpus analysis of 26 metaphoric expressions from major brands.
- Evaluation of the societal impact and potential ethical implications of beer advertising metaphors.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1 BEER IS A HUMAN
Since HUMAN occurs as source domain in 18 of 44 advertisements, it makes up 40.9% of the corpus and therefore is the most frequent source domain. Thus, BEER IS A HUMAN BEING is the most popular metaphor in the beer advertising industry.
In these advertisements different aspects of beer are represented as human attributes. Firstly, the beer bottle has a similar shape as the human body. Accordingly, the beer bottle is understood in terms of the human body in six advertisements. The metaphors which use the human body as a source domain are a result of embodiment. Everything we experience, we experience within our bodies. Hence, the human body underlies our conceptual system. Therefore, we structure everything following the example of the human body. (Lakoff & Johnson, 1999, p. 4) For instance, the Heineken advertisement in Figure 4.2 features the metaphorical expression "Watch your neck". In addition, it shows an image of beer bottles. These are under attack from a bottle opener with pointed teeth. The teeth resemble those of a vampire. The source domain is the human neck and the target domain is the bottleneck. This advertisement maps only two attributes of the human body onto the beer bottle: - beer as blood - bottleneck as human neck
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter defines conceptual metaphors and outlines the research objective, which is to analyze how major UK beer brands use these metaphors to enhance the perception of their products.
2 Theoretical Background: This section introduces Lakoff and Johnson’s Conceptual Metaphor Theory, explaining how metaphorical mappings between source and target domains shape human perception and linguistic expression.
3 Research Methodology: This chapter details the collection of a corpus comprising 26 metaphorical expressions from ten popular beer brands, describing the systematic identification and interpretation process used to categorize them.
4 Findings: This core section presents the four identified source domains—Human, Complex Concept, Complex Object, and Natural Physical Object—and discusses the specific metaphorical mappings used by brands like Budweiser, Heineken, and Carling.
5 Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the results, noting that metaphors redefine beer as a personal companion or a source of social well-being, while warning of the responsibility required when using such powerful devices in advertising.
Keywords
Conceptual Metaphor Theory, Beer Advertising, Lakoff and Johnson, Source Domain, Target Domain, Marketing, Embodiment, Consumer Perception, Linguistic Analysis, Metaphorical Expression, Multimodal Metaphor, Brand Strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper explores how the advertising industry employs Conceptual Metaphor Theory to influence consumer perception by framing beer brands through various abstract and human-centered domains.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The themes include the conceptualization of beer as a human being, the association of beer with leisure time, the transformation of beer into complex objects, and the representation of beer as a natural, healthy product.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to identify the four most prominent metaphorical patterns in UK beer advertisements and analyze how these mappings construct added value for the beer product.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative corpus-based approach, collecting 26 metaphorical expressions from advertisements of ten leading beer brands and interpreting them based on the framework of Lakoff and Johnson.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body focuses on the categorization of metaphors into source domains (Human, Complex Concept, Complex Object, and Natural Physical Object) and provides detailed analyses of specific brand examples.
What key terms characterize this study?
Key terms include Conceptual Metaphor Theory, target and source domains, multimodal metaphors, embodiment, and brand-specific metaphorical expressions.
How does the author define the "Great Chain of Being" in this context?
The author uses the Great Chain of Being as a cultural model to explain why humans categorize beer with high-level human attributes to make the product more relatable and desirable.
What ethical concern does the author raise in the conclusion?
The author highlights that because metaphors are powerful tools for reality-shaping, marketers have a responsibility to consider the potential impact of presenting alcohol as harmless or advantageous in the context of public health.
- Quote paper
- Joelle Schmidt (Author), 2021, Conceptual Metaphors in Beer Advertisements, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1180219
