Why is it common to use Metaphor and Metonymy in Advertisements? The Case of Deutsche Bank

Term Paper (Advanced seminar) , 2020 , 15 Pages , Grade: 2,3

Communications - Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media

The present paper deals with metaphors and metonyms in advertising. With the focus on the following question: "Why is it common to use Metaphor and Metonymy in advertisements?" it should be explained step by step why these concepts became common in advertising media.

Living in the 20th century, we are experiencing a huge development in technology compared to the past. In the past it was only possible to distribute advertising through television, radio and newspapers. Nowadays new possibilities are coming up through the expansion of social media. Since almost everybody owns a smartphone, most of the people are always available. This gives new opportunities to the advertising industry.

For this purpose, the first step is to try to present the complex concept of metaphor in a concise way. However, this can only be done superficially in the scope of this term paper, otherwise the scope of the work will be exceeded. Furthermore, a short explanation of target and source domain is given. In the second chapter the topic of metonymy is then summarized. Again, it should be noted that an appropriate, detailed description would exceed the limits of the work. In the third part of the work the actual effect of metaphors and metonyms in advertisements will be illustrated. Images from a ‘Deutsche Bank’ advertising campaign are used for this purpose. The first part of this chapter presents the company ‘Deutsche Bank’ as such. This is considered important because the values of the company could be reflected in their campaigns and that aspect, therefore would be important for the following analysis. This is followed by an analysis of the images used in terms of metaphor and metonymy. In the analysis of the metaphors, the focus is on target/source domain. In the last chapter of the paper, the work is briefly summarized. The results are listed and answered regarding the question posed. A short summary forms the end of the work

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Metaphor
• 3 Metonymy
• 4 Analysis of examples
• 4.1 'Deutsche Bank' as a company.
• 4.2 Analysis of Examples
• 5 Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper aims to explore the use of metaphors and metonyms in advertising, focusing on the question: Why is it common to use Metaphor and Metonymy in advertisements? The paper investigates how these concepts became prevalent in advertising media by analyzing examples from a Deutsche Bank advertising campaign.

• The role of metaphors and metonyms in advertising
• The conceptual nature of metaphors and metonyms
• The influence of cognitive linguistics on understanding metaphors
• The application of metaphors and metonyms in visual advertising
• The analysis of advertising campaigns using the concepts of source and target domains

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter sets the stage by discussing the evolution of advertising in the 20th century and the increasing importance of visual impact in a fast-paced digital environment. It introduces the use of metaphors and metonyms as key strategies for creating engaging and effective advertisements.
• Chapter 2: Metaphor: This chapter delves into the concept of metaphor, providing a concise overview of its role in language and thought. It highlights the work of Lakeoff and Johnson in cognitive linguistics, explaining how metaphors are not merely stylistic devices but fundamental to our understanding of the world. The chapter introduces the concepts of source and target domains and their interaction in creating conceptual metaphors.
• Chapter 3: Metonymy: This chapter similarly explores the concept of metonymy, emphasizing its ubiquitous presence in everyday language. It discusses the work of Evans and Green, highlighting the similarities and differences between metonymy and metaphor in terms of target and vehicle concepts. The chapter underscores the importance of metonymy in shaping our understanding and experiences.
• Chapter 4: Analysis of examples: This chapter focuses on the application of metaphors and metonyms in a specific advertising campaign by Deutsche Bank. The first part of the chapter provides context by introducing Deutsche Bank as a company and its values, which may be reflected in its advertising campaigns. The second part delves into the analysis of the images used in the campaign, focusing on identifying and interpreting the metaphors and metonyms present. The analysis utilizes the concepts of source and target domains to understand the intended meaning and effect of the visuals.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The paper focuses on key concepts such as metaphor, metonymy, cognitive linguistics, advertising, visual communication, source domain, target domain, conceptual metaphor, and advertising campaigns. The analysis draws upon influential works in cognitive linguistics, such as those by Lakeoff and Johnson, Kövecses, Evans and Green, and Panther and Thornburg, to provide a theoretical framework for understanding the use of metaphors and metonyms in advertising.

• College: RWTH Aachen University (Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik)
• Grade: 2,3
• Author: Anonym (Author)
• Publication Year: 2020
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V902493
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346267313
• ISBN (Book): 9783346267320
• Language: English
• Tags: metaphor, metonymy, advertisements, case, deutsche, bank