METAPHORICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF WELLNESS IN THE ADVERTISEMENT OF MULTIVITAM IN PRODUCTS
Keywords:
Advertising Discourse, Consumer Perception, Health Communication, Media Discourse, Metaphor Analysis, Metaphorical Representation, Multivitamin Supplements, Nutritional Supplement Marketing, Persuasive Language, Pharmaceutical Advertising, Semiotic Analysis, Wellness DiscourseAbstract
This study explores the metaphorical constructions of wellness in multivitamin advertisements by analyzing how abstract notions of health, beauty and emotional stability are communicated through language and imagery. An emended model based on Arren Stibbe’s framework of ecological and social metaphors and Kress and van Leeuwen (200) ‘s Multimodality. The researcher examined a purposive sample of 20 multivitamin advertisements. The analysis identifies three dominant metaphorical frames: purity and moral honesty, light and visibility, and stability and balance. These frames reveal that wellness is represented not only as a physiological state but also as a moral, aesthetic and psychological ideal, linking product consumption to ethical living, social recognition and emotional equilibrium. The findings suggest that advertisers strategically employ metaphors to construct persuasive narratives that resonate with consumers’ aspirations and cultural values. This metaphorical discourse shapes both perceptions of personal well-being and broader social ideals. By highlighting the role of metaphor in health communication, this study contributes to research on advertising semiotics and consumer behavior, offering insights for marketers, linguists and public health communicators interested in the intersection of language, metaphor and wellness promotion.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Assia Asalm (Author)
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