Instagram Ads of Automotive Companies from Semiotic Perspective

Abstract

This study analyzes the Instagram posts of global automotive brands on their Turkish and global accounts within the framework of Roland Barthes’ semiotic theory. The study investigates how semiotic elements such as denotation, connotation, myth, metaphor, and metonymy used in advertising strategies shape consumer perception. While ads in Turkey often focus on cultural values such as family, trust, and resilience, universal accounts emphasize themes of innovation, performance, and sustainability. The research examines cultural codes by comparing the advertising strategies of Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Honda. Advertising narratives and visual-verbal elements evaluate how global brands adapt to local markets. By emphasizing the increasing importance of digital platforms in marketing strategies, inferences were made on how brands can optimize their social media content. This study fills an important gap in the marketing and advertising literature by offering a comparative analysis g global and local advertising strategies. The study also examines how advertising adapts to cultural and sociological contexts, revealing how brands develop different narrative forms to succeed in global and local markets. The findings offer actionable recommendations for marketers and managers while suggesting new directions for future research.

Keywords

• Semiotics
• local marketing
• automotive brands

Göstergebilimsel Perspektiften Otomotiv Firmalarının Instagram Reklamları

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Roland Barthes’in göstergebilimsel teorisi çerçevesinde küresel otomotiv markalarının Türkiye ve küresel hesaplarındaki Instagram gönderilerini analiz etmektedir. Çalışma, reklam stratejilerinde kullanılan düzanlam, yan anlam, mit, metafor ve metonimi gibi göstergebilimsel unsurların tüketici algısını nasıl şekillendirdiğini araştırmaktadır. Türkiye’deki reklamlar genellikle aile, güven ve dayanıklılık gibi kültürel değerlere odaklanırken, küresel hesaplardaki reklamlar yenilik, performans ve sürdürülebilirlik temalarını öne çıkarmaktadır. Araştırma, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, Volkswagen ve Honda markalarının reklam stratejileri karşılaştırılarak, kültürel kodları incelemiştir. Küresel markaların yerel pazarlara nasıl uyum sağladığı, reklam anlatıları ve kullanılan görsel-sözel unsurlar üzerinden değerlendirilmiştir. Dijital platformların pazarlama stratejilerindeki artan önemi vurgulanarak, markaların sosyal medya içeriklerini nasıl optimize edebileceği konusunda çıkarımlar yapılmıştır. Bu çalışma, küresel ve yerel reklam stratejilerinin karşılaştırmalı analizini sunarak, pazarlama ve reklamcılık literatüründe önemli bir boşluğu doldurmaktadır. Ayrıca çalışma, reklamların kültürel ve sosyolojik bağlamlara nasıl uyum sağladığını inceleyerek, markaların küresel ve yerel pazarlarda başarılı olabilmek için nasıl farklı anlatı biçimleri geliştirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Elde edilen bulgular, pazarlamacılar ve yöneticiler için uygulanabilir öneriler sunmakta ve gelecekteki araştırmalar için yeni yönelimler önermektedir.

Keywords

• Göstergebilim
• yerel pazarlama
• otomotiv markaları

References

1. Bathurst, R. & Monin, N. (2010). Finding myth and motive in language: a narrative of organizational change. Journal of Management Inquiry, 19(3), 262–272. https://doi.org/10.1177/1056492610362917
2. Bilici, F., & Seren, N. (2025). The Meaning World of Guerrilla Marketing Campaigns through Semiotic Analysis. İletişim Kuram ve Araştırma Dergisi(69), 194-219. https://doi.org/10.47998/ikad.1570066
3. Boerman, S. and Müller, C. (2021). Understanding which cues people use to identify influencer marketing on Instagram: an eye-tracking study and experiment. International Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 6-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2021.1986256
4. Diantari, N. and Putri, I. (2022). The semiotic analysis was found on the selected scenes in Asus video advertisement. Prasasti Journal of Linguistics, 7(2), 196. https://doi.org/10.20961/prasasti.v7i2.64747
5. Hal, A. Z. (2021). A semiotic approach to understanding advertisements. Journal of Faculty of Arts, Port Said University, 18(18), 25–40. https://doi.org/10.21608/jfpsu.2021.39413.1013
6. Makarim, M. (2023). Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis of the meaning of haram in the Quran. Qist Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies, 2(3), 331–346. https://doi.org/10.23917/qist.v2i3.2574
7. Nurindra, D., Utari, P., & Sudarmo, S. (2020). Roland Barthes's semiotic analysis: Islamic anti-radicalism message to raise Indonesia reconciliation by Sukmawati Soekarnoputri. https://doi.org/10.4108/eai.4-8-2020.2302417
8. Oputa, E. and Ahmad, F. (2018). The influence of semiotic advertising efficacy on gen-y purchase intent of smartphone. International Journal of Applied Business and International Management, 3(2), 79-88. https://doi.org/10.32535/ijabim.v3i2.161

9. Park, J. (2023). Visualization of seeking identity on transnational children in "be prepared" graphic novel. Ultimart Jurnal Komunikasi Visual, 01-11. https://doi.org/10.31937/ultimart.v16i1.3148
10. Pratama, I. (2023). A semiotic analysis was found on a poster on Kitkat Instagram account. Linguistik Jurnal Bahasa Dan Sastra, 8(4), 584. https://doi.org/10.31604/linguistik.v8i4.584-595
11. Salim, I. (2023). Semiotics analysis of gender stereotype in "dove" shampoo product advertising: Roland Barthes's semiotics approach. Semiotika Jurnal Ilmu Sastra Dan Linguistik, 24(1), 176. https://doi.org/10.19184/semiotika.v24i1.32337
12. Sayogie, F., Husein, A. M., Puspitasari, E. D., & Ni’Mah, N. (2023).  Racial discrimination in Western beauty product advertisements. Media Education (Mediaobrazovanie), 19(2). https://doi.org/10.13187/me.2023.2.329
13. Silva, J., Rodrigues, M., Souza, J., Mais, L., Martins, A., Claro, R. & Horta, P. (2021). Use of persuasive strategies in food advertising on television and on social media in Brazil. Preventive Medicine Reports, 24, 101520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101520
14. Sulatra, I. and Pratiwi, D. (2020). The ideology within COVID-19 public service advertisements: a semiotic approach. Humanis, 24(4), 350. https://doi.org/10.24843/jh.2020.v24.i04.p02
15. Trinadi, N. (2022). Verbal and non-verbal signs of "aqua life: care for nature, nature cares for you". Austronesian, 1(1), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.59011/austronesian.1.1.2022.38-46
16. Wirasana, I. (2021). Uncovering implied messages in Burger King advertisement: a semiotic analysis. Lingua Scientia, 28(1), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.23887/ls.v28i1.32928
17. Yanti, L. (2023). Semiotics analysis on World Health Organization Instagram post. Journal of Language and Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 213–223. https://doi.org/10.22334/traverse.v4i2.91
18. Yanti, N., Sujaya, I., & Umiyati, M. (2022). Multimodal semiotics in cosmetic advertisement. Retorika Jurnal Ilmu Bahasa, 8(2), 173-182. https://doi.org/10.55637/jr.8.2.4866.173-182
19. Yasa, K. (2023). The analysis using semiotic theory on teh pucuk harum advertisement. Linguistic English Education and Art (Leea) Journal, 6(2), 290–298. https://doi.org/10.31539/leea.v6i2.5603