Abstract
Freedom of the press is critical to ensuring the flow of information to the public. On the other hand, some governments may impose censorship, closure, and financial sanctions on media organizations to dominate their ideological discourses; these practices may prevent the press from acting independently, thereby limiting the public's access to objective news. In reaction to attempts to suppress press freedom, a variety of institutions and organizations organize various advertising campaigns to raise public awareness of the significance of press freedom. In recent years, Germany and Brazil have been among the countries with frequent advertising campaigns on press freedom. The study aimed to uncover the messages intended to be conveyed about press freedom in advertising campaigns prepared in Germany and Brazil. Within the scope of the study, the advertising campaigns on press freedom in both countries were examined using John Langshaw Austin's Speech Act Theory, developed by John Searle. The construction of press freedom through advertising campaigns was examined within the context of the theory's dimensions. As a consequence of the study, it was discovered that whereas advertising efforts in Brazil mainly represented the detrimental impact of censorship on press freedom, those in Germany highlighted the challenges faced by press workers with regard to press freedom in general. On the other hand, it was concluded that while Germany attempted to support press freedom in its advertising campaigns, Brazil attempted to raise awareness of press freedom in its advertising campaigns.