TR
EN
The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes
Abstract
This study aims to analyze the ways in which storytelling is employed in advertisements for the Algerian soft drink brand “Hamoud Boualem”, drawing on a semiological analysis approach that enables the unveiling of their narrative structure. It uses the narrative schema as an analytical tool to deconstruct the constituent elements of the story, namely characters, conflict, plot, and message. The study further seeks to determine the nature of storytelling within these advertisements through the analysis of various semiological components (images, symbols, graphic design, and dialogue). It also explores the limits of the semiological representation of characters and conflicts, particularly in terms of their capacity to generate semantic plurality or, alternatively, their confinement within pre-established symbolic models. In addition, the study aims to examine the extent to which storytelling contributes to the articulation of the values underpinning the brand, by applying Jean-Marie Floch’s semiological square. This allows for the identification of representations of the four axiological dimensions (practical, critical, utopian, and ludic) and the analysis of the relationships between them, thereby enabling an assessment of the richness of the advertisements’ semantic structure. The study also seeks to deconstruct the sign system within the advertising discourse by analyzing the mechanisms through which signifiers and signifieds operate in the production of meaning. It further investigates how semiological encoding transforms social and cultural reality into symbolic representations that are semantically consumable. Finally, it aims to analyze the continuity of the value and narrative model across the three advertisements, in order to reveal whether there is a stable communicative strategy or whether transformations occur in the construction of the advertising discourse. The two semiological tools were applied to a purposive sample consisting of three official advertisements produced by the Algerian brand “Hamoud Boualem”. The study reached a set of findings that apply specifically to the advertisements under analysis, while acknowledging the limitations of the research and the impossibility of generalizing these results to all advertisements, given the nature of the sample and the adopted methodological approach: The nature of storytelling: Storytelling in “Hamoud Boualem” advertisements is characterized by the predominance of the visual dimension through the intensive use of graphic elements. This is coupled with the absence of dialogue, which is replaced by an external voice-over commentary. Such a configuration weakens the vitality and realism of the narrative and reduces the depth of interaction between characters. Narrative elements in the advertisements of the studied sample of the “Hamoud Boualem” brand: The narrative analysis revealed the dominance of characters as symbolic actants that combine both personal and impersonal dimensions, thereby allowing for an open multiplicity of interpretations. In contrast, the narrative is centered around the brand itself, which instrumentalizes characters as tools to reinforce its image and continuity. Conflict is marked by a symbolic rather than realistic nature, which weakens the dramatic structure and diminishes the necessary narrative escalation and tension. As for the plot, it varies temporally between linear progression, flashback, and circular structures; however, it lacks sufficient causal coherence, which reduces its overall cohesion. Conversely, the messages emphasize a symbolic and national dimension that mobilizes history to reinforce belonging and continuity, while consolidating the brand’s presence in collective memory. The contribution of storytelling to the articulation of the brand’s underlying values: The results, obtained through the application of Jean-Marie Floch’s semiological square, reveal an imbalance in the axiological axes within the advertising discourse. Symbolic values (utopian and ludic) are dominant, achieved through an intensive use of storytelling that strengthens dimensions of identity, belonging, pleasure, and social solidarity associated with self-fulfillment. In contrast, pragmatic and critical values are minimally represented, which weakens the presence of practical and rational dimensions related to product quality and tangible benefits. This generates a semantic imbalance characterized by an emphasis on the symbolic dimension of the brand and a neglect of its functional dimension, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the message in addressing the fundamental needs of the consumer.
Keywords
- storytelling
- brand
- hamoud boualem
- narrative scheme
- jean marie floch's semiotic square
- visual storytelling
- advertisement
Project Number
1
Ethical Statement
This study complies with all ethical research standards. The author(s) declare that there is no conflict of interest and that all procedures contributing to this work follow the ethical standards of the relevant institutional and national research committees.
References
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- Barthes, R., & Duisit, L. (1975). An introduction to the structural analysis of narrative. New Literary History, 6(2), 237–272.
- Baudrillard, J. (2012). Simulacra and Simulation. translated by Ali Najib Ibrahim, Beirut: Arab Organization for Translation.
- Boushahit, m. (2016). film analysis methodology from theory to practice- how to read a cinematic film according to the film reading farmework. uiniversity of algiers3.
- Deliou, f. (2020). semiological analysis of the cinematic filmMshot-based analysis as a model. AL-Mi'yar journal, 24(51).
- Floch, J-M. (1988). The contribution of structural semiotics to the design of a hypermarket. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 4(3), 233–252.
- Greimas, A. J. (1967). La structure des actants du récit. Word, 23(1–3), 221–238.
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Advertising Analysis
Journal Section
Research Article
Publication Date
July 1, 2026
Submission Date
November 3, 2025
Acceptance Date
June 10, 2026
Published in Issue
Year 2026 Volume: 11 Number: 2
APA
Bekhouche, F., & Soukal, İ. (2026). The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes. Turkish Academic Research Review, 11(2), 323-350. https://doi.org/10.30622/tarr.1816641
AMA
1.Bekhouche F, Soukal İ. The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes. tarr. 2026;11(2):323-350. doi:10.30622/tarr.1816641
Chicago
Bekhouche, Fatma, and İmene Soukal. 2026. “The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand ‘Hamoud Boualem’: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-Based Axes”. Turkish Academic Research Review 11 (2): 323-50. https://doi.org/10.30622/tarr.1816641.
EndNote
Bekhouche F, Soukal İ (July 1, 2026) The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes. Turkish Academic Research Review 11 2 323–350.
IEEE
[1]F. Bekhouche and İ. Soukal, “The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand ‘Hamoud Boualem’: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes”, tarr, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 323–350, July 2026, doi: 10.30622/tarr.1816641.
ISNAD
Bekhouche, Fatma - Soukal, İmene. “The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand ‘Hamoud Boualem’: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-Based Axes”. Turkish Academic Research Review 11/2 (July 1, 2026): 323-350. https://doi.org/10.30622/tarr.1816641.
JAMA
1.Bekhouche F, Soukal İ. The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes. tarr. 2026;11:323–350.
MLA
Bekhouche, Fatma, and İmene Soukal. “The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand ‘Hamoud Boualem’: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-Based Axes”. Turkish Academic Research Review, vol. 11, no. 2, July 2026, pp. 323-50, doi:10.30622/tarr.1816641.
Vancouver
1.Fatma Bekhouche, İmene Soukal. The Use of Storytelling in the Advertisements of the Algerian Soft Drink Brand “Hamoud Boualem”: A Semiological Study of the Narrative Structure and the Value-based axes. tarr. 2026 Jul. 1;11(2):323-50. doi:10.30622/tarr.1816641