Author(s): Saud Buhamdi, Farah Al Saeed, Randa Diab-Bahman & Anwaar Alkandari
Synopsis: This investigative research explores the language landscape and semiotics used throughout the country in advertising. The research probes into the language visibility and contact with the intended audience and breaks down the basics of marketing dynamics at play. Though there is a plethora of information on the topic of semiotics and advertisement outcomes in general, there is a dearth of information available from the MENA region âÂ??Â?? particularly Kuwait. Given that the area is a melting pot of different ethnicities and social norms, language preferences are not as easily defined or understood. Aim: The purpose of the research is to explore ways in which semiotic analysis is applied in the marketplace, particularly in advertising on billboards. The aim is to have a better understanding of the different semiotics strategies used throughout the local marketing arena. Though the official language of the country is Arabic, there are many aspects of marketing which cater to the broader local audience. Thus, plenty of semiotic strategies are employed to tackle the needs of the local market. The key focus of this study is to briefly analyze these advertisements using a semiotics analysis to formulate an understanding of the different strategies that advertisers use to communicate to their target customers in a multi-cultural society. Research Significance: This research will be one of the first to investigate the local marketing landscape from a semiotics lens. The findings will be important to practitioner and policy makers as they will help further determine the pros and cons of the different methods presented to the local stakeholders. Methodology: The data collection included a walk is used to assess the differences of the conventional billboard advertisements within different regions of Kuwait. The data is quantified, presented and discussed to better understand the practices and needs of the target audience at hand. Throughout the six Kuwaiti governorates, more than 2000 outdoor billboards were analyzed for variances in semiotics and language uses. Findings: The findings conclude that the majority of the LL in Kuwait included bilingual advertisements, with the majority using the English language, and that there were differences amongst the six different governorates. We interpret these findings in the LL of Kuwait as a reflection of the steady changes that are happening locally and regionally