The Semiotics and Content Analysis in Relations to Public Relations and Instagram - Article Example

Media Name Institution Course Instructor Date Media Instagram is a social network where users can share images and comments or like their friend’s images. It offers users a simple, easy way to take and edit photographs, and then post them across all major social media platforms. According to Peter (2012) ‘One of the most interesting aspects of instagram is that it is not really a ‘site’, but lives almost purely on mobile’ Peter (2012) examine that ‘While it is possible for just about any brand to use instagram, the platform it self is most appealing to brands and industries that are more visually oriented, instagram helps create a visual connection between a brand and a consumer or potential customer.’ For example, a fashion line could post images of inspirational clothing patterns. As a PR student, It is interested that in PR industry, how public relation use instagram to propaganda the brand and their products? How public relations use the limitation words to do the soft-ad for their brands? Social media giant Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, and now has settled into becoming a lead visual tool that brands and marketers can no longer ignore. ‘It’s very important. In this day and age, visual promotion is what captures and captivates audiences,’ Lewis (2013) explained. ‘Whether it’s a product or service you’re offering, people want to see what it is they’re buying into.’ Two famous jewelry brands are chosen which are Cartier and Tiffany and use Semiotics as the theory to analyze images on instagram and use Content analysis as methodology to analyze some comment under the images. We can define semiology or semiotics as the study of signs. We may not realize it, but in fact semiology can be applied to all sorts of human endeavours, including cinema, theatre, dance, architecture, painting, politics, medicine, history, and religion. That is, we use a variety of gestures (signs) in everyday life to convey messages to people around us’ Seiler (2011). There are lots of images about the two brands on instagram, users also have different poses to show the items like bracelet or necklaces. ‘In analysing an image we consider its multimodality, that is, the full range of communicational forms people use -image, gesture, gaze, posture and so on- and the relationships between them.’ (Jewitt, 2009, p. 14) Here are some images from Cartier and Tiffany on instagram. First image from Cartier’s official account, it is a woman pull out necklace from shirt and wear a ‘love’ bracelet. The posture means the woman show the necklace to audience, she has a good clothing, may be made of silk, this necklace make the shirt more pretty and it is match the bracelet on her arm. Whether words, objects or actions, the symbols of people's life have meaning because of how related to other symbols and how people organize these symbols together into large patterns that help you understand who you are, what is important to you, and how to act in your life (Littlejohn & Foss, 2008). The next image also from Cartier, the woman has a sunglasses, wear a yellow shirt and two necklaces from Cartier, very important is that she has a smile face. This image shows this woman is very happy and beautiful, from the comment; necklaces make her feel confidence, charming. Therefore we can know Cartier is very important to her and have a very significant part on her life. The method I will use in assessment 3 is content analyze. Content analysis is‘any technique for making inferences by systematically and objectively identifying special characteristics of messages’ (Holsti 1968, p. 608). I will analyze the comments from the two brands’ official instagram accounts to examine the messages PR wants to sand to audience. The third image is from Tiffany. This is also my favorite image. The comment is very simple.Confidence is key. The Image is a woman wear a Tiffany famous necklace ‘key’ necklace. So, the comment say, confidence is key, the key first means the ‘key’ necklace; this necklace can bring confidence to customers. In addition, the key means vital, confidence is a vital element to everyone. This comment is easy but creative. ‘content analysis has been defined as a systematic, replicable technique for compressing many words of text into fewer content categories based on explicit rules of coding’ (Stemler, S, 2001). I think for the PR, every word may have different meaning and influences are also different to audience. Final image I would like to analyze as an example is also from Tiffany. The comment is ‘Love always finds its mark’. The image is an arrow necklace. The arrow may stand for love, the mark stands for the customers, when love finds its marks, the necklace also finds its buyer. So I think the comment is a very interesting soft-ad. Here is the survey for 50 people who has instagram account and follow Cartier and Tiffany, I ask them will you buy a product from these two brand if you have enough money? And why. The answer shows that 88%of people would like to buy a products from these two brand. Some reasons are that they have very good image on instagram and they sure Tiffany and Cartier means love, eternal, beautiful etc. The hottest item for Tiffany is the ‘key’ necklace, and for Cartier is Bracelet. Therefore, as Public relation, it is very useful to use instagram to do propaganda the brand and products, they can use comments and images to establish the brand image to audience and make them to buy it. The fact that other forms of advertisement have become so competitive, application of social media such as Instagram becomes the perfect alternative for business organizations. Social media plays a greater role in relation to the way people interact publicly. The current crop of generation has technologically evolved in a manner that the way people socialize has also changed (Hochman & Schwartz, 2012, May, p.6). Based on the small amount of evidence gathered through analysis of various images on Instagram, business entities are widely capitalizing on social media to market their products. Most people nowadays use Instagram to convey messages and one advantage with this is that people from all over the world are able to view what has been posted. What Cartier and Tiffany are doing is that they are trying to target the larger number of people who use Instagram. To business organizations, Instagram is viewed to be used by an audience that is mature hence its target by business organizations. Going through the definition of the theory of semiotics, Instagram makes use of symbols, comments and pictures to relay a certain message. The messages are relayed to an estimated fan base of around one hundred million people. Through content analysis we are able to identify the specific messages that are passed on through the use of Instagram. One area that raises a lot of concern is the debate over the notion that only companies with visual products do well on Instagram but according to my own research, that is not true. Companies without visual products can market themselves through the use of motivational or captivating comments. The theory of semiotics does not limit the use of symbols to only images (Hochman & Schwartz, 2012, May, p.7). The field of semiotics is wide and different organizations use it differently as long as the message reaches the targeted audience. Using content analysis to scrutinize images posted on Instagram also makes sure that serious images are posted. Through close analysis of the symbols posted on Instagram one can identify serious parties from non-serious ones. Through thorough content analysis, companies are able to produce exclusive images that are only unique to Instagram only and bear the company’s information. Companies should also be able to develop specific strategies that can help them to develop different strategies for marketing and different strategies for developing a good relationship with the consumers (McNely, 2012, October, p.2). The content posted by the company should be able to promote the company while at the same time aiming to develop a good relationship with consumers .Several companies such as the McDonalds have used this strategy and it has brought them more success. The image of the wrist watch i have provided is very captivating. This is simply because of the other elements that are captured in the image. Bracelets are also included in the photo to ensure that the attention of the viewer is captured. Generally, the assumption that is made by all the posted images is that they are captivating to the viewer and they will be able to develop a positive impact on the viewers (Silva et al, 2013, May,p.126). Content analysis makes use of the comments and likes made by the viewer. The number matters a lot but another important factor is the fact whether the response is positive or negative. Positive response is a sign of prosperity in terms of using Instagram as a tool of advertisement. Most images posted on Instagram by specific companies aim to create a particular brand. The images I posted and have already discussed are posted to brand something. Through content analysis, all the images I have provided are there to brand the products first. The companies may also be branded but not as clearly as the products themselves. Through branding, companies do not usually consider it as a form of advertisement but rather than it is viewed as a form of lifestyle that most aim to achieve (Thackera et al, 2008, p.341). What other people do comment on the photos is of great significance in determining the fate of the product itself. The photo of the watch and bracelets provided are there strategically. The bracelets are placed there strategically with the intention of attracting more viewers. Some people may not be interested in the watch but they may be attracted to the bracelets. When somebody is scrolling through and sees a lot of likes and comments, he or she may be interested what other people are discussing about. The message is targeted to a wider audience with the motive that other people will also be influenced from the reaction of others. As an aspect of public relations, the content that is posted on Instagram matters a lot in terms of its effect to the general public (McNely, 2012, October, p.6). When a photo on Instagram gains more followers, more contests are staged popularizing the use of Instagram as the effective way of propagating soft adverts. The conventional ways of advertisement have become very much competitive and (Hassan, 2014, p. 62) only target only a small portion of the population while also limited with geographical boundaries. Instagram uses images that know not the geographical barriers. Posting an image on Instagram prompts people from various races comment using their native languages. Different cultures are able to meet on Instagram as opposed to conventional ways of advertisements which have several limitations. The fact that different cultures are able to communicate on Instagram is a very important aspect in the area of public (Silva et al, 2013, May, p.124). Semiotics covers a wide area of relaying information through symbols and this is exhibited through Instagram. Some people may not be able to understand English very well but are able to get the message through analyzing the images that are posted on Instagram. Most Instagram followers are able to develop interest in a particular image because of the information that it is bearing. Content analysis is therefore an important aspect of closely scrutinizing the information that is put on Instagram. Not all images posted on Instagram have the ability to attract a large group of followers (Hu, Manikonda, & Kambhampati, 2014, p.598). For instance, the images that I have described in this article have their own uniqueness that is able to attract the attention of a number of people. Basing on one example of the bracelets and the wrist watch image, the information is targeted to a wider audience. The wristwatch is the central object but the bracelets do play an important role in delivering certain information. The content is squeezed through a limited number of words but the message is still able to be transmitted across the globe. The use of semiotics and content analysis has proven to be very effective in delivering the required message according to the applications of public relations. Surprisingly, some occurrences on Instagram tend to contradict the aimed motive. The contradicting motive is the fact that when a brand gains more fame on Instagram, the number of followers decreases significantly. Based on the research done, most followers are hiding their identities for they do not want to be known that they follow a particular brand. However, people who hide their identities are still able to follow the brand fully (Hu, Manikonda, & Kambhampati, 2014, p.597). According to various communication research work done, posting of unique images on Instagram is of great significance. A number of users who participated in the research revealed that they are comfortable of following a particular brand on only one social media platform (Hu, Manikonda, & Kambhampati, 2014, p.595). It is not easy for people to follow a particular brand on Instagram, tweeter or Facebook. When a brand uses both social sites, the number of followers also reduces significantly. But when the brand concentrates only on Instagram, significant followers will be realized and they will also be able to concentrate on posting compact images loaded with certain information. It is therefore significant that public relations uses and concentrates only on Instagram when serious progress wants to be realized. Message transmission targeting the general public using Instagram has recently become a subject of scrutiny due to the success achieved on the social site. Public relations as an aspect are very important to most companies when it comes to relaying information to the public. The P.R application on Instagram plays a significant role in the message that is passed through the images posted. Theory of semiotics has vividly explained the use of symbols in relaying the necessary information. The exclusive content that is posted on Instagram has the ability to attract the attention of most users (Hu, Manikonda, & Kambhampati, 2014, p.595). This article has based its discussion on semiotics and content analysis in relations to public relations and Instagram. However, the usage of Instagram as a public relations tool has witnessed tremendous growth in the few years that it has been in place. Instagram has developed from not only sharing photos but also videos. Lessons learnt from semiotics are that a simple image is worth a thousand words (Silva et al, 2013, May, p.124) and is capable of speaking to people of diverse languages (Thackera et al, 2008, p.339). The images uploaded by Tiffany which indicate love at first site are capable of speaking for themselves. The message transmitted to the viewer is direct and summarizes the information passed on in a simple manner. The images I provided in this article have the ability to directly explain to everyone that it is all about love (Silva et al, 2013, May, p.126). In public relations, this is very significant and a very modest way of transmitting certain information. The followers of Instagram are very serious and they are not just there to fulfill the urge of socializing. Follower s of a particular brand on Instagram are potential consumers and it is therefore very significant that the brands analyze the information in the image before they post it. The power in the posted images is a strong tool of public relations. References Hassan, A 2014, “Do Brands Targeting Women Use Instamarketing Differently: A Content Analysis,” Once Retro Now Novel Again, p. 62. Hochman, N & Schwartz, R 2012, May, “Visualizing instagram: Tracing cultural visual rhythms,” In Proceedings of the Workshop on Social Media Visualization (SocMedVis) in conjunction with the Sixth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media (ICWSM–12) (pp. 6-9). Hu, Y, Manikonda, L & Kambhampati, S 2014, “What We Instagram: A First Analysis of Instagram Photo Content and User Types,” In Proceedings of the Eighth International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media (pp. 595-598), AAAI. McNely, BJ 2012, October, “Shaping organizational image-power through images: Case histories of Instagram,” In Professional Communication Conference (IPCC), 2012 IEEE International (pp. 1-8), IEEE. Silva, TH, Melo, PO, Almeida, JM, Salles, J & Loureiro, AA 2013, May, “A picture of Instagram is worth more than a thousand words: Workload characterization and application,” In Distributed Computing in Sensor Systems (DCOSS), 2013 IEEE International Conference on (pp. 123-132), IEEE. Thackeray, R, Neiger, BL, Hanson, CL & McKenzie, JF 2008, “Enhancing Promotional Strategies Within Social Marketing Programs: Use of Web 2.0 Social Media,” Health Promotion Practice, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 338-343. Read More

The next image also from Cartier, the woman has a sunglasses, wear a yellow shirt and two necklaces from Cartier, very important is that she has a smile face. This image shows this woman is very happy and beautiful, from the comment; necklaces make her feel confidence, charming. Therefore we can know Cartier is very important to her and have a very significant part on her life. The method I will use in assessment 3 is content analyze. Content analysis is‘any technique for making inferences by systematically and objectively identifying special characteristics of messages’ (Holsti 1968, p. 608). I will analyze the comments from the two brands’ official instagram accounts to examine the messages PR wants to sand to audience.

The third image is from Tiffany. This is also my favorite image. The comment is very simple.Confidence is key. The Image is a woman wear a Tiffany famous necklace ‘key’ necklace. So, the comment say, confidence is key, the key first means the ‘key’ necklace; this necklace can bring confidence to customers. In addition, the key means vital, confidence is a vital element to everyone. This comment is easy but creative. ‘content analysis has been defined as a systematic, replicable technique for compressing many words of text into fewer content categories based on explicit rules of coding’ (Stemler, S, 2001).

I think for the PR, every word may have different meaning and influences are also different to audience. Final image I would like to analyze as an example is also from Tiffany. The comment is ‘Love always finds its mark’. The image is an arrow necklace. The arrow may stand for love, the mark stands for the customers, when love finds its marks, the necklace also finds its buyer. So I think the comment is a very interesting soft-ad. Here is the survey for 50 people who has instagram account and follow Cartier and Tiffany, I ask them will you buy a product from these two brand if you have enough money? And why. The answer shows that 88%of people would like to buy a products from these two brand.

Some reasons are that they have very good image on instagram and they sure Tiffany and Cartier means love, eternal, beautiful etc. The hottest item for Tiffany is the ‘key’ necklace, and for Cartier is Bracelet. Therefore, as Public relation, it is very useful to use instagram to do propaganda the brand and products, they can use comments and images to establish the brand image to audience and make them to buy it. The fact that other forms of advertisement have become so competitive, application of social media such as Instagram becomes the perfect alternative for business organizations.

Social media plays a greater role in relation to the way people interact publicly. The current crop of generation has technologically evolved in a manner that the way people socialize has also changed (Hochman & Schwartz, 2012, May, p.6). Based on the small amount of evidence gathered through analysis of various images on Instagram, business entities are widely capitalizing on social media to market their products. Most people nowadays use Instagram to convey messages and one advantage with this is that people from all over the world are able to view what has been posted.

What Cartier and Tiffany are doing is that they are trying to target the larger number of people who use Instagram. To business organizations, Instagram is viewed to be used by an audience that is mature hence its target by business organizations. Going through the definition of the theory of semiotics, Instagram makes use of symbols, comments and pictures to relay a certain message. The messages are relayed to an estimated fan base of around one hundred million people. Through content analysis we are able to identify the specific messages that are passed on through the use of Instagram.

One area that raises a lot of concern is the debate over the notion that only companies with visual products do well on Instagram but according to my own research, that is not true.

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