This slide deck introduces the audience to semiotics, a discipline of social sciences that extends to structural linguistics to the analyses of verbal, visual, and spatial sign systems. Semiotics exceeds the rhetorical or content analyses of brand meaning as it casts light on cultural codes that structure the phenomenal world into semantic categories that implicates customers in the brand world. Sudio Sudarsan demonstrates the application of semiotics to brand building using a century-old brand, the Muthoot Group.
3. THE PERENNIAL QUESTION OF
PHILOSOPHY ‘WHY STUDY SIGNS?’ IS
ANSWERED BY THE SCIENCE OF SEMIOTICS.
FROM AN ANIMAL’S CRY TO BRAND LOGOS
TO SYMBOLISM AND SYMBOLIC MEANING
FALL WITHIN THE SPHERE OF SEMIOTICS.
6. ✦
THEY ARE HERALDIC EMBLEMS OF
CUSTOMER NOBILITY, SIGNALING
THEIR ZEALOTRY TO THE TRIBE.
7. ✦
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THE CONTRIBUTION OF
BRAND MEANINGS AND
PERCEPTIONS TO PROFITABILITY
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TESTIFIES TO THE POWER OF SYMBOLIC
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REPRESENTATION TO
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CAPTURE THE HEARTS AND
M E R C E D E S - B E N Z
D I E S E L
A P P L E
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L E X U S
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A M E R I C A N E X P
G O O G L E
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M A R L B O R O
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C O C A - C O
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MINDS OF CONSUMERS BY SIGNS.
11. SYMBOLIC BEHAVIOR CAN BE
OBSERVED IN CULTURAL
PHENOMENA WITHIN SYSTEMS OF
SIGNIFICATION THE WORLD OVER.
12. ✦
BRANDING IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL SITES ON THE
BATTLEFIELD OF THE PRODUCTION OF MEANING.
13. SINCE A BRAND IS A SYSTEM OF SENSORY SIGNS THAT INCITES
CONSUMERS IN A SYMBOLIC PROCESS, WHICH THEN CONTRIBUTES TO
TANGIBLE VALUE, SEMIOTICS IS THE KEYSTONE OF BRAND BUILDING.
14. THROUGH THE ACTION OF SIGNS, BRANDS ACCOMPLISH A PERCEPTUAL PRESENCE IN
CONSUMERS; ENVISAGED AS A MENTAL REPRESENTATION AND EMOTIONAL CONNECTION.
16. LET’S NOW HURL INTO THE POST-GRADUATE DEPARTMENT
OF SYMBOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND HOW SEMIOTICS WORKS.
17. This section outlines the development of
sign study from its classical precursors
to contemporary post-structuralism so
that marketers, brand owners and
brand custodians can better understand
the systems of signification.
18. Human beings are peculiar species; they are
driven by a keen desire to make meanings
throughout their life on earth. As homo
significans, meaning-makers, a human is a
creature who gives sense to things.
19. The most distinctive trait of humans is
that only they, throughout terrestrial
life, have two separate although, of
course, throughly commingled,
repertoires of signs at their disposal:
the non-verbal— demonstrably derived
from their primate ancestry—and a
uniquely human verbal overlay. The
definition advanced here presupposes
a message producer (source), and a
message recover (destination).
I see a
silhouette on the
chest X-ray of
patient.
Cancer?
21. On the continuum from cave
paintings to social media updates,
the need to communicate has
created an infinite sensory
palette of visual and verbal
expression, unfolding the
mysterious and
elusive power
of symbols.
22. Ancient Vedic traditions used visual tools to
serve as centering devices and/or as symbolic
compositions of energy patterns, which were
then adopted for worship or meditation.
23. Early precursors of semioticians in the Western
World include Plato (428-348 BCE) whose
‘Cratylus’ ponders the origin of language; Aristotle
(384-322 BCE) considers nouns in ‘Poetics and
On Interpretation’. The word ‘semiotics’ comes
from a Greek root, seme, as in semeiotikos, an
interpreter of signs. Semiotics is the analyses of
signs or the study of functioning sign systems.
24. The quintessential sign was the medical symptom for the Stoics.
It’s a sign!
Fever!
Medical symptom!
25. Leading European proto-semiotician,
John Locke (1632-1704) examined
the signifying process as a basis for
logic in his seminal essay ‘Concerning
Human Understanding’ (1690).
26. Ʃƞμιωτικῄ And, perhaps, if they were distinctly
weighed, and duly considered, they
would afford us another sort of Logick
and Critick, than what we have been
hitherto acquainted with.
The Third Branch may be called
Ʃƞμιωτικῄ. or the Doctrine of Signs;
the most usual whereof being Words,
it is aptly enough termed also Logick;
the business whereof, is to consider the
Nature of Signs, the Mind makes use
of for the understanding of Things, or
conveying its Knowledge to others.
John Locke,
“Of the Division of the Sciences
{beyond the Speculative and the
Practical},” 1690
27. Ludwig von Bertalanffy draws a thin line
between realistic conceptualization (symbol
making) and utter derangement
(schizophrenia at worst) to state that both
depend upon the fragile boundary of an
adequately true cultural framework or what
consensus accepts as the truth of that
framework at a certain moment in history.
28. The two primary traditions in
contemporary semiotics in the 20th
century stem from the Swiss linguist
Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) and
the American philosopher Charles Sanders
Pierce (1839-1914). Semiotics involves the
study not only of what we refer to as
‘signs’ in everyday speech, but of anything
which ‘stands for’ something else.
29. Often hailed as the founder of semiotics,
Ferdinand de Saussure was born into an
academic family in1857 in Geneva,
Switzerland. At age 19, he went to the
University of Leipzig to study languages;
later he published ‘Primitive System of
Vowels in Indo-European Languages’.
30. Following completion of his research
thesis, Saussure left for the École
Pratique des Hautes Études in Paris,
France where he taught Sanskrit and
became more interested in languages of
history than general linguistics.
31. Saussure defined linguistic sign as a two-
sided entity, a dyad, consisting of signifier
and signified. The signifier was the
material marker and the signified was the
mental concept the signifier enkindled.
32. Carrot
SignifierSignified
According to Saussure, linguistic sign was not a
link between thing and name, but a
psychological recognition between sound
pattern (signifier) and a concept (signified).
Phono centricity was the hearer’s
psychological impression of a sound, as given by
the evidence of senses. This sound pattern or
the material element was a representation of
sensory impressions, and thus be distinguished
from the other element, a more abstract
concept, associated with it in a linguistic sign.
Bait
33. F TIG
The signifiers /G/I/F/T/ engenders is a mental concept
of a present; a thing given willingly without payment.
35. So agreed rules govern the
conventional relationship of the
signifier and the signified. Language
is not complete in any speaker; it
exists only within a collectivity.
36. The fact that language is a system
(langue), it can be thought of a
communal cupboard, housing all the
possible different signs which might
be pulled out and utilized in the
construction of an instance of
parole, individuals acts of speech.
Consequently, language is entirely a
socio-cultural phenomenon.
37. Like language, symbols also
connote disparate set of meanings
in different cultural groups.
Americans who live in the
New England area give pine as
response when asked for an
example of a tree; those in
Florida mention palm trees.
38. Because culture is built on natural language, culture
may be classified in its conceptualization of the sign.
39. Across the Atlantic, around the same time
as Saussure, pragmatist philosopher and
logician Charles Sanders Pierce
(1839-1914) formulated his triadic model
of the sign, drawing upon the cognitive-
philosophical approach. Pierce’s semiotic
framework focuses on the analyses of
meaning interpretation.
41. Sign/Representamen
Interpretant
Object
The realm of firstness is
understood by feeling. Eg.
Feeling evoked by music.
The realm of secondness is
brute facts which arise to
form linkages. Eg.
Strumming of guitar
The realm of thirdness is
the mental element. Eg.
Music triggered thoughts of
boyfriend before his death.
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42. At the level of sign/representmen (firstness)
1. Qualisign
2. Sinsign
3. Legisign
SIGN
49. Index
Sign relates to its object in terms of
causation
(for e.g. Statue of Liberty for
freedom)
50. At the level of interpretant (thirdness)
1. Rheme
2. Dicent
3. Argument
Interpretant
51. Rheme
Sign is represented for the
Interpretant as a possibility
(for e.g. mental concept)
52. Dicent
The sign is represented for the
Interpretant as a fact
(for e.g. descriptive statement)
53. Argument
Sign is represented for the
Interpretant as a reason
(for e.g. proposition)
54. Icon
The number two
Index Symbol
Longhorn cattle Heavy rock music
Astronaut Moon Science & Technology
55. In any given transaction, a source is necessarily
coupled by means of a channel to a destination;
the variety of such passageways is
constrained by the specific sensorium of each.
57. The myths which suffuse humans’ lives
are insidious because, they seem natural.
They call out for detailed analyses which
semiosis can deliver. Conversely, they can
abundantly assist brand owners and
custodians to create myth surrounding the
brands in the minds of their consumers.
59. For Claude Levi-Strauss, an
anthropological phenomena such as
kinship systems can be studied as
meaningful in their structural relations.
The prohibitions on marriage which
exist - the most obvious taboo on
incest - are not the result of simple
biological predeterminations. They
represent a signifying cultural system.
60. Claude Levi-Strauss argues who
married whom is bound by
meaningful system of exchange,
possibility and difference which
is not dissimilar to the rules
enshrined in language.
How aboutyour cousin?
Don’t marry
your sister!
61. Semiotic square is the elementary structure
of signification, marking off the oppositional
logic that is at the heart of both narrative
progression and semantic, thematic, or
symbolic content. It can prove to be an
influential tool not only in narrative theory but
also in the ideological positioning of brands.
Contrary
Corollary
Contradictory
62. I abandon traditional anthropology and
traditional linguistics that consider
merely terms. I apply Straussian
semiological notion of structuralism so
that brand owners and custodians can
begin to think of brands as frames of
references, relations between the
terms in the reference points.
63. I amalgamate Saussurean linguistics,
Peircean semiotic triad, Freudian
unconscious, and Straussian
structuralism to advance semiotics in
the context of brand building. I
present the application using the
Muthoot Group in the third section
of this slide deck presentation.
65. The final section historically
plots the brand-building
voyage of the Muthoot Group,
applying semiotic concepts and
methods to establish a model
of brand to extend the
scientific understanding of
brand differentiation and
consumer perceptions.
67. ✦
In 1887 during the days of
British-colonized India,
Muthoot established a
business supplying rations to
large British-run plantations.
Trained elephants hauled logs.
68. Though Muthoot’s line of business
evolved in the 128 years, the brand
possessed supreme integrity that
corroborated its fidelity in advancing
values espoused by sociocultural,
symbolic, and ideological aspects.
1887
1934
1971
2000s
70. Carved out of the semiosic ubiquity, semiotics explicates how Muthoot’s twin-elephant logo
stands as a visual shortcut for a specific referent (financial product or service) that culminates
as cardinal instruments of interpersonal and/or group persuasion (trust, security).
71. CONNOTATION
DENOTATION
Connotation is what is implied;
connotative meaning is more
variable, figurative, and subjective.
Denotation is a definitional,
literal meaning (objective).
PRODUCT
EXPERIENCE
73. Muthoot rapidly evolved from a
mere adjunct to monetary and credit
policies to an active participant in
the mainstream financial sector in
the new millennium. Launching from
the gold lending platform, Muthoot
expanded into other financial
segments ranging from money and
foreign exchange to shares and
commodity trading.
74. Recognizing that consumers prefer
a brick-and-mortar institution with
a wide national presence, Muthoot
rapidly increased its locations in
the length and breadth of India,
thereby successfully reaching rural
populations that do not have banks
to serve their financial needs.
TOTAL NUMBER OF MUTHOOT BRANCHES IN INDIA
ANNUAL INCREASE OF BRANCHES
76. Considering the immense potential of
the gold loan business and its ability to
serve the unbanked population of the
country, Muthoot has transformed the
perception of gold loan from a
distressed product to a lifestyle product.
77. Muthoot’s IT governance mechanism
encourages a set of behavior that goes
with its vision, mission, and values. It has
stayed ahead of the curve in terms of
automation and digital enablement.
Customers with Demat account are offered
online trading in equity shares and
derivatives with leading brokerage firms.
78. Muthoot fashioned itself as a bank.
The integrity of a bank is its safety.
Muthoot provided a secure
environment to safeguard the gold
deposited by building armored vaults
and strong rooms in every location it
served to claim protection from thefts,
fire, natural disasters, unauthorized
use, and other threats. Every branch
is installed with CCTV and a
surveillance system.
80. Today, Muthoot for societal good addresses financial inclusion, medical
assistance to the lesser privileged, education for poor, and marriage
assistance among others to transform rural and semi-urban
communities of India in its triumphant march of the CSR movement.
81. Muthoot and Delhi
Daredevils joined
hands together to bat
for the cause of
education of the
lesser privileged
children in India.
82. Today, Muthoot for societal
good addresses financial
inclusion, medical assistance
to the lesser privileged,
education for poor, and
marriage assistance among
others to transform rural and
semi-urban communities of
India in its triumphant march
of the CSR movement.
83. For Muthoot’s efforts to
integrate India’s
marginalized into the
mainstream and pro bono
activities aimed at causes
of benefitting the rural
poor, women, and
children, Muthoot was
presented with the Golden
Peacock award, regarded
as a benchmark for
corporate excellence.
85. Jaya Gajawat ran a small boutique in Jaipur,
RJ for many years. Her fashion and design
sense was well appreciated by her clientele;
with her own customers’ encouragement,
Jaya dreamed of turning her shop into a big
store. She applied for a loan with Muthoot
to fund her expansion plans. In five minutes
she got the loan she need and today she’s
the owner of a large boutique.
86. In 2015 Muthoot published “One Hundred Tales
of Hope,” entrepreneurial stories of men and
women who realized their long-standing
dreams. 100 stories. 100 hopes. All fulfilled.
87. SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
OCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SK
KOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH SKOCH
Muthoot was conferred the Skoch
Financial Inclusion Award 2013
in resignation of the major
initiatives in the area of ‘access
to banking and financial services’
to the masses who has been
excluded from the country’s
banking network for decades.
88. CONNOTATION
DENOTATION
PRODUCT
EXPERIENCE
Realization of personal goals
Customer stories
Generations of trust
Entrepreneurial growth
Sponsoring IPL/ISL
CSR activities
Technology (mobile app, ATM)
Simplicity
Friendly and consistent service
Security
Loan/repayment
Operationalizing gold
Perception of ubiquity
Speed of transaction
89. Though both denotation
and connotation can both
be used to describe
imagery of form or
function of a brand, they
have different contexts
and orders of signification
represented in a semiotic
2x2 framework.
90. EMOTIONAL
SOCIAL
CULTURAL
FUCTIONAL
To create memorable stories in the
collective nation’s culture, the
augmented definition of brand
embeds the the extremely successful
microanalysis of individual
consumption of brand into a new
analysis of cultural interaction.