Semiotic Analysis of Selected Kids’ Food Product Advertisements

Abstract

This study investigated the referential and inferential semiotic elements embedded in the language of selected advertisements for kids’ food products, with a focus on how meaning is constructed and how persuasion is achieved through linguistic choices. Anchored on Roland Barthes’ theory of Denotation and Connotation and Charles Sanders Peirce’s triadic model of signs, the study adopted a qualitative descriptive research design within a semiotic analytical framework. Five advertisements for children’s food products - Friso Gold, Gerber Grain & Grow, Nutrilac, Nestlé NAN OPTIPRO 3, and Nutribom - were purposively selected and analysed to examine the interaction between literal meaning and implied cultural significance. Considering the purpose of the study, three research questions guided this work. Findings revealed that referential (denotative) language dominated the surface structure of the advertisements, providing clear information about product type, ingredients, nutritional value, and age suitability. However, beyond denotation, the advertisements strategically employed inferential (connotative) meanings through evaluative lexical choices, growth-related terminology, and references to naturalness and scientific credibility. These inferential meanings enhance the communicative and persuasive power of the advertisements by constructing symbolic associations with care, quality, responsible parenting, and optimal child development. The study further demonstrated that linguistic and visual signs operate synergistically to stabilise interpretation and reinforce brand identity. Cultural and ideological assumptions about parenting, childhood, and consumption are subtly embedded in the language, transforming commercial products into symbols of care and moral responsibility. Overall, the findings confirmed that the language of kids’ food product advertisements functions not only to inform but also to shape consumer perception and behaviour through layered semiotic processes. The study contributed to semiotic, linguistics and advertising discourse by illustrating the effectiveness of combining Barthes’ and Peirce’s framework in analysing advertising language within children’s consumer culture.