A Comparative analysis of English and Arabic Facebook Fragrance Advertisements

الملخص

Abstract

The current study aims to examine the various representations of persuasive appeals utilized in English and Arabic fragrance advertisements. It provides qualitative cross-linguistic differences in visual use, narration, cultural coding and brand credibility across English and Arabic fragrance advertisements. The study draws on the framework of Aristotle’s Rhetoric appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos) alongside with a comprehensive taxonomy of persuasive appeals, while employing Barthes’ (1977) semiotic model to elucidate the relationship between linguistic and visual signification. The sample includes three English Facebook advertisements (Versace Eros, Dior Sauvage and Jo Malone London Raspberry Ripple Perfume) as well as three Arabic Facebook advertisements (Ajmal perfumes, V Perfumes, Royal Perfumes Jo). The findings reveal that while fragrance advertising universally targets persuasive appeals to elicit desire, the use of such appeals and visual symbolism vary across languages and cultural context. English commercials predominately use pathos, reinforced by celebrity ethos and visual symbolism of liberty and masculinity. On the contrary, Arabic advertisements exhibit a more balanced use of ethos and pathos, showing credibility by cultural authenticity and implicit semiotic symbols rather than globalized celebrity endorsement. Implications include insights for cross -cultural persuasive strategies and for the comprehension of how various languages encode different cultural values through linguistic and visual imagery.