Anthropological Analysis: Turning Symbols and Sign into Revenue

The world is shrinking.

The world is shrinking.

But that doesn’t mean you can escape the cultural norms around the world…we haven’t changed that much.

What do we mean when we talk about culture?

Culture = Context

Every decision is made within a cultural

context.

Geographic Indian, French, Silicon ValleyIndustry engineers, nurses, taxi driversLifestyle biker, soccer mom, techieReligious Buddhist, Lutheran, Atheist

Culture is liable to change.

Culture is a series of signs.

Semiotics is the study of signs. A sign is something that stands for something other than itself.

Tree

What about some random scratches?

Is that a sign?

Signs do not represent reality, they construct it.

Are signs universal?

Will it work in London? In India? In Argentina?In Mississippi?

There are three types of signs:

Index Icon Symbol

Index

The signifier is not arbitrary but is connected to the signified in some way either physically or casually.

Barn = Animals

Barn = Backwards

Icon

The signifier is not totally arbitrary but resembles the signified in some way.

?

Symbol

The signifier is totally arbitrary and lacks meaning outside a cultural context.

Symbol

Why does the symbol “2” represent what it does?Why does the word “tree”?

Global Context

We don’t sell benefits, features and functions, we sell emotions and meaning.

We sell symbols.

Flavor = Explosion

Sport = War

It’s not as simple as defining a symbol.It has to work within a given culture.

Payoffs

If you get the symbol right, you increase awareness, retention, and revenue.

If you get the symbol wrong…

SPORT

What does mean?

PROS

What does mean?

HYDRATION

What does mean?

SPORTS NUTRITIAN

?

What does mean?

How do we make stand for:

ENERGYFUEL

PERFORMANCESPORTS NUTRITION

Understand the systems of meaning for our target audiences.

But it’s not just enough to ask what words or phrases they prefer…

Groupthink & Ritual

Groupthink & Ritual

PRE-GAMING

PRE-GAMERITUAL?

POST-GAMERITUAL?

INFLUENCERS

STRUCTURALFUNCTIONAL

Product Benefits

Social Benefits

Getting it right in a global context:

Uncover the right metaphors

Define the types of signs you need

Define the right signs

Tie the indexes, icons and symbols to a strategic plan

Where to begin:

Assess your need

Assess your signs

Learn what connects

Design

Thank you.