Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media

In today’s advertising landscape, celebrity endorsements on social media have become essential, merging linguistic and multimodal elements to craft engaging stories. This study uses a linguistic multimodal analysis framework to explore how language interacts with visual and linguistic components in...

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Main Authors: Olayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA, Praise Anuoluwapo TOYINBO, Morenike Busayo OYINLADE
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Department of General Studies, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti 2025-06-01
Series:ABUAD Journal of the Humanities-AGIDIGBO
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/agidigbo/article/view/1647
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author Olayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA
Praise Anuoluwapo TOYINBO
Morenike Busayo OYINLADE
author_facet Olayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA
Praise Anuoluwapo TOYINBO
Morenike Busayo OYINLADE
author_sort Olayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA
collection DOAJ
description In today’s advertising landscape, celebrity endorsements on social media have become essential, merging linguistic and multimodal elements to craft engaging stories. This study uses a linguistic multimodal analysis framework to explore how language interacts with visual and linguistic components in celebrity-endorsed advertisements on Nigeria’s digital space, specifically, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. By examining fifteen purposively selected  advertisements, the research explores how linguistic strategies — such as word choices, phrase structures, rhetorical techniques and other modes, are employed alongside visual elements to boost persuasion and engage audiences. The theory adopted for the study is Scollon and Scollon’s Geosemiotics of multimodality that considers all available modes of communication. The data was analysed by categorizing emerging patterns in the data and discussing them based on the tenets of multimodal discourse and geosemiotics. The result shows that the combination of linguistic and multimodal elements creates a powerful synergy that enhances the persuasive impact of these advertisements.  This research adds valuable insights to the fields of linguistics, media studies, and digital marketing by shedding light on how language operates within multimodal contexts. In conclusion, this study highlights how language used in celebrity-endorsed adverts on social media strategically shapes consumers’ perceptions and reinforces brand identity. Future research could explore cross-cultural variations in linguistic and multimodal strategies to further enrich our understanding of this phenomenon.
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spelling doaj-art-c2f1997c81e6445bb3160eca2c339f192025-08-20T02:48:16ZengDepartment of General Studies, Afe Babalola University, Ado-EkitiABUAD Journal of the Humanities-AGIDIGBO3043-44752025-06-0113110.53982/agidigbo.2025.1301.07-jLanguage of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social MediaOlayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA0Praise Anuoluwapo TOYINBO1Morenike Busayo OYINLADE2Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University of Oye Ekiti, NigeriaDepartment of English and Literary Studies, Federal University of Oye Ekiti, NigeriaDirectorate of General Studies, Ekiti State College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti, Nigeria In today’s advertising landscape, celebrity endorsements on social media have become essential, merging linguistic and multimodal elements to craft engaging stories. This study uses a linguistic multimodal analysis framework to explore how language interacts with visual and linguistic components in celebrity-endorsed advertisements on Nigeria’s digital space, specifically, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. By examining fifteen purposively selected  advertisements, the research explores how linguistic strategies — such as word choices, phrase structures, rhetorical techniques and other modes, are employed alongside visual elements to boost persuasion and engage audiences. The theory adopted for the study is Scollon and Scollon’s Geosemiotics of multimodality that considers all available modes of communication. The data was analysed by categorizing emerging patterns in the data and discussing them based on the tenets of multimodal discourse and geosemiotics. The result shows that the combination of linguistic and multimodal elements creates a powerful synergy that enhances the persuasive impact of these advertisements.  This research adds valuable insights to the fields of linguistics, media studies, and digital marketing by shedding light on how language operates within multimodal contexts. In conclusion, this study highlights how language used in celebrity-endorsed adverts on social media strategically shapes consumers’ perceptions and reinforces brand identity. Future research could explore cross-cultural variations in linguistic and multimodal strategies to further enrich our understanding of this phenomenon. https://www.journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/agidigbo/article/view/1647Linguistic AnalysisMultimodal AnalysisCelebrity EndorsementSocial Media AdvertisingDigital Communication
spellingShingle Olayiwola Mofoluwalope ADEDOJA
Praise Anuoluwapo TOYINBO
Morenike Busayo OYINLADE
Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
ABUAD Journal of the Humanities-AGIDIGBO
Linguistic Analysis
Multimodal Analysis
Celebrity Endorsement
Social Media Advertising
Digital Communication
title Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
title_full Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
title_fullStr Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
title_full_unstemmed Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
title_short Language of Signs: A Multimodal Analysis of Celebrity-Endorsed Advertisements on Nigeria’s Social Media
title_sort language of signs a multimodal analysis of celebrity endorsed advertisements on nigeria s social media
topic Linguistic Analysis
Multimodal Analysis
Celebrity Endorsement
Social Media Advertising
Digital Communication
url https://www.journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/agidigbo/article/view/1647
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AT morenikebusayooyinlade languageofsignsamultimodalanalysisofcelebrityendorsedadvertisementsonnigeriassocialmedia