| We have entered a consumer society dominated by symbolic consumption, In this society, what people consume has been switched from the substantial value of commodities to their symbolic value, which is not only based on its exchange value and use value, but also affected by symbol coding rules. Among these consumption symbols, the relationship between the signifier and the signified is both conventional and flexible. Various signifier and signified can be mixed and matched to give different meanings. Further, derived from structuralism, the meaning of symbols are more determined by their own systemic rules and the relationship between the signifier and the signified is not unchangeable. Meanwhile, as the signifier is in constant drifting, new symbolic meanings can be constructed by symbolic operation on both the signifier and the signified.As a symbolic operation, advertising is occupying a more and more important position in both marketing and brand-building in consumer society. The symbolic operation of advertising is to put the signifer of commodities in a dynamic status to achieve the grafting of its significance and to strengthen the awareness of the commodities or brand symbols to consumers by pairing and repeating broadcast of the signifier and signified.This thesis consists of three parts. The first part explores the origin the theory of signifier drifting and its application in different social disciplines, by analyzing the concept of symbol. This will provide important theory basis and reference methods in further analysis of advertising symbol in consumer society. In the second part, the thesis introduces this theory into the concrete analysis of advertising symbols and symbolic operations, thus deduces the symbolic utilization of signifier drifting by advertising. The last part of the thesis applies the theory of signifier drifting to practice and critically discusses its constructing values and its functions in the processes of advertising and brand communication. |
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