Essay Conceptual Blending In Advertising.docx

CONCEPTUAL BLENDING IN ADVERTISING

Adoración Casado Fernández

CONCEPTUAL BLENDING IN ADVERTISING

Table of contents 1. Introduction 2. Aims 3. Methodology 4. Corpus Example 1. Bayer campaign for Aspirin. “Commit to feeling well” Example 2. Bayer, Aspirin by Adolfo Murillo Example 3. Anti-Racism Festival 2010´s Poster, commissioned by the Greek Graphic Designers Association, designed by Unusual. Example 4. Heinz campaign by Tom Bottom. “No one grows ketchup like Heinz” Example 5. Red Cell Milan for the New York Film Academy. “Want to write something good for the cinema?” 5. Analysis of the corpus 1. Example 1. Bayer campaign for Aspirin. “Commit to feeling well” 1. Visual elements 2. Textual elements 2. Example 2. Bayer, Aspirin by Adolfo Murillo 1. Visual elements 3. Example 3. Anti-Racism Festival 2010´s Poster, commissioned by the Greek Graphic Designers Association, designed by Unusual. 1. Visual elements 4. Example 4. Heinz campaign by Tom Bottom. “No one grows ketchup like Heinz” 1. Visual elements 2. Textual elements 5. Example 5. Red Cell Milan for the New York Film Academy. “Want to write something good for the cinema?” 1. Visual elements 2. Textual elements 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography

1. Introduction In the analyse of advertisements in terms of conceptual metaphor and metonymy we find some deficiencies that can be solved by the conceptual blending theory. While metaphor is a one directional mapping from a source domain to a target domain, blending consists on the mapping from two or more initial mental spaces to a new mental space (An introduction to cognitive Linguistic, 261). These initial mental spaces are called input spaces and the new mental space is called blended mental space. According to Fauconnier, “mental spaces are small packets constructed as we think and talk, for purposes of local understanding and action. They are partial assemblies of elements, structured by frames and cognitive models”. Mental spaces are dynamic on line constructions of an event that takes place at the moment of perception. They are based on stored cognitive models that include knowledge about the action, the elements and the purpose of this action. Nevertheless, mental spaces are not domains because they are based on more general knowledge that is associated with a specific domain and they are temporary. (Coulson and Oakley, 2000). It is important to mention that the meaning that we achieve in the blended mental space was not in any of the initial mental spaces. This meaning does not only come from the input mental spaces but we achieve a new created and emerging meaning. In conceptual blending, a blended mental space and a new meaning emerge thanks to the fusion of two or more input mental spaces that initially were not bounded (Fauconnier, 2002). By a process of compression, information is projected from input mental spaces to the new blended space. The operation of compression involves three processes: composition, completion and elaboration Composition consists on the projection and fusion of elements in the input spaces to the blended space (Coulson and Oakley, 2000). We project some of the participants and contents from the input mental spaces to the new mental space. Completion implies the understanding of the blending by completing it with the necessary elements that may do not appear explicitly in the input spaces. Finally, elaboration entails the development and enrichment of the event described in the blended space which is something that depends on the readers’ creativity. In addition to these process of composition, readers can exploit the metaphor or metonymy employed as the core of the blended space showing what they can get by using and expanding them by vital relations. Metaphor and conceptual blending are different processes of conceptualization, but they complement each other. (Annamma,40).

Metaphor involves systematic mapping from one domain onto another while metonymy involves mapping inside one domain. On the other hand, conceptual blending involves mapping too but through the construction of new spaces that are “partial assemblies of elements, structured by frames and cognitive models” (Coulson and Oakley, 2000). In metaphor, identity is the main vital relation in conceptual blending. In this process, some elements of the input mental spaces are mapped or projected on the new blended mental space. In this blended space, they get a new meaning that is not conventional but created by compression. There are other vital relations like spatial, time, cause-effect and part-whole that can be employed to run the blend. Spatial compression implicates two mental input spaces situated in different locations that are compressed to overcome their spatial separation. As a result, we achieve a new blended conceptual structure in which two settings are linked. Time dimension compression is related to spatial but in this vital relation it is time and not space that is compressed. Two mental spaces situated in different times are compressed. The different time situations of the input spaces are linked situating them as happening at the same time in the blended space. Vital relation causeeffect consist in windowing of attention in causal chain events, we open up an initial and final window of attention leaving out the rest of a longer causal chain of sequential events. Vital relation part-whole involves the image schemas based on bodily experience. If we consider two input mental spaces, in which mental space 1 is the part and input mental space 2 is the whole, the part-whole relation between them can be understood as a process of compression. As a result, we get a new conceptual structure in the blended mental space that can be explained by compression in blending theory. We should take into account that in advertising, blending takes place not only at visual but also at verbal level (Annamma, 40). Visual and verbal information combine in a specific way to convey meaning about brands. (Mc Quarrie and Mick, 1996,1999). Conceptual blending theory explains how images and words have instantaneous effect on consumers and influence their actions (Annamma, 40). Semantic memory allows consumers; first, to relate different sources of information and experiences which share the same structure and second, to highlight how consumers link different semantic concepts through metaphor (Cornelissen, 2006).

2. Aims Our main aim in this essay is to explain how readers construct meaning by using the theory of conceptual blending. In particular, we will try to explain the process of blending

that can be found in textual and visual elements in advertising and how they are related. We will also explain how in this particular field, conceptual blending displays in a specific way and gets a specific outcome. At the same time, we will try to explain how consumers construct meaning and how this is employed by brands to create their advertisements and to influence consumers.

3. Methodology For our analysis, we have selected a corpus of five advertisements that includes visual and textual blending. Then, we have applied the conceptual blending theory described in the introduction to these advertisements included in the corpus. First, we have analysed each advertisement, we have identified the input mental spaces, and the elements in which they are based: the visual and the textual elements. Second, we have identified and analysed the new blended mental space that emerges from the fusion of the previous input spaces. Third, the results of the previous analysis have been represented in a network representation in which we have included the input mental spaces, the blended space and the components of each mental space: agent, action, patient. Fourth, we have also identified types of mappings between input mental spaces as cross-space mappings metaphorical or metonymical. Finally, we have identified other kind of compressions that take place in the blended mental space such as spatial, temporal, spatial-temporal or causal chain compression.

4. Corpus Example 1. Bayer campaign for Aspirin. “Commit to feeling well”

Example 2. Bayer, Aspirin by Adolfo Murillo

Example 3. Anti-Racism Festival 2010´s Poster, commissioned by the Greek Graphic Designers Association, designed by Unusual.

Example 4. Heinz campaign by Tom Bottom. “No one grows ketchup like Heinz”

Example 5. Red Cell Milan for the New York Film Academy. “Want to write something good for the cinema?”

5. Analysis of the corpus 5.1 Example 1. Bayer campaign for Aspirin. “Commit to feeling well”

5.1.1. Textual elements: “Commit to feeling well” INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1: “MARRIAGE” INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2: “ASPIRIN”

Agent: bride, groom Action: committing yourself, to marriage Patient: groom, bride Purpose: to feel well, to be happy

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

Identity cause-effect

Compression Compression

nn

Agent: Aspirin Action: committing yourself to feeling well Patient: someone not feeling well Purpose: identifying the product with the state of feeling well

BLENDED SPACE Figure 1. fa

Agent: product Action: feeling well, to heal Patient: someone not feeling well Purpose: using this product to feel well, to be healthy

As we have mentioned in the introduction, textual elements in this ad: “commit to feeling well” can not be explained by the source to target domains projection provided by metaphor. Metaphor theory is not enough because it does not provide a consistent explanation, so we need conceptual blending theory to explain it. In the textual elements the ad exhorts the consumers to “commit to feeling well” to Aspirin. Nevertheless, from our knowledge of the world we know that drugs do not “commit”, this is an action usually performed by human beings. The assumption is that by reading the text: “commit to feeling well” the readers open an online mental space containing the information; marriage is related to commitment and another mental space with the information; Aspirin and health imply a state of wellness. The employment of this imperative verb “commit” in the same sentence that “feeling well” situates marriage and Aspirin or health input mental spaces at the same level. As a consequence, a link immediately connects the state of happiness in marriage to the state of wellness in health. The readers create a blended space in which they understand the commitment of Aspirin and health, that comes from input space 2, because it is equated with the compromise achieved in marriage projected from input mental space 1.

Figure 1 includes the textual elements of this ad in a network representation. Input mental space 1 of marriage is evoked by the imperative verb “commit”. As we have mentioned, the ad’s text uses the imperative verb “commit” to evoke the strong intention involved in marriage. This verb is traditionally used in the context of marriage in the marital vows. “Commit” is an order, but here it serves as a call of attention for the readers. The elements that are not explicit in the input mental space 1, as the agent; bride or groom or the patient; groom or bride, are provided by completion. We need completion because non explicit elements that form part of the corresponding frame are necessary parts to understand these mental spaces. The input mental space 2 of health is evoked by the expression “feeling well”, particularly it evokes a healthy state and again the elements that are not explicit are provided by completion as the agent: the product and the patient: someone in pain. In the blended space in figure 1, the agent is projected from input space 2, but the action is a mixture of the actions in mental space 1 and 2. The two actions in the input spaces are projected to create the blended action and they are compressed into a new conceptual structure to reduce their complexity. The action in the blended space: “committing

yourself to feel well” is a combination of these actions. The aims of the two actions are fused into “committing as improving health” by composition, which involves the fusion of the conceptual content from mental space 1 and 2. Thus, we understand that “commit” is seeing as “taking an Aspirin” and “feeling well” is seeing as “improving health”. The process of elaboration or exploitation included in compression depends on the reader’s creativity. Therefore, the metaphor that we find in the blended space can be enriched by the reader so that he may image a groom giving a ring with an Aspirin in the place of the pearl to a bride who has a headache. The blended space is not only made of the projections from the input spaces but also from cross-space mappings based on vital relations (Faucconier, 2002). In this ad, metaphor main vital relation of identity is the relation between the action of commitment in marriage input mental space 1 and the action of taking a pill in input mental space 2. The action of “commit” gets a new identity in the blended space thanks to metaphorical vital relation. In the blended space, the commitment is now related to the product of Aspirin and to the action of “feeling well” or to health. This is possible thanks to the projection of the strength and the happiness state in marriage that is evoked by the verb form “commit” in the input space 1, to input space 2, that is a strong commitment to health or absence of pain due to the use of drugs such as Aspirin. The ad does not mention explicitly this link between these elements but it tries to suggest it so that it can be imposed on the reader. In addition, the ad places at the same level both elements, marriage and health, so the idea of marriage as something important in your life is projected on the idea of health. Thanks to another vital relation, cause-effect compression, the ad creates a cross-space identity between “marriage” and “feeling well” or “health” becuse if you are married or healthy, which the cause, you tend to feel good, which is the effect. According to Talmy’s notion of windowing attention in causal chain events, in “commit with health” we select an initial window of attention from input mental space 1 that is the action of commitment and marriage. On the other hand, we select a final window of attention from input mental space 2 that is the result of the action or the state of “feeling well” or “health”, but in this process we omit a larger chain of sequential events. In addition, another point in common is their purpose, in both mental spaces is the same, so this is also used to link them because marriage and health share the same aim that is wellness or to make the reader “feeling well”.

5.1.2. Visual elements:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1: “MARRIAGE” INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2: “ASPIRIN”

Agent: bride, groom Action: committing, engaging Instrument: ring Patient: groom, bride

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

identity i

Agent: one product, Aspirin Action: healing pain Patient: someone in pain Purpose: conveying value to Aspirine Setting: green corporative colour

Compression

Agent: one product, Aspirin Spatial relation: integration Action: committing, engaging Patient: someone in pain Purpose: conveying wellness

BLENDED SPACE Figure 2 The visual elements in this ad are employed to support the relation already established between the input mental spaces1 of marriage and 2 of health in the textual elements. In the visual elements of this ad, the ring that we see achieves a variable nature in the blended space that is incompatible with the ring in the input mental space. This variable nature can not be explained by metaphor that is unidirectional, but we understand Aspirin and Bayer’s intention by the projection of information from both input mental spaces. In the

blended space, Aspirin, which is projected from input 2, is presented as the pearl of the engagement ring, which is projected from input space 1. In this way, both objects are situated at the same level, Aspirin is equivalent to the compromise and commitment achieved by a ring, so now we can understand the sentence “Aspirin commits to feeling well”. In the visual elements, as we can appreciate in the network diagram in Figure 2, some of the elements like the agent, action and patient in the input mental space 1 and in the blended space coincides with the textual elements but in input mental space 1 the instrument: ring is explicit. Nevertheless, in the visual elements the input mental space 1 of marriage is evoked by the image of a ring which is an instrument usually employed in an engagement or in marriage. On the other hand, the input mental 2 of drugs in the visual elements does not coincide with the one in the textual elements of health. In this case, the input space 2 of drugs is evoked by the image of an Aspirin placed on the ring. In input mental space 2, the agent is Aspirin and by completion we can deduce that the action is to heal and the patient is someone in pain. In the new blended mental space, the elements come from the projection of the information in the input mental spaces. The agent in the blended space is the agent projected from input mental space 2; Aspirin, the action comes from input mental space 1: commit and the patient comes from input space 2: someone in pain. In addition, by cross space mapping between the input spaces Aspirin, an element from input mental space 2, gets a new identity in the blended mental space as a valuable element thanks to the projection of the features belonging to the pearl that it replaces from input mental space 1. The relation between the pearl of the ring and the Aspirin is a relation of identification and similarity. This ad’s image emphasizes the resemblance between a pearl and an Aspirin because they share some features. They are both white, they have both enamel and they share the same rounded shape. The ad takes advantage of these similarities and replaces the pearl in the ring by the Aspirin. The intention of the ad placing them at the same level is to project some of the positive qualities of an element as a pearl from input space 1 on another element as Aspirin from input space 2 to convey the idea that Aspirin is as valuable as a pearl. As we can appreciate, the visual elements and the textual elements combine themselves to suggest the existence of a link between marriage and health that is the same state of “feeling well” because when you are married and when you are healthy. As a result, Aspirin achieves a new identity as an agent of wellness, similar to the wellness we find

in marriage, and a new status as something valuable, similar to a pearl. This link is imposed on the reader by the similarities of the Aspirin and the pearl but also thanks to its position on the ring. 5.2 Example 2. Bayer, Aspirin by Adolfo Murillo

5.2.1 Visual elements INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2:

Protection in sports or in rugby

Drugs

Agent: Helmet, external action Action: protecting your head from damages or pain Patient: rugby player

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

identity i

Agent: one product, Aspirin Action: healing pain Patient: someone in pain Purpose: using Aspirin to heal headaches Setting: green background corporative colour

Compression

Agent: one product, Aspirin Action: protecting your head from damages and from pain Patient: the head of someone in pain Purpose: conveying strength, identifying Aspirin with the strength of a helmet when preventing pain

BLENDED SPACE Figure 3. In this ad, there is only visual elements. In Figure 3, we have input mental space 1 that is the sports mental space, particularly the rugby mental space that is evoked thanks to the rugby helmet in the picture. Input mental space 2 is the drugs mental space that is evoked

by the shape and form of the helmet. It is white and rounded and it has the inscription “Aspirin” on it, so it resembles an Aspirin. The rugby helmet in input mental space1 and the Aspirin in input mental space 2 share the same aim to protect the head of the reader which is used to link these mental spaces in the new blended mental space. In Figure 3, the agent in this blended mental space turns out to be Aspirin, the action is “to protect” and the patient is the head of someone in pain. The ad’s intention is to create a crossspace mapping by which elements in input mental space 1 get an identity in the new blended space. The ad situates them at the same level by replacing the structure of a helmet by an Aspirin and projecting some qualities of the agent in input mental space 1, the rugby helmet, on Aspirin the agent in input mental space 2. Thus, the prototypical strength of the helmet, which is designed to protect the head from any damage is projected on Aspirin to convey the idea that it is as strong and effective as a helmet preventing pain. Aspirin promises consumers that it will protect them like a helmet but we know that drugs do not “protect” people. In the blended space, we understand the commitment of Aspirin to protect us because the strength of a helmet is projected on this it. The helmet in the blended space has a variable nature incompatible with the helmet in the source. As in the previous example, unidirectional metaphor would not be enough to explain it because we understand Aspirin and Bayer’s intention by projections from both input mental spaces. In the blend, Aspirin can be as strong as a helmet. It gets a new identity; it becomes a protection that acts as a helmet protecting the head of the patient from pain. The ad tries to suggest the link between the two agents in the input spaces by the resemblance and replacement. This relation is imposed on the reader by the colour used for the helmet as white as an Aspirin. The green background is also intentional because the colours white and green are the corporative colours in Aspirin boxes. In this example, we find also a cause-effect compression. We have an initial and a final window of attention that are singled out from a longer chain of sequential events. The input mental spaces focus on the agent as a preventive element which is the cause and the final result as a prevented element which is the effect, but other events such as the cause of this pain, are back grounded and not mentioned. The cause-effect compression diminishes the complexity of this event turning it into a human scale and making it a concept more easily understood. As a consequence, the reader led by the relevance principle will try to account the for the compression of the aim of the agents in the input spaces by the on line creation of this new blended space. This is something that the reader will do based on the imposed notion that the Aspirin somehow protects your head as a

helmet. The reader is not likely to question this association that the ad imposes on him so it takes advantage of this online processing achieved by conceptual blending.

5.3 Example 3. Anti-Racism Festival 2010´s Poster, commissioned by the Greek Graphic Designers Association, designed by Unusual. 5.3.1 Visual elements:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2:

Violence

Consensus

Agent: two gungs Spatial relation: close, confronted Action: pointing at Patient: people affected by racial conflicts

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

identity i

Compression

Agent: two guns Spatial relation: close and linked Action: handshaking Patient: people affected by racial conflicts Purpose: Setting: black and white guns on a red background

BLENDED SPACE Figure 4.

Agent: two hands Spatial relation: close and linked Action: handshaking Patient: two people Purpose: handshaking to get understanding

In this ad, we only have visual elements. In Figure 4, input mental space 1 is the racism input mental space. It is suggested by two elements: first, the use of the image of two guns, they are the agents and the action is “pointing at which evokes the ideas of conflict and violence, and second, the use of the colour. The background colour evokes the colour of blood and the black and white colours of the guns evoke people from different races. Input mental space 2 is the consensus input mental space which is evoked by the white and black hands that are the agents and the action is handshaking. In the input mental spaces, some elements are not mentioned explicitly but provided by completion as the patient of the action, the people affected by racial conflicts in input mental space 1 and two people from different races in input mental space 2. In the blended mental space, its elements turn out to be a projection of elements from the input mental spaces. The agent is a combination of both agents, guns turn into hands, the action is a combination of both actions, “pointing at” action turns into handshaking. Nevertheless, the patient comes from input mental space 1, people affected by conflicts. The ad main interpretation is that in the blended space, the guns play the role of the hands in a handshake suggesting understanding between people in conflict of different races. In the blended space, anti-racist festival promises the consumers that guns can handshake but we know they can not. In the blended space, we understand the intention of the Antiracist festival because it equates guns and hands. Unidirectional metaphor can not account for the guns’ variable nature in the blended space because it is incompatible with the guns’ nature in the input mental space. We understand the Anti-racist festival’s intention by the blending conceptual theory that implies the projection of information from both input mental spaces creating a blend by cross mapping in which guns can achieve a new identity as hands In addition to identity vital relation, in this ad we can find a vital part-whole compression. This vital relation is linked to the domain of image schemas which is based on our bodily experience. Assuming hand as the part input mental space and the person as the whole input mental space, we can establish a part-whole relationship between these input mental spaces that is compressed into a new blended space. In this new mental space, we achieve an emergent structure that links the hands and the image of the whole person, so by showing us only the hands we can retrieve the whole person and we can understand it more easily.

5.4 Example 4. Heinz campaign by Tom Bottom. “No one grows ketchup like Heinz” 5.4.1 Textual elements: “No one grows ketchup like Heinz”

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2:

Farm

Heinz Company

Agent: No one Action: growing Patient: Tomatoes

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

Identity

Agent: Heinz company Action: producing Patient: Ketchup Purpose: growing Heinz Ketchup

Compression Compression

nn

Agent: Heinz Action: growing ketchup Patient: tomatoes Purpose: conveying nature, freshness

BLENDED SPACE Figure 5 In the textual elements, “No one grows ketchup like Heinz” we can identify two input mental spaces. The farm input mental space 1 is evoked by the verb “to grow”, and the factory mental space 2 is evoked by the word “Heinz”. In addition, it is remarkable that we are provided with the brand corporative logo and not only the word Heinz, this is maybe to introduce the brand image in the reader’s mind. The subject “nobody” in this textual elements “nobody grows ketchup...” suggests that the action is something impossible which calls the reader’s attention because the aim of the ad is the contrary, to affirms that it is possible and that is Heinz who “grows” ketchup. In Figure 5, we can appreciate that in input mental space 1 of farm the agent is the farmer and the action is “to grow something”. We can complete the non mentioned elements in this input mental

space to understand it in a better way by completion, the patient of the action that are the tomatoes. In the factory input mental space 2, the agent is the Heinz company, by completion we find that the action is “to produce” and the patient is Heinz ketchup. The common element in both mental spaces is the tomato: it is what the farmer grows and it is the ingredient employed to produce ketchup. In the blended space, the ad creates a cross-space identity between both input mental spaces that initially have nothing to do. It situates at the same level the two actions in the input mental spaces, “to grow” and “to produce”, and the two settings, the farm and the factory. By doing it, the ad projects some features of the action in input space 1 on the action in input space 2. Thus, these processes are linked because they have the same aim; to get something natural. The ad’s text uses the verb “to grow” instead of “to produce” to evoke the natural origin of this ketchup and to project the naturalness associated with “growing something” on Heinz’s production of ketchup. The intention of the ad is to build a new blended mental space in which the prototypical and positive features of growing something, such as the naturalness, freshness and health, are projected on the production of Heinz ketchup. As a result, we get a new blended mental space in which the agent in mental space 2 Heinz company has a new identity as a “farmer” who grows ketchup. The action of growing something in input space 1 is now applied to ketchup and not to tomatoes thanks to the projection of the naturalness belonging to the input mental space 1 to the action in input mental space 2. This link between the two actions is suggested by the irregular use of this verb “to grow” with ketchup because this is something that can not be grown. The ad, by replacing the verb “to produce” by the verb “to grow”, is equating these two actions so that the positive features in the first one are projected on the second one. In the blended space, we can also find a vital whole-part relation. Assuming that the workers of Heinz factory are the producers of Heinz ketchup is the part input mental space and the Heinz factory is the whole input mental space, we can establish a whole-part relationship between these two input mental spaces that are compressed in the blend. In this new mental space, we achieve an emergent structure that links the Heinz factory and the image of the workers, so by mentioning the whole Heinz factory we can retrieve the workers’ image who really produce the ketchup thanks to a part-whole compression.

5.4.2 Visual elements

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 1:

INPUT MENTAL SPACE 2:

Tomato

Bottle of Ketchup

Agent: farmer Action: growing tomatoes Patient: Tomato Spatial situation: leaves on the ketchup bottle

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

Identity

Agent: Heinz Company Action: producing ketchup as natural as tomatoes Patient: Bottle of ketchup Spatial situation: upside down Purpose: growing ketchup

Compression Compression

nn

Agent: Heinz Company Action: growing ketchup as natural as tomatoes Patient: tomato Purpose: conveying nature, freshness

BLENDED SPACE Figure 6. The visual elements in this ad reinforce the initial idea suggested by the textual elements. In Figure 6, we have the farm input mental space 1, which is evoked by the green tomato leaves, and the factory mental space 2, which is evoked by Heinz ketchup bottle in a determined position upside down. In this position, we can only see the bottom of the

ketchup bottle that resembles the red colour and the rounded shape of a tomato. In input mental space 1 of farm, the patient is the tomato that is the only element partially explicit, the rest of elements are not present in the image but we can deduce them by completion: the agent is the farmer and the action is “to grow”. It is remarkable that the tomato element is explicit in the visual but not in the textual elements so we can affirm that the ad employs textual and visual elements to complement each other. The factory input mental space 2 coincides in the textual and visual elements. Nevertheless, the agent, that is the Heinz company and the action, that is “to produce”, are not explicit and the only present element in the image is the patient, that is the Heinz ketchup. As we said, the common element in both input mental spaces is the tomato which is emphasized by the ad creating the “illusion” of a tomato by mixing elements from both input spaces. It combines in an image the leaves from a tomato and the shape and the colour of the bottom of a Heinz ketchup bottle. The ad creates a cross-space identity between the elements in both input mental spaces at three levels: first, between the tomato and the ketchup bottle, second, the processes involved: to grow and to produce and third, the two settings evoked: a farm and a factory that initially have nothing to do with each other. The naturalness of the tomato is used to link the input mental spaces because a tomato is something natural and Heinz ketchup is made of tomatoes. In the ad’s image, the leaves serve to evoke the image of a tomato and to suggest the natural origin of this ketchup, as a result, the natural features of a tomato are associated with Heinz ketchup as if they were equivalent. The intention is to build a new blended mental space in which the prototypical and positive features of a tomato as its naturalness, freshness and healthiness are projected on the Heinz ketchup bottle. We get a new blended mental space that reinforces the blended space that we find in the textual elements. The agent in the blended space is Heinz ketchup, but the action in the blended space is a combination of the two input mental spaces achieved thanks to the projection of elements in input space1 on input space 2: “to grow ketchup”. The ad tries to suggest this relation by the irregular position of the ketchup bottle and the use of these tomato leaves. Replacing the real tomato by the ketchup bottle the ad equates them, so the positive features of the first one are projected on the second one. In addition to identity vital relation, we may also find a spatial compression in the blended mental space. The reader’s picture of a factory and the process involved in the production of Heinz ketchup is tied up with the kind of processes involved in growing tomatoes in a farm but the exact details of the process can not be arranged. We get an emergent

structure from this online process of blending that links the two settings the factory and the farm but the details are not resolved (Ungerer, 262).

5.5 Example 5. Red Cell Milan for the New York Film Academy. “Want to write something good for the cinema?” 5.5.1 Visual elements

INPUT SPACE 1:

INPUT SPACE 2:

Writing

Agent: screen writer Action: writing and failing Patient: scripts Spatial situation: on the bin and on the floor

Cinema

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

Identity

Compression Compression

nn

Agent: screen writer Action: to write a script that becomes a blockbuster and can be watched in cinema while eating popcorns Patient: blockbuster

BLENDED SPACE Figure 7

Agent: audience Action: watching a film while eating popcorns Patient: film Spatial situation: on the popcorn vase and on the floor Purpose: writing something good to become a blockbuster

In this ad, NY Film Academy promises the consumers that it will help you to write something good for cinema. In the blended space, we understand the intention of NY Film Academy because crumpled papers are presented as popcorns. In Figure 7, we have the writing input mental space 1, which is evoked by the bin and the crumpled papers, and the cinema input mental space 2, which is evoked by the popcorn vase and the popcorns. Input mental space 1, recalls the reader’s knowledge about the process of writing of a script as something that implies a great effort and a lot of try. On the other hand, input mental space 2 evokes the knowledge of the readers about going to the cinema thanks to the popcorns. In input space 1, the agent is the screenwriter that is not explicit but we can deduce it by completion, the action is to write and the patients are plenty of scripts. The vase and the elements on and around it are common elements to both input mental spaces but they are interpreted in a different way in them; as a red bin full of crumpled papers in 1or a popcorn vase full of popcorns in 2. The ad takes advantage of the resemblance between these elements to suggest a connection between them. Thanks to this resemblance the ad projects the positive features of input mental space 2 on input mental space 1. We know that a blockbuster movie that is watched while eating popcorns. In the new blended mental space, the prototypical and positive feature of success implied in input space 2 is projected by cross mapping on the process of writing a script in input space 1. In this new blended space, we find that the agent is the screen writer and the patient is a blockbuster that are projected from input space 2. Nevertheless, the action is a combination of the projection from the actions in both input spaces: “to write a script that becomes a blockbuster and can be watched in cinema while eating popcorns”. This link is suggested by the resemblance between the elements in both input mental spaces. In this blend, we may find also a spatial compression. The reader’s picture of an office and the process engaged in writing a script is linked with the kind of processes involved in watching a film in the cinema. From this online process of blending, we get an emergent structure that ties up the two setting; the office and the cinema (Ungerer, 262).

5.5.2 Textual elements: “Want to write something good for the cinema?” INPUT SPACE 1:

INPUT SPACE 2:

Writing

Agent: writer Action: writing Patient: script

Cinema

CROSS-SPACE MAPPING

Identity

Agent: director Action: filming Patient: audience Purpose: writing something good for a film

Compression Compression

nn Agent: screen writer Action: to write something good for the cinema Patient: something good for the cinema, script Purpose: conveying success

BLENDED SPACE Figure 8 In Figure 8, we have the input mental space 1 of writing, the action is to write that is explicit but the the agent which is a writer and the patient which is a script, are not explicit but provided by completion. In input mental space 2, our knowledge about cinema allow us to provide by completion the agent that is a director, the action that is filming and the patient that is a film. The blended space is constructed by the projection of information from both input mental spaces by cross space mapping: the agent is a screen writer, the action is a combination of the action in both input mental spaces: “to write something good for the cinema” and the patient is something good for the cinema that is to say a successful script. In this ad the textual elements: “Want to write something good for the cinema?” reinforce the preceding visual elements. The first thing that calls our attention is that we have a question that is employed to call the attention of the reader. In the visual elements, the great amount of crumpled papers suggests that the writing process of a script

is something that entails a significant effort. This idea is reinforced by the textual elements in which this question implies that “write something good” is not easy. The visual elements that suggests the input mental space 2 of cinema are reinforced by the textual elements because this setting is explicitly mentioned “for cinema”. It is remarkable that in the textual elements, the ad provides us with the level “good” reinforcing the idea that is suggested in the visual elements. A movie that is watched with popcorns is a success or is “good” because it implies going to the cinema. In addition, the spatial compression suggested by the visual elements is reinforced by the textual elements because both spaces are mentioned explicitly.

6. Conclusion We hope to have shown that conceptual blending theory explains the process of meaning construction by consumers in advertising. We hope also to have proved first, that conceptual blending exists in visual and textual elements and second, that they are combined in a particular way to communicate meaning by brands. In addition, we wish to have demonstrated that the relation between these textual and visual elements and conceptual blending theory are employed by brands to influence consumers’ actions by conveying a specific meaning in advertising. Therefore, we can affirm that brands take advantage of the construction of meaning by means of conceptual blending by the consumers in advertising.

7. Bibliography:

Cornelissen Joep. Making sense of theory construction: metaphor and disciplined imagination. Organ Stud 2006 Coulson Seanna, Todd Oakley. Blending basics. Cognitive Linguistic. 2000 Fauconnier Gilles, Mark Turner. The way we think: conceptual blending and the mind's hidden complexities. New York: Basic Books; 2002. Joy, Annamma. John Sherry. Jonathan Deschenes. “Conceptual blending in advertising”. Journal of Business Research. November 2007. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221998966_Conceptual_blending_in_adverti sing)

Mc Quarrie Edward, Mick David Glen. Figures of rhetoric in advertising language. J Consum Res 1996; 22:424–37 (March). Mc Quarrie Edward, Mick David Glen. Visual rhetoric in advertising: text- interpretive, experimental, and reader response analysis. J Consum Res 1999; 26:37–54 (June). Ungerer, Friedich. Smichd, Hans-Jörg. An Introduction to Cognitive Linguistics. “Blending and Relevance”. Pearson Education Limited. 2006