Representation of Spanish Crisis in Advertising. The Case of "Awakening" (Campofrío, 2015)

Abstract

This paper pays attention to the advertising enunciation, understanding it as a discourse that builds an image, among many possible, of the crisis. Taking into account that large companies prefer to appeal to our optimism rather than contribute to a rational debate about our problems, and that from its persuasive nature its objective is not to solve our daily problems or to empower us with critical capacities but to promote consumerism, we carry out a critical analysis of the multimodal and semiotic discourse of advertising, its discursive strategies, as well as its objectives and interests. Focusing on the Spanish case, we will analyse Campofrio´s Despertar campaign (2015) as case study. We will see how the representation of the crisis in the advertisement takes away the importance of the crisis because it does not take into account social and political issues. At the same time it individualizes it, as well as its possible causes, consequences and solutions, supporting and legitimizing the neoliberal ideology present in society. The brand is offered as well as therapist, personal coach and even spiritual guru to overcome a crisis expressed as opportunity.