Language and visual structures of graphic advertising for facial cosmetics in Spain

Abstract

This analysis encompasses 301 advertisements for facial cosmetics targeted at women in Spain from 2014 to 2021, revealing common patterns in both visual structures and language usage within the sector. The predominant structures, left-right, top-bottom, and center-margin, intertwine with the promise, the product, and the text, resulting in variations with different meanings that reflect the strategic intention of beauty brands. Additionally, they exhibit variations and reflect a visual organization complemented by a language marked by its scientification and ritualization. Eighty-five percent of the advertisements employ a ritual language, while scientification is present in 58% of the graphics, with 92% of the latter validating their claims with scientific evidence, complying with legal requirements. Regarding the most prominent themes of the advertisements, 77% of the advertising graphics focus on the face as the main problematic area, and 23% address aging signs comprehensively with «global anti-wrinkle» proposals. This study not only deciphers the predominant communication strategies in cosmetic advertising but also provides a catalogue of visual structures and confirms that the language used is similar to that analyzed in other countries, offering a solid framework for future research and applications in cosmetics advertising.