The cultural aspects of brands, as well as their consideration as symbols in consumer cultures, are relevant elements of contemporary branding. This research relies on cultural branding as a theoretical framework that explains the role of brands as vessels of ideology. Such a role relates to the fact that brands can simultaneously reflect and smooth societal tensions – that is, the mechanics that turn brands into icons according to the theory of “iconic brands.” This article focuses on the Spanish fashion company Piel de Toro (“Bull Skin”) to illustrate the ideological role of brands, as well as the identity myths they convey to meet consumers’ anxieties. To study the way this brand formulated a patriotic identity myth in the context of the Catalonian separatist movement, Piel de Toro’s “Proudly Spanish” 2017 campaign is analyzed by putting together the brand genealogy method and different data sources. Results shed light on the scope and limits of the brand’s iconic status, and indicate the role of commercial brands as political–ideological actors in contemporary Spanish culture.

Instagram has become an important tool to contact the audiences both in commercial and political communication. Of special interest is the use of this social network by politicians, who can use the image to portray a humanized version of themselves: it is not the candidate but the person who is talking to citizens through impacting images posted on their personal profiles. The present study posits that Instagram is a key tool for self-representation. This paper offers a specific study about the use of Instagram by the five main candidates in the Spanish general elections in 2019. The main aim of this paper is to study if the Spanish candidates showed themselves on Instagram in a more humanized way during the electoral campaign. Departing from Goffman’s theory about the presentation of the self, a content analysis has been carried out as methodology, where Goffman’s concepts have been operationalized. The analysis was applied to a total of 473 Instagram posts, covering both a pre-election period and an election period. Results show that Spanish candidates tend to show themselves as professional politicians, but some candidates of new parties increment their humanization in the elections period.

En Instagram, el candidato tiene la oportunidad de manejar los elementos del escenario en el que se representa para transmitir a los potenciales votantes una estudiada imagen de sí mismo. En esta investigación se analizan los elementos con los que se muestran en Instagram los cinco principales candidatos a la presidencia del gobierno español. El objetivo principal es determinar si ha existido un cambio de estrategia significativo durante el periodo electoral del 28 de abril de 2019. Para ello, a partir de la operacionalización del concepto de setting de Goffman (1956), se utiliza una metodología cuantitativa sobre una muestra total de 473 posts. Los resultados muestran un cambio de estrategia en el modo de construir el escenario en Instagram conforme se acercan las elecciones generales: los candidatos muestran un perfil más profesional y menos humanizado.

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Teoría y Estructura de la Publicidad supone un completo estudio del proceso publicitario. Desde la necesidad del anunciante hasta la difusión del mensaje, pasando por la planificación estratégica o la creación, el texto ofrece las claves de la actividad publicitaria en todas sus etapas. Se presenta la comunicación publicitaria como contexto, se explican los agentes que protagonizan el proceso comunicativo (el anunciante, la marca y la empresa de publicidad) y se desgrana el proceso en fases bien diferenciadas, siguiendo el orden lógico del proceso publicitario: la planificación de marketing, la planificación estratégica, la creatividad publicitaria, la producción y los medios de difusión. Theory and Structure of Advertising presents a complete study of the advertising process. From the need of the advertiser to the dissemination of the message, through strategic planning or creation, this text offers the keys to advertising activity in all its stages. Advertising communication is presented as a context, as well as the agents involved in the communication process (the advertiser, the brand and the advertising company), and the process is separated into well differentiated phases, following the logical order of the advertising process: marketing planning, strategic planning, advertising creativity, production and media.