Symbolic Portrayal of Social Classes in Pakistani Advertisement

Abstract

The current study aims to identify particular ways through which social actors are represented by Pakistani media such as MCB (Muslim Commercial Bank) Ladies Account (2017). This study is only limited to two Pakistani advertisements as a sample of study. The research design is qualitative content analysis. The study seeks to examine the propagation of class differences for the sake of gaining viewer’s empathy in order to achieve marketing purposes. The researchers have applied Leeuwen’s (2008) framework of Visual Representation of Social Actor for the analysis of data. The analysis of data has provided an insight into different ways class differences are showcased. It has further provided an insight that notion of lower/middle class is constructed and represented as “others” in the particular advertisements with the help of Visual Representation of Social Actors. The result of study validates that lower/middle class is particularly marginalized in the mentioned advertisements, whereas it has become a general practice of Pakistani media to project such kind of class dichotomy. The study has further incorporated the idea that through such kind of projections the capitalists propagate the purchase of unwanted items. Wherein, regardless of any use the viewers while empathizing with the social actors purchase the advertised items.