The semiotics discipline - a hybrid of communication science and anthropology - accounts for the deep cultural codes that structure communication and sociality, endow things with value, move us through constructed space, and moderate our encounters with change. Doing Semiotics shows readers how to leverage these codes to solve business problems, foster innovation, and create meaningful experiences for consumers. In addition to the key principles and methods of applied semiotics, it introduces the basics of branding, strategic decision-making, and cross-cultural marketing management. Through practical exercises, examples, extended team projects, and evaluation criteria, this book guides students through the application of learning to all phases of semiotics-based projects for communications, brand equity management, design strategy, new product development, and public policy management. In addition to tools for sorting data and mapping cultural dimensions of a market, it includes useful interview protocols for use in focus groups, in-depth interviews, and ethnographic studies, as well as expert case studies that will enable readers to apply semiotics to consumer research.

About the Author
Laura Oswald is founder and president of Marketing Semiotics, a brand strategy and research boutique in Chicago, Illinois. Applying semiotic principles to brand strategy and consumer research, the company has led successful projects related to strategic planning, new product development, creative design, and corporate reorganization for blue chip brands worldwide since 2000. She is author of Marketing Semiotics: Signs, Strategies, and Brand Value (Oxford University Press, 2012) and Creating Value: The Theory and Practice of Marketing Semiotics Research (Oxford University Press 2015), as well as numerous peer-reviewed articles, white papers, and blog posts.

Reviews
The book provides the clearest introduction that I have seen to date of the application of semiotics to branding and the analysis of consumer behaviour. It is packed throughout with well thought-out practical exercises and insightful commentaries that will be widely welcomed by all of those involved in marketing semiotics. * Professor Daniel Chandler, Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University *
Doing Semiotics is an important practical guide for the student of semiotics. It contains a number of current illuminating cases, exercises, and examples framed from a cultural and ethnographic perspective. It deserves keen attention from the many who can benefit from these semiotic tools, whether in business, design, or non-profit marketing. * Professor Russell Belk, Distinguished Research Professor and the Kraft Foods Canada Chair in Marketing at Schulich School of Business, York University *
Semiotics is central to marketing; few would disagree. But semiotics is also a complex discipline. In this volume, Laura Oswald links the semiotic tools to the most fundamental marketing tasks and also couples it with marketing research techniques. Marketing semiotics for beginners -- in the best sense of the word. * Professor Soren Askegaard, University of Southern Denmark *
Doing Semiotics is a valuable resource for scholars seeking guidance about the process of semiotics and its application to deciphering marketplace meanings. With contributions from thought leaders like Marcel Danesi, Laura Oswald has put together a rich and useful manual to help readers uncover the fascinating world of cultural signs and their interpretation. * Professor Robert Kozinets, Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chair of Strategic Public Relations, the Annenberg School of Communication, University of Southern California *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198862116
Author Laura R. Oswald
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 398g
Dimensions(mm) 233mm * 155mm * 14mm