Visual Semiotics in Business Communication: Analysing Brand Symbols

This study examines the role of visual semiotics in business communication through an in-depth analysis of brand symbols. Drawing on Peircean and Saussurean semiotics alongside Barthes’s mythological critique and social semiotic approaches (Kress & van Leeuwen), the research investigates how brand symbols encode meanings, shape consumer perceptions, and function as strategic tools for corporate identity construction. Using a qualitative multimodal methodology—comprising visual semiotic analysis, in-depth interviews with brand managers, and thematic analysis of consumer narratives—the study presents case analyses of three internationally recognised brands. Findings reveal that brand symbols operate simultaneously at denotative and connotative levels, mediate cultural myths, and perform ideological work that contributes to brand equity. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial implications, methodological reflections, and directions for future research. Keywords: visual semiotics, brand symbols, business communication, Peirce, Barthes, social semiotics, qualitative research