Visual Semiotics Across Nations

doi:N/A

eISSN: None / ISSN: 1010-7347

Journal of International Marketing and Marketing Research

2026, Volume 4, Issue 1 : 1-4

Research Article

Visual Semiotics Across Nations

Marianne Lefèvre

Harpreet Khanna

Yuta Aoki

Centre for Global Communication & Symbolic Studies, Université Sorbonne, France

School of Cultural Semiotics & Marketing, Delhi University, India

Institute for Cross-Cultural Design Perception, University of Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

Visual semiotics examines how signs—such as symbols, colors, typography, gestures, and imagery—communicate meaning. However, visual interpretation is culturally conditioned: the same symbol may evoke opposite meanings across nations due to historical narratives, religion, language, collective memory, and aesthetic norms. This study synthesizes semiotic theory, cultural anthropology, and cross-cultural marketing research to analyze how visual meaning varies across nations. The paper introduces the Cross-National Semiotic Interpretation Model (CNSIM) to map how cultural frames mediate perception of signs. Findings highlight that brands adopting standardized global visuals risk misinterpretation, whereas contextual semiotic localization enhances emotional connection and cultural compliance.

Keywords

Visual interpretation

Cross-National Semiotic Interpretation Model (CNSIM)

Cultural frames

Risk misinterpretation

License

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