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VOL. 2, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Advertisement as a form of communication: Strategies, symbols, and social influence
Authors
Anik Das
Abstract
Advertisement is not simply a commercial announcement; it is a complex
form of communication that informs, persuades, symbolizes, and shapes social
meaning. This article examines advertising as a communicative practice by
focusing on three interrelated dimensions: strategies, symbols, and social
influence. The study argues that advertising works through carefully designed
message strategies, the use of signs and symbolic associations, and the
activation of social norms, identity, and interpersonal influence. Drawing on
communication theory, semiotic approaches, consumer culture scholarship, and
contemporary studies of digital and social media advertising, the article shows
that advertisements do more than promote products. They construct lifestyles,
attach cultural meanings to brands, and influence how audiences interpret
status, belonging, aspiration, and behavior. The discussion further shows that
the communicative power of advertising has expanded in interactive and social
media environments, where users do not merely receive messages but also
circulate, reinterpret, and amplify them. At the same time, the article
highlights the critical concern that advertising may reproduce materialistic
values, stereotypes, and subtle forms of social pressure. The paper concludes
that advertising should be understood as a multidimensional communication
system in which persuasion, symbolism, and social influence work together to
shape both consumer response and wider cultural life.
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Pages:296-300
How to cite this article:
Anik Das "Advertisement as a form of communication: Strategies, symbols, and social influence". International Journal of Applied Review
, Vol 2, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 296-300
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