Discover what semiotic analysis can do for you,
a specific methodology developped by NOMEN France
In addition to organising the production of goods and services, companies also create meaning. They don’t just offer products, but ways of thinking, even ways of living. People don’t just wear Nike footwear because they’re good shoes but because they want to be part of the brand’s universe. A universe of success, daring, of dreams come true, all summarised by the famous « Just do it ».
Through internal and external communication, through brand names, companies put their values. Semiotic analysis is used to manage this production of meaning and highlight the main values on which a company founds the way it communicates with its employees, its customers and potential customers.
In this way, semiotic analysis is an essential tool for gaining in depth knowledge of a company and assisting companies in various areas.
Nomen uses linguistic and iconic semiotic analysis to give a precise picture of the values projected through companies’ communication.
Semiotic analysis has multiple uses.
By identifying a semiotic universe, the type of vocabulary and the tone which is used, semiotics can determine the strengths (simple sentences, clear information and structured text …) and weaknesses (use of obscure jargon, confusing structure, contradictions …) of a text or speech. This analysis can be applied to micro or macro levels and can involve anything from studying the way a specific word or concept is used to studying the entire communication of a company (corporate documents, advertising, internal notes, …).
Combined with statistical analysis, semiotics can be used to visualise precisely the values expressed in a given document and the proportions in which each value is present. Once this is achieved, a company’s communication can be modified so as to increase or reduce the emphasis put on a given value, or so as to give a whole new direction to the company’s communication if it transpires that its values are unoriginal.
This use of semiotics is particularly relevant when combined with qualitative interviews as it will show precisely the perceptions of customers or users.
Used in such a manner, semiotic analysis is a tool for optimisation and clarification.
In the long term, semiotic analysis highlights the values which fluctuate (fashions for example) and the values which are fundamental for a given company. This will determine which values must not be changed as they represent a company’s core identity and which values can be modified or replaced according to a company’s needs at a specific point in time.
Long term, semiotic analysis becomes a tool for knowledge.
Used in a benchmark, semiotics compare the sets of values of competing companies and highlight the values which are over or under-used so as to create an original positioning in terms of values and define new codes of expression (types of names, ways of communicating …).
Semiotic analysis is a tool for differentiation.
In addition to providing precise and operational analysis, Nomen’s semiotic analysis is a real positioning tool. By highlighting the foundations of a company’s communication, it provides a better understanding of the message it projects. It optimises a company’s communication and helps to understand and direct the universe of signs (names, message, advertising,…) which make up its life and its development.
