A Multimodal Approach to Product Presentations

Multimodality approaches discourse focusing on the analysis of the semiotic modes that help fulfil the communicative purpose of a particular genre, which in the case of product presentations is to persuade of the excellence of the product. We argue that a Multimodal Discourse Analysis approach is especially suitable for the study of product presentations since persuasion in this genre implies the use of different semiotic modes (Chaiken & Eagly, 1976; Poggi & Pelachaud, 2008). The aim of this paper is to present a methodological approach to the study of product presentations from a MDA perspective along with potential pedagogical implications.