The journal Signos do Consumo specializes in studies on marketing and advertising, public relations, and market and consumption phenomena. Its mission is creating a forum for the exchange of knowledge in a network, through scientific articles and book reviews, for the national and international scientific community interested in disseminating the results of its researches, essays, and reflections concerning studies in the area of Communication. Article languages for publication: Portuguese, Spanish, and English. ISSN: 1984-5057
Universidade de São Paulo. Escola de Comunicações e Artes
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA License.
Signos do Consumo: novas conquistas, outros desafios
Advertising agencies in Portugal: from the traditional model to liquid modernity
The advertising industry has undergone profound structural and cultural changes over recent decades, driven primarily by advances in digital technologies. In Portugal, the sector has gradually adapted to a hybrid media ecosystem in which creativity, data, and technology are strategically interconnected. This article analyses the impact of digital transformation on Portuguese advertising agencies, drawing on a historical contextualization from the 1990s onwards, a literature review and a quantitative empirical study based on a survey of agency professionals. The findings reveal significant changes in organizational structures, professional profiles, and creative processes, pointing towards more agile, collaborative, and data-driven models.
Copyright (c) 2026 Maria José Cunha, Sara Balonas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Aesthetic and body standards in artificial intelligence-generated pornographic advertisements
This work examines, combining integrated content analysis and Peirce's categories of firstness and secondness, two advertising pieces found on the websites Candy AI and Lovescape, aiming to understand what the visual and textual codes examined inform about patterns of femininity, beauty, and thinness. Complementing the discussion, we start from a perspective that understands the historical and intertwined relationship between the pornographic and advertising industries, the modalities of production of online pornography, the body as a central deictic in advertising and pornographic discourses and digital platforms as spaces for the representation of certain bodies and sexual practices that consolidate, distort, and subvert social markers of difference.
Copyright (c) 2026 David Nogueira da Costa, Jacqueline Ausier Domingues https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
In an era in which the use of Artificial Intelligence to help with countless tasks is almost as natural as breathing, advertising is no exception. The search for advertising in an increasingly demanding and expanding e-commerce market cannot be answered in light of the traditional model. Therefore, and taking into account the applicability of Artificial Intelligence techniques in the most diverse domains, these tools are used in an attempt to facilitate the creation of advertising material and save time and resources. But is the application of these tools beneficial at all levels? Will there be data that allows us to draw accurate conclusions? It is increasingly difficult to discern where the barrier between reality and intelligence dissolves, making it urgent to gain greater awareness of this topic.
Dossiê - 1ª Conferência Ibero-Americana de Publicidade
Copyright (c) 2025 Rita Dinis Delgado https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Branded documentaries: advertising tool or genuine activism?
The article analyzes the ambiguity of brand documentaries, which combine documentary claims with market positioning. It investigates to what extent this format can be understood as genuine activism rather than mere advertising. The case study is Shitthropocene (Patagonia, 2024). The objectives are to identify the discursive axes related to consumption and sustainability and to assess the product as activism, advertising, or a hybrid form. The research adopts a qualitative, interpretivist, and critical approach. It employs thematic analysis and multimodal Critical Discourse Studies. Narration, humor, visual resources, and brand self-representation are examined. The results identify five central themes: overconsumption, consumer agency, anti-disposability, the brand/ethical capitalism paradox, and corporate responsibility. These themes are organized into different narrative layers. The study concludes that the documentary combines social critique and brand persuasion, characterizing it as activertising.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sara Rego, Alexandra Leandro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The impact of homophily in influencer advertising: a reflection on contemporary consumption processes
The technological revolution has made digitization unavoidable. It is around this focus that advertising strategies are built. The focus on influencer marketing reflects a market trend: authentic content. This demand for authenticity has reinforced the preponderance of influencers as substitutes for traditional brand discourse. These reflections serve as a starting point for understanding the impact of homophily on digital advertising and contemporary consumer practices. Through the literature review, it was found that messages became more effective when delivered by social media influencers (compared to celebrities), since the perception of similarity enhances the brand's voice through their words, making it resonate more strongly in the minds of consumers.
Copyright (c) 2026 Cristina Santos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The impact of Jaguar’s rebranding on consumer perception
This study primarily aims to deepen the understanding of Jaguar’s rebranding and to examine how the recent changes made to its brand identity have influenced consumer perception. To this end, the following research question was posed: What is consumers’ perception of Jaguar’s rebranding? To address this question, the authors began with a literature review on the topic under analysis and subsequently conducted an online survey, obtaining 255 valid responses. Based on the results, it was found that Jaguar’s rebranding did not have a significant impact on the perception of most respondents, particularly regarding visibility, reputation, and purchase intention. However, the study opens the discussion to broader debates about the impact of rebranding on brand perception and encourages reflection on the challenges that traditional brands face in their repositioning processes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fabiana Cabeça, Alexandre Duarte https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Sustainable place branding: how technology can support new forms of connection with nature
In an increasingly digital society, restoring contact with nature has become a major challenge. This study proposes green place branding as an innovative way to foster emotional bonds between people and the natural environments in their cities, combining immersive technologies with an inclusive and emotionally positive brand approach. Based on an exploratory study using interviews and surveys, the initial findings suggest that immersive tools can generate hybrid experiences that integrate both physical and digital dimensions. The analysis highlights the value of authentic, community-driven storytelling to promote emotional connections while avoiding alarmist narratives that tend to create distance. Clear, transparent, and participatory campaigns are also shown to be essential. Technology is likewise presented as a useful administrative resource for managing these spaces. However, potential risks such as social exclusion and loss of authenticity are noted. The study acknowledges several limitations and outlines future research directions in the field of green place branding.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maria Fernandez-Osso Fuentes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The objectification of women on digital contact platforms: a critical analysis of web portals accessible in Pontevedra
This study comparatively analyses seven digital portals intended for sexual contact in Pontevedra, Galicia, to identify common elements in their advertisements, structure, and functionalities. Using a qualitative methodology, the work focuses on four key dimensions: legal notices and access, general portal structure, detailed advertisement presentation, and noteworthy functionalities, including interaction and geolocation. The results show varied practices regarding adult access and different levels of interaction, highlighting the widespread use of WhatsApp for immediate communication and evaluation systems similar to commercial platforms. It is concluded that these platforms reflect and reinforce dynamics of contemporary digital consumption, emphasising the importance of geographical proximity and instantaneous interaction in digitally mediated relationships.
Copyright (c) 2025 Xabier Martínez Rolán, María Isabel Míguez González, Alexandre Duarte, Alberto Dafonte Gómez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The visibility of older women in advertising: an analysis of ageism in the luxury fashion sector
Ageism has become a serious problem in today's society and effective communication and advertising strategies are needed to improve its visibility and integration. Using a qualitative-quantitative methodological approach, the online communication of luxury retail brands Loewe and Saint Laurent was examined, focusing on their websites and Instagram. The results indicate that only 6.5% of the total analysed shows the presence of older women, with an upward trend in recent years. The main conclusions underscore that, despite the low percentage, a greater commitment to combating ageism is evident in the sector, with scarce representations where negative stereotypes are not evident.
Copyright (c) 2025 Jonatán Camacho-Escobar, Carlos Sáenz-Torralba, María Salinas-Vázquez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Communication for an inclusive and plural society: the need for authenticity in banking campaigns
This article analyzes the perception of authenticity in diversity and inclusion campaigns developed by banking institutions, based on a focus group conducted with seven participants representing diverse client and employee profiles within the financial sector. The study was conducted in Spain in June 2024. The study adopts a qualitative and interpretive approach, grounded in the principles of inclusive communication and corporate social responsibility. The findings reveal a gap between advertising discourse and internal practices, highlighting ethical and communicational challenges in building a genuinely plural organizational culture. The study concludes that authenticity is a decisive factor for fostering institutional trust and reputation in the contemporary financial sector.
Copyright (c) 2025 José-Antonio López-Martín, Javier García-López, Francisco Cabezuelo-Lorenzo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Stories that connect us: analysing rhetoric in Disney advertising campaigns
The study analyses Disney s Christmas advertising trilogy Stories that connect us (2020-2022), identifying communication and storytelling strategies that strengthen emotional bonds between the brand and the audience. The research is based on Veríssimo’s analytical framework (2021a; 2021b), considering the effects on ad processing, brand communication, and consumer decision-making. The campaigns highlight memories, traditions, and family ties, using a teddy bear Mickey as a symbol of temporal continuity. By combining branding and classical rhetoric, the narratives employ pathos and ethos to evoke emotion and credibility. The results indicate that the campaigns go beyond commercial promotion, contributing to the symbolic construction of audience identity, reinforcing loyalty, and projecting ideals of a better world.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bruno Frutuoso Costa, Hadassa Guimarães Oliveira, Mariana Pinto Góis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Ventura inc.: when celebrity matters more than the party
This article examines the radical personalization of Portuguese politics through the case of André Ventura and the CHEGA party, arguing that the leader’s central role has turned the party into a personal brand. Using a multidisciplinary framework, the study integrates theories of political mediatization, celebrity culture, and radical right- -wing populist discourse. Through critical discourse analysis, midia coverage, and digital communication strategies, the article shows how Ventura built a charismatic persona grounded in direct communication, moral polarization, and rhetorical simplification. The case is contextualized within a comparative perspective, drawing parallels with figures like Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, and Javier Milei. The findings suggest that extreme personalization weakens party institutionalization, replaces ideological debate with leader-centric loyalty, and threatens the principles of democratic representation. The study contributes to understanding how market logics, digital midia, and the erosion of traditional structures are reshaping contemporary politics.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Filipa Joaquim https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
This study seeks to investigate the meanings of K-pop consumption in Brazil. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, with a qualitative research. In-depth interviews, guided by a semi-structured script, were conducted with Brazilian K-pop consumers selected by convenience. The main motivation for K-pop consumption is the music, in addition to the emotional connection with the artists. Regarding the meanings attributed to K-pop, the main ones were comfort and emotional support, relaxation and well-being, associated with stress relief and happiness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Raquel Gomes Pregioni Ribeiro, Renata Céli Moreira da Silva Paula https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Poetics of consumption: an analysis of narratives in perfume advertising films
This article analyzes the aesthetic and narrative strategies in perfume advertising films, proposing the construction of a poetics of consumption that transforms perfume into a sign of desire and subjectivity. Through a qualitative analysis of 12 campaigns from luxury and accessible brands (Dior, Chanel, Gucci, Lancôme, Natura, Jo Malone, Bath & Body Works), the study examines how cinematic resources—synesthetic visuals, evocative soundtracks, and bodily performances—circumvent communicative anosmia, creating opulent, introspective, or intimate atmospheres. The findings highlight that these narratives transcend commercial discourse, approaching art cinema and reflecting cultural dynamics of gender, identity, and consumerism. The amplification of these poetics on digital platforms and their adaptation to trends such as sustainability and customization reinforce their contemporary relevance. The study contributes to the fields of communication and culture, offering a critical reading of the intersection between aesthetics, consumption, and subjectivity in modern advertising.
Copyright (c) 2026 Marcelo Eduardo Ribaric https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Redefining innovation management for the complex adaptive system of innovation: a path to Creative Economy 2.0
This study investigates how complexity adaptive innovation systems foster the emergence of Creative Economy 2.0, replacing traditional approaches to innovation management. Drawing on the sciences of complexity, it discusses radical innovation as the emergence of new systemic orders that cannot be deduced from previous conditions. It demonstrates that such emergence generates unprecedented signs capable of reconfiguring perceptual regimes and inaugurating new forms of consumption grounded in discovery, surprise, and the restructuring of interpretive habits. Thus, the designation Creative Economy 2.0 is epistemological rather than chronological: it does not indicate a linear temporal evolution, but rather a paradigm shift in how creativity, innovation, and sign-creation regimes are understood within saturated attention ecologies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Romilson Marco Santos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Where is the porn? An overview of Brazilian research on pornography in the communication field
This work is part of an ongoing research project that seeks to understand the semiotic processes involved in the production and publicization of homoerotic pornography on digital platforms. As part of this investigation, the study is guided by the following question: what has been produced and published in Brazil about pornography within the field of Communication Sciences? With this in mind, the paper presents and analyzes data found in Brazilian academic production in the field of Communication, based on research conducted in the three main academic databases in Brazil. Finally, it offers possible theoretical approaches to contextualize pornography as a communicational object.
Copyright (c) 2026 David Nogueira da Costa, Clotilde Perez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Consumption of underwear in gay culture: mapping the lifestyles and behaviors of Ricok Couture potential users
This article aims to investigate the consumption patterns, preferences, and motivations that shape the behaviors of gay consumers of the Brazilian men’s underwear brand Ricok Couture. The theoretical framework articulates sociocultural dynamics that construct identity interactions among gay individuals and the use of underwear, as well as marketing and communication strategies that influence consumption practices. This is analyzed through the lens of studies on cultural representation, discursive formations, consumer anthropology, and digital marketing, based on authors such as Hall (2016), Saraiva et al. (2020), and Hammack et al. (2021). Methodologically, the research is basic, qualitative, and descriptive, employing bibliographic review and documentary research. Data analysis focused on the discursive, visual, and textual content shared on the brand’s Instagram profiles and those of its potential consumers. The findings indicate that gay consumers’ experiences are deeply influenced by media representations, collective identities, and shared symbolic values, highlighting the complexity and diversity of this specific market niche.
Copyright (c) 2026 Eduardo Brasil, Daniela Novelli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The signs of consumption: reinventing realities
Copyright (c) 2025 Clotilde Perez, Eneus Trindade https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
“Rare Health” platform: a turnaround in the consumption of information about rare diseases
This article aims to bring to the debate on advertising communication, the first results of empirical research into the “Rare Health Platform,” an interactive technology produced in open code, based on the Cívis Platform and structured on the Social Advertising methodology. It has the participation of researchers, teachers, students and organizations run by people linked to the universe of orphan pathologies. The digital environment aims to strengthen practices to combat media disinformation on the part of the health market, which profits from the lack of information about these diseases. The initiative allows ordinary people to register their institutions and projects, in an intuitive and free way, strengthening the exchange of experience by those with the same interest. As initial results, the platform has 46 registered organizations, the participation of more than 40 students and the effective contribution of representatives of social movements.
Copyright (c) 2025 Patrícia Gonçalves Saldanha, Josir Cardoso Gomes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Shitposting and brand expressivity: an analysis of Bis’ Instagram
The work analyzes the use of shitposts in the communication of the Bis brand on Instagram. In a quantitative analysis of the 2023 publications, the research verifies the recurrence in which Bis uses shitposting to connect with consumers. This is followed by a classification of the recurring themes in these posts, based on Woods (2023). It discusses how the elements of brand expressivity (Perez, 2017) are integrated into the posts, using humor and irony to reinforce the brand’s identity and promote interactions with the public.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pablo Moreno Fernandes, Cecilia Pawlow https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Mark Fisher's Post-Capitalist Desire against the shallow critique of “consumerism”
Copyright (c) 2025 Lucas Zanardo Milanez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The influence of advertising objects on identity construction: between brands and consumption rituals
This paper aims to understand the logical relationships between advertising objects and individuals, in order to make explicit the meanings established between them, seeking to explore their contributions to identity construction and expression. To this end, an anthroposemiotic approach is adopted, articulating Charles S. Peirce’s semiotic structure with studies from the anthropology of consumption, through interviews and visits to the homes of three influencers. It is concluded that advertising objects are powerful in creating and discussing identities through the different stages of the consumption rituals to which they are subjected, based on dimensions related to formal compositions, personal histories, and relationships with brands.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rafael Orlandini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
AI, human skills and the “feared” ethics
The book “Desmistificando a IA”, by Dora Kaufman, analyzes the impacts of artificial intelligence on society, disseminating information on the subject and deconstructing exaggerated fears. The author explores everything from the fundamentals of AI, such as neural networks and deep learning, to ethical and social challenges, such as algorithmic bias and transparency. In fact, Kaufman argues that AI does not have its own intelligence, but rather an advanced statistical ability to identify patterns and optimize processes. The work highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, arguing that the critical understanding of technology must involve both professionals in the exact sciences and the humanities.
Anna Luísa Peixoto Bracarence de Magalhães
Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Luísa Peixoto Bracarence de Magalhães https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Advertising efficiency in applied models from the perspective of connective advertising
The field of advertising has historically maintained strong connections with other domains, especially technology, from which it draws support for avant-garde actions. Currently, in its interplay with intelligent technologies, discussions have emerged around innovation and efficiency, driven by the transformation of the media ecosystem and the rise of digital advertising. In this context, this study analyzes how advertising efficiency relates to innovation in research focused on technological models applied to the sector. It draws from a broader investigation that seeks to understand how advertising connects with intelligent technologies from the perspective of applied experiments or models related to efficiency. The findings present perspectives for updating the concept of efficiency in the advertising field, in connection with digital and intelligent technologies and environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Janderle Rabaiolli, Rodrigo Stéfani Correa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Artificial intelligence and maternal “resurrection”: the advertisement “Como Nossos Pais”
Volkswagen’s 70th-anniversary commemorative advertisement in Brazil “resurrected,” through artificial intelligence, the singer Elis Regina in a duet with her daughter Maria Rita. This achievement brought visibility to an imaginary of the mother-daughter relationship that endowed the campaign with cultural values related to motherhood. The research aimed to understand the meanings of motherhood (re)produced in the brand’s advertisement. To that end, theoretical frameworks addressing motherhood, consumer culture, and media technologies were used. As a methodological approach, the thematic content analysis was employed. The research revealed that the Volkswagen commercial (re)produced the following meanings of motherhood: an idealized and naturalized motherhood as a relationship of care, nurturing, affection, and positive experiences for mothers and children, associated with the use of Volkswagen motor vehicles. Some of these values represent understandings of motherhood aligned with the assumptions of patriarchal motherhood culture, yet they increasingly face resistance through expressions emerging in digital social media.
Copyright (c) 2025 Fernanda Aragão https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The consumption rituals in bookstagram and the bookcycle process: digital mediations and the platformization of reading
This article investigates literary consumption rituals within the digital ecosystem of Bookstagram, based on a qualitative and exploratory approach. It is grounded in studies on mediatization, platformization, and cultural consumption. Through systematic observation and content analysis, the study proposes the theoretical-methodological model “BookCiclo Process,” which describes the cycle of literary visibility on platforms mediated by content creators. Bookstagram is analyzed as a mediatized space where reading becomes shareable and performative content, involving experiences of discovery, reviewing, recommending, and interaction. The study reveals how algorithms shape the circulation of books, influencing strategies of visibility, engagement, and consumption. It concludes that bookstagram constitutes a strategic arena of cultural mediation and identity expression, where literary consumption is driven by digital logics, reaffirming the role of platforms in the reconfiguration of reading practices.
Copyright (c) 2025 Carla Anastácia Santos Fischer, Manuela do Corral Vieira https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Branding China: Instagram as a tool for China’s promotion in Brazil
The article explores the strategies the Chinese Embassy in Brazil adopted on its Instagram profile to engage with the Brazilian audience. To this end, we rely on content analysis. It is argued that by leveraging social media resources, the Embassy seeks to “take control of the narrative” about China, aligning itself with an increasingly widespread logic of national promotion on a global scale. We highlight the relevance of the dialogue between advertising and international relations in understanding the dynamics of national image construction and projection in the 21st century.
Copyright (c) 2025 Aline Mendes, Mayara Araujo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The Substance: a critique of consumer society and the tyranny of image in advertising
This article reflects on the film The Substance (2024) by Coralie Fargeat, which presents us with an engaging narrative that explores themes such as identity, morality, and the limits of science. In this article, we will explore the elements that show a work between the line of reality and imagination that is undone. Each scene is a piece of a puzzle that challenges our understanding. The objective is to look at the film based on the relationship between consumption and psychoanalysis in relation to desire. The methodology is qualitative, showing elements of this relationship. We justify the analysis because the film points out symptoms of contemporary culture such as an ever-expanding desire, analyzed by Lacanian psychoanalysis and its relationship with consumption in what concerns the promise of completeness.
Copyright (c) 2025 Roseli Gimenes, Jorgina Santos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Os signos do consumo no seio da vida social: das linguagens aos fatos, dos fatos às mudanças sociais
Copyright (c) 2024 Clotilde Perez, Eneus Trindade https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0