XL burgers, shiny pizzas, and ascending drinks: Primary metaphors and conceptual interaction in fast food printed advertising

Abstract

Abstract The experiential, embodied nature of primary metaphors endows them with a universal flavor of interest to the present-day global advertising needs. Based on the analysis of 500 printed advertisements corresponding to the top ten fast food brands currently in the market, this paper investigates the visual representation and functions of primary metaphors within this advertising genre. In contrast to what has been reported to be the case with resemblance metaphors used in advertising, primary metaphors do not have the product as their source or target domains. The connection between the primary metaphor and the product is established in a specific way, which reveals a close interaction with other cognitive (i.e. hyperbole and metonymy) and pragmatic (i.e. derivation of explicatures) operations. In addition, the paper explores how primary metaphors combine with one another and with other resemblance metaphors. The study of these interplays reveals new patterns of conceptual interaction (i.e. one-target and multiple-target primary metaphor clusters) and opens a window onto the varied functions performed by primary metaphors in the narrative of advertising (i.e. enhancing the conceptual layout of the product, highlighting one aspect of it, motivating, constraining and/or enriching lower-level resemblance metaphors).