A Force of Change Analysis

In today’s discussion, I’ll be focusing Neil Cohn’s “A Force of Change,” which dives deeper into the semantics of Chicago Tribune Advertising. In particular, he identifies three key characteristics: metonymy, conceptual metaphor, and blending that collectively aid in the construction for the short visual panels – ultimately creating a “causative force” in reading the Chicago Tribune. The section on metonymy resonated with me the most, where Cohn describes how one reference is used to stand in for another related concept. For example, this effect is also seen prominently in advertising, such as in Barilla’s New Year ad. Here, we can see that the sphagetti noodles are symbolically representing fireworks – at first glance, they seem to be strikingly like true fireworks when in fact they are individual noodles. The power lies in its simplicity, where it pushes the viewer to think critically, and situate itself to “the broader connection that it involves.” In this case, it associates eating Barilla pasta to a celebration and an eating experience bursting with flavor.