Semiotic remediation as discourse practice in three Woolworths branded spaces

Abstract

Woolworths is known as one of South Africa’s largest retailers with over 400 retail chains across South Africa, while also expanding into other African countries and the Middle East. This study aims to analyse the dialogicality of the different Woolworths texts and semiotic objects across the different sites of advertising through the use of three spaces: the physical space, virtual space and textual space (brochures) to ascertain differences and similarities in the semiotic design features and meaning making across the spaces in the advertising process. Methodologically, the study adopts a three pronged approach to data collection. Firstly, collecting data in the physical space of one Woolworths store in particular, located in Tyger Valley shopping mall using the walking approach. Secondly, while in the physical space, brochures as products of the textual space, were collected as data for the study. Thirdly, in the virtual space materials were collected via means of the screenshot function on a smartphone and laptop.