GESTURES AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MEANING IN INTERCULTURAL MEAT-PRODUCT ADVERTISING
GESTURES AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MEANING IN INTERCULTURAL MEAT-PRODUCT ADVERTISING

Summary/Abstract: This article analyses the role of gestures in television and online advertisements for meat products in the United Kingdom and Romania, with a focus on intercultural similarities and differences. Gestures are powerful nonverbal tools in marketing, reinforcing verbal messages and influencing consumer perception. Our comparative analysis highlights how advertising gestures are shaped by national identity and cultural norms, thereby shedding light on the broader semiotics of gesture in commercial communication. We have noticed that, in both countries, advertisements employ gestures that highlight sensory experiences—such as slicing, offering, or tasting meat—to suggest freshness, quality, and authenticity. Our research reveals that both British and Romanian ads use hand gestures to create a sense of trust and familiarity with the audience. However, clear differences emerge in the style and cultural grounding of these gestures: British advertisements tend to favour subtle and restrained gestures, aligned with contemporary branding strategies and humour, while Romanian ads frequently use expressive, culturally rooted gestures that evoke tradition, rural life, and family bonds.

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