How Metaphors Enhance Marketing Communication: The Case Of Dry Eye Sy...

The effects of metaphors in health marketing communication about different diseases, such as cancer or depression, have been studied widely (e.g., Semino et.al. 2017; Landau et al. 2018). Based on Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff and Johnson 1980), we investigate the use and effects of metaphors in thecommunication about Dry Eye Syndrome, which has developed into one of the most prevalent eye diseases resulting from massive use of screen-based devicesin work and private life (American Optometric Association 2020). Our research questions are: (1) Which metaphors are used by patients in their communicationabout dry eye syndrome? (2) Which metaphors are perceived as particularly helpful in the communication? (3) How does the use of metaphors differ acrosspeople? We follow a mixed-method design. First, thirty narratives of people suffering from dry eye syndrome are analyzed for the presence of metaphors. UsingConceptual Metaphor Theory, the identified metaphors are categorized (symptoms, treatments) and analyzed for differences across the participants (gender,age, communicative purpose). Second, we survey adults suffering from dry eye syndrome to test the effectiveness of the previously identified metaphors. Theresults of the study highlight which metaphors are effective for whom and for which communicative purpose. Eventually, we will propose ways for how theattention to metaphors, in particular to variations between different speakers in different communicative situations, may enhance marketing communication(e.g., one particular metaphor can help get someone’s attention while another metaphor might help encourage people to take action).

References available upon request.