COGNITIVE-PRAGMATIC ANALYSIS OF ADVERTISING DISCOURSE: MECHANISMS OF MEANING CONSTRUCTION AND CONSUMER PERSUASION

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive cognitive-pragmatic analysis of advertising discourse, examining how linguistic and visual elements interact to create meaning and influence consumer behaviour. Drawing on recent interdisciplinary research, the study explores the cognitive mechanisms—such as conceptual blending, implicature generation, and cognitive bias exploitation—that underpin persuasive strategies in contemporary advertising. Through detailed analysis of multimodal campaigns and influencer marketing practices, the article demonstrates how advertisers construct secondary signifieds that appeal to consumers' motivational needs while often bypassing critical scrutiny. The findings highlight the need for enhanced regulatory frameworks that integrate insights from pragma-cognitive linguistics to protect consumer autonomy in an increasingly complex digital marketplace.