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A visual metaphor is a pictorial analogy. It illustrates a comparison between what is in the visual, including its connotations and denotations with another thing and its meanings figuratively. For some visual metaphors the link between the images and what they are being compared to is the physical similarity while others it is the conceptual similarity. There are similar interpretations of the visual metaphors but each person can comprehend them a bit differently. There are different types which include: spatial and stylistic. They are also commonly used in advertising because of its ability to persuade.

Types

Visual metaphors are a type of metaphor. There are two types: spatial metaphors and stylistic metaphors. Spatial visual metaphors include where objects are located, their size, whether they are abstract or realistic, and how it is arranged in respect to other objects. Stylistic visual metaphors are more about how they look specifically. For example, its color, how detailed it is, or its size.

The study of metaphor involves numerous fields in recent history from cognitive neuroscience to linguistics. Visual metaphor research occupies an underrepresented area of inquiry. With the development of the cognitive sciences, a cognitive view of metaphoric thinking is emerging. This calls for a reconsideration of visual metaphor in the practices of artists and leads to the central research question: Is there a conceptual structure to the creation of visual metaphors by artists that closely aligns with the cognitive view of metaphoric thinking? This question is addressed in a qualitative, phenomenographic research study of a consortium of artists brought together for an exhibition. Findings highlight the cognitive, social and personal domains contributing to their creation of metaphor. The result is a conceptual structure of visual metaphor derived from the practices and exhibition of the artists. The article concludes with implications of the conceptual structure of visual metaphor for art education. (Serig, 2006)

Examples

Metaphor is routinely expressed through pictures in contemporary advertising. Earlier work on visual rhetoric in advertising sought direct analogues for the tropes and schemes specific to verbal rhetoric. (Krogan, 1980)

Visual metaphor in advertisements

This image is an example of visual metaphor. It is a broken candle that was once a question mark. It could have many different meanings depending on how you interpret it. One meaning could be that you are questioning life as another year goes by. Considering it is a birthday candle, it may have something to do with getting older and still not knowing your place in this world.

Visual Metaphor is often seen within advertisements. Because visual metaphor is used to persuade, advertisements utilize visual metaphor to intrigue consumers. In some cases, the visual metaphor has a clear and concise message, and other times it is much more complex and hard to break down. Visual metaphors are one of the most common rhetorical devices used in advertising (Mohanty & Ratneshwar, 2015; Phillips, 2003).

References

• [Serig, D. (2006). A Conceptual Structure of Visual Metaphor. Studies in Art Education, 47(3), 229–247. https://doi.org/10.2307/25475783]
• [Matthew O. Peterson (2019) Aspects of visual metaphor: an operational typology of visual rhetoric for research in advertising, International Journal of Advertising, 38:1, 67-96, DOI: 10.1080/02650487.2018.1447760]
• [Kogan, N., Connor, K., Gross, A., & Fava, D. (1980). Understanding Visual Metaphor: Developmental and Individual Differences. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 45(1), 1–78. https://doi.org/10.2307/1165832]
• [Ryoo, Y., Jeon, Y. A., & Sung, Y. (2021). Interpret me! The interplay between visual metaphors and verbal messages in advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 40(5), 760–782.https://doi-org.libproxy.bellarmine.edu/10.1080/02650487.2020.1781477 ]
• Peterson, M. O. (2019). Aspects of visual metaphor: an operational typology of visual rhetoric for research in advertising. International Journal of Advertising, 38(1), 67–96. https://doi-org.libproxy.bellarmine.edu/10.1080/02650487.2018.1447760]
• [Chang, C.-T., Wu, Y.-C., Lee, Y.-K., & Chu, X.-Y. (2018). Right metaphor, right place: Choosing a visual metaphor based on product type and consumer differences. International Journal of Advertising, 37(2), 309–336.https://doi-org.libproxy.bellarmine.edu/10.1080/02650487.2016.1240468]
• [Forceville, C. (2017). Visual and Multimodal Metaphor in Advertising: Cultural Perspectives. Styles of Communication, 9(2), 26–41.]