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Visual Rhetoric & Semiotics

How design creates meaning and persuades — a framework for intentional, ethical practice.

  • Foundations of rhetoric (persuasion) and semiotics (meaning via signs).
  • How they connect in visual design and branding.
  • Practical tools for analysis and creation.
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Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion

2.1 Origins

Rhetoric dates back to ancient Greece (5th century BCE).

Sophists: itinerant teachers who taught persuasion as a skill — truth wasn’t the point, winning the argument was.

Socrates (469–399 BCE): believed rhetoric should be about seeking truth through dialogue (dialectic). He criticized the Sophists for persuasive technique detached from truth.

Plato (427–347 BCE): student of Socrates; skeptical of rhetoric, often portraying it as manipulation rather than truth-seeking.

Aristotle (384–322 BCE): pupil of Plato. Formalized rhetoric as the art of persuasion and wrote Rhetoric, a foundational text.

Sophists Socrates Plato Aristotle

2.2 Definition

Rhetoric is the art of persuading an audience — convincing them that something is true or worth acting on. Where dialectic seeks truth, rhetoric makes the case for it.

2.3 Aristotle’s Three Appeals

Logos (logic): arguments based on reasoning, facts, evidence.

Ethos (credibility): the trustworthiness or authority of the speaker/designer/brand.

Pathos (emotion): appeals that move the audience through feeling.

Example (environmental campaign):

  • Logos: statistics about climate change.
  • Ethos: endorsement by respected scientists.
  • Pathos: images of affected wildlife.

2.4 The Canons of Rhetoric (and their design parallels)

  • Invention → developing ideas/concepts.
  • Arrangement → structuring the message (layout/composition).
  • Style → expressive form (typography, imagery, tone).
  • Memory → brand recognition and recall.
  • Delivery → presenting work effectively (rollout, campaign execution).

2.5 Rhetorical Devices in Visual Design

Figures of speech can be translated into visual equivalents:

  • Metaphor (a logo representing more than itself)
  • Hyperbole (exaggeration in imagery)
  • Personification (giving human traits to objects)
  • Symbolism (learned associations, e.g., red for danger)
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Semiotics: The Study of Signs

3.1 Foundations

Semiotics explores how meaning is created and understood through signs. Saussure and Peirce developed complementary theories around the turn of the 20th century.

Saussure’s Dyadic Model Signifier (form) Signified (concept) Relationship is arbitrary; published in Course in General Linguistics (~1916).
Peirce’s Triadic Model Representamen Object Interpretant

3.2 Types of Signs (Peirce)

Icon

Resembles the object (e.g., photo of a bike)

Index

Linked by cause/fact (e.g., smoke = fire)

Symbol

Learned meaning (e.g., recycling symbol)

Example: The Nike swoosh functions primarily as a symbol of motion and athleticism — its meaning is learned, not literal.

Icon, Index, Symbol diagram

3.3 Semiotics in Graphic Design

  • Wayfinding: pictograms and symbols for quick recognition.
  • Interaction Design: UI signifiers like the hamburger menu or trash can.
  • Information Design: visual encodings (color, shape, position) enable comprehension.
  • Branding: consistent sign systems audiences can recognize and recall.
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Connecting Rhetoric & Semiotics in Design

4.1 Persuasion Travels Through Signs

Rhetoric defines what you want to persuade; semiotics defines how the message is encoded so it’s perceived. The message reaches audiences through signs.

Rhetorical Intent Encoded in Signs Audience Perception

4.2 Visual Encoding (Semiotic)

(Commonly referred to as visual identity) Design the visual language — logo, color, type, imagery — so signs relate directly to the organization. This stage is asset-focused, short-term, and foundational.

4.3 Persuasive Storytelling (Rhetorical)

(Commonly referred to as branding) Use those encoded signs over time to shape perception and build relationships. This stage is narrative, ongoing, and centered on shaping culture and meaning.

Example: Apple pairs semiotic minimalism in product/identity (Visual Encoding) with decades of narratives about creativity and individuality (Persuasive Storytelling).
Two-Stage Brand Building Start Long-term Stage 1: Visual Encoding (a.k.a. Visual Identity) • Logo, color, type, imagery • Encodes meaning into signs Stage 2: Persuasive Storytelling (a.k.a. Branding) • Uses signs over time • Shapes perception & relationships
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Practical Application for Students

5.1 Analyze with Both Lenses

Exercise: Choose a campaign/poster. Identify rhetorical appeals (logos/ethos/pathos), semiotic elements (icon/index/symbol), and note any misalignments between intent and audience interpretation.

5.2 Design with Intent

  1. Persuasive goal — what belief/action?
  2. Audience codes — which signs will they read correctly?
  3. Sign system — visual encoding choices (logo, color, type).
  4. Narrative plan — cadence over time; channels.
  5. Responsibility check — inclusion, accessibility, likely impact.

5.3 Two-Stage Model in Practice

Visual Encoding: deliver a coherent identity system & rationale.

Persuasive Storytelling: map a campaign roadmap with themes, appeals, and participation opportunities.

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References & Further Reading

  • Aristotle — Rhetoric
  • Saussure — Course in General Linguistics (~1916)
  • Peirce — Collected Papers
  • Barthes — Mythologies
  • Eco — A Theory of Semiotics