SEMIOTICS
@Semiofest, Shanghai
About
Aiyana Gunjan is an independent Semiotician based in New Delhi, India, specializing in brand and cultural decoding work.
She has been pioneering in the cultural decoding discipline of Semiotics, impacting global-local strategies. Aiyana collaborates with an international network of cultural experts to bring a cross-cultural perspective to projects.
She has worked on several international projects, including J&J, Pepsico-Gatorade, Nokia, and AstraZeneca, with UK companies like Space Doctors and Truth Consulting. Aiyana spearheaded the Ford Car Foundational Framework Project in India for Team Detroit (WPP)-Ford Motors, USA, in collaboration with Visual Signo, UK.
She also decoded masculinity identity for the Indonesian and Bangladeshi cigarette markets with Quantum Consumer Solutions, Singapore; and has written research papers, applying semiotics on diverse subjects like – Semiotics of Auroville International Township; Semiotics of Desmond Lazaro’s Art-decoding the relationship between art and culture.
Attendee at Global Semiotics Conference, SEMIOFEST-London 2012, Barcelona 2013, Shanghai 2014., Mumbai 2018; Workshop by Monty Alexander & Virginia, Mumbai, 2005; Design & Semiotics Workshop, Barcelona 2013,
Aiyana has over two decades of experience in the Strategic Planning function in the advertising industry, including roles at Ogilvy, JWT, Mudra, Bates-141, Dentsu, and Law & Kenneth. She has extensive strategic brand planning experience across various product categories for both global and local brands such as Nokia, Canon, Lotus Herbals, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Lavazza, Horlicks, Boost, Maggi, Yamaha, RayBan, Swatch, GPI, Seagrams, Motorola, Cargill Nature Fresh, Dabur, Reckitt, and Coleman Mortein. Aiyana has tracked the socio-cultural shifts and patterns in India since liberalization.
Aiyana Gunjan completed her schooling from Modern School, Barakhamba Road, and pursued a B.A. (Hons.) in Economics from Lady Sri Ram College and a Masters in Business Economics (MBE) from Delhi University.
DECODING SEMIOTICS
The starting point for semiotics is Culture-our ‘taken-for-granted’ world, making culture invisible.
Shanghai Airport
Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, exploring how we interact with culture and society to create meaning. Culture shapes our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, defining both continuity and boundaries within society.
As the discipline behind cultural decoding, semiotics examines the interplay between cultural context and communication to decode how culture influences consumer behaviour and attitudes, at a subconscious level, revealing more than the individual can.
The thumb rules of semiotics
- WE STUDY SIGNS AND SYMBOLS and the way consumers interact with culture to create meanings. A sign is anything that conveys meaning to someone.
- WE DO NOT TALK TO PEOPLE Semiotics taps into the source level- the underlying structures and forces that make us operate the way we do, and who we are.
- CONTEXT OVER-RULES TEXT Nothing is arbitrary. Everything conveys a message, even in the absence of a sign, context is the message.
“When I encountered semiotics it opened my eyes. It gave me a much deeper consumer understanding, going beyond primary research. It helped me understand the way consumers interact with culture to create meanings of things.”
Semiotics delves beyond the obvious, revealing more than individuals can perceive.
Reality Check: 10% visible, 90% invisible. People can express only the visible 10% of the ‘conscious’ reality, while culture shapes the hidden 90% beneath the surface. Consumers are not aware of the influence culture has on their beliefs, values, mindset, and behaviour, and do not have answers to everything. Semiotics can ‘read’ the visible tip of the iceberg, allowing us to understand what’s happening below the surface— what consumers cannot perceive or articulate but still subconsciously influences their behavior and beliefs.
Semiotics research is scientific, objective and rigorous
Semiotics involves thorough analysis of diverse cultural data—text, visuals, sensorial stimuli, and contexts—in a methodical manner. By uncovering the hidden meanings in various forms of communication, semiotics unveils subconscious information, known as “codes,” shaping our culture and revealing its unwritten rules.
We think we are selling products & services, but consumers are actually buying sign & meaning of the brand.
Semiotics creates Meaning, Relevance and Differentiation
Cultural decoding integrates the 3Cs – Consumer, Culture, and Change, empowering strategic and creative thinking
Cultural remix- Korean cuisine topped with traditional indian savouries
The art and science of cultural decoding seamlessly connects brand narratives with the cultural context that It belongs.
Strategic: Anchors the brand in the changing cultural context, navigating through cultural complexities and sensitivities. Fuels creativity. Improves global-local brand strategy.
Inspirational: Opens new opportunities for the brand by tapping into future possibilities.
Diagnostic: Increases communication effectiveness by diagnosing how meaning is conveyed, and whether there is cultural resonance or dissonance.
Culturally-tuned brands resonate with local consumers.
Brands act as cultural agents, aligning their values with emergent cultural meanings. People are drawn to brands that resonate with their cultural identities, seeking association with compelling narratives.
The China Split Pants are symbolic of the Chinese ritual of toilet training. Culturally, the Chinese believe in going diaper- less during the day to toilet train the child naturally.
The colour Red, the traditional symbol of an Indian married woman; juxtaposed against the popular red lipstick connoting passion bold, defiant, undeniably feminine.
Samsung donation of 1000TV screens for an art installation at the Leeum Museum symbolises Samsung’s commitment towards art, creativity and innovation.
The Ramen Spoon epitomises the design code of functional aesthetics of Japanese culture
The candy brand’s packaging design, inspired by the popular game Othello, reflects the gaming culture of Japan.
Obsolete phone as decor. Dated forms, out of step with norms, can be repurposed.
‘Future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious’
Semiotics Areas of Impact: Global-Local Brand Strategy, New Product Development, Brand/ Communication Development, Innovation Platforms, Design and Visual Identity.
Cultural quest
Culture is the fabric of meanings, in terms of which people interpret their experience, and guide their action.
“My quest to discover beneath the complex surface, an elegantly simple concept, to explain why things are the way they are. I revel in taking the world we know, and turning it around so we view it from an enlightened angle”
research papers
The core of all Art and Culture lies in creating, discerning and negotiating Meaning
India’s Daughter, decoding the Indian gender-bias
Auroville: Decoding 50 Years of Multi-cultural Experiment
India’s Daughter, decoding the Indian gender-bias
HIGHLIGHTS
SEMIVOX X AIYANA GUNJAN
What makes a semiotician tick? SEMIOVOX’s Josh Glenn has invited his fellow practitioners in the field of commercial semiotics, from around the world, to answer a few revealing questions….
Opinion: Why Nike displayed shoes in the form of rose
My Korean friend gifted me an instant beauty mask with the Monkeyface on the packaging cover. I was a bit offended and taken aback. In the Indian culture…
Wedding Ducks
When travelling to South Korea, I was smitten by the elegance of celadon ceramics. A surviving example of traditional Korean craftsmanship of the Goryeo period (10th – 11th century)…