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.

Frankfurt am Main…

SEMIOVOX

When you were a child/teen, how did your future fascination with symbols, cultural patterns, interpreting “texts,” and getting beneath the surface of daily life manifest itself?

MARION POLAUCK

I enjoyed school, and I enjoyed learning. But there was always a sense of searching for something deeper, something just out of reach.

Without really knowing why, I chose to pursue my interests in language and culture — in order to find this deeper meaning. Was this a self-fulfilling prophecy? I don’t know. But it was a good idea to follow my heart and follow the energy; when semiotics found me, I knew I was home.

SEMIOVOX

Describe your first encounter(s) with the theory and practice of semiotics.

MARION POLAUCK

My first encounter with semiotic theory was Cours de linguistique générale, as Saussure was part of my German Linguistics coursework at university.

However, it was only after training with Virginia Valentine and Monty Alexander (at Semiotic Solutions in London) that things started making real sense. And with time, I realised they weren’t teaching me what to think; but how to think… and how to find meaning. I loved their practical approach to semiotics, generating the kind of meaningful and practical solutions that we all seek today.

SEMIOVOX

How did you find your own way to doing semiotics?

MARION POLAUCK

In the movie Ford v Ferrari, Matt Damon’s character claims, “It’s a truly lucky man who knows what he wants to do in this world. ’Cause that man will never work a day in his life.” It turns out, this might well apply to women too…

SEMIOVOX

What are the most important attributes of a good semiotician?

MARION POLAUCK

As with any job, you really need to “know your stuff”. A good semiotician understands the bird’s-eye view of culture; sees structures and meaning; and exposes the dynamics that define our interactions within the real world.

However, the key attribute is the ability to remove our own sense of “self” from the project. By looking inwardly, we can free ourselves from the very assumptions that separate us from reality. If the goal is critical thinking, then being a free thinker is what gets us there.

SEMIOVOX

What three books about semiotics have you found the most useful and enlightening in your own work?

MARION POLAUCK

A lot of interesting works have been mentioned already. I would like to add two more:

• Blue Ocean Strategy, by [professors of strategy and management at INSEAD] W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, is not per se about semiotics, but it gives great insight into marketers’ strategic thinking. It suggests a reframe to create new, uncontested market spaces — by reconstructing market boundaries and challenging industry norms. Marketers know “what” they want; by adapting to their language, we semioticians have an excellent tool to explain “how” to get it.
• “The Work of Art in the Age of its Technological Reproducibility” is a 1935 essay by the German philosopher and cultural critic Walter Benjamin. It offers a fascinating description of visual representations and their meanings; it remains highly relevant in the digital age of advancing artificial intelligence.

SEMIOVOX

When someone asks you to describe what you do, what is your “elevator pitch”? How do you persuade a skeptical client to take a chance on using this tool?

MARION POLAUCK

I remember reading somewhere, there’s only really one elevator pitch: “We help people find out what they want. And we show them how to get it”. That is so insightful, but it feels a bit pushy. So I never use it. However, as a guiding principle it’s always with me.

In response to a casual question, I might not mention semiotics at all. Most people don’t want a deep dive; they want to be polite, receive a witty answer, and move on. At the other end of the spectrum are the brand communication people. They are experts. They understand the value of semiotics. And when you talk to someone who wants to go deeper, that’s when the lights come on.

SEMIOVOX

What specific sorts of semiotics-driven projects do you find to be the most enjoyable and rewarding?

MARION POLAUCK

There are two aspects of project work that I find particularly rewarding.

I call the first one “something from nothing”, because it’s often the apparently dull, un-sexy industry categories which create the most fascinating semiotic insights.

I once talked with a concerned account manager regarding her own company’s crowd-sourcing material for our project. She conceded that it all looks “kind of dull and uninteresting”. Were we going to find any “good stuff” (for her client)? That’s when I realised: We always find something. And the deeper we dig, the better the findings.

I call the second phenomenon the “aha effect”. Good projects are always highly collaborative. The team works towards a single goal, and is truly inspired by the outcome. And like any great work (in any field), semiotic insight needs to move us emotionally.

And when the “aha effect” starts to spread, the language changes too…

– Hmm, I kind of knew that already (aha!)

– I knew (instinctively) we were on the right path

That’s the magic of semiotics. It helps us to see what was hiding in plain sight.

SEMIOVOX

What frustrates you about how semiotics is practiced and/or perceived, right now?

MARION POLAUCK

The current view of semiotics is generally very favourable. Firstly, it complements traditional research by providing a deeper, more meaningful understanding of consumer behaviour. Secondly, it helps to see how brands are perceived within their own cultural landscapes. These are the two key assets that make us (and keep us) relevant.

Products, markets and culture are, of course, always changing. And so is technology, perhaps faster than ever. But if we stay on point, I think semiotics will always hold its own.

However, there is the allure of the “quick fix”. I think that’s why people are so passionate about AI. But speed counts for nothing if digital tools only reveal the same (old) surface-level collection of “consumer responses”. These outputs still need to be interpreted culturally, to have any practical value.

Passion is often overrated. What counts is relevance.

SEMIOVOX

What advice would you give to a young person interested in this sort of work?

MARION POLAUCK

According to The Police, “Love can mend your life, but love can break your heart”. I think sometimes, Hmm, sounds a bit like semiotics.

So yes, semiotics can be a tough road to travel. But if you persevere, it also offers a highly rewarding journey (for everyone involved). So, follow your heart and follow the energy… and while working on your projects, don’t forget to work on yourself.

Be an observer. Find meaning.

MAKING SENSE series: MARTHA ARANGO (Sweden) | MACIEJ BIEDZIŃSKI (Poland) | BECKS COLLINS (England) | WHITNEY DUNLAP-FOWLER (USA) | IVÁN ISLAS (Mexico) | WILLIAM LIU (China) | SÓNIA MARQUES (Portugal) | CHIRAG MEDIRATTA (India / Canada) | SERDAR PAKTIN (Turkey / England) | MARIA PAPANTHYMOU (Greece / Russia) | XIMENA TOBI (Argentina) | & many more.

Also see these global semio series: MAKING SENSE (Q&As) | SEMIOFEST SESSIONS (monthly mini-conferences) | COVID CODES | SEMIO OBJECTS | COLOR CODEX | DECODER (fictional semioticians) | CASE FILE | PHOTO OP | MEDIA DIET | TATTOO YOU (semioticians’ tattoos).