Four ways brands use exoticism in their communication
Extract 05 [1]. October 2026
A small extract from Chapter 6 on “Exoticism as an analytical tool for brands' expressive
activities”.
Exoticism
“Advertisers wonder whether the product's value for the consumer pre-exists the
advertising or whether it is the advertising that gives it that value; semioticians wonder
whether language is the representation of meaning or the construction of meaning...
Advertising and semiotics in fact lead to the same dual problem: the function of language
and the “origin” of meaning.”
“Based on which category can we articulate this ideological universe of relationships
between discourse and “reality”? From the category of the function attributable to
discourse: constructive function vs. representational function”.
Jean-Marie Floch (1990). Sémiotique, marketing et communication.
Sous les signes, les stratégies. Presses Universitaires de France.
Exoticism is used in extensive and multiple ways in brands creation and communication functions. We chose the watch industry's modes of advertising to analyze and exemplify how brands are using exoticism in their expressive activities.
As discussed in previous chapters, exoticism is rooted in difference, a concept central to
branding and consumption. Differentiation has long held near-mythical status in
management science, having been taught for decades and examined in extensive literature.
Here, we focus on differences that generate exoticism.
Advertising images have either a representational function where raw and differential facts are presented or a constructive function where the consumer is called upon to build their meaning.
This fundamental semantic axis, represented vs. constructed structures, reflects centuries-old debates on the nature of reality. Nietzsche claimed that there are no facts, only interpretations, while Eco argues that to have interpretations, one must have something to interpret. Peirce (1931)[2] writes “that there are real things whose character is completely independent of our opinions about them”. And again: “Our beliefs may be caused by... non-human external permanency, by something over which our thoughts have no effect”.
The Torino philosopher Maurizio Ferraris echoes this position with his notion of
unamendable (unmodifiable) elements (Ferraris, 2014)[3] of the external world. In his
Manifesto of New Realism, the Turin-based philosopher clarifies the issue by separating, on the one hand, an ontological approach where there is a part of reality composed of elements of the external world that are unmodifiable and based on experience that does not depend on conceptual schemes or linguistic manipulations, and, on the other hand, an epistemological approach where all reality is socially constructed and infinitely manipulable and where the elements of the world are modifiable. This semantic axis (given vs. constructed facts) also defines the epistemological positions from which positivist and constructivist research is conducted.
Jean-Marie Floch (1990)[4] was the first to develop a semiotic square on the semantic axis
representation of meaning versus the construction of meaning, intending to differentiate the main narrative ideologies of advertising in the 1980s and classify the styles of well-known advertising agencies and advertisers, such as Ogilvy, J. Séguéla, PH. Michael, and J.
Feldman. On the one hand, advertisements that show the products intrinsic values seek to convince through reason and facts; on the other hand, images that create value with the active participation of the consumer and convince through sensitivity and seduction. Floch’s position appears in the quote at the beginning of the chapter, where he declares, "Advertising and semiotics lead to the same dual problem: the function of language and the “origin” of meaning.”
The four advertising ideologies developed by Jean-Marie Floch: application to some watch advertisements
A preliminary analysis of the corpus of watch advertisements for men and women reveals
that the differences expressed are inherent to, induced, or suggested by the themes
presented in the images.
Having established the semantic axis based on representative vs. constructive function,
Floch develops his semiotic square on the contradictory axes to reveal four possible
positions (see Figure 6.2):
- Referential advertising has a representative function, respecting the reality principle and remaining factual, informative, and immediately comprehensible. The product is shown in a realistic, serious, honest, and transparent way. This was the approach of the Ogilvy agency in the 1980s. Omega ad is a good example of showing the product as it is.
- Mythical advertising has a constructive function. The brand asks the consumer to extract meaning. It works by using analogies, symbols, and metaphors, using one's imagination. Panerai's “History and Heroes” ad, which refers to the Italian combat swimmers of the Second World War, is a perfect example. This is characteristic of the publicist Jacques Séguéla. Think of his famous video for Citroën, Les chevrons sauvages, where no car is shown.
- Substantial advertising negates the constructive function and focuses on the product more intensely than referential advertising. The emphasis is on the profound nature of the product. The Breguet ad highlights the complexity of the watch's mechanisms. This approach is characteristic of Jean Feldman's FCA agency, which Publicis acquired in the 1990s.
- Oblique advertising denies the representational function and uses irony and play. Meaning is constructed by the consumer in a euphoric shift of perception. IWC';s sexist humor ad in 2012, which stems from powerful clichés about women's supposed shortcomings, would probably no longer be accepted today. Philippe Michel, one of the founders of the CLM BBDO agency in the 1980s, embodied this particularly creative and demanding advertising approach, which required a great sense of humor and mockery.
The semiotic square of production of exoticism.
Given that exoticism arises from differences, our study of watch advertisements seeks to understand how these differences are conveyed to consumers. As in the Floch square mentioned above, it immediately appears that the semantic axis of representation/construction remains significant.
The representational function is expressed as the presentation of differences, while the constructive function becomes the induction of differences. These two initial positions of the square lead to the development of contradictory axes which are totally different from Floch's (Figure 6.2). Indeed, the focus on exoticism leads to substantial differences in the contradictory relations of the semiotic square, leading to the identification of four types of exoticism production.
It may be noted that Victor Segalen had already identified these two main modes of activation of exoticism, distinguishing its staging (external observation of the diversity of the world, which he calls ‘the exoticism of the external world’) from the ‘feeling of exoticism’, a personal sensation in the face of something different from oneself (Segalen, 1978). His novel Les Immémoriaux (2018) is a meaningful literary example of the staging of exoticism, as this work of fiction tells the story of the arrival of the first European settlers in French Polynesia and the subsequent missionization of the Maori Peoples.
The four types of exoticism produced are (see Figure 6.3):
- Staged exoticism - This upper-left part of the square is dedicated to the representational function, where images clearly show cultural or natural differences that everyone can apprehend. The differences are present and presented. It is representation in the sense of spectacle, of show. Richard Mille's advertising campaign on a black background, showing a watch placed on a natural element such as a flower, a plant, or an animal (generally exotic), clearly represents the mechanical world in contrast to the natural world, a traditional opposition between nature and culture. Another Richard Mille campaign shows two arms of different skin colors, highlighting a natural difference. Exoticism is thus perceptible to all. Its appeal is universal. Benetton developed this well-known theme when introducing the slogan ‘United Colors of Benetton’. Many other brands use this process. The same applies to all advertisements showing couples of different genders. This positioning is characterized by its universal appeal. All consumers can see the differences and become aware of the exoticism they are subjected to without soliciting their Base, memory, or past experiences. This is the exception to the absolute subjectivism of exoticism advocated by most authors. In this type of advertising, the product occupies an important place, but other contextual or juxtaposed elements must be added for an effective mise-en-scène. The text is not essential.
- Induced exoticism - This is the most practiced case by brands. The images engage consumers in a meaning-constructive function. The differences that generate exoticism are not directly perceptible in the image. Each consumer will or will not perceive the differences between the subject matter presented in the image and his or her personal cultural and memorial Base or repertoire. We have chosen the verb induce rather than allow, engender, activate, etc., because of its etymological root ‘to lead someone to do something’[1], which sums up the mechanism of becoming aware of a difference through the presence of the advertisement. The presence of subjects in the image confronting everyone’s Base induces exoticism. The consumer constructs the sensation of exoticism under the impetus of the advertising image. The Panerai and Zenith advertisements in Figure 6.4 present “specialized” activities such as diving or fighter planes. Exoticism plays to all consumers who do not practice these activities reserved for experts; therefore, the appeal is not universal. The same is true for brands that appeal to extreme activity, practiced only by a few experts, such as Sector Unlimited, G-Shock, Rolex, and Breitling, to name a few examples. Many other brands use this process, such as all those that present advertisements depicting a solitary man or woman (e.g., TAG Heuer with Brad Pitt or Uma Thurman), where all the opposite sex can perceive a difference. This practice is the most used and richest, as in advertisements showing real or possible utopian, imaginary, historical worlds, etc. This is where most of Victor Segalen’s exoticism is found. The product is almost incidental, and the context is paramount in this category; the presence of exoticism is qualified as partial because it cannot be perceived unanimously. The Top Gun fighter pilot will not experience the exoticism of Zenith advertising.
- Latent exoticism - The possible generation of differences without showing them is clearly a position of negation of the representative function. Not precisely defining the proposed worlds opens the imaginative possibilities of a consumer called upon to develop his or her own fiction. The advert for the ‘Laventure’ watch is associated with a barely sketched context where one guesses a man on a journey (trekking or other outdoor activity) suggested by the bag, the grass, the shoes, and the jumper. It opens possible worlds, the brand name itself favoring the spirit of exploration. It is strongly linked to audacity, risk-taking, exploration, adventure, and exhortation towards existential decisions. The presence of exoticism is qualified as latent because it remains to be defined by the consumer. The product is not essential in the composition of the advertisement; the context, if it is explicit, is barely outlined; often, it is the text, as in the Rolex advertisement, that marks the lack of definition.
- Absent exoticism - This is the square's vertex, corresponding to negating the constructive function. No visible element in the image allows the appearance of a visible or induced difference. The Omega and Fossil advertisements are simple examples. The presence of the product is preponderant; the context is not. It also corresponds to the referential advertising of the square proposed by Floch (Figure 6.3). Of course, we cannot prevent consumers from dreaming and inventing their own stories from any image. However, in the absence of exoticism, there is no differential catalyst, neither staged nor suggested with a specific cultural Base... perhaps possibly only on the economic capabilities of the consumer or microcultures where knowing the time is not important.
Strictly speaking, positioning an advertising image at one of the square's vertices does not exclude that, to a lesser extent, another process of production of exoticism is activated. The example of the Richard Mille advertisement of two arms of different skin colors illustrates staged exoticism, which also triggers induced exoticism for everyone not having the skin color of one of the arms.
Managerial implications of the exoticism production square
Table 6.1 summarizes all the characteristics we have highlighted about the different ways of creating a sense of exoticism in the watch industry communication. In addition to the semiotic interest of delving into certain mechanisms of production of meaning related to exoticism, this table can be a useful tool to guide the creative choices of brand communication managers, which are usually conditioned by many factors such as brand identity, advertising ideology if it exists, communication budget, competition, new products to be launched, potential consumer segments, available creative talents, etc.
Suppose the communication manager has identified exoticism as an effective lever to generate desire and a positive attitude toward the brand. In that case, the table can help rationalize the creative direction choices when writing briefs for designers, graphic designers, architects, and photographers. For example, it seems clear that text is essential in the case of latent exoticism, the context for staged and induced exoticism, and that product is necessarily essential in the case of no exoticism.
Brands are most interested in the ability of exoticism to generate desire for their products: the euphoric effect of the thymic definition of exoticism. The vertex of induced exoticism is the preferred positioning for most brands. It is by far the most frequented for two main reasons:
- Its openness to many creative possibilities.
- Its ability to target consumer populations, defined by their cultural and memory Base. Technological advances now allow for multiple, rich, meaningful segmentations and precise communication with these segments.
Induced and latent exoticisms deserve further analysis to understand the different forms of dreaming used there in a more detailed and comprehensive way. Chapter 9 (Dream-making: Imaginary worlds) presents a structuring of possible worlds, which may advance our understanding of this type of exoticism. Latent exoticism is more creatively demanding for brands and offers few possibilities for effective product presentation. Therefore, its use is rarer and requires a particular effort of imagination on the part of consumers.
Brands with iconic products like Cartier or Rolex may appear in all four corners. Still, they are the only brands that can claim to position themselves effectively in the absence of exoticism.
References
[1] This text is an adaptation of an article in Spanish published in CIC. Cuadernos de Information and Communication (CIC) of the Complutense University of Madrid. El exotismo, instrumento analítico de las actividades expresivas de las marcas: el caso de la relojería. Ediciones Complutense. Vol. 27, 2022. Pp. 35-52.
[2] PIERCE Charles Sanders (1931). The Fixation of Belief. C. Hartshorne and P. Weiss, eds. Vol 1 – 6 and BURKS A.W., ed, Vol 7 – 8, 1958, Collected Papers, Harvard University Press.
[3] FERRARIS Maurizio (2014). Manifesto del Nuovo realismo. Milano, Laterza.
[4] Ibid 1.
[5] Le trésor de la langue française informatisé, http://atilf.atilf.fr/