Samantha Ford
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Forum for Global Challenges 2022

5/5/2022

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It was an honour to present my work (in person!) on the metaphorical language of empowerment and equality in global sports advertising at the Forum for Global Challenges 2022 alongside Afzal Javed, Gabriel Ivbijaro MBE, Matthew Broome, Norman Sartorius, Aida Sylla, and Shireen Yachu, discussing solutions and interventions to reimagine mental health provision that empowers the public, organisations, carers, and health services.
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I presented in the panel session: Health & Wellbeing: Reimagining community mental health provisions.

​Abstract
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Taking responsibility: The power of figurative communication in sports advertising and its role in tackling social issues of equality and mental health
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Over the course of the Coronavirus pandemic, our mental and physical health, and the intrinsic link between them, has become critical (Global Web Index, 2020; Shakespeare, 2020). Yet despite national lockdowns, people have taken up sport from home (Ford, 2020; Shakespeare, 2020; Wells & Ford, 2020). Increasingly, people are investing in a brand culture they trust and that shares their values, which means that popular sports brands have the power to advocate and advance the improvement of social issues including gender equality, and health and wellbeing in society. However, many brands still seem to perpetuate stereotypes that can be very damaging, especially to minority groups.

Advertisers frequently use figurative communication, such as metaphor, to directly engage and implicitly persuade audiences (Ford et al., 2021; Pérez-Sobrino et al., 2021). Metaphor can convey messages indirectly by comparing something to something else in a way that is vibrant and creative, but also poignant and thought-provoking (e.g. Ford et al., 2021; PérezSobrino, 2016). Depending on how sports brands use figurative communication in their advertising, they can help or hinder the betterment of societal health. Thus, sports brands need to carefully consider what they communicate in their advertising and how they do so, and to take responsibility over their contribution to public attitudes toward social issues in sport.

In this talk, I will observe what values and attitudes sports brands are advocating in their TV commercials and how they use figurative communication to convey their message, and evaluate whether their approach is improving or hindering attitudes toward social issues. I analysed 20 commercials sampled from the adforum.com's (2021) archive of award-winning campaigns from the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity between the years 2015 and 2021.

Preliminary analysis of 17 commercials has identified some common themes are community, equality in sport (increasing the representation of women), and the challenge and fulfilment of doing sport (improving mental health). Metaphor is used to represent these values and relate them to sport, framing sport as art, a supernatural power, or a religion. Commercials released during 2020 and 2021 used figurative communication to refer to the pandemic indirectly and what sport can do for people during this time. Experiential metaphors were often used; for example, the experience of training or losing a match was compared to other experiences, such as ‘fighting’ inequality in sport and COVID19 restrictions. Further insights from this study will inform how we might use commercial advertising to tackle social issues to the benefit of all, as well as just business.

References
adforum.com. (2021). Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Winners. Adforum. https://www.adforum.com/award-organization/6650183/showcase/winners

Ford, S. (2020). Identifying the behavioural habits of gym-goers to inform an emotional ‘hook’ in advertising. University of Birmingham and Big Cat Limited. https://www.creativebrief.com/agency/big-cat/insights/identifying-behaviouralhabits-gym-goers-inform-emotional-hook-advertising

Ford, S., Littlemore, J., & Houghton, D. (2021). "Got a Spark with Brook? Engaging Consumers in a Sexual Health Campaign through the Use of Creative (Metaphorical) Double Entendres. Metaphor and Symbol, 36(4), pp. 207-228.

Global Web Index. (2020). Coronavirus Research (Series 8: Health).

Pérez-Sobrino, P. (2016). “Shockvertising”: Conceptual interaction patterns as constraints on advertising creativity. Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a La Comunicación, 65(0), 257– 290. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev_CLAC.2016.v65.51988

Pérez-Sobrino, P., Littlemore, J., & Ford, S. (2021). Unpacking Creativity: The Power of Figurative Communication in Advertising. Cambridge University Press.

Shakespeare, S. (2020). Changing consumer landscape: Sports, dieting and exercise. YouGov. URL.

Wells, A., & Ford, S. (2020). Understanding and reacting to changing consumer behaviour for health and fitness brands (p. 18) [Insight]. Big Cat Agency. https://www.samanthaford.com/blog/health-and-fitness-insight-white-paper-2-published-with-big-catagency
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​Citation:
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Ford, S. (2022). Taking responsibility: The power of figurative communication in sports advertising and its role in tackling social issues of equality and mental health. Forum for Global Challenges, University of Birmingham, UK, 3rd-5th May 2022. Oral presentation.
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What drives emotion and physiological arousal in adverts? The critical role of figurative operations

8/3/2022

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Citation:
Houghton, D., Littlemore, J., Ford, S., Harfield, C. and Marder, B. (in press 2022). What drives emotion and physiological arousal in adverts? The critical role of figurative operations, In A. Athanasiadou and H. Colston, Figurativity and Human Ecology. Figurative Language and Thought Series, Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
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Abstract:
​The inclusion of figurative operations in marketing videos has the potential to improve the effectiveness of marketing campaigns due to their reported ability to trigger emotional responses, thus making the campaigns resonate more strongly with the viewer. This study explored the relationship between the presence of three figurative operations (hyperbole, metaphor and metonymy) in campaign videos and the levels of physiological arousal and emotion that were triggered by those videos. Seven videos were coded for these three embedded figurative operations. Participants watched the videos in laboratory conditions, where their levels of electrodermal activity and self-report emotional responses were recorded. The ability of these figurative operations to trigger physiological arousal was compared to that of two other features that have been shown to promote arousal (the presence of humour and unmarked contrast). The presence of hyperbole led to higher levels of arousal than humour and unmarked contrast, the presence of metaphor led to higher levels of arousal than humour, and the presence of metonymy led to higher levels of arousal than humour, but lower levels than unmarked contrast. Associations between these arousal levels and the reported emotions are discussed, and collectively provide insights into the optimal use of figurative operations in marketing campaign videos. Our findings contribute to a deeper theoretical understanding of the relationship between figurative operations and arousal, and provide practitioners with information regarding which figurative operations are likely to evoke a stronger emotional response when used in marketing videos.
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Teaching Training: HEFi Horizon Award

9/2/2022

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As a part of my teaching in 2022, I undertook multiple modules in the Introduction to Teaching and Learning course to inform, improve, and reflect upon my own teaching practice. Completing a total of 5 modules  of this course awards the HEFi Horzion Award.

The modules I have completed are:
ITL001 - Introduction to Teaching and Learning
ITL003 - Small Group Teaching (Seminars)
ITL004 - Principals of Assessment and Feedback
ITL006 - Inclusive Teaching*
ITL009 - Teaching International Students  (in progress)

*As a part of ITL006, I was awarded a badge to certify my commitment to the University of Birmingham Inclusive Educator initiative. It confirms that the badge holder has reflected on the definition and qualities of the UoB Inclusive Educator. They have identified and reflected on an example of their current inclusive practice.
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Exploring the impact of figurative communication and advertising: Reflections on a collaboration between linguistics researchers and a Midlands-based marketing agency

31/1/2022

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Citation:
Ford, S. & Littlemore, J. (2022, in print). Exploring the impact of figurative communication and advertising: Reflections on a collaboration between linguistics researchers and a Midlands-based marketing agency. In Communicating Linguistics: Language, Community and Public Engagement. Routledge.

Preprint open access via ResearchGate.
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Abstract:
In this chapter, we talk about our collaboration with Big Cat Agency, a marketing agency based in Birmingham, UK, which we set up to explore the impact and effectiveness of figurative language in advertising. We discuss some of the benefits, opportunities, and challenges we have faced during this collaborative partnership. We include a case study of our work with Big Cat in which we helped them to maximise the effectiveness of figurative double-entendres in a sexual health campaign that they developed for Umbrella Health, a UK National Health Service (NHS) Trust that runs sexual health clinics across Birmingham and Solihull in the UK, and distributes kits which test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We use this case study to illustrate some of the outcomes that can be achieved through collaborative partnership with an advertising agency and a healthcare client. The reflections on our experiences may of interest to linguists who are considering working collaboratively with non-linguistic partner organisations or creative practitioners.​
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What is it like to study a PhD at the University of Birmingham?

4/1/2022

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Check out my Q&A on what it is like to study a PhD in English Language and Applied Linguistics at the University of Birmingham, funded by Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership.
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Copyright University of Birmingham
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PRINCE2® Project Management Foundation Level Certification

17/12/2021

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On 17th December I passed an exam in PRINCE2® Project Management Foundation Level, run by People Cert, and funded by Midlands4Cities Arts and Humanities Research Council.

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The PRINCE2® Foundation Certification is suitable for individuals who want to demonstrate they have sufficient understanding of the PRINCE2® methodology and can work effectively as part of a team or with a project management team within a PRINCE2® supporting environment. See my certification below.
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The course included 15 hours of online learning, 3 days virtual course with a PRINCE2
® Representative, and a PRINCE2® Method workbook and textbook, all of which were completed and revised by the candidate.

This training will support me during the remainder of my PhD and in my future career - be that academia or as a linguistic consultant.
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Negative advertising: A secret weapon?

15/11/2021

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Here's an article I wrote recently with Paula P Sobrino and Jeannette Littlemore on the power of negative ​advertising that subverts the typical use of figurative communication as positive persuasive devices. The article was published by Cambridge University Press.
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Read the article by clicking on the moldy burger. Do you dare?
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Hungry for more? Our book is available now: https://t.co/nDxS3TcxqT
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PhD Advice: M4C 'What's Next?'

13/10/2021

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​So good to catch up with my PhD friends at the Midlands4Cities "What's Next?" #networking event today! Aside from the fact that the cookies were amazing......there were some really useful panels and advice about finishing your #PhD and what happens next:
  • The process of writing a PhD is like when "you think you're baking a cake but it turns out that you've built a shed!" The PhD plan will change over the course of your degree, and that's ok; "your PhD is a living document; it will evolve but it will also never be perfect".
  • When applying for funding, you should think of grant applications as "a vehicle and not a destination". Writing grant applications can be used as an generative and iterative process for the development of your project ideas, and is never wasted time.
  • When thinking about what to do after the PhD is completed, consider the skills you have developed from your research. "You can't be what you can't see" so identify those skills and consider what jobs let you do the most of what you enjoy (this may not be in academia).
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"Got a Spark with Brook?" Engaging consumers in a sexual health campaign through the use of creative (metaphorical) double entendres

3/10/2021

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Abstract:
This paper describes a study conducted in collaboration with a marketing agency and a nonprofit organization (NPO) providing regional sexual health services, which included advice on, and testing for, sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The study investigated the relative effectiveness of different formulations of double entendres on appeal, humor, the likelihood of social media engagement, and intention to seek more information about STIs. Advertisements containing double entendres were significantly more appealing and humorous if: (1) the grammatical formulation did not cue the intended meaning; (2) the double entendre involved a creative metaphorical expression; and (3) the double entendre referred to the middle part of the sexual scenario, referring to action rather than intent or result. Participants’ ratings varied very little according to their age, gender, and education. However, a qualitative investigation of the free-text responses revealed that there was some variation in the types of interpretations that were offered by participants depending on their age, gender, and education. The marketing agency incorporated our findings into their live campaign, which resulted in a notable increase in: (a) website traffic and social media engagement; (b) STI home-testing kits ordered; and (c) STI kits returned for testing, compared with previous campaigns.


Citation: 
Ford, S., Littlemore, J., & Houghton, D. (2021). Got a Spark with Brook? Engaging consumers in a sexual health campaign through the use of creative (metaphorical) double entendres. Metaphor and Symbol. DOI: 10.1080/10926488.2021.1913740.

Open access via: 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355046903_Got_a_Spark_with_Brook_Engaging_Consumers_in_a_Sexual_Health_Campaign_through_the_Use_of_Creative_Metaphorical_Double_Entendres
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Talking Taboos: Dialogue Day

8/9/2021

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Are you a PhD student/ECR doing language-based research on a topic which may be considered 'sensitive' or 'taboo'? We (Sarah Turner, Jeannette Littlemore, and Samantha Ford) would love to see you at our Midlands4Cities-funded Dialogue Day! Final couple of days to register. For more info: https://bit.ly/37LOt0x

If you've already signed up for this symposium, don't forget to choose which breakout rooms you want to go to speak to relevant funders and stakeholders about applying your research. Make sure to let us know! You can also send us a poster about your research for feedback. We look forward to seeing you on Friday!
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