Narrative in Advertising: Persuading the Nigerian Audience Within the Schemata of Storyline

Abstract

The study, as an attempt, considered narrative as a good resource of advertising in the Nigerian environment. In other words, advertisers perceive narrative as a strategy that can stimulate consumers to patronize advertised goods and services. Four adverts of FBN®, MTN®, Orijin® and FIRS® have been chosen to propagate the course appeared on the frameworks. Beside the application of the Labovian schema on narrative, the Halliday’s transitivity system plays an analytical role by assigning semiotic slots to the textual devices. The study reveals that advertising copies a similar pattern of narrative in the society. Apart from the texts serving as relays to the images, the construction of the message is in the resolution sequential string. This provides an opportunity for advertisers to present to the public the gains and benefits of taking decision parallel to the messages of the adverts. Advertisers capitalize of the efforts of past leaders, the challenges of the present and the future of the children to sensitize the audience. The study concludes that narrative should be encouraged in advertising not only as a persuasive approach but also as a means of promoting Nigerian social heritage and treasures.