Language and thought: Linguistic relativity in social marketing communication

Abstract

Linguistic relativity (linguistic patterns influence perception and cognition) is crucial for marketing communication effectiveness. The argument is that linguistic relativity enablers in marketing communication may assist marketers, communicators, and creators achieve the desired “effectiveness” more successfully. Based on this premise, prior research in consumer studies has examined language's mediation role in consumer perception and cognition. However, the question of identifying these enablers and the plausible existence of any structural relationship among them persists. This article, therefore, seeks to examine the identification and interrelationship of linguistic relativity enablers in the context of social marketing communication. We examine the query through in-depth interviews with specific respondents with a strong and influential relationship with the subject. This study presents the analysis conducted through Fuzzy-ISM and Fuzzy-MICMAC and presents relative findings by providing a structure with the potential to be used in longitudinal studies.