A multimodal view on Made in France – the indication of origin in French food advertising

In saturated markets with interchangeable products information on a product’s geographical origin come increasingly to the fore. This holds particularly true for the food industry. Such a focus on origin also has an impact on genuinely persuasive brand communication. The present article will first provide some theoretical and conceptual clarifications concerning the term semiotic modality as well as typography as a semiotic resource, before outlining the possibilities for indicating origin in advertising communication. In addition to branding elements in the narrower sense (brand name; trademark/brand image; packaging/product design), the origin of a product can be emphasized by the use of labels and certification marks. Subsequently, on the basis of different case examples from France, where so-called economic patriotism has a strong tradition, I will illustrate the multimodal mechanisms of the indication of origin as a quality signal and sales argument. Here it becomes clear to what extent the emphasis on origin is a gradual phenomenon, which must also be seen in the light of semiotic criticism.