Religion and Advertising

A Socio-Semiotic Approach to an Umnia Bank Advertisement

Abstract

This article examines the religious dimension of advertising discourse through the lens of social semiotics, focusing on an advertising video produced by the Moroccan participatory bank Umnia Bank. The video narratesthe story of a woman who purchases a car in fulfillment of her father’s wish. The study aims to reveal how religious discourse is mobilized to serve marketing purposes by activating a system of symbols and meanings that bridge faithbased values with economic objectives. It employs concepts from Critical Linguistics and Visual Grammar to explore the interaction between linguistic and visual componentsin constructing advertising meaning and generating persuasive effect. The analysis shows that advertising discourse employs religious references as a means of conferring symbolic legitimacy on the participatory banking model, while seeking to reconcile spiritual values with the demands of contemporary life through a representation of consumption that reflects a new understanding of religious commitment within Moroccan society.