Signs and symbols have always affected the human behaviour that the study of these elements has become an important part of various fields such as communication, arts, advertising and marketing. The everyday life is governed by codes and symbols but majority of us do not realize the impact they have in our lives. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols, especially as elements of communicative behavior (Streeter, 2005). Various industry professionals use Semiotics to affect human behaviour, in particular, the way in which people make decisions. A good example is the marketing and advertising industry. Different signs and symbols are used for similar products or services but they all produce different reactions from individuals.
We look at our case study, that of the Lloyds Banking Group and Northern Rock. Both basically offer similar services, but have substantial differences between how they are represented. In the picture provided, both buildings could not be more opposite. Lloyds’ building is very traditional, detached and looks very exclusive and closed. Northern Rock on the other hand, is rather small, modern, open and welcoming. The entrance to Lloyds Bank is narrow and dark, and can be intimidating whereas Northern Rock’s entrance appears wide and inviting. The windows in both building say a lot of things about the business, too. In Lloyds Bank, the front windows, as with the building, are very traditional and do not reveal anything from the inside, Northern Rock’s front windows are massive, encompassing the whole frontage of the office revealing the activities inside. The style and location of the signage of both banks that are displayed on the front of the building are significantly different from one another, too. In Lloyds Bank, the name of the bank is relatively small, located on top of the entrance hall. In Northern Rock, the name is more prominent, big bold letters displayed on a fascia in front of the office with additional small black fascia on one side of the building.
So what do these differences tell us about these two banks and banking, in general? Lloyds Bank conveys traditional banking and exclusivity. It gives the impression that it is only for those who are financially and socially elevated. The building says it all, Victorian in style, it exudes wealth and prudence. Banking, in a sense, was seen as a symbol of plenty for majority of people. Northern Rock’s image, on the other hand, is softer and conveys warmth and openness. The big windows and slightly recessed front door are inviting and not intimidating. The color scheme (black, white and pink) indicates basic importance. In fact, the image of banking has turned from exclusive to basic, a service that is needed and used by everyone, regardless of their financial or social status.
This case study has demonstrated that Semiotics is part of our everyday life and that it affects human behaviour, consciously and unconsciously. With the massive impact that signs and symbols have on our lives, it is important for us to understand the significance of various symbols, signs, codes and images and Semiotics, as a field of study, helps us achieve that.
References
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Chandler, D., 2002. Semiotics: The Basics. New York: Routledge.
Chandler, D., 1994. Semiotics for Beginners.[online] Available at:
Douglas, M., 1982. The Future of Semiotics, Semiotica, 38(3/4), pp. 197-203.
Kockleman, P., 2005. The Semiotic Stance, Semiotica, 157(1/4), pp. 233-304.
Manning, P., 2010. The Semiotics of Brand, Annual Review of Anthropology, 39, pp.33-49
Streeter, T., 2005. The Semiotics of Media.[online] Available at
