Analyzing creative metaphors in advertising: Integrating relevance theory and conceptual blending approaches.

This article introduces a hybrid model for analyzing creative metaphors in commercial advertising by combining Relevance Theory and Conceptual Blending Theory. The model's algorithm for metaphorical mapping considers contextual assumptions and relevance principles to select mental input structures for blending. The initial stage of explicature decoding, following Relevance Theory, identifies input mental spaces through reference assignment and content enrichment. In the Composition stage, an ad hoc source concept is adapted to the target, establishing metaphorical alignments within the blend. The blending's cognitive context involves abstract structures and vital relations in a generic space, rooted in human experience, to facilitate interpretations with minimal cognitive effort. At the Completion stage, contextual assumptions about the brand's implied meanings generate new structures within the blend. Finally, the Elaboration stage incorporates assumptions about the brand's messaging, aimed at addressing the audience's motivational needs and encouraging them to fulfill these needs by purchasing the advertised product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]