Covid-19 and War Metaphor; A Linguistic Projection through Pakistani Advertisements

Abstract

This paper analyses the war metaphor used in selected Pakistani advertisements about Covid-19 pandemic. The research particularly explores the working of conceptual war metaphor through Conceptual Blending theory (Fauconnier 1997, Fauconnier and Turner 1996, Turner and Fauconnier1999, 2000). The paper discusses the cognitive mapping for the Covid metaphors through linguistic analysis which results in a psychological effect of war narrative on the audience. The war narrative thus leads to produce effect of fear and dread; the audience resultantly finds safety in following the Covid SOPs by consuming the advertised product. This study is a qualitative analysis of war metaphor used in selected Pakistani advertisements of soaps, detergents, sanitizers etc. The significance of this research is to correlate the importance of metaphor used in advertisements to magnify the fear of Covid pandemic through language manipulation. As language becomes psychological affair through metaphors; it heightens the effect on the audience which in turn leads to active positive response from them. The response is not only in submission to follow the message of the advertisement but also in readily consumption of the advertised product against the dangers and challenges posed by Covid-19.