Verbal and Visual Representations on Major Thai Original Equipment Cosmetics Manufacturers’ Websites: A Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

<p>The aim of this study is to understand how major Thai cosmetics manufacturers and exporters utilise verbal texts and visual images on their websites to represent themselves to their target clients across the globe. Specifically, the study conducts a critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the Home, About Us, and Services pages of 15 sample websites. CDA is known for its ability to pinpoint and unpack the ways the text producers exercise their power and dominance through discourse or the use of language (e.g., verbal and visual) in social contexts. However, most CDA studies have tended to focus on areas such as politics, education, and media, with only a little attention being paid to the public sphere (i.e., corporate segment). Like other businesses, Thai cosmetics producers strive to gain recognition and acceptance from the public and their target customers in order to be able to operate. Their attempt to build and uphold a distinctive identity and image is, thus, at the forefront of all of their activities. Corporate websites facilitate the construction of corporate identity and image, enhance overseas customer relationships, and attract future clients for a minimum budget. For the firms operating in the business-to-business and the export industry such as Thai cosmetics manufacturing companies, corporate websites are deemed crucial as communication and marketing outlets given they make it possible for the producers to interact with their potential clients through various forms (e.g., verbal, visual, audio, video etc.) and size of content regardless of place and time. The CDA analysis revealed that, despite their efforts to project distinctive characteristics or self-identity using language (i.e., verbal and visual), these Thai cosmetics manufacturers rely on three salient discursive themes to gain competitive advantages and social acceptance: relying on promotional discourse, constructing corporate and potential customers identities, and controlling messages and thus shaping the target audiences’ perceptions. The study also suggests that such discursive themes reflect the broader social conditions and factors that determine these text producers’ decisions and actions for coping with their struggle to survive in the harsh globalisation of the economy and the rapid growth of the beauty and cosmetics industry.</p>