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Brands as New Forms of Religiosity: the Case of the World of Red Bull

2014; Facultad de Comunicación y Relaciones Internacionales Blanquerna, Universidad Ramon Llull; Issue: 35 Linguagem: Inglês

2340-5007

Samuel Gil Soldevilla, José Antonio Palao Errando, José Javier Marzal Felici,

Media, Religion, Digital Communication

Institutional religion’s loss of influence runs parallel to the emergence of the sa­cred in the secular. The transformation of the religious and the re-enchantment of the profane are also present in con­sumption, which is acquiring a growing ontological function. This paper identi­fies and analyses brands as a new form of religiosity because of their essential role in the lives of individuals and socie­ty, beyond their commercial nature, po­sitioning them as constructors of mean­ing, bringing world views together and making sense of reality. We also explore the advertising discourse of the World of Red Bull campaign (Spain, 2012) car­ried out by the international Red Bull brand. This analysis will confirm that advertising is no longer a mere instru­ment of capitalism, but rather a vehi­cle for spirituality, making increasing use of transcendental semiotics, tak ing elements from religious language and transforming them with the help of mesmerizing audiovisual techniques into a new form of communication, with a message that does nothing to hide its messianic nature. La perdua d’influencia de la religio ins­titucional es paral·lela a l’emergencia d’allo sagrat en l’ambit secular. La transformacio del fet religios i el re-encantament d’allo profa tambe es fan presents al consum, que adquireix una creixent funcio ontologica. Aquesta in­vestigacio identifica i analitza les mar­ques com una nova forma de religio­sitat pel seu paper essencial en la vida de l’individu i la societat, mes enlla del seu caracter mercantil, situant-se com a constructores de significat, fent conver­gir visions del mon i donant sentit a la realitat. Aixi mateix, explorem el discurs publicitari de la campanya World of Red Bull (Espanya, 2012) duta a terme per la marca internacional Red Bull. Aques­ta analisi ens confirmara que la publici­tat ja no es simplement un instrument del capitalisme, sino mes aviat un vehi­cle d’espiritualitat que fa un us cada ve­gada major d’una semiotica transcen­dent, prenent elements del llenguatge religios i transformant-los, amb l’ajuda de l’espectacularitat tecnica, en una co­municacio nova que no amaga el seu caracter messianic.