Communication Theory: PURE
Rubricator
1. General theoretical part 2. Brand presentation for a wider audience 3. Presentation for a professional audience 4. How we arrived at this communication strategy 5. Bibliography and image credits
1. General theoretical part
The present project engages with the intersection of design, semiotics, and communication theory, exploring how consumer products can function not merely as utilitarian objects but as active mediators of information. Within the contemporary landscape of fast-moving consumer goods, the act of consumption is frequently accompanied by a dense overlay of visual and textual messaging that often obfuscates the inherent qualities of the product itself. This phenomenon, commonly referred to as «marketing noise» diminishes the transparency of communication between the producer and the consumer, thereby generating skepticism and eroding trust.
Drawing upon foundational frameworks in communication theory, particularly the Shannon–Weaver model, a product can be conceptualized as a channel through which information flows from the sender (producer) to the receiver (consumer). In this context, any embellishments, ambiguous labeling, or emotionally charged appeals function as forms of noise that interfere with the accuracy of the message.
Consequently, one of the central challenges for contemporary product design is the minimization of such interference, transforming objects into legible, self-explanatory mediums that convey both functional and contextual knowledge without reliance upon abstract or emotive symbolism.
From a semiotic perspective, every material choice, form, color, and typographic element within a product’s design constitutes a signifier, which conveys meaning through its relationship to the consumer. The comprehension of these signs is mediated by both cultural conventions and individual perceptual frameworks, meaning that product transparency extends beyond the mere physical visibility of its components; it encompasses the legibility and interpretability of information as encoded within the object itself. Semiotics, therefore, provides a rigorous lens through which design decisions can be analyzed in terms of the communicative clarity they afford.
Furthermore, critical theory offers a normative framework for evaluating the ethical dimension of communication in design. The prevalence of manipulative or misleading marketing strategies in consumer goods not only fosters distrust but also reinforces asymmetries in knowledge and power between producer and consumer. A brand that adopts principles of radical transparency actively counters these tendencies, advocating for a model of interaction predicated on openness, verifiability, and intelligibility, wherein the user is positioned not merely as a passive recipient but as an informed participant capable of decoding and evaluating the product independently.
In the context of product design, these theoretical insights underscore the potential for material culture to function as a medium of knowledge, rather than as a vessel for aesthetic or emotional persuasion alone. By foregrounding transparency, legibility, and factual clarity, a product can operate as a communicative artefact, fostering trust and facilitating a more reflexive, informed mode of consumption. The ensuing sections of this project will demonstrate how these theoretical frameworks are operationalized in the design of PURE, a soap brand that embodies these principles through its unambiguous presentation of ingredients, processes, and material qualities.
PURE: logo
2. Brand presentation for a wider audience
PURE: slogan
Brand Mission
PURE seeks to redefine the relationship between consumers and everyday products by prioritizing radical transparency, clarity, and honesty. The brand’s mission is to establish a new paradigm in personal care, where the user can understand, trust, and engage with every element of a product, transforming consumption into an informed and deliberate experience.
Brand Essence
At its core, PURE is a brand that communicates through its product itself. It reframes soap not merely as a hygiene item but as a medium of knowledge, in which the composition, processes, and materials are legible, verifiable, and meaningful. The brand rejects conventional marketing rhetoric that relies on abstract notions of purity, naturalness, or lifestyle, instead emphasizing factual clarity and intelligibility.
PURE: posters
PURE: animated poster
Central Idea for the Wider Audience
Nothing in PURE is concealed; the product embodies transparency in its most literal and symbolic form. Users can observe every ingredient, texture, and layer, gaining insight into the origin and purpose of each component. This approach cultivates trust and confidence by demonstrating that clarity and honesty are the true markers of quality.
PURE: values
PURE: soap
Visual and Experiential Communication
For the general audience, PURE communicates its philosophy through a visual system that is both striking and self-explanatory:
1. Transparency as principle: Packaging and soap itself are fully visible, presenting layers, textures, and inclusions without visual obfuscation.
2. Color as information: The natural hues of ingredients — lemon, berries, flowers or orange — signal the essence of the soap, providing immediate, intuitive understanding without additional explanation.
3. Ingredient as proof: Real fruit slices, plant fibers, seeds, and natural extracts are embedded or visually represented, reinforcing the tangible connection between composition and effect.
Core Messages for the Wider Audience
1. Radical transparency transforms product interaction into an informed, confident experience.
2. Knowledge as trust: Users no longer rely on abstract marketing claims; understanding the product directly creates reliability and loyalty.
3. Simplicity and honesty: The aesthetic is minimal, calm, and readable, avoiding manipulative emotional cues or exaggeration.
4. Engagement through curiosity: By revealing the process and components, PURE invites exploration and active participation in the act of consumption.
PURE: animated posters
Emotional & Rational Benefits
For the general audience, PURE provides more than hygiene; it cultivates a sense of agency and intellectual satisfaction. Consumers experience confidence in knowing what they apply to their bodies and can appreciate the aesthetic integrity of a product that is both beautiful and truthful.
1. Complete disclosure of ingredients (INCI with explanations)
2. Origin and sourcing of each component clearly indicated
3. Visual demonstration of the manufacturing process
4. Absence of artificial additives, fragrances, or misleading functional claims
PURE: banner
Brand Personality
PURE presents itself as neutral, precise, and instructive. The brand does not rely on emotional manipulation, humor, or exaggeration. Its tone is more akin to that of a museum label or scientific specification, inviting observation, comprehension, and reflection.
PURE: animated poster
Platforms and Channels
For wider audience communication, PURE leverages:
1. Retail and boutique spaces emphasizing transparency in display and interaction
2. Digital platforms featuring interactive ingredient breakdowns and process visualizations
3. Social media focusing on educational storytelling, visual clarity, and behind-the-scenes content
Through its commitment to radical transparency, PURE positions itself as more than a soap brand — it is an epistemic experience. The brand empowers users to engage with products intellectually and aesthetically, making the act of daily hygiene a moment of informed reflection rather than passive consumption.
PURE: communication
3. Presentation for a Professional Audience
Visual Identity and Theoretical Logic
PURE is conceived as a cohesive semiotic system, where every visual and material choice functions as a communicative element. The brand treats the soap not only as a consumable product but as a structured information medium, with legible layers, colors, textures, and inclusions conveying meaning independently of textual explanations.
The central metaphor, soap as a message, guides the design logic:
1. Sender: the manufacturer, whose expertise and methodology are encoded in the product itself.
2. Message: composition, ingredients, and production process.
3. Channel: the physical form of the soap, its transparency, and packaging.
4. Noise: traditional marketing hyperbole, obfuscation, and symbolic excess.
5. Receiver: the informed user or professional observer.
This framework transforms PURE into a living diagram, where semiotics, critical theory, and information design converge. Each element is deliberately chosen to minimize noise and optimize comprehension.
PURE: animated poster
Ingredient Representation
Real inclusions are used to reinforce credibility: fruit slices, seeds, plant fibers, and extracts appear embedded within soap or in macro-photography for visual documentation.
The visual narrative of ingredients conveys process, provenance, and effect simultaneously, allowing professional audiences to analyze the product as both design and communication system.
For professional audiences, designers, researchers, and scholars, PURE transcends the category of personal care product to become a communication prototype. The brand exemplifies how materiality, semiotics, and information design can be orchestrated to create a coherent, transparent, and critically informed product ecosystem. PURE demonstrates that design can serve as a medium for knowledge transfer, not merely aesthetic pleasure, offering a rigorous model for future experiments in critical and functional communication.
PURE: posters
PURE: anumated posters
4. How We Arrived at This Communication Strategy
The communication strategy for PURE emerged as a deliberate translation of communication theory principles into design decisions, aligning theoretical frameworks with practical brand execution. Every aspect of the product — from materiality to typography, from ingredient representation to packaging transparency — was informed by scholarly insights from multiple traditions within communication studies.
Rhetorical Tradition: Persuasion Through Clarity
The rhetorical tradition conceptualizes communication as a means of persuasion. In the context of FMCG products, persuasion often relies on emotional manipulation, imagery, and implicit claims. PURE reverses this paradigm: rather than relying on abstract appeals to naturalness or purity, the brand persuades through clarity, honesty, and accessibility of information.
All ingredients are fully disclosed using INCI terminology, with accompanying plain-language explanations.
The manufacturing process is visualized through diagrams, flowcharts, and macro photography, emphasizing transparency rather than mystique.
The rhetorical strategy thus prioritizes ethos (credibility) and logos (logical comprehension) over pathos (emotional appeal), fostering trust through knowledge rather than symbolic embellishment.
Socio-Psychological Perspective: Cognitive Transparency
The socio-psychological tradition emphasizes how audiences process messages and form attitudes. PURE integrates these principles through cognitive and perceptual strategies:
1. Transparency reduces interpretive noise, allowing the user to process information efficiently.
2. Layered visual structures and ingredient inclusions provide both central and peripheral routes of persuasion as described in the Elaboration Likelihood Model.
2.1 Users who actively engage with details follow the central route, analyzing composition, sourcing, and production.
2.2 Casual observers still receive cues of honesty and trustworthiness through peripheral visual markers: color, clarity, and material authenticity.
3. By minimizing marketing embellishment, the brand respects the user’s cognitive capacity and invites informed decision-making rather than manipulative persuasion.
Critical Tradition: Challenging Established Marketing Norms
The critical tradition interrogates the implicit power dynamics and ideologies embedded in marketing. FMCG communication often obfuscates composition and manipulates desire, perpetuating distrust and information asymmetry. PURE positions itself as a counter-model:
1. The brand rejects conventional visual tropes of cleanliness and nature that often mask industrial processes.
2. Packaging and product design expose production realities, promoting an ethical dialogue between brand and consumer.
3. By treating the soap as a knowledge medium, PURE aligns with critical theory’s goal of uncovering hidden structures of influence and fostering agency in the audience.
Integration of Theoretical Foundations into Design Decisions
The convergence of these theoretical approaches produced a holistic communication strategy:
1. Clarity over embellishment: Guided by rhetorical and semiotic traditions.
2. Transparency as medium: Rooted in Shannon & Weaver’s model and socio-psychological insights.
3. Trust through knowledge: Informed by critical communication theory, promoting agency and ethical engagement.
4. Multi-modal legibility: Visual, textual, and material cues work together to deliver the message coherently to both general and professional audiences.
Every design decision — from the matte transparency of packaging to macro photography of inclusions, from neutral typography to color derived directly from ingredients — is anchored in this theoretical framework, demonstrating the practical application of communication theory in contemporary design.
PURE exemplifies how communication theory can inform the design of everyday products, transforming a simple soap bar into a complex information system. By synthesizing rhetorical, semiotic, socio-psychological, and critical approaches, the brand creates a transparent, legible, and ethically grounded communication environment. The strategy demonstrates that design can extend beyond aesthetics, serving as a medium for clarity, trust, and knowledge, and illustrating the profound potential of theory-driven design practice.
Course «Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice» / HSE University. — 2024.
Craig R. T. Communication Theory as a Field. — 1999.
Griffin E., Ledbetter A., Sparks G. A First Look at Communication Theory. — 2019.
Barthes R. Image, Music, Text. — London: Fontana Press. — 1977.
Chandler D. Semiotics: The Basics. — London: Routledge. — 2017.
Fiske J. Introduction to Communication Studies. — London: Routledge. — 1990.
Shannon C. E., Weaver W. The Mathematical Theory of Communication. — Urbana: University of Illinois Press. — 1949.
All branding were created for the needs of the project.
All models were generated by artificial intelligence.
