The function of folkloric elements, cultural code and indicators in Akbank commercials

Abstract

As one of the means of cultural power in modern life, commercials have a significant role in creating folklore. It is possible to point out the folklore that is created by the nations through the use of commercials. This could be done only by using special codes because "meaning" is constructed by the mediation of indicators and tradition. In this article Cep Kredi commercial series of Akbank will be discussed. We are planning to evaluate how this specific commercial series use the facilities of the oral culture to build the "meaning" with the use of visual and verbal special codes and indicators. The emphasis will be on the urban folklore and the themes like nationality and national identity which are used intensively in these commercials. In this commercial series the big city is depicted as the place where luxury is generated and consumed. It uses interior spaces rather than public spaces and emphasizes the "urban" theme with the codes like facial expressions, words, clothing and attitudes of the characters. It is parodying and highlighting "the equalizing consumption".