Pragmatic Multi-Modal Analysis of Selected Adverts in the 2025 African Cups of Nations in Morocco

Abstract

The study analyzed advertisements in the Africa Cup of Nations held in Morocco, commonly abbreviated as AFCON in English and CAN (from Coupe d’Afrique des Nations) in French, and known as the  TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons.  Five adverts (TotalEnergies (Title Sponsor), Morocco, TECNO, Puma, , Midea)  were selected adverts for the study. The study set to achieve three objectives among which is to examine the procedures of analyzing multimodal discourse which include verbal and visual elements. The study adopted Kress and Van Leeuwen theories of Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA). Grice’s Cooperative Principle theory was also adopted in the study because it helps unpack how adverts achieve relevance. Lastly, Aaker and Stayman’s research on advertising effectiveness which emphasizes the role of emotional resonance and message consistency in cross-cultural campaigns was also used in the study. The data used for the study was obtained from TotalEnergies (Title Sponsor), Morocco, TECNO, Puma, and  Midea, with their adverts focusing on brand visibility, digital engagement and fan experiences. The research reveals that the sponsors of the African Cup of Nations in Morocco used adverts images in strategic positions to grab attention, convey meaning, and create an emotional connection with the audience. The study on the 2025 AFCON adverts demonstrated how multimodal strategies, grounded in established theories of discourse and pragmatics, construct meaning, identity, and engagement.