Doing Semiotics is a follow-up to Laura Oswald’s Marketing Semiotics and Creating Value (review here). I read it hot on the heels of reading Rachel Lawes latest books on Semiotics in Marketing and Retail (reviews here and here). It seems that the topic has never been so popular, which is great to see especially with books that focus on the practice rather than the theory.

Laura Oswald’s latest is pitched as a more practical “to do” guide than her previous books and, as well as her own case studies and exercises, includes an additional reading from another author (including Rachel Lawes) for each chapter on the book’s main themes of branding, strategy, design, consumer behaviour and ethnography.

This is a good read for anyone interested in applying semiotics to these areas, and there are plenty of interesting examples to inspire ideas for your own projects. Personally, I prefer Rachel Lawes more accessible style, but why not read more than one book on semiotics and compare for yourself? It’s great to see the discipline becoming more mainstream and such practical introductions can only help reach more people.