The secret power of stickers

In this article, we want to dive a little deeper and explore the social and psychological meaning of custom stickers to explain why they are such a powerful and influential marketing tool that can help you grow your business and hit your targets.

To do that, we’ll return to the early twentieth-century social sciences when Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure coined the term “semiology.” Semiology describes the study of “the life of signs within society”.

This goes back to the belief that social and cultural interactions are structured by signs — concepts we use to refer to the real thing.

Language is the most basic structure of signs we use daily. Imagine having to carry the real thing around to communicate — that’s impossible.

Instead, we’ve developed a system of words (signs) that let us refer to these concepts, allowing us to talk about things beyond our immediate surroundings and abstract ideas.

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This graphic explains the two components of a sign: the signifier and the signified. The signified is the concept — say, a cat.

A cat exists no matter what you call it — cat, Katze, chat(te), gato, or gatto — as a four-legged, feline domesticated animal.

The words we use to refer to this animal are signifiers. The connection between signifier and signified is culturally specific and enables us to form meaningful communication within a community that speaks the same language.

In 1976, French philosopher and literary theorist Roland Barthes added a second layer to this process to explain how a sign can be culturally charged and take on meaning beyond its literal definition.

The four-legged feline animal we call a cat can represent different concepts depending on the context — or the culture — in which it’s being referenced.

A cat can become a god-like creature, a pet, or even a symbol of witchcraft.

Barthes refers to this second-level signification as connotation, evoking all the cultural codes that are activated when we speak about a cat or see the word “c a t.”

What does this have to do with stickers?

It shows how powerful a single sign can be. Stickers let you access this power by turning your logo into a symbol.

When used in the right context, a sticker not only evokes your business but also taps into the cultural associations embedded in society — and lets you position your brand consciously within them.

Let’s look at famous street artist Shepard Fairey. You might not know his name, but you’ll recognize the logo he created instantly.

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Obey stickers have been circulating for more than 20 years — not just to represent the clothing line established in 2001, but as a critical comment on the social and cultural establishment and the norms and rules it has created.

The sign “OBEY” plays with its literal meaning while bringing up connotations of counter-culture movements and social criticism.

Stickers offer a low-cost, effective, and alternative medium to spread messages among a large number of people quickly.

Fairey himself said, “[i]t is hard to believe that paper and vinyl with adhesive backing can do so much” (Source).

At Sticker it, we want to help you get your message across and reach as many people as possible with your ideas. We offer fast and reliable production to help you distribute your logo stickers effectively and unlock the hidden power of stickers.