Abstract
This study investigates the syntactic construction of Instagram advertisements with a focus on verb phrase (VP) structures, using the Viva Detergent Instagram platform as a case study. The study samples thirty advertisements purposively and explores how advertisers employ VPs in unconventional and structurally deviant ways to attract and engage consumers on digital platforms. Radford’s Inflectional Phrase (IP) model provides the theoretical framework for this study. The findings reveal a predominant use of imperative VPs characterised by the absence of overt or explicit subjects, structural economy, and lexical informality. These syntactic choices contribute to the construction of persuasive, relatable, and memorable advertising discourse. The study argues that such deviations are not merely grammatical but deliberate and calculated rhetorical strategies adapted to the norms and expectations of Instagram users. This paper contributes to our understanding of how informal syntactic choices shape meaning in digital advertising discourse, offering implications for discourse analysis, linguistic theory, and advertising practice.
Keywords: Verb Phrase, Syntax, Advertising, Instagram, Viva Detergent, Inflectional Phrase, Social Media Language
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2025.v01i03.014
author/Adamu Yusuf Fari, Hadiza Musa Amshi & Ummi Ibrahim
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 1(3) | December 2025 |
