CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL DESIRABILITY

Abstract: In the African context where cultural, media, and commercial dynamics are deeply intertwined, this article explores the role of advertising songs in shaping social desirability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Using a qualitative approach grounded in semiotic and narrative analysis, the study examines a corpus of Congolese advertising songs from the 1980s to the present. It highlights how these communicative devices draw upon cultural, emotional, and symbolic references from the collective imagination to construct social representations, foster audience identification, and influence consumer behavior. The findings reveal that sung advertising, far from being a mere promotional tool, functions as a powerful operator of social recognition, a vehicle for identity-based aspiration, and a medium of cultural mediation. Building on these insights, the article advocates for the emergence of an “Afro-semiotic advertising” model, rooted in local symbolic practices and capable of engaging meaningfully with contemporary collective imaginaries. Keywords: Désirabilité sociale, Publicité, Culture.