How visual signs and symbols convey meaning in advertising is analyzed through semiotics. In this approach, you unpack how imagery, colors, typography, and layout act as signs that carry messages beyond their literal appearance. It looks at signifiers—the visible elements—and what they point to in the cultural context—the signified meanings. By examining denotation (the literal picture) and connotation (the implied associations audiences bring), you can understand how the ad communicates values, status, or identity and why viewers interpret it in a particular way. This helps reveal how branding and messaging are constructed through imagery, not just words. Content analysis would focus on cataloging what elements appear without interpreting their meaning. Brand audit assesses overall brand health and consistency, not the symbolic interpretation of visuals. Sentiment analysis analyzes opinion and emotion in text data, not the visual sign system of the advertisement itself.