Storytelling e “viralità”: La comunicazione non convenzionale di marketing nella prospettiva semiotica

Although metaphors derived from the semantic field of epidemiology such as “virality”, “infection”, “contagiousness” are commonly used to describe the massive circulation of content on the social web, their relevance is largely controversial from a theoretical point of view. In this paper we will focus on the contribution that semiotic theory can make to the definition of the so-called “viral” marketing communication campaigns. In recent years the e-WOM phenomenon has been frequently approached by digital marketing, often by using concepts and terms borrowed from semiotic theories, such as the term storytelling. Proceeding from (Starting with) a reflection on the role of the narrative dimension in planning and spreading “viral” contents, this paper will deal with another metaphor often used in marketing lexicon: that of the Trojan horse. Our aim is to examine its relevance in this context and to contribute to a better understanding of it. Is the Trojan horse an unfounded metaphor or a military term useful to illustrate complex operations by means of which the enunciatee is effectively manipulated within the social web?