This research investigates the textual and visual advertising strategies employed for "light food" products on the Taobao platform in China. Using a Textual-Visual Thematic Analysis (TVTA) framework and a dataset of 633 images and 45,817 words (condensed to 50 images for analysis), the study reveals a dual textual-visual approach, identifies prevalent multimodal devices (medium shots, varied camera angles, vibrant colors), and uncovers inconsistencies that may mislead consumers. The findings offer insights into the nuanced landscape of light food advertising.

Qian Yong, Xiaoqin Rao