When an image does not reveal everything: analysis of the discourse of the Family Health Strategy logo in the light of the concept of the contemporary family

Abstract This article deals with exploratory research with the objective of analyzing the discourse of the Family Health Strategy (ESF) logo in the light of the concept of the contemporary family. The analysis was made using the “Semiolinguistic” theory of Patrick Charaudeau of the French School of Discourse. The result revealed a discursive framework with important restrictions regarding the act of language as the monologue aspect of the process and a subject of non-institutional speech constituted by the advertising agent hired by the Ministry of Health. In the analysis, a discrepancy was found between the verbal content that shows the expression “Family Health” tending to the comprehensiveness of the policy implemented by the ESF, when compared with the image aspect, the elements of which demonstrated the predominance of the traditional family. The relevance of multiple contexts, such as cultural, social and gender aspects, which influenced the interpretation of mixed texts, was studied. The need to reformulate the brand was pointed out to make it more comprehensive and consistent with the new contemporary family formats. Future studies are suggested that address the limiting character implicit in the concept behind the logo in a more critical and incisive manner.