William Shakespeare's 1769 Jubilee, advertising, and souvenirs : A multimodal discourse analysis

This chapter discusses David Garrick’s 1769 Shakespeare Jubilee as a case study in the commodification and branding of the Bard for marketing purposes. The Jubilee was instrumental in putting Stratford-upon-Avon on the map and relied on promotional strategies that pioneered the commodification of Shakespeare. More specifically, it anticipates the contemporary use of marketing mix approaches, including the sales of marketing collateral products. Accordingly, this chapter firstly contextualises Garrick’s Jubilee and explores its significance within promotional discourse. Subsequently, it offers the analysis of four event-inspired gadgets – the Jubilee medal, Jubilee ribbon, the tankard, and the event ticket. By adopting a multimodal, critical discourse perspective, the study argues that these gadgets embody the commercial and marketing aims of the Jubilee via the intersection of multiple modes of communication, as well as manifesting the promotion of Garrick’s own public image.