Iconic brand is a new topic in the field of branding that has started to attract researchers’ attentions; yet, it is still mostly discussed in the non-academic field. Brand community is also an evolving topic in marketing. These two new concepts are the focuses of this research. The main subject of this research is to explore the componential factors of iconic brand and brand community and the influences of the former ones on the latter ones. Even though there are few books and articles related to iconic brand, so far no quantitative research has been conducted. Thus, in this study, quantitative method is used to explore the componential factors of iconic brand. The same method is applied to brand community as well to explore the impacts of iconic brand on brand community. This research also accounts for a fact that cultural differences of the three countries (Sweden, Taiwan, and Vietnam) may affect respondents’ perceptions on the factors of iconic brand and brand community, as well as the impact levels between them. This study starts with examining the relevant literatures of branding, iconic brand, brand community, and cultural aspects of branding. Then, the hypotheses and research model are proposed based on theories. Questionnaires are distributed to Swedish, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese respondents in accordance with convenience sampling and snowball sampling. A total collection of 486 accepted questionnaires (which includes 171 questionnaires from Sweden, 163 ones from Taiwan, and 152 ones from Vietnam) is coded and analyzed by using SPSS and AMOS. Factor Analysis (EFA and CFA) and Cronbach’s Alpha are used to test the measurement reliability and consistency. Together with them, other statistical techniques, such as ANOVA and SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) are employed to test the proposed hypotheses. Semi-structured interviews are then conducted, based on the results of quantitative analysis, with six dynamic consumers from the three countries to explore further the cultural differences for the topic in Sweden, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The results show that iconic brand has three componential factors: brand personality, brand myth, and brand storytelling, while brand community has two factors: brand loyalty and emotional attachment to brand community. Also, the findings reveal that brand personality has the most positive impacts on brand loyalty while brand storytelling has the lowest positive impact on brand loyalty. Other impacts of iconic brand’s factors on brand community’s factors are positively moderate. Furthermore, both quantitative and qualitative results confirm the hypotheses of cultural differences in respondents’ perceptions (in the three countries) on iconic brand’s factors, brand community’s factors, and the positive impact levels between them.

The interrelated topics of food, eating, nutrition, and diet continue to represent growing areas of interest in communication studies and related disciplines. Food is essential to our existence, and the images we use to communicate about food are important to public culture. In this project, I conduct a visual rhetorical analysis of the food pyramids created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the 1992 Food Guide Pyramid and the 2005 MyPyramid, to explore how these iconic images negotiate the competing interests of the food industry, nutritionists, and the general public. As icons circulate, they become subjected to various forms of appropriation which includes copying, imitating, and satirizing the original image. Therefore, I study a collection of appropriated food pyramids created by different groups and individuals to identify the salient features of the food pyramid icon. As a group these images encourage viewers to believe that an abundance of food always exists by highlighting products over processes. Viewing the earth as endlessly abundant aligns with a cornucopian perspective on the environment which implicitly supports the status quo in the U.S. industrial food system. I conclude by offering ideas of appropriated food pyramids that visually challenge this problematic ideology. The USDA food pyramids and their visual appropriations provide an important space for us to interrogate the rhetorical messages we consume in public culture.

O contínuo crescimento em altura e a mudança de endereço dos arranha-céus contemporâneos foram os fatores que induziram o estudo realizado no presente trabalho. O objeto – o arranha-céu de escritórios – é investigado nas diversas perspectivas que determinaram sua execução. Os projetos dos grandes arranhacéus foram definidos por atributos relacionados aos componentes da Tríade Vitruviana, acrescidos do componente Lugar, do Quaterno Contemporâneo. O trabalho contempla o estudo dos atributos de utilitas. firmitas e venustas, naquilo que tem relação com o lugar e contexto, como razões objetivas da existência e perpetuação do arranha-céu. Aponta, posteriormente, para a existência de outros atributos, que justificam a execução do arranha-céu, ainda que os anteriores tenham sido negados. São as razões subjetivas da existência do arranha-céu, que permitem aproximá-los das propostas utópicas, pois prescindem de responder às reais funções do objeto. Estudos de caso foram analisados, revelando a transformação do arranha-céu e sua ressignificação. A produção e análise do material pesquisado contribuem para avaliar a perpetuação do arranha-céu na cidade contemporânea. / The continuous growth in height and the change of location of the contemporary skyscrapers were the factors that driven the study developed in the present work. The object – the office skyscraper – is investigated trough the diverse perspectives that determined its construction. The designs of the great skyscrapers were defined by attributes related to the components of the Vitruvian Triad, plus the Site component from the “Contemporary Quaternary.” The work includes the study of the attributes of utilitas, firmitas and venustas in what is related to the site and context as objective reasons for the existence and perpetuation of the skyscraper. It later points to the existence of other attributes which justify the construction of the skyscraper, even when the previous ones have been denied. The subjective reasons for the existence of skyscrapers are the ones that allow us to put them closer to utopian proposals, since they do not need to respond to the real functions of the object. Case studies were analyzed, revealing the transformation of the skyscraper and its re-signification. The production and analysis of the investigated material contribute with the evaluation of the perpetuation of the skyscraper in the contemporary city. / El continuo crecimiento en altura y la mudanza de dirección de los rascacielos contemporáneos fueron los factores que encauzaron el estudio realizado en el presente trabajo. El objeto – el rascacielos de oficinas – es investigado desde las diversas perspectivas que determinaron su ejecución. Los proyectos de los grandes rascacielos fueron definidos por atributos relacionados a los componentes de la Tríada vitruviana, más el componente Lugar, del “Cuaterno contemporáneo.” El trabajo contempla el estudio de los atributos de utilitas, firmitas y venustas en aquello que tiene relación con el lugar y contexto como razones objetivas de la existencia y perpetuación del rascacielos. Apunta, posteriormente, a la existencia de otros atributos que justifican la ejecución del rascacielos, aún cuando los anteriores hayan sido negados. Son las razones subjetivas de la existencia de los rascacielos, las que permiten acercarlos a las propuestas utópicas, pues prescinden de responder a las reales funciones del objeto. Los estudios de caso se analizaron, revelando la transformación del rascacielos y su resignificación. La producción y análisis del material investigado contribuyen con la evaluación de la perpetuación del rascacielos en la ciudad contemporánea.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The way news is presented on television news prompted me to find out the logic television follows to converge languages such as verbal and visual in order to report facts in its complex utterances. In this context, this work aims to show the strength of iconicity in the production of senses involved in the presentation of some open television news in Brazil. Therefore, this narrative is regarded as television news utterances, which consists of two dimensions of sense, plastic and semantic, working in conjunction with verbal language. The fragments chosen to analyze the corpus are taken from television news presentation performances, understood as everything that is given in the live studio. The method sought to approach the Spanish theory of image with the French semiology of social discourses. We considered the views of image authors such as Justo Villafañe, Norberto Mínguez, Rudolf Arnheim and Wassily Kandinsky. To understand the discursive semantic instance we approached the thoughts of Diana L. P. de Barros and Patrick Charaudeau. At the end, we made considerations that show the particularity of television news narrative run "live", a time similar to the time of the language designated by Émile Benveniste, and which is established at the time of the utterance. This time ends up influencing the formation of senses of the narrative of television news presentation. Based on how television news works its utterances live, it was possible to detect groups of effects of sense formed from the iconicity of images and molded according to the television news genre. They are effects of truth and reality, centrality, transience, and ubiquity. These senses are primarily made of an iconic scheme, created by image elements, and then they receive a thematic and a figurative structure as well as figurative addition. / O modo como as notícias são apresentadas no telejornal me instigou a procurar saber que lógica a televisão segue para fazer confluir linguagens como a verbal e visual, com o objetivo de relatar fatos, no complexo enunciado televisivo. Dentro deste contexto, este trabalho procura mostrar a força da iconicidade na produção de sentidos envolvidos nas apresentações de alguns telejornais de TV aberta no Brasil. Para tanto, tal narrativa é considerada como enunciado televisivo noticioso composto por duas dimensões de significado, a plástica e a semântica, atuando em conjunção com a linguagem verbal. O recorte do corpus de análise é feito em torno das performances de apresentação do telejornal, compreendido a tudo que é dado no estúdio ao vivo. O método aplicado procurou aproximar a teoria da imagem espanhola com a semiologia dos discursos sociais francesa. Foram considerados pensamentos de autores da imagem como Justo Villafañe, Norberto Mínguez, Rudolf Arnheim e Wassily Kandinsky. Para compreender a instância discursiva semântica foi feita aproximação com os pensamentos de Diana L. P. de Barros e Patrick Charaudeau. Ao fim, foram possíveis considerações que mostram a particularidade da narrativa noticiosa televisiva executada no tempo "ao vivo", um tempo semelhante ao tempo linguístico designado por Émile Benveniste e que é instituído no momento da enunciação. Tal tempo acaba por influenciar a formação de sentidos da narrativa de apresentação do telejornal. Com base na forma como o telejornal trabalha seu enunciado ao vivo, foi possível detectar grupos de efeitos de sentido formados a partir da iconicidade da imagem e moldados ao gênero telejornalístico. São eles os efeitos de verdade e realidade, de centralidade, de transitoriedade e o efeito de ubiquidade. Tais sentidos são constituídos primeiramente por um esquema icônico, elaborado por elementos de imagem, e em seguida recebem estrutura temática e acréscimo figurativo.

O contínuo crescimento em altura e a mudança de endereço dos arranha-céus contemporâneos foram os fatores que induziram o estudo realizado no presente trabalho. O objeto – o arranha-céu de escritórios – é investigado nas diversas perspectivas que determinaram sua execução. Os projetos dos grandes arranhacéus foram definidos por atributos relacionados aos componentes da Tríade Vitruviana, acrescidos do componente Lugar, do Quaterno Contemporâneo. O trabalho contempla o estudo dos atributos de utilitas. firmitas e venustas, naquilo que tem relação com o lugar e contexto, como razões objetivas da existência e perpetuação do arranha-céu. Aponta, posteriormente, para a existência de outros atributos, que justificam a execução do arranha-céu, ainda que os anteriores tenham sido negados. São as razões subjetivas da existência do arranha-céu, que permitem aproximá-los das propostas utópicas, pois prescindem de responder às reais funções do objeto. Estudos de caso foram analisados, revelando a transformação do arranha-céu e sua ressignificação. A produção e análise do material pesquisado contribuem para avaliar a perpetuação do arranha-céu na cidade contemporânea. / The continuous growth in height and the change of location of the contemporary skyscrapers were the factors that driven the study developed in the present work. The object – the office skyscraper – is investigated trough the diverse perspectives that determined its construction. The designs of the great skyscrapers were defined by attributes related to the components of the Vitruvian Triad, plus the Site component from the “Contemporary Quaternary.” The work includes the study of the attributes of utilitas, firmitas and venustas in what is related to the site and context as objective reasons for the existence and perpetuation of the skyscraper. It later points to the existence of other attributes which justify the construction of the skyscraper, even when the previous ones have been denied. The subjective reasons for the existence of skyscrapers are the ones that allow us to put them closer to utopian proposals, since they do not need to respond to the real functions of the object. Case studies were analyzed, revealing the transformation of the skyscraper and its re-signification. The production and analysis of the investigated material contribute with the evaluation of the perpetuation of the skyscraper in the contemporary city. / El continuo crecimiento en altura y la mudanza de dirección de los rascacielos contemporáneos fueron los factores que encauzaron el estudio realizado en el presente trabajo. El objeto – el rascacielos de oficinas – es investigado desde las diversas perspectivas que determinaron su ejecución. Los proyectos de los grandes rascacielos fueron definidos por atributos relacionados a los componentes de la Tríada vitruviana, más el componente Lugar, del “Cuaterno contemporáneo.” El trabajo contempla el estudio de los atributos de utilitas, firmitas y venustas en aquello que tiene relación con el lugar y contexto como razones objetivas de la existencia y perpetuación del rascacielos. Apunta, posteriormente, a la existencia de otros atributos que justifican la ejecución del rascacielos, aún cuando los anteriores hayan sido negados. Son las razones subjetivas de la existencia de los rascacielos, las que permiten acercarlos a las propuestas utópicas, pues prescinden de responder a las reales funciones del objeto. Los estudios de caso se analizaron, revelando la transformación del rascacielos y su resignificación. La producción y análisis del material investigado contribuyen con la evaluación de la perpetuación del rascacielos en la ciudad contemporánea.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Nesta dissertaÃÃo, apropriamo-nos da base teÃrica da SemiÃtica Francesa para depreender como as diferentes linguagens que compÃem o filme Dogville se articulam e contribuem para a construÃÃo do sentido e para a produÃÃo do efeito de realidade nesse texto fÃlmico. Esse tipo de texto se caracteriza pela pluralidade de linguagens cujas categorias do plano da expressÃo se relacionam para produzir um Ãnico conteÃdo. Assim, para atingir nosso objetivo, partimos do conceito de sincretismo proposto por Hjelmslev (1975), Greimas e CourtÃs (2011) e das contribuiÃÃes teÃricas de Floch (1986) sobre o semissimbolismo. Em seguida, utilizamo-nos do percurso gerativo do sentido centrando a nossa atenÃÃo sobre o nÃvel discursivo da narrativa fÃlmica de Dogville, para depreender como os procedimentos da ordem da Sintaxe Discursiva se articulam com os mecanismos de tematizaÃÃo e figurativizaÃÃo para a produÃÃo do sentido e efeito de realidade. Por fim, descrevemos, com base em Bertrand (2003), como as figuras que compÃem o universo figurativo da narrativa se apresentam e contribuem para a impressÃo referencial por parte do espectador, tendo em vista que o plano visual desse filme apresenta um desinvestimento figurativo que lhe confere uma âestÃtica teatralâ. Quanto aos resultados, observamos que o desinvestimento figurativo que caracteriza o filme Dogville constitui uma opÃÃo do enunciador para chamar a atenÃÃo do espectador para conteÃdos de natureza temÃtica. Nesse processo de desadensamento de figuras, o sincretismo de linguagens contribui sobremaneira para a apreensÃo do efeito de realidade pelo espectador jà que seus elementos constituintes nos ajudam a compor essas lacunas que sÃo deixados pelo plano visual, levando-nos à identificaÃÃo das isotopias presentes e à compreensÃo da narrativa. / In this dissertation, we use the theoretical basis of French Semiotics to understand how the different languages that form the film Dogville articulate and contribute for the construction of meaning and for the production of the effect of reality in this filmic text. This kind of text contains language plurality which categories of the expression plan are combined to produce a unique meaning. Thus in order to achieve our objectives, we start with the concept of syncretism proposed by Hjelmslev (1975), Greimas and CourtÃs (2011) and the theoretical contributions of Floch (1986) about Semisymbolism. Next, we follow the route of the generative process in meaning focusing our attention on the discourse level of the narrative of the film Dogville to understand how the procedures of discursive syntax articulate the mechanisms of themes and figures in order to produce the meaning and the effect of reality. Finally, we describe, based on Bertrand (2003) how the figures that form the figurative universe of the narrative present and contribute to referential illusion relative to the spectator, taking in the consideration that the visual plan of this film presents a figurative disinvestment that provides a theatrical appearance. Regarding the results, weÂve observed that the figurative disinvestment that characterizes the film Dogville is an option of the enunciator to draw the attention of the viewer for its thematic contents. In this process, the syncretism of languages contributes to referential illusion once its elements help us to fill the gaps left by the visual plan, leading us to identify the present isotopies and to understand the narrative.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur la question de la représentation picturale (l’aspect iconique de la peinture) et celle de la représentation de la peinture (l’aspect pictural de la peinture) dans le contexte contemporain. C’est un travail sur la peinture, avec la peinture et de la peinture. Un travail sur la peinture puisque l'acte de peindre n'a de finalité que celle de feindre la représentation et afin de permettre à la peinture de défendre un espace pictural. Un travail avec la peinture car il est question de partage lors d'une représentation, c'est à dire : tenir compte d'une libération de la peinture à travers la figure. Et enfin, un travail de la peinture qui est mise en exergue de la réalité matérielle de la peinture (la picturalité). Ma démarche a pour appui l'exercice d'une dialectique (acte de peindre et acte de peinture) et l'articulation d'un principe de la transfiguration (d’une figuration à une peinture figurée). De ce fait, j'opte pour une représentation qui s'élabore par dripping et jets de la peinture sur toile. / This thesis deals with the issue of pictorial representation (iconic aspect of the painting) and the representation of painting (pictorial aspect of the painting) in the contemporary context. It is a work on painting, with painting and painting. Work on the painting since the act of painting has finality than pretend representation and to allow the paint to defend a pictorial space. Work with the paint as it is about sharing during a performance, that is to say, reflect a release of painting through the figure. And finally, a paint job that is highlighted in the material reality of the painting (the pictoriality). My approach is to support the exercise of a dialectic (act of painting and action painting) and the articulation of a principle of transfiguration (in a figurative to a figurative painting). Therefore, I opt for a representation that is developed by dripping and throwing paint on canvas.

En 1962, Gerhard Richter peint Tisch. Dans ce tableau, une table représentée en perspective est biffée par une violente gestualité. L’espace pictural s’érige entre l’illusion de profondeur et l’affirmation matérielle de la toile et de la peinture. Impulsée par une pratique personnelle, mise en regard avec le travail actuel de jeunes artistes héritiers des altérations fécondes de Richter, tels que Adrian Ghenie, Duncan Wylie ou Stephen Bush, Les dislocations de l’espace pictural se penche sur les relations dynamiques qui animent une figuration en tension entre l’image et le pictural. Taches, semis et coulures déstabilisent les assises iconiques tout en créant des mondes ambigus. L’espace pictural oscille entre dextérité et lâcher-prise. L’inachèvement et les réserves exposent au regard les vacillements de ses strates constitutives. / Gerhard Richter painted Tisch in 1962. In this painting, a table, which is represented in perspective, has been erased with a violent gestural brushstroke. The pictorial space stands between the illusion of depth and the emphasized materiality of the canvas and the painting. The dislocations of the pictorial space, fostered by Richter’s personal practice and supplemented with the work of current young artists, heirs to his productive alterations, such as Adrian Ghenie, Duncan Wylie or Stephen Bush, these dislocations show the dynamic relationships which animate a figuration in tension with the picture and the painting. Stains, patterns, and streaks destabilize established iconic values while creating ambiguous worlds. The pictorial space oscillates between dexterity and letting go. The incompleteness and the reserves display the wavering of its constitutive layers.

O contínuo crescimento em altura e a mudança de endereço dos arranha-céus contemporâneos foram os fatores que induziram o estudo realizado no presente trabalho. O objeto – o arranha-céu de escritórios – é investigado nas diversas perspectivas que determinaram sua execução. Os projetos dos grandes arranhacéus foram definidos por atributos relacionados aos componentes da Tríade Vitruviana, acrescidos do componente Lugar, do Quaterno Contemporâneo. O trabalho contempla o estudo dos atributos de utilitas. firmitas e venustas, naquilo que tem relação com o lugar e contexto, como razões objetivas da existência e perpetuação do arranha-céu. Aponta, posteriormente, para a existência de outros atributos, que justificam a execução do arranha-céu, ainda que os anteriores tenham sido negados. São as razões subjetivas da existência do arranha-céu, que permitem aproximá-los das propostas utópicas, pois prescindem de responder às reais funções do objeto. Estudos de caso foram analisados, revelando a transformação do arranha-céu e sua ressignificação. A produção e análise do material pesquisado contribuem para avaliar a perpetuação do arranha-céu na cidade contemporânea. / The continuous growth in height and the change of location of the contemporary skyscrapers were the factors that driven the study developed in the present work. The object – the office skyscraper – is investigated trough the diverse perspectives that determined its construction. The designs of the great skyscrapers were defined by attributes related to the components of the Vitruvian Triad, plus the Site component from the “Contemporary Quaternary.” The work includes the study of the attributes of utilitas, firmitas and venustas in what is related to the site and context as objective reasons for the existence and perpetuation of the skyscraper. It later points to the existence of other attributes which justify the construction of the skyscraper, even when the previous ones have been denied. The subjective reasons for the existence of skyscrapers are the ones that allow us to put them closer to utopian proposals, since they do not need to respond to the real functions of the object. Case studies were analyzed, revealing the transformation of the skyscraper and its re-signification. The production and analysis of the investigated material contribute with the evaluation of the perpetuation of the skyscraper in the contemporary city. / El continuo crecimiento en altura y la mudanza de dirección de los rascacielos contemporáneos fueron los factores que encauzaron el estudio realizado en el presente trabajo. El objeto – el rascacielos de oficinas – es investigado desde las diversas perspectivas que determinaron su ejecución. Los proyectos de los grandes rascacielos fueron definidos por atributos relacionados a los componentes de la Tríada vitruviana, más el componente Lugar, del “Cuaterno contemporáneo.” El trabajo contempla el estudio de los atributos de utilitas, firmitas y venustas en aquello que tiene relación con el lugar y contexto como razones objetivas de la existencia y perpetuación del rascacielos. Apunta, posteriormente, a la existencia de otros atributos que justifican la ejecución del rascacielos, aún cuando los anteriores hayan sido negados. Son las razones subjetivas de la existencia de los rascacielos, las que permiten acercarlos a las propuestas utópicas, pues prescinden de responder a las reales funciones del objeto. Los estudios de caso se analizaron, revelando la transformación del rascacielos y su resignificación. La producción y análisis del material investigado contribuyen con la evaluación de la perpetuación del rascacielos en la ciudad contemporánea.

Cette thèse se penche sur les photographies dites « iconiques » issues des contenus photojournalistiques de la guerre américaine au Vietnam. Au cours de l’histoire moderne, quelques dizaines de photographies documentaires, d’art ou de mode ont été consacrées comme « icônes », un terme qui dénote leurs qualités symboliques ou d’incarnation. Parmi ces images, quatre ont émergé de l’archive visuelle de la guerre du Vietnam. Ces quatre icônes sont des images photojournalistiques au contenu choquant, sensationnel ou violent, qui ont fait l’objet de nombreux rappels dans la presse au cours des décennies post-guerre, ainsi que de remédiations dans divers domaines artistiques. Leur grande renommée a conduit l’historiographie de la guerre et l’imaginaire public à les penser influentes ; ainsi, on pense souvent que ces images ont retourné l’opinion publique pendant le conflit ou causé la défaite. Cette thèse examine de près la relation entre « icône » et « influence » par le biais d’une revue de l’historiographie des médias pendant la guerre du Vietnam et dans sa période de mémorialisation. Si la notion d’influence des images est démentie par certains experts dans des études très précises et documentées, elle continue néanmoins de faire partie de la définition des icônes photojournalistiques et de nombreux contenus médiatiques de nos jours. La spécificité des icônes du Vietnam et leur progression dans la presse des années 1970 aux années2000 sont ici présentées en détail pour expliquer comment ces images sont devenues représentatives de la notion d’influence, et dans quelle mesure les discours médiatiques ont contribué à une éducation par l’icône. L’objectif de cette étude est de montrer que les icônes sont des objets uniques dans leur composition et tout à fait métaphotojournalistiques qui attestent de l’attachement de la discipline à leur adaptabilité et à leur familiarité. Le public américain n’est plus le seul réceptacle de leur symbolisme, et les icônes, du Vietnam comme d’autres contextes,ont désormais atteint un statut international. Par conséquent, les icônes participent, dans l’ère contemporaine, à la problématisation et à la théorisation des études en culture visuelle. / This dissertation focuses on those press photographs from the Vietnam war considered to be “iconic”. In recenthistory, only about 30 or 40 photographs, whether documentary, art, or fashion images, have been consecrated as“icons”, a word that denotes their capacity to symbolize or embody various concepts. Among these images, fourhave surfaced from the visual archive of the Vietnam War. These icons are photojournalistic images whose contentwas considered shocking because of their sensational and graphic nature and which have appeared consistently inthe press since the end of the war and remediated in various artistic fields. Their fame has caused thehistoriographers of the Vietnam War and the public to think of them as influential objects; they have been credited with, or blamed for, turning public opinion against the war or for causing the ultimate defeat of American forces.This dissertation examines closely the relationship between “icon” and “influence” by way of a review of thehistoriography of the media during the Vietnam War and, afterwards, through its memorialization. Even thoughthe notion of influence is refuted by some experts in very precise and well-documented case studies, it remains anintegral part of the definition of photojournalistic icons of media content today. This essay exposes in detail theunique characteristics of the Vietnam icons and their progress in the press from the 1970s to the 2000s so as toexplain how these images have become representative of the influence theory, and to what extent media discoursehas contributed to educating the public by using icons. The aim of this essay is to show that icons have truly unique compositions and are fully meta-photojournalistic objects that testify to the media’s attachment to their adaptability and familiarity. The American public is no longer the only recipient of their symbolism ; icons—from Vietnam andfrom other contexts—have now reached an international status. Consequently, in contemporary times, icons contribute to problematizing and theorizing studies in visual culture.