Visual Public Relations and User Fantasies on Facebook: The Case of an African Presidential Inauguration During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Responding to calls for more visual rhetorical studies in public relations, in this research, we extend Symbolic Convergence Theory to analyze the photographs posted on Facebook by the President of Ghana, H. E. Nana Akufo-Addo, during the 2021 presidential inauguration and explore how users engaged with them. The study first explains why presidential inaugurations are important to public relations, then explores fantasy themes and their implications. We argue that the visual rhetoric employed by the Ghanaian President constructed national images reinforcing Ghana’s COVID-19 management status, the united branches of government, international support for and recognition of the President, and Ghana’s religious tolerance. We also posit that the visual rhetoric impacted the fantasy themes and discuss the implications of our findings.