The project reMEDIAL NATURE addressed a significant issue regarding the evolving relationship between language, visual representations and the perception of medicinal efficacy within the context of historical and contemporary mass media. Socially, this exploration is of special relevance, particularly in light of the increasing prevalence of misinformation and misleading claims about health products. Despite changes in ideas about medicines and media over time, references to nature, the natural world in general (e.g. plants and animals) and alternative knowledge sources remained persistent themes in medical advertising since the 17th century. Understanding these dynamics was crucial for discerning how cultural representations influenced public perception of health and nature. The relevance of this project extended beyond academia; it spoke to societal challenges regarding health literacy, imaginaries about science and medicines, and consumer awareness. In an age where the rapid dissemination of information, both accurate and false, shapes public understanding of health, it was essential to investigate how visual and linguistic strategies historically framed ideas about medicinal efficacy. The project uncovered how mass media perpetuated, adapted or challenged these perceptions. By analysing the interplay between media formats and the portrayal of four types of health-enhancing consumables: medicines, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and psychoactive substances, the project aimed to elucidate how societal values and cultural narratives impacted interactions with medicinal products.
The primary objective of reMEDIAL NATURE project was to develop a comprehensive framework that analysed the historical and ongoing use of images and language in promoting the medicinal properties of various health-related products. The project specifically aimed to: 1. Identify Patterns of Representation: Focus laid on exploring how visual and linguistic cues established a connection between health and nature. This involved examining cultural artifacts, advertisements, and other media, specially those produced from the late 19th century to the present, focusing on how these materials portrayed health as a byproduct of nature. 2. Investigate Advertising Strategies: This involved understanding the evolution of advertising methods for medicinal products and how these strategies shaped public perceptions of health. This objective included analysing visual content across different media platforms, such as print, cinema, and television, to reveal how advertisements reflected and influenced societal attitudes toward health and nature. 3. Reflect on Advances in Science and Technology: Attention was directed into examining how the representation of health-related products supported and contested traditional notions of nature and technological advancement. This involved analysing various language and visual references within advertising, particularly those identified in the context of the Information Age, to reveal how they contributed to ongoing debates about health, the natural world, scientific authority, and widespread ideas about pharmacy and ethnobotany.
