The_English_of_advertising

1.4 The classification of advertisement
It can be classified in different ways:
newspaper ads, magazine ads, television ads, radio ads, direct mail ads, outdoor ads, human body ads and internet ads. consumer ads, business ads, service ads, specified ads and charity ads.
The English of Advertising
薛付利 李 娜 王海燕 孙笑笑 刘玉萍
Outline
• 1. General introduction • 2. Stylistic features of display advertising • 2.1 Graphological features • 2.2 Grammatical features • 2.3 Lexical features • 2.4 Semantic features • 2.5 Business-to-business advertising • 3. Other types of advertisements
2.2.3 Use of heavily modified nominal groups
Purpose: to pack more information into a limited space
• In a summary of an ad about MAZDA MX-3 GS:
• The only 1.8L, 24-valve in its class. Plus 4-wheel independent suspension and disc brakes (ABC optional). And a 36-month/50000-mile limited warrenty with nonreducible, ‘bumper-to-bumper’ protection. See your dealer for details. So where do you find one? Call 1-800639-1000.
2.2.4 Use of simple verbal groups
Use of present tense implies a universal timelessness.
e.g. Persil washes whiter and it shows. (Persil detergent) e.g. Improved Nescafe Gold gives you an excellent cup of coffee—instantly. The present perfect is sometimes used to emphasize the present state or the consistent quality of a product or service: e.g. FOR TEN YEARS, A VERY SPECIAL AIR FORCE HAS BEEN BATTLING CANCER (Angel Network) e.g. We’ve taken our whisky in many ways, but always seriously. e.g. We’ve lapped the world with tread to spare. (Dunlop Tyres)
2. Stylistic features of display advertising
2.1 Graphological features
• Purpose: to be emphatic, expressive and impregraphological contrasts (Various shapes and sizes of letters are used in headlines and body to achieve the best possible eyecatching effect.) *2. Prominent use of pictures *3. Clear identification of the advertiser e.g.: the prominent trademark;
1.1 Definition
* According to American Marketing Association, the most popular definition of advertising is as follows: * “Advertising is the non-personal communication of information, usually paid for and persuasive in nature about the products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media.”
exceptional natural fibre bedding, clothing, intimate apparel and personal accessories, for discerning adults and some very fortunate children.
• Comparatives & superlatives • Vague and subtle comparisons are often used in advertising, usually to affirm the improvement made to a product or service. e.g. Of America’s best-tasting gums, Trident is sugar-free. • Use of PRESUPPOSITION: e.g. Which of these continental quilt patterns will suit your bedroom best? • Use of EXPECTATION: e.g. Beauty wise, value wise, you can’t buy better than Rimmel.
1.3 The function of advertising
* 1) Marketing role--helping companies sell their products or services, and increase profits; * 2) Educational role-- helping people learn about new products and services; * 3) Economic role--encouraging competition in product/service improvements; * 4) Social role--helping increase productivity and shape people’s life style;
2.3.2 Frequent use of personal pronouns
1. General introduction
*The ubiquity of advertising
newspapers (60%-70% of space ) magazines (as much as half the space) radio and TV (in the US, often a 30-minute newscast is interrupted at least 4 times for commercial ) films, highway billboards, window shows, transport decorations, fairs and exhibitions…ect.
e.g. For birthdays. For special days. Forever. A diamond is forever.
Use of questions to arouse curiosity.
• e.g. Is your coffee still in the Carbon Age? (IDEM carbonless paper) • e.g. How to get 100 watts of light for only 44 watts of electricity? (GE’s Circlite) • e.g. One of these holiday snaps turned out better than the others. Why? (Agfa Optime compact camera)
2.2 Grammatical features
2.2.1 Preference for short sentences
Purpose: to be concise and easily comprehensible so that easy to remember for potential customers
By medium
By audience
By writing methods
hard-sell ads and soft-sell ads.
• Hard-sell: to persuade the audience to buy by listing hard facts, such as advantages, features, functions of the goods advertised • (language: serious, accurate, objective, factual) • Soft-sell: to resort mainly to emotional appeal rather than to the intellect and reason of the audience • (language: frequent use of different kinds of figures of speech)
2.3 Lexical features
2.3.1 Wide use of affirmative and commendatory adjectives or adjectival phrases • Purpose: to impress the potential customer with the quality of a product or service • Emotive/evaluative adjectives: good, new, free, fresh, delicious, real, beautiful, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, superb, true, super, rich, great, special, big, easy, etc. e.g. An unrivaled international collection of
* English for advertising is a genre of high commercial value.
1.2 The aim of advertising
Aim: persuade the potential customers to buy the products advertised