The Language Features of English Advertising

The Language Features of English Advertising
I.Introduction
What is advertisement? The Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary (Extended fourth edition) defines it as “public notice offering or asking for goods, services, etc.”（Hornby, 2002:22）According to the Definition Committee of American Marketing Association (AMA), advertising is defined as follows: “Advertising is the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media.”(王燕希，2004：7)
We live in a world full of advertising. As potential consumers, we are endlessly bombarded with all kinds of products or service information from various media including newspapers, magazines, television, radio, posters and internet, etc. Advertising tells the consumer what a specific product, brand or service should do when it is used and thus helps him or her to understand and evaluate experience with the products and services that he or she uses. On the other hand, by making people aware of products, service and ideas, advertising promotes sales and profits.
Nowadays, advertisements appear everywhere in the modern world. Naturally, advertisements in English have become an important means of communicating ideas, demonstrating a variety of linguistic features of its own.
II. Features of English Advertising
The wide use of advertising has created a special style of English. Its unique features, simple language and immense attraction separate it from other kind of language. In the development of advertising English, this kind of language has formed its own features in several aspects.
2.1 Syntactical Features
In order to stimulate the consumers effectively, the advertising copywriters choose different kinds of sentences to publicize the products.
2.1.1 Use of short simple sentences
The advertising sentences must be short and simple. Compared with complex sentences, simple sentences are more understandable, forceful, and easy to remember. For example,
Time is what you make of it. (An advertisement about Swatch watch.)
Things go better with Coca-cola. (A drink advertisement of Coca-Cola.)
2.1.2 Use of interrogative sentences
In advertisements, interrogative sentences are often used to attract attention by mentioning the matter that concerns the consumers most. They help to find the solution to the problem. For example,
Have you driven a Ford lately? (An advertisement about Ford Motor.)
What’s on your Power Book? (A computer advertisement of Apple.)
The second one is the advertisement of Apple computer. It uses a question to arouse the curiosity and remind consumer of the “Apple computer” is their best choice of official power book. There is no need to answer this question, but others are not. For example,
What kind of man reads Play Boy? (A magazine advertisement of Play Boy.) When you read this one, the sentence arouses your attention and makes you to read the follow sentences to find the answer. On the other hand, the consumer may interest in the commodity.
2.1.3 Use of imperative sentences
Imperative sentences are heavily used in English advertisements. They are short, encourage and forceful.
The advertisements use every opportunity to exhort the potential consumers to act, to buy and to consume. And the advertising is their last battle field to get people moved. So, imperative sentences are used to arouse consumers’ wants or encourage them to buy something. For example,
Become a woman of the world with OLAY. (A cosmetic advertisement of OLAY.)
Enjoy Coca-Cola. (A drink advertisement of Coca-Cola.)
Obey your thirst. (A drink advertisement of Spite.)
Start ahead. (A shampoo advertisement of Rejoice.)
2.1.4 Use of elliptical sentences
In elliptical structures, the sentences are far more brief, eye-catching and forceful. For this reason, the advertising copywriters like use elliptical sentences in advertisements. Look at these examples,
Engineered to move the human spirit. (A motor advertisement of Mercedes Benz.)
Connecting people. (A mobile phone advertisement of Nokia.)
For the road ahead. (A motor advertisement of Honda.)
Although all the above advertisements omitted the subjects, the consumer could find out them quickly and know what they are. So use elliptical sentence not only make the advertisement precise and witty, but also stress the characteristics of the products.
2.1.5 Use of tense
Almost all the advertisements use simple present tense to satisfy consumer’s desire to know the present state of the product he wants to buy. But there is another aspect of the simple present: its implication of universality and timelessness. For example,
Time always follows me. (A watch advertisement of Rossini.)
A diamond is forever. (A diamond advertisement of DeBeers.)
2.2 Lexical Features
In order to make the information accessible to consumers effectively, the choice of words in advertising is very cautious and skillful.
2.2.1 Use of verbs
Most of verbs in advertisements are monosyllabic verbs. Monosyllabic verbs are very simple, they can win the consumers by their exact, effective expression and a kind of closeness. The most frequently used verbs in advertisements are: make, come, get, go, give, know, have, keep, look, see, need, buy, love, use, take, feel, like, start, taste, choose, etc. (王燕希, 2004:47). For example,
You’ll love it even more with the 2.1 megapixel C-2000 Zoom. (An advertisement about Olympus Camera.)
Don’t have much of personality? Buy one. (An advertisement about Honda Motor.)
Feel the new space. (An advertisement about Samsung Electric.)
Come to where the flavor is Marlboro Country. (a cigarette advertisement of Marlboro).
Take Toshiba, take the world. (A motor advertisement of Toshiba.)
2.2.2 Use of adjectives
The functions of advertisement are publicizing products and describing the property and the quality of the products. Therefore, the usage of the adjective has prominent effects in advertisement. More adjectives are used in advertisements, there are used to enhance the facts of a certain product or service. And the most frequently used are: new, good/better/best, fine, crisp, free, big, fresh, great, delicious, real, full, sure, easy, bright, clean, extra, safe, special, rich, etc.（王燕希，2004:48）. These adjectives could help to build a pleasant picture in reader’s mind and manage to create a belief in the potential consumer: If I buy this product or if I choose this service, I will lead a better life. Look at these examples,
Good to the last drop. (A coffee advertisement of Maxwell House.)
The new digitalera. (A digital camera advertisement of Sony.)
The choice of a new generation. (A drink advertisement of Pepsi Cola.)
The taste is great.(A coffee advertisement of Nescafe.)
Britain’s best business bank. (An advertisement about Allied Irish Bank.)
The best shave a man can get. (A shaver advertisement of Gillette.)
After having analyzed many advertisements, we find that new is a most frequently-used word in advertisements. It could modify the product’s size, shape, appearance, color, form, etc. In addition, comparatives and superlatives occur to highlight the advantage of a certain product. Through analyze advertisements, we may find that almost all the products could modified by good, better, best, and the advertisements above would show you something about this.
2.2.3 Use of compounds
Compounding, also called composition, is the formation of new words by joining two or more stems. Words formed in this way are called compounds（Zhang，2000：51）. Compounds are vivid, changeable and free from the phrase arrange. From the book written by王燕希(2004), compounds such as one-of-a-kind, sought-after, kid-proof, king-size, round-the-clock, state-of-the-art are most frequently-used in advertisements.
Compounds in technical equipment advertisements, are usually combined to give an exact description of a certain feature or certain function such as high-volume, full-color, multi-functional, non-stop,and water-cooled. In addition, the numbers in compounds are always employed in front of the hyphen, which is seldom seen in other advertisements, such as 64-bits, 24-valve, 4-wheel, and 255-horsepower.
2.2.4 Use of pronouns
Pronouns of the first and second person are heavy used in advertisements.
The use of first person addresser “I”, and “we” is the most direct way to tell the consumer what the sponsor of an advertisement stands for, his idea, his view, and his credit. It is a little bit like a self-introduction to the potential consumers to let them know you, recognize you, believe you and trust you. For example,
I think, therefore IBM. (a notebook PC advertisement of IBM.)
We integrate, you communicate. (An advertisement of Mitsubishi Electrician.)
We lead others copy. (An advertisement about Ricoh Duplicator.)
The use of second person addressee “you” tends to shorten the distance between the producers and consumers, as if the producer or the advertisement is speaking to you face to face, making sincere promise, honest recommendations. In doing so, the advertisement stands a better chance to move the receiver or consumer to action, because the receiver feels that he is being thought of and taken care of and he is the center point of the producers. For example,
Always there for you. (An advertisement about Hyundai Motor.)
Bring out the champion in you. (A milk advertisement of Nestle Milo.)
2.2.5 Use of coinages
In some of advertisements, the advertising copywriters misspell some words on purpose, or add some suffix or prefix to the common words. Coinages are both new and memorable. They are kind of smart words which have a special meaning in the specified context. They can raise the interests of the advertisement receivers, make them ponder upon the meaning and marvel at the smart idea of the admen. By doing so, the consumers recognized the brand. For example,
The Orangemostest Drink in the world. (An advertisement of Orange juice.) In this drink advertisement, the word “orangemostest” actually is “orange+most + est”. It uses this word to express the high quality and purity of the drink.
Calorade is Thirst Aid. (An juice advertisement of Calorade)
Calorade is a kind of juice. Everyone knows First Aid is a kind of first aid medicine on stop bleeding. The advertising copywriter imitates Thirst Aid here, in order to tell consumers that Calorade is a kind of Thirst Aid as First Aid in our daily life. A coined word used here could help consumers pay more attention to the commodity’s importance.
Hi-Fi, Hi-Fun, Hi- Fashion, only from Sony. (A earphone advertisement of Sony)
“hi-fi” is the abbreviation of “high-fidelity”. The advertising copywriter created “hi-fun”, “hi-fashion” followed with “hi-fi”. The coined words used here emphasize the Sony earphones are funny, fashionable and good quality.
2.3 Rhetorical Features
In order to make the language of the advertising more vivid and colorful, the advertising copywriters like to use various rhetorical devices to increase the appeal of advertisements and arouse consumers’ interests of buying the products.
2.3.1 Simile and metaphor
A simile, then, is a figure of speech which makes a comparison between two unlike elements having at least one quality or characteristic in common (Feng，2005：170). For example,
The airline that’s smooth as silk. (An advertisement about Thailand Airlines.)
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. (An advertisement about State Farm Insurance Agency.)
Metaphor, is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designate one thing is used to designate anther, thus making implicit comparison (Feng，2005：178). For example,
What went into the barrel 9 years ago was fire. This is the glow. (An advertisement about whisky.)
Over 200 years of careful breeding produced this champion. (An advertisement about Hine X.O.)
After read above examples, we will find that the use of simile or metaphor in advertisements could give a graphic, vivid and specific impression to consumers.
2.3.2 Personification
Personification is a figure of speech that gives human form or feelings to animals, or life and personal attributes to inanimate objects, or to ideas and abstraction (Feng, 2005:190). The use of personification in advertisements will endow the products with human emotion, and will make them amicable to consumers. For example,
Pond’s discovers how to fight dryness every time you wash your face. (A facial cleanser advertisement of Pon d’s.)
Oscar de La Ranta knows what makes a woman beautiful. (A cosmetic advertisement of Oscar de La Ranta.)
Flowers by Interflora speak from the heart. (A garden advertisement of Interflora.)
Poetry in motion, dancing close to me. (A advertisement about Toyota Motor.)
2.3.3 Rhyming
Rhyming is popular used in advertisements. The same consonant sound is repeated at intervals in the initial position of words called alliteration (Feng, 2005:148). Rhyme is correspondence of terminal sounds of words or lines of verse.
The use of rhyming in advertisements could make a special communicative
effect. The repetition of the words’ sound emphasizes the meaning what advertising want to express, and makes the advertising lively, full of rhyming and easy to read. For example,
Enjoy your ear whenever you bear. (A walkman advertisement of Rain Bow.)
Intel inside. (A computer processor advertisement of Inter Pentium.)
2.3.4 Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the deliberate use of overstatement or exaggeration to achieve emphasis (Feng, 2005:212). To publicize the products, the advertising copywriters often overstate the use of products. This kind of exaggerated advertising is not false advertisement. When the use of hyperbole is suitable, it could make the advertising lively, and give a vivid impression to the consumer. For example,
A word to wealth. (An advertisement about Citibank.)
Be the first to get the world. (A newspaper advertisement of New York Times.)
The Great American Cigarette. (A cigarette advertisement of Winston.)
15 seconds to heaven. (A pesticide advertisement of Cool Whip.)
2.3.5 Pun
Pun is an amusing use of a word or a phrase that has two meanings which called polysemy or of words with the same sound but different meanings which is called homonymy. To pun is to play on words, or rather to play with the form and meaning of words, for a witty or humorous effect (Feng, 2005:235). A really good pun can work miracles. However, to make a successful pun in an advertisement is not easy. The word use as a pun is usually closely relates to the characteristics of a certain product or the brand name of the product. By using pun, advertisements will be easily remembered by the consumers. For example,
Give your business the sharp edge. (An advertisement about Sharp Corporation.)
Ask for more. (A cigarette advertisement of More.)
There’s never been a better Time. (A newspaper advertisement of Time.)
In the above advertisements, “sharp” is the name of the corporation, “more”is a
famous brand of cigarette, and “time” is a magazine which has big circulation.
These advertisements with brand name in it can help the name be remembered while offer a two layered meaning to the advertisement. The second layer of the meaning can interest and impress the people with its smart and its novelty.
III. Conclusion
As a functional language, English in advertising not only graceful and vivid, but also simple and attractive. Like other special English, advertising English has its own features in syntax, lexis and rhetorical devices. The language of English advertising is incisive, concentrated and smart. In order to make the advertisements more special and memorable, advertising copywriters pay much attention on the arrange of sentence structures, choice of words and rhetorical devices. After having analyzed the advertisements in my paper, I find that advertisements use the widest range of forms and devices, whose main task is to attract the receivers and urge them to buy the products. But the receivers or the consumers have no need to read advertisements like literatures and academic articles. Because the function of advertising just publicize the information or promote the sale of goods and service, it should not be a successful advertisement if it could not arouse the attention of the consumer. So the producer paid much attention to the language of English advertising. Along with China’s entry into the WTO and more businesses going international, English advertising has gradually become a major tool for enterprise to develop foreign markets. It is significant to know and master the language features of English advertising, for it is good to publicize our home-made products and take the international market.
Works Cited
Feng, Cuihua. English Rhetorical Options (Revised Edition).Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2005.
Hornby, A.S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary (Extended forth edition). Beijing: Commercial Press, 2002.
Zhang, Weiyou. English Lexicology.Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2000.
蔡基刚：《词语的选择与效果》，北京：外语教学与研究出版社，2005。

王燕希：《广告英语一本通》，北京：对外经济贸易大学出版社，2004。