The topic of this essay is "Advertising" and "The Discourse of Advertising". The author of this essay sums up some of the main ideas of Guy Cook, Geoffrey N. Leech, Greg Myers and Prof. Dr. Klaus Ostheeren, E.M. In order to look at an ad as a discourse type, it is necessary to look at Jacques Dubois and the "Groupe µ" who worked on the structure of language, rhetorical operations, "Isotopies" and "Metabolies". The latter can either evoke the "pleasure of recognition" or the "pleasure of surprise". The AIDA-formular, the term "register", the standard components of press advertisements, etc. are also subject of this essay.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Advertising and advertising as a type of discourse
- Characteristic features of an advertisement
- Advertising as a type of discourse
- Guy Cook: The World of an ad
- Guy Cook: Categories of ads
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This text aims to analyze advertising as a specific type of discourse, examining its characteristics, functions, and societal impact. It explores how advertising utilizes language and context to persuade audiences, and how its techniques vary across different products, media, and cultural contexts.
- Advertising as a form of discourse and its relationship to other discourse types.
- The techniques and strategies employed in advertising to influence consumer behavior.
- The role of context, culture, and target audience in shaping advertising messages.
- The categorization of advertisements based on various parameters.
- The social and cultural impact of advertising.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Advertising and advertising as a type of discourse: This chapter introduces Guy Cook's perspective on advertising as a discourse type. Cook emphasizes the importance of considering not just the language used but also the entire context of communication—participants, intertext, situation, paralanguage—to understand advertising's effectiveness. It highlights the dynamic nature of advertising, its multi-faceted components, and its ability to merge with other discourse types. The chapter also touches upon the concept of the sender, addressor, addressee, and receiver in the communication process within advertising, and how these roles can overlap or differ.
Characteristic features of an advertisement: This section delves into the specific characteristics of advertisements, differentiating them from other discourse types. It emphasizes that ads aim to alter behavior, are constrained by client needs, utilize connotation and metaphor heavily, are often embedded within other discourses (like TV programs), and employ diverse language modes (writing, speech, song). The chapter notes the instability and constant change inherent in advertising as a relatively new discourse form, illustrating this with examples of the preference for music and speech in TV commercials to evoke specific emotions and the contrast with the more static nature of print advertisements.
Advertising as a type of discourse: This chapter further develops the idea of advertising as a discourse type, arguing against the notion that its defining characteristic is solely its selling function. It presents examples of ads that aim to amuse, inform, warn, or create concern, demonstrating the broader range of advertising's purposes. It also explores the varied social perception of advertising compared to other discourse types like journalism or science, and highlights how advertising can reflect and even shape cultural values and social changes, using examples from different cultures and historical periods (e.g., the contrast between Eastern Europe under communism and capitalist societies).
Guy Cook: The World of an ad: This section examines the relationship between the advertiser's world (product manufacturing), the fictional world of the ad (characters and scenarios), and the addressee's world (the real-world context where the product is purchased). It explores the advertiser's aim to bridge these worlds by tapping into the audience's fantasies and desires. The chapter draws on Vestergaard and Schroder's concept of advertising operating on the level of a daydream, connecting product desire with identity needs. The concept of "added value" and the "You-Pathos" (direct appeal to individual consumers) are introduced, showcasing how advertisers create the illusion of personalized products. The chapter also stresses how advertisers adapt to cultural contexts ("Zeitgeist").
Guy Cook: Categories of ads: This chapter explores different ways to categorize advertisements, using parameters such as the consumer, copy length, frequency, medium, product type, and employed technique. The distinction between static (print) and non-static (spoken) ads is made, emphasizing how the fleeting nature of spoken ads relies on evoked emotions. Cook differentiates between product ads (luxuries vs. necessities) and non-product ads (charities, political parties). The chapter also compares "reason ads" (appealing to logic and practicality) and "tickle ads" (appealing to emotions), showcasing how the choice of technique relates to the product, medium, and target group, illustrating this with various examples and demonstrating the influence of age and socioeconomic factors on advertising effectiveness.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Advertising, discourse analysis, communication, persuasion, consumer behavior, cultural context, target audience, advertising techniques, product categories, reason ads, tickle ads, social impact.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Advertising Discourse
What is the main focus of this text?
This text provides a comprehensive analysis of advertising as a specific type of discourse. It examines its characteristics, functions, and societal impact, exploring how advertising utilizes language and context to persuade audiences and how its techniques vary across different products, media, and cultural contexts.
What are the key themes explored in the text?
Key themes include advertising as a form of discourse and its relationship to other discourse types; the techniques and strategies employed to influence consumer behavior; the role of context, culture, and target audience in shaping advertising messages; the categorization of advertisements; and the social and cultural impact of advertising.
What aspects of advertising discourse does the text cover?
The text covers various aspects, including the characteristic features of advertisements (e.g., aiming to alter behavior, use of connotation and metaphor, embedding within other discourses), different approaches to categorizing advertisements (by consumer, copy length, medium, product type, technique), and the interplay between the advertiser's world, the fictional world of the ad, and the addressee's world.
Whose theories are referenced in this analysis of advertising?
The text heavily draws upon the work of Guy Cook, focusing on his perspectives on the "world of an ad" (the relationship between the advertiser's world, the fictional ad world, and the consumer's world), and his categorization of advertisements. It also references Vestergaard and Schroder's concept of advertising operating on the level of a daydream.
How are different types of advertisements categorized in this text?
Advertisements are categorized in several ways: by medium (print vs. spoken), by product type (luxuries vs. necessities), by purpose (e.g., to amuse, inform, warn), and by technique ("reason ads" appealing to logic and "tickle ads" appealing to emotions). The text emphasizes how these categories relate to the product, medium, target group, age, and socioeconomic factors.
What is the significance of context in understanding advertising?
The text highlights the crucial role of context in understanding advertising's effectiveness. It emphasizes the importance of considering not just the language used but also the entire communication context—participants, intertext, situation, paralanguage—to fully grasp how advertising persuades audiences. Cultural context and the target audience's values and beliefs are also central.
What is the overall takeaway from this analysis of advertising discourse?
The text provides a nuanced understanding of advertising as a multifaceted and dynamic discourse type, demonstrating its ability to merge with other discourse types, reflect cultural values, and shape social changes. It goes beyond simply viewing advertising as a selling function, highlighting its broader social and cultural implications.
What are some key terms associated with this analysis?
Key terms include: Advertising, discourse analysis, communication, persuasion, consumer behavior, cultural context, target audience, advertising techniques, product categories, reason ads, tickle ads, and social impact.
What are the chapter summaries included in this preview?
The preview includes chapter summaries covering: Advertising and advertising as a type of discourse; Characteristic features of an advertisement; Advertising as a type of discourse; Guy Cook: The World of an ad; and Guy Cook: Categories of ads. Each summary provides a concise overview of the chapter's main points and arguments.
Where can I find the full text?
This is a preview; the full text is not included here. The location of the complete work would need to be specified by the publisher.
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- Angelika Felser (Autor:in), 1998, Advertising and Advertising as a type of discourse, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/378232
