Linguistic and Visual Techniques in Advertising Cultural Assumptions in Marketing - Advertising

What is the purpose of advertising? To persuade us to buy a specific product To increase our brand awareness To persuade us to use a particular service To inform us about a specific issue

Looking at adverts When looking at adverts, you also need to consider the following: The overall look of the advert The appearance, content and linguistic techniques of text The images The message about the product

Use of language What type of language is used in adverts? Persuasive language Fact and opinion Interesting adjectives Producing a certain image in our minds, which we associate with the brand Linguistic devices such as alliteration and rhyme – these tend to be in less sophisticated adverts

Audience How important is your audience in advertising? Do you know what a specific audience is called?

TV advertising TV advertising can be a lot more complex and subtle. You need to consider: Narrative - how is it told? Use of colour Use of editing Use of soundtrack Use of characters

Narrative What is going on in the advert? How many different scenes are there?

Mise en scene This literally means "staging" - the way in which the elements and components in the film are arranged and encompassed by the camera: Use of lighting and special effects Setting and background – are they important? Colour

Presentation of product. How long does it take you to realise what is being advertised? How much detail of it is given? Does it appear a lot or hardly at all? Why? What lifestyle do you associate with the product?

Camera Angles What do they do? Are there close-ups? Distance shots?

Soundtrack Digetic sound – sound that fits naturally with what is going on Non-digetic sound – sound that does not come from the picture, for example voiceover or soundtrack

Language What type of words are used? Do you see any on-screen? Is any humour used in the advert? Is it linguistic or visual?

Characters How many characters are in the advert? What are they doing?

Humour/references Is there any humour in the advert? Is it visual or linguistic? Are there any references to other examples of the medium?

Overall intention of the advert To whom is it meant to appeal?

Product How does the advert make its product seem different from other similar products? How do you rate the advert’s overall effectiveness?