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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

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

8. 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

9. 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?

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

11. 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

12. 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?

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

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

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

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