How is language used in advertisement?

                        How is language used in advertisement?

 Advertising is all around us on a daily basis, on television, on the radio and in magazines. 

Language choices can make or break an advert and play a crucial role in selling products. With the rise of the technological era the language and methods that are used in advertisement has changed dramatically. In the past adverts used a lot of writing with minimal use of images, now that has changed completely businesses now use heavy basis on images and less so on language. This means that the language that they do use has to convey a large amount of information, yet at the same time remain minimal and secondary to images.

 Adjectives in advertisement have changed over the years to make the reader and potential customer believe in the superiority of products. This use of language is especially important with the increase in "parity products" these are brands that all make relatively the same product. This means that advertisement becomes more important so companies can make their product seem in some way superior to other products.  

Adjectives take a key role is advertisement and allow companies to build up a positive image of products. These help have an impact on the customer in the hope they can see properties in this product that out weigh that of its competitors. Adjectives such as "Fresh", "Special"," Safe" are just a few examples of the types of adjectives companies can use to create a positive image in the mind of the customer. These really do have a significant effect, you as the customer get the seed planted within your mind that this product really is all these things. This means that you have a sense of trust built up, and then if by magic you go on to buy their product.

Companies use information based listing in adverts all the time. No one person can just have a singular product now a days that just performs one function. Ask yourself, does your phone just work as a phone or you television just a device to watch things off? No. The change in the amount a product can do in recent years as meant that listing the uses of a product becomes of its biggest selling points. 

In many types of adverts there is a long list of single word functions that are conveyed to the reader. This can be seen in the increase in technology in mobile phones for example, Apple do this technique of listing on a regular basis. This format in which they lay of functions creates an effect on the reader they are getting no only a phone, but a wide range of functions and opportunities.

These are only a few ways that language is used effectively in advertising. Their careful use of language to promote and sell is their key weapon. With the correct layout and positive reinforcement that comes with adverts companies are able to sell almost anything. A constant barrage of adverts in the media and in day to day life has meant adverts have had to excel in language use to sell products, which at the end of the day is the primary function.

 

Pascal Potter.