Advertising and Language: A Foray

from‘Thanda Matlab

Coca-cola’ to‘Bye, Bye Thandi’

Jay MehtaTeaching Assistant

Department of EnglishBhavnagar University

Paper Presented at National Conference on Developing

Communcation Skills in New Millennium (DEVCOM)

Dated: Feb. 12-

13, 2011

Organized by: Swami Sahjanand College of Commerce and

Management

+ “Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark; you know what you are doing, but nobody else does.”

- Stewart H Britt

Communication –A Process of Commonality

One of the most Indispensable Requirements A bond between the humans to convey a particular

set of feeling, idea or information Communication is a process which increases

commonality – but also requires elements of commonality for it to occur at all.

- Denis Mcquail ‘Sadharanikaran’ – Sanskrit term in Bharata’s

Natya Shastra comes closest to this sense

ADVERTISEMENT – A PUBLIC DECLARATION

+ Aimed at informing and convincing the mass to buy goods or services

+ Language has a powerful influence over people and their behavior

+ The choice of language – intention of influencing people is paramount

+ Visual content and design in advertising – immense impact on the consumer

+ Language helps people to identify a product and remember it

USE OF LANGUAGE IN ADVERTISING

+ Not necessarily a Correct or Authentic one+ Creative: Innovative Use of Words, Concoction

of Phrases, Coinage of Terms + ‘Creativity’ : Operative Word in the Arena of

Advertising+ Jingles, Visuals, Punch lines or Dialogues: Ad

world has it all

CONCOCTION OF WORDS

+ Incomesurance – Insurance Company+ Youngistan – Pepsi+ Go Babelicious – Scooty Pep Plus+ Dillogical – Lays+ Skinnocence – Lacto Calamine

TRAITS OF ADVERTISING LANGUAGE

+ Use of Second Person Pronouns: Suggests a Friendly Attitude

+ Simple and Colloquial Language+ Jingles and Signature Tunes+ Compound Words as Figures of Speech

Economy-size Chocolate-flavored Feather-light Razor –sharp Crystal-clear

APT VOCABULARY IN GUJARAT TOURISM ADS

Khushboo Gujarat ki starring Amitabh Bachhan

+ Kutchh: Stark and Austere Beauty, Breathe in the Zest for Life

+ Somnath Temple: Sense of Identity, Fregrance of Faith

+ Gir Forest: (Lions’) Magnificent Presence, Symbolizes Pride

+ Breathe in a bit of Gujarat.

PUNCHLINES

+ Thanda matlab Coca-cola+ Yeh Hai Youngistan ka Wow! – Pepsi + Iss ko Laga Dala to Life Jingalala –Tata Sky+ Utterly Buttery Delicious – Amul+ What an Idea, Sirji! – Idea+ Hum Chlor Mint Kyun Khate Hain?+ Taste the Thuder – Thums Up+ Zindagi ke Saath bhi, Zindagi ke Baad bhi – LIC

SOME POPULAR JINGLES

+ Close Up – Kya Aap Naya Close Up Karte Hain?+ Nerolac – Jab Ghar ki Raunak Badhani Ho+ Pan Parag – Pan Parag, Pan Masala+ Nirma – Washing Powder, Nirma+ Lifeboy –Tandurasti ki Raksha Karta Hai+ Amul –Zara si Hansi, Dulaar Zara sa+ Vicco Turmeric – Nahi Cosmetic, Vicco

Turmeric Ayurvedic Cream

AMUL BUTTER ADS

Mercedes Benz E Klasse Ad:A Beautiful Lady: “I’d like to order a burger, a French rice and a milk shake”Officer: (scornfully) “This is a library.”The Lady: (whispers) “I’d like to order a burger, a French rice and a milk shake” (smiles)The officer is startled.Punchline: Beauty is nothing without Brains

Camlin Permanent Markers AdPunchline: Really Permanent

Witty Use of Language in TV Commercials

THANK YOU.