catalogue, mail package, pen, and calendar, and out-of-home and directory media e.g.: poster in the bus shelter.
2. Language Style of Advertisement
An advertisement has its own particular language style. The language style of advertisement deals with the linguistic features. Grey 2008 in his
Language in Use
divides the linguistic features of advertisement language style into two parts. They are lexical features and syntactic features.
a. Lexical Features
Lexical features of advertisements present advertisements to be more unique because of the use of certain words. Lexical features make advertisers
reconsider the diction of advertisements to grab consumers‟ attention and willingness.
1 Hyperbole
Leech 1972 argues that hyperbole is often concerned with personal values and sentiments. It is used to vary the expression of personal feelings and
opinion. People use hyperbole to exaggerate something, especially in describing something in exaggerating manner. For example, the use of
more, new, real, fresh,
and
improved
in some advertisement slogans.
2 Neologism
Grey 2008 defines a neologism as a new word or an expression which is created by joining two or more word parts together to create an entirely new word.
For example,
Volvocracy
is a neologism of people in the government who deal with democracy and drive Volvos.
3 Weasel Word
A weasel word is a modifier that practically negates the claim that follows. According to Grey 2008, a weasel word suggests a meaning without actually
being specific. There are some words which are usually used as weasel words, such as
help, like, virtually, enriched, worth, fresh, tested, guaranteed, and scientific.
For example,
totally different
makes the consumers raise a question „different from what?‟ but there is no exact explanation of that question.
4 Familiar Language
The pronoun
you
is often used in advertisements to show more friendly attitudes toward consumers. Grey 2008 states that the use of that pronoun makes
the audience feels to be involved within the advertisement. For example, Hyundai‟s slogan is
Drive You Away
. The use of pronoun
you
gives friendly attitude to Hyundai‟s consumers.
5 Simple Vocabulary
The language of advertisements should enable the audience to always remember the words. It can be said that advertisement must be simple, brief, and
clear. This simplicity has to be attractive, too. For example, there is a slogan
Scott makes it better for you
. It is simple and understandable enough. By reading that slogan, the consumers can easily understand Scott.
6 Repetition
Repetition is usually used to make the brand ‟s name or brand‟s slogan
more interesting. Repetition also mostly appears in the written parts. There are three types of repetition. They are alliteration, rhyme, and rhythm. Alliteration is
the repetition in the initial consonant sound of a word to produce rhythmical and musical effect. For example,
finger of fudge the best four by four by far
uses the repetition of f sound to make it more interesting. Rhyme is a pattern of identity
of sound between words extending from the end to the last fully accented vowel.
Mean machine
is an example of rhyme. Rhythm is a regular pattern produced by varying the stressed and unstressed syllables of the words. For example,
drinka pinta milka day.
7 Euphemism
Based on Grey‟s explanation 2008, euphemism is a type of figurative language which carries connotative meaning. For example, to say that somebody
is a smelly person, people can use the euphemism
body odor. Body odor
sounds better because it can avoid saying an unpleasant word.
8 Humor
Humor is a quality in something that makes it funny. It is useful to attract and to entertain the audience. For example, the use of the word
wonderfuel
is used in a fuel advertisement. It is actually formed from the word
wonderful
and then it is used as humor becomes
wonderfuel.
It makes the product more interesting because of the use of humor. Humor can gain consumers‟ attention to the
advertised product because most people love humor instead of something serious.
9 Glamorization
The words employed in advertisements are modified in such a way by combining the words which are uncommonly used in daily speaking is one way to
give glamorization touch in advertisements. Grey 2008 gives an example of glamorization, like
old house
becomes
charming, characterful, olde, worlde or unique house
. The use of those words will make the
house
become more interesting. It will be interesting to say
charming house
instead of
old house.
10 Potency
Grey 2008 suggests that potential words are those which are able to give new value, novelty or immediacy. Potential words can influence the audience.
Ogilvy as is quoted by Grey 2008 identifies the words
free, now, how to,
suddenly, announcing, introducing, it’s here, just arrived, important development,
improvement, amazing, sensational, remarkable, revolutionary startling, miracle, magic,
and
offer
as the potential words.
b. Syntactic Features