ADVERTISING FUNCTIONS

The average citizen is usually annoyed by all the advertisements printed in newspapers and magazines and the commercials broadcast on TV. But the impact of the whole advertising industry on a single person is immense and plays a very important role in our lives. Advertising absorbs vast sums of money but it is useful to the community. What are the functions of advertisements?

The first one to mention is to inform. A lot of the information people have about household devices, cars, building materials, electronic equipment, cosmetics, detergents and food. Advertisements introduce them new products or remind them of the existing ones.

The second function is to sell. The products are shown from the best point of view and the potential buyer unconsciously chooses the advertised products. One buys this product because the colorful TV commercials convince him of the best qualities. Even cigarettes or sweets or alcohol are associated with the good values of human life such as joy, freedom, love and happiness. Just those associations make a person choose the advertised products. The aim of a good advertisement is to create a consumer demand to buy the advertised product or service. Children are good example as they usually want the particular kind of chocolate or toy or chewing-gum.

Thirdly, since the majority of advertisements are printed in our press we pay less for newspapers and magazines. The public advertising seen on street hoardings, railway stations and buildings makes people’s life more joyful. Moreover, there are plenty of small ads in the press concerning “employment”, “education” and “for sale” and “wanted” columns. They help ordinary people to find a better job or a better employee, to sell or to buy their second-hand things and find services, or learn about educational facilities, social events such as, concerts, theatre plays, football matches, and to announce births, marriages and deaths.

Thus despite our dissatisfaction when being bombarded by all the advertisers’ information they perform a useful service to society. Advertisements are an essential part of our everyday life.

Exercise 20. Answer the following questions in writing.

1. Why does advertising play a very important role in our life?

2. What are the main functions of advertisements?

3. What information do ads introduce to people?

4. What is the aim of a good advertisement?

5. Why are small ads in the press helpful to ordinary people?

Exercise 21.

A Make two-word advertising phrases using these words from the box.

1. competitive

2. glossy

3. brand

4. selling

5. mail

B Now use the expressions in the following sentences.

1. Silk Cut and Johnnie Walker are common that everybody recognises.

2. – I see that Audi have just launched a new model

– Yes, they’ve started a huge advertising campaign. There are ads in all the papers and – and TV commercials every five minutes!

3. We like to think that we offer quality products at .

4. To my mind, the fact that this car is so economical is one of its major .

5. If you get a reply rate of 10% for a , that’s good. 15% is thought to be excellent. 20% is brilliant.

Exercise 22. Match the advertisement on the left with its explanation on the right.

Exercise 23. Read another information from press release and complete the gaps with the best form (active or passive) of the verbs from the box.

This is the new Primera Consul.

As you can see it (1) . The engine is much more powerful now and it (2) much quieter. There’s a sun-roof which (3) when you press this button, and all models now (4) with a stereo radio/CD player included.

Exercise 24. Complete the text with the words from the box and translate in writing.

Advertising is a form of selling. Advertising seeks to make people aware of things they need and to make them want these things. It tells what products or services are on the (1) , and how they can be obtained.

It announces new products and describes new uses and improved (2) of familiar ones.

Advertising suggests that we might enjoy nourishing foods, more attractive clothes, and more (3) homes. In doing all these things, (4) helps us to improve our way of living. It also shapes our tastes, habits and customs.

Advertising messages are carried to large (5) by TV, newspapers, magazines, radio and other means of (6) .

Exercise 25. Read and translate the article from “Economist” and do the activities that follow it.

TEXT 5

Date: 2014-12-21; view: 4127