OUTDOOR ADVERTISING – A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

The world of outdoor advertising billboards, transport and “street furniture” (things like bus shelters and public toilets) – is worth about $18 billion a year, just 6% of all the world’s spending on advertising. But it is one of the fastest growing segments, having doubled its market share in recent years.

Outdoor advertising’s appeal is growing as TV and print are losing theirs. The rising costs of TV are prompting clients to consider alternatives. Dennis Sullivan, boss of Portland Group, a media buyer, calls outdoor advertising the last true mass-market medium. It is also cheap. In Britain, a 30-second prime-time TV slot costs over £60 000 ($100 000); placing an ad on a bus shelter for two weeks works out at about £90.

Adding to its attractions has been a revolution in the quality of outdoor displays. Famous architects are designing arty bus shelters and kiosks with backlit displays. Backlighting, introduced in Europe by Decaux and More, and plastic poster skins have vastly improved colour and contrast.

Movement is possible too. Disney advertised its “101 Dalmatians” video on bus shelters with the sound of puppies barking.

This sort of innovation has attracted a new class of advertiser. Recent data shows that in Britain, alcohol and tobacco have seen replaced by entertainment, clothing and financial services. The big outdoor advertisers, like carmakers, are using it in new ways. BMW ran a “teasers” campaign in Britain exclusively on bus shelters. Particularly attractive to the new advertisers is street furniture, the fastest growing segment of the outdoor market. It accounts for some 20% in Europe and about 5% in America.

Exercise 26. Answer the questions.

1. What do these numbers in the article refer to?

18, 6, 30, 60 000, 100 000, 90, 20, 5

2. Outdoor advertising is increasing in many countries. Is this a good thing?

3. Why is outdoor advertising becoming more popular nowadays?

4. Which industries are becoming more involved in outdoor advertising?

5. What products do you think are suitable for outdoor advertising?

Exercise 27. Identify the advertising terms.

ADVERTISINGPOSTERMARKETCAMPAIGNSEGMENTBUYERCLIENT

Exercise 28. Find the following advertising terms in the word search grid.

Exercise 29. Write questions to the following sentences using the passive form. For reference see the Grammar Supplement.

1. George was taken to hospital because he had a heart attack.

(ask why) ?

2. You will be paid salary on Friday.

(ask when) ?

3. Tickets for the concert are sold at all large music stores.

(ask where) ?

4. The new theatre will be built in five years’ time.

(ask when) ?

5. The article was written by Urma Mackintyre.

(ask who by) ?

6. The plant has been moved because it wasn’t getting enough light. (ask why) ?

7. Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.

(ask where) ?

8. Napoleon was known as Boney.

(ask what) ?

9. The film was directed by Zeffirelli.

(ask who by) ?

10. Forty-seven people have been injured.

(ask how many) ?

Exercise 30. As you know, many advertisements use modified quotation, proverb or saying, sometimes only changing one word or adding a pan. Find equivalents to their meaning and use them in sentences.

1. When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

2. Achilles’ heel.

3. Crossing the Rubicon.

4. Crying over spilt milk.

5. To have one foot in the grave.

6 All’s well that ends well.

7. To cut the Gordian knot.

8. You can’t have too much of a good thing.

9. A rough diamond.

Creative task. Choose a proverb or saying and use them to write captions to advertise products (e.g. jewelry, dairy products, a holiday, shoes, furniture). You can keep the expressions as they are, modify them slightly or significantly, or give them a context, but they must remain recognizable.

Exercise 31. Read the evaluation a student wrote about his teacher. There are twelve mistakes in the use of adjectives and adverbs. The first mistake is already corrected. Find and correct eleven more.

Date: 2014-12-21; view: 4966