Verbal Means of Implementing Communication Strategies in English-Language Outdoor Advertising

Pishcherskaia Elena Nikolaevna PhD in Philology Associate professor, Foreign Languages department, Chita Institute of Baikal State University 672000, Russia, Zabaikal'skii krai, g. Chita, ul. Anokhina, 56, aud. 47 kishana@inbox.ru Other publications by this author

Advertising, its content characteristics, mechanisms of influence and effectiveness are studied from the standpoint of philosophy, sociology, psychology, marketing, economics and linguistics. The study of advertising texts is of scientific and practical interest for several reasons. Firstly, advertising is a powerful social phenomenon that influences public opinion, values, behavior and culture. By analyzing the advertising texts, we can better understand the modern world and our role in it. Secondly, advertising is an interesting object of linguistic research that demonstrates the diversity and creativity of linguistic expression. By studying advertising texts, we can expand our knowledge of the language and its functioning in different situations and contexts. Thirdly, advertising is a practical communication tool that can be used for different purposes and tasks. By mastering the texts of advertising, we can develop our skills of invasive speech, critical thinking and media literacy ^[1-4].

The analysis of advertising texts from the perspective of pragmatic linguistics to a certain extent contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the processes of their creation and the mechanisms of influence on the addressee, and, consequently, can become a practical tool for improving the effectiveness of advertising. The importance of studying advertising texts from a pragmatic perspective is determined not only by theoretical, but also by practical interest, since advertising communication is an integral component of interaction in society. In this paper, the texts of outdoor advertising are analyzed as one of the types of advertising communication that is not losing popularity.

The purpose of the work is a pragmalinguistic analysis of outdoor advertising texts by systematizing their communicative strategies.

The theoretical basis of the research was the work in the field of analysis of creolized text by Sonin, Bernatskaya, Boyko, Dymova, etc. ^[5-11], as well as the theory of communicative/speech strategies by van Dyck, Pirogova, Ageeva, Nazarov ^[12-18]. The basis for the classification of communicative strategies of the outdoor advertising text was the work of O.S. Issers ^[14].

Observation, description, and discursive analysis of outdoor advertising texts were used as research methods. When collecting the material, the method of continuous sampling was used, when creating a classification of strategies, the method of generalization was applied.

Achieving this goal required consideration of scientific theories in the field of discursive and pragmalinguistic analysis, authentic language materials were collected and analyzed, and existing classifications of communicative/speech strategies and tactics were studied. The material for the analysis was obtained from sources specializing in the creation and promotion of advertising, works on the analysis of advertising texts, as well as by personally collecting samples of English-language advertising texts on the streets of cities in Russia and the USA.

Outdoor advertising is one of the most common and ancient types of advertising, which still retains its relevance and popularity. Outdoor advertising refers to any advertising placed outdoors and intended to reach a wide audience. Such advertising performs several functions: informational (informs about a product or service), persuasive (forms a positive attitude towards a product or service), stimulating (encourages action or purchase), image (creates an image of a company or brand), social (reflects the values and norms of society) and aesthetic (decorates the urban landscape).

Outdoor advertising includes street billboards (banners, billboards), firewalls, tripwires, prismatrons, electronic displays and screens, signs, showcases, pillars, etc. All types of outdoor advertising are united by the nature of the advertising text – it contains components of different sign systems (verbal, visual, auditory, etc.). At the same time, non-verbal components function as an integral part of outdoor advertising texts, often contain information that is not verbally expressed, and play a key role in creating an effective appeal to the addressee.

These features of the text of outdoor advertising allow for its analysis to use the term creolized text, i.e. text consisting of verbal and nonverbal parts. In the creolized text, "the content is displayed by linguistic signs in writing (graphemes) and non-linguistic (iconic) signs in the form of images of objects" ^{[19, p. 9]}.

The pragmalinguistic analysis of the text of outdoor advertising makes it possible to identify the features of the communicative impact on potential consumers, classify the communicative strategies of such appeals, identify the features of their functioning from the point of view of certain communicative strategies, as well as the most frequent verbal and visual means of implementing these strategies ^[20].

Speech or communication strategies have been studied by such scientists as van Dijk ^[13]; Yanko ^[17]; Pirogova ^[16]; Issers ^[14]; Ageeva ^[12]; Nazarov ^[15] and others. In this paper, the understanding of O.S. Issers' communicative strategies is taken as a basis.

According to O.S. Issers, the most effective method of pragmatic text analysis is strategy analysis. According to O.S. Issers, a speech strategy is "a set of speech actions aimed at achieving a communicative goal. The concept of strategy, borrowed by pragmatics from the art of war, focuses not on cooperation, but on victory (which is understood as a productive impact on the listener, as a transformation of his model of the world in the direction desired by the speaker)" ^{[14, p. 53]}.

Communication strategies can be understood as plans and ways of communicating with the target audience that help achieve certain goals and objectives. Communication strategies may vary depending on the context and situation, but they usually include the choice of communication channels, the formulation of key messages, the definition of tone and style of address, the development of a visual image, etc. Communication strategies can be aimed at increasing brand awareness, building customer loyalty, sales promotion, conflict resolution, etc.

In most cases, the determining factor in choosing a particular strategy is the intentions of the communicants, which, in turn, are determined by their personal characteristics and social situations. "The strategy is related to the search for a common language and the development of the foundations of dialogic cooperation: this is the choice of the tone of communication, the choice of the linguistic way of representing the real state of affairs. Strategy development is always carried out under the influence of the requirements of the stylistic norm" ^{[21, p. 164]}.

In the broadest understanding of the principles of functioning of communication strategies, the choice of a communication strategy requires planning the communication process, as well as taking into account the communication situation and the characteristics of the participants in their implementation. In the context of advertising communication, strategic planning plays a key role, since the addressee is not an active participant in communication, and the creator of the advertising appeal cannot change it based on the reactions of the interlocutor. Strategic planning in advertising is based, among other things, on the socio-demographic and psychological characteristics of the recipient, the distribution channel, the context of perception of advertising information ^[22].

There are various approaches to systematization of communication strategies. Thus, T. A. van Dijk identifies speech strategies based on the general principles of discourse construction ^[13]; Yu.K. Pirogova ^[16] defines positioning and optimizing strategies, depending on the direction of communication; O.S. Issers ^[14] divides communicative strategies into general and particular based on the scale of communication goals.

Taking as a basis the typology of speech strategies of O.S. Issers, it is possible to distinguish the main communicative strategies implemented by outdoor advertising texts (Scheme 1).

Scheme 1. Classification of communication strategies of outdoor advertisingFigure 1. Systematics of communicative strategies of outdoor advertising

This classification is described in detail in ^[23] and identifies two main types of strategies in advertising – strategies aimed at cooperation and co-creation of the addressee and the addressee (cooperative), and strategies through which, on the contrary, indirect, hidden influence is carried out on the addressee (non-cooperative).

The classification takes into account the creolized nature of outdoor advertising texts and implies that each of the above strategies can be implemented by both verbal and nonverbal components. This article provides examples of linguistic means of expressing communicative strategies.

1. One of the key strategies in advertising discourse is the strategy of self—presentation. It is aimed at creating a good image of the advertiser and showing the advantages of the advertised product or service. Within the framework of this general strategy, particular strategies for attracting attention, memorizing and creating a positive image are highlighted ^[24].

In order to attract attention to advertising, the addressee uses non-verbal means, such as graphics (color, font) and image (iconics). In addition, he tries to convey information in an original and vivid way using verbal means that have expressive meaning at different language levels, as well as stylistic techniques (tropes and figures): rhyme (1), occasional derivatives (2), inversion (3), wordplay (4):

(1) 7-Eleven: Oh, thank heaven for 7-Eleven (https://clck.ru/343dkt);

(2) Guinness: Guinnless isn’t good for you. (https://clck.ru/343e3x);

(3) Calvin Klein: Between love and madness lies obsession. (https://clck.ru/343dkt);

(4) Bartle Bogle Hegarty: When the world zigs, zag! (https://clck.ru/343e3x).

The main objective of the mnemonic strategy is to promote brand awareness. This strategy is implemented through rhyme, alliteration (5), occasional derivatives, actualized idioms (6), allusion (7):

(5) Fila: Functional… Fashionable… Formidable…  (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(6) M&M’s: Make you lose your marbles (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(7) Brooke Bond: My name is Bond. Brooke Bond. (https://clck.ru/343dwJ).

The purpose of creating a positive image is to evoke good feelings in the audience by associating them with the promoted product and/or with the brand concept. This strategy is usually carried out through the use of metaphor (8), first-person pronouns (9), the highest degree of comparison of adjectives (10):

(8) Red Bull: Gives you wings (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(9) McDonald’s: I’m Lovin’ It (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(10) Red Cross: The greatest tragedy is indifference (https://clck.ru/343dkt).

2. The basis of a persistent strategy is persuasion. Advertising can have different goals: to sell a product, to get votes, to improve the world. In order for advertising to be effective, it must take into account the psychology of a person and choose appropriate ways of influencing.

The main methods of persuasion in advertising are argumentation, optimal addressing and a form of discrediting specific to advertising discourse.

The argumentation strategy is based on the rational justification of the information presented in the advertising text and assumes a high level of attention of the addressee to the content of the advertising text. The author uses arguments to talk about the object of advertising and gives the reader the opportunity to reason with him. The following linguistic means of persuasion can be named: numerals (11), sentences with a call to action (12), introductory words and expressions characterizing the situation; the use of various types of subordinate relations (13); quotations (link to authoritative sources):

(11) Sprint: 79? Sweet Tea. Stay Cool (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(12) Skittles: Taste The Rainbow (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(13) Pringles: Once You Pop, You Can't Stop (https://clck.ru/343dy6 ) – conditional connection.

Correct addressing is one of the conditions for creating effective advertising. The influencing force of an advertising message, in which the addressing to the recipient is thought out, consists in individualizing the appeal, its dialogization, and reducing the barrier between communicants. The main objective of this strategy is "imitation of direct interpersonal communication through the formation of the recipient's image in the text structure" ^[25]. Optimal targeting is based on the characteristics of target groups of consumers of advertised goods or services obtained as a result of marketing research. As a result of creating an image of the recipient, real recipients are affected.

The linguistic means of optimal address to the addressee include pronouns of the second person (14), universal determinant words (15), forms of address (16); phrases with the preposition for in the genitive case (17); subordinate clauses (18):

(14) Oldtimer: All you can eat (https://clck.ru/343dse);

(15) Papacura: Rain changes everything. Please drive to the conditions.  (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(16) Hey there, HOT STUFF (https://clck.ru/343dse);

(17) Nivea Creme: Protective care for your family (https://clck.ru/343dse);

(18) VRBO: Where Families Travel Better Together (NY, 2019).

The strategy of discrediting in the advertising discourse has its own characteristics. In a general sense, discrediting is a set of deliberate steps that are aimed at undermining the authority, trust, and positive image of an object. This strategy is widely used in political discourse, especially in the discourse of election debates. In advertising, the mechanisms of discrediting are strictly regulated. "According to the legislation of most countries, an advertising message cannot carry negative connotations regarding other advertising objects. In this regard, discrediting in advertising is not aimed at "denigrating" competitors, but at identifying the exceptional characteristics of the advertised object relative to all others. Thus, discrediting in advertising is implemented in an indirect, generalized, incomplete form" ^{[23, p. 129]}. Defamation in advertising is usually expressed through comparisons (19), negations (20), allusion (in most cases expressed by a visual component) (21, 22):

(19) Target: Expect More. Pay Less. (Minneapolis, 2019);

(20) Google: Don’t be evil. (https://clck.ru/343dkt);

(21) Kangaroo Island: You can escape from the rush of life and become a modern day ofCrusoe.

^[2];

(22) Kiss FM: iPod.  I’m your father (https://clck.ru/343dy6).

3. Manipulative strategy in advertising – techniques of covert influence on the addressee in order to form a model of behavior beneficial to the advertiser from the latter. Manipulation in advertising, especially in terms of the formation of needs, is becoming increasingly important, due to the fact that the modern consumer is tuned to a critical perception of advertising appeals and is not inclined to trust the impact "head-on" and loud statements of advertisers ^[26].

The three main methods of language manipulation in advertising are appealing to existing needs; suggestive influence, lateral programming.

One of the main tasks of advertising is to evoke an emotional reaction from the recipient of the advertising message, playing on his motives and needs. From a psychological point of view, motives and needs are an incentive for human development, most of his actions depend on the motivational sphere.

In the advertising text, this strategy is implemented by metaphors, stylization (23), attracting famous personalities, playing with their names in the text and/or the name of the product (24):

(23) Dentyne: Friend request accepted. (https://clck.ru/343dy6);

(24)Heinz: Tomato Edchup (https://clck.ru/343dse ) – a limited edition tomato ketchup, released as part of an advertising campaign with Ed Sheeran.

Suggestion is "a mental suggestion, a change in the processes of thinking, feeling and reactions, mostly unnoticed by those who are subjected to suggestion from the outside (someone else's suggestion) or from themselves (autosuggestion, autosuggestion)" [FES, p. 613].

Suggestion is usually carried out by linguistic means, often expressed through the repeated use of the same ideas and verbal attitudes or the repeated display of the same images. The main linguistic means of implementing this strategy are: sentences with a call to action (25), repetitions (26), trivial truths (27) and negations (28):

(25) Dentyne: Closebrowsers. Openarms. Make face time. (San Francisco, 2019);

(26) Energizer: It Keeps Going, And Going, And Going (New Haven, 2008);

(27) Snickers: You’re Not You When You’re Hungry (https://clck.ru/343dkt);

(28) Colorado State Patrol: Tailgating isn’t worth it. (https://clck.ru/343dy6).

Another characteristic of outdoor advertising texts is that often one advertising message focuses the addressee's attention only on certain characteristics of the advertised object, the rest is implicit. Such manipulation of the information transmitted by the advertising message represents a lateral programming strategy.

Lateral programming is one of the tools of hidden influence on thinking, extremely popular in advertising. People trust advertising more easily if they find out about the advantages of the product, as it seems to them, accidentally, through secondary information, sideways. In this case, these qualities "are no longer subjected to rational analysis or evaluation, are not questioned – they are taken for granted. In this case, the consumer just has to go and buy something without which a normal modern person cannot exist, or do something that a normal person cannot do. In this case, we can say that our consciousness is programmed laterally, that is, indirectly, indirectly" ^{[23, p. 124]}.

The main forms of operations performed on information are distortion of information, concealment, the choice of the method of presenting information, as well as the concealment of a persistent intention.

The most effective linguistic methods of hidden influence in outdoor advertising texts are rhetorical questions (29), repetitions, syntactic parallelism (30), superlative adjectives (31), techniques for creating a humorous effect (32):

(29) Clairol: Does she.. or doesn’t she? (https://clck.ru/343e3x);

(30) Playstation: Live in your world. Play in ours. (https://clck.ru/343e3x);

(31) Disneyland: The happiest place in Earth (https://clck.ru/343e3x);

(32) Aventura Wellness Testing: We'll test everything but your patience (https://clck.ru/343dse).

It is worth noting that within the framework of this work, non-verbal means of expressing certain communicative strategies implemented in outdoor advertising appeals were not considered

So, the analysis of the linguistic units of the texts of English-language outdoor advertising allows us to identify communicative strategies that have the maximum impact on the recipient. Such appeals can be aimed at cooperation or manipulation over the addressee, can be expressed verbally or nonverbally, can appeal to the fashionable and momentary or to the eternal and high – a characteristic common to them is an integral visual (sometimes auditory) component sewn into the semantic fabric of the text. From this point of view, the pragmatic analysis of outdoor advertising texts requires further investigation of the relationship between verbal and nonverbal codes in the structure of creolized advertising texts, including in connection with the new possibilities of presenting information and increasing the number of message transmission codes in outdoor advertising (audio, video codes, time-varying images, etc.).