Advertising in the USA. The influence of advertising in the mass media market has both advantages and disadvantages

The influence of advertising in the mass media market has both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side is the fact that people get an incredible variety of information, entertainment and culture at minimal cost. The disadvantage is that nearly all of America’s mass communications are heavily overloaded with commercial or persuasive messages.

All advertising contains both information and persuasion. The classified advertisements in the daily newspapers are almost pure information. So are most of the supermarket specials.

In Latin ad (vertere) means to turn the mind towards something. The American Marketing Association points out that advertising are tools of marketing along with the product price, distribution and personal selling. It also reminds us that advertising can be used as promote ideologies and services. This kind of promotion is non-personal – it is directed To Whom It May Concern and therefore it is effective because the audience is very receptive to it.

The first function of advertising is to distinguish among identical products. This attempt was exercised at the end of the 39 th century by means of brand name identification. It seemed that the brand name would become synonymous with the product or its quality. Today when we ask for Coca-Cola, Klinex or Xerox- it is due to this particular function of advertising.

While brand names were an effective advertising technique, something more was required to establish the product difference in the public mind. From the realm of political campaigning advertisers borrowed the slogan – a catchy summary of the product. Thus, the company Pears’ Soap updated itself instantly with a catchy Good morning, have you used Pears’ today?

The slogan gave way to the jingle, which was set to music and rhyme. Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should is an evident though an ungrammatical example.

The next technique applied to advertising was brand image. Its aim was to create an image for a product that puts it a little above the competition and hence makes it more desirable. Since the late 1960, a new concept has come to national advertising called positioning. Positioning consists of segmenting a market by persuading the customer that the new product will meet the needs of a selective group. Positioning recognizes the differences in people as individuals and the impossibility of any product capturing the entire potential market.

1. Объясните, как вы понимаете следующее:

National advertising, persuasive advertising in the USA, brand image, a gaily jingle, slogan, positioning in advertising.

2. Ответьте на следующие вопросы:

1) What advantages has advertising in the USA?

2) What does the advertising contain?

3) What was the meaning of advert in Latin?

4) What was the first function of advertising?

5) What are the main techniques applied to advertising?

3. Найдите в тексте следующие словосочетания:

влияние рекламы на средства массовой информации, невероятное количество, средства массовой информации перегружены, это напоминает нам, попытка была предпринята, казалось, что название марки станет синонимом, отличия продукта в массовом сознании.

4. Закончите следующие предложения:

1) The influence of advertising in the market has positive and…

2) On the plus side is the position when people…

3) Brand names were effective advertising…

4) The company Pears’ Soap updated itself with…

5) The next technique applied to advertising…

6) A new concept has come to national...

7) Positioning recognizes the differences in people…