REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Advertising
“Advertere,” a Latin word meaning to warn or to call attention to, is the root of the word “advertise.” There are a variety of definitions of advertising
According to Dyer (1982), advertising serves as a method for capturing attention and informing individuals or groups about specific topics When the audience is large, advertisements or public announcements become essential for effective communication.
Advertising, as defined by Bovee & Arens (1992), is a form of non-personal communication that conveys information about products, services, or ideas This communication is typically paid for and aims to persuade audiences, with identified sponsors utilizing various media channels to reach potential customers.
According to Dyan (1995), advertising is defined as the paid and impersonal marketing of persuasive information from a recognized sponsor, delivered through mass communication channels to encourage the acceptance of goods, services, or ideas.
Advertising is the process of informing a wide audience about a product or service through various advertisements, aiming to capture their attention and motivate them to take actions such as purchasing a product, utilizing a service, or contributing to charitable causes.
Advertising can be classified based on different criteria The following classification is based on Bovee & Arens (1992)’s as their typology is exhaustive and comprehensible
In terms of media, advertising includes print advertising (newspapers and magazines), broadcast advertising (radio and television), out-of-home advertising (outdoor and transit advertising), and direct-mail advertising
International advertising focuses on foreign markets, while national advertising targets consumers across various regions within a country Regional advertising promotes products specific to a particular area, and local advertising is aimed at customers in a single city or local trading zone.
Consumer and business advertising represent two distinct target audiences, with the purpose of the advertisement playing a crucial role in determining this audience Typically, the manufacturer defines the advertisement's purpose, which is also influenced by the product's position in its life cycle Consequently, various advertising forms are tailored to align with the specific stages of the product life cycle, ensuring effective communication and engagement with the intended audience.
Action advertising and awareness advertising are two distinct types of advertising that focus on consumer response Action advertising is designed to elicit an immediate response from readers, often found in newspapers and magazines, featuring contact information like telephone numbers or website links for easy access to additional details or purchasing options In contrast, awareness advertising aims to enhance the brand image, generate interest in the product, and foster customer loyalty towards a specific brand.
When it comes to advertising objects, there are two primary types of advertising: product advertising and non-product advertising Product advertising focuses on promoting specific goods or services, while non-product advertising targets the dissemination of ideas to influence people's perceptions and attitudes towards organizations and their activities This latter category encompasses advertisements for charities, political parties, and other entities seeking to shape public awareness and opinion.
Commercial advertising aims to promote goods, services, or ideas to generate profit, requiring ad-writers to effectively attract consumers In contrast, non-commercial advertising serves purposes such as recruitment, public health promotion, and encouraging charitable donations This study specifically focuses on commercial advertising within the print medium, particularly magazines.
Advertising is a fundamental aspect of marketing, often regarded as the most crucial element in driving sales and generating interest The marketing mix comprises four key components: product, price, place, and promotion—commonly known as the four Ps Among these, promotion encompasses various strategies, including advertising, personal selling, publicity, and sales promotion As highlighted by Pride (1990), advertising plays a pivotal role in enhancing a company's visibility and effectiveness in the marketplace.
Figure 1.1 Marketing mix, Pride (1990) Figure 1.2 Promotion mix, Pride (1990)
Advertising is recognized as a vital force that stimulates consumer purchases, effectively "keeping the wheels of the economy turning" (Rodgers & Thorson, 2012) Its primary function is to showcase a diverse array of products to the public, thereby fostering the growth of the market economy Ultimately, advertising is essential to the fabric of modern society.
To effectively attract an audience, advertising language must align with the principles of effective verbal communication, which encompasses six language roles identified by Jakobson (1960, cited in Sebeok, 1960: 350-377).
Referential function: describes a situation, an object, or a mental state and is oriented toward the context
Emotive function: adds the information about the internal state of the speaker and orientates toward the addresser
Conative function: engages the addressee directly and is represented in imperatives and vocatives
Phatic function: establishes, discontinues, or prolongs the communication
Meta-lingual function: describes and discusses the language itself
Poetic function: focuses on the message for its own sake
The conative and referential functions play a crucial role in advertising, as they aim to influence consumer behavior in a desired manner These functions align closely with Pollay’s (1983) advertising appeals, which will be explored in greater detail in the subsequent section.
Advertising appeals
Appeals play a crucial role in marketing by enhancing the attractiveness of a product to consumers As noted by Wells, Burnetts, and Moritaty (1995), these appeals are designed to highlight the product's attributes and reflect its perceived values, ultimately making it more appealing to potential buyers.
Appeals are classified in different ways Kotler (1997) differentiates three types of appeals; namely, rational appeals, emotional appeals and moral appeals
Rational appeals focus on the audience's self-interest by emphasizing the quality, value, and performance of a product In contrast, emotional appeals aim to evoke strong feelings, such as fear, guilt, or joy Lastly, moral appeals engage the audience's sense of right and wrong, influencing their perceptions of what is ethical or appropriate.
Therefore, they include such appeals as ecological appeals or nationalism This way of classification is somewhat similar to advertising values which are manifested in advertising messages
Advertising appeals can be classified into two main categories: rational and emotional This classification, rooted in Copeland's early work, suggests that consumers make purchasing decisions based on either logical reasoning or emotional responses Rational appeals focus on factual information, highlighting product benefits such as quality, value, and performance, appealing to the audience's self-interest In contrast, emotional appeals aim to connect with consumers on a personal level, fostering positive feelings towards a brand by creating a friendly and relatable image This dual classification is not only clear but also relevant for understanding consumer behavior in advertising.
1.2.2 Pollay’s appeal system and its application to the present study
Pollay (1983) presents a framework of 42 advertising appeals derived from an extensive review of previous research to assess cultural values in advertising He highlights that advertising often mirrors a distinct set of values compared to those prevalent in society While advertising primarily showcases positive appeals related to products, Pollay's framework reinterprets negative appeals, such as fear or guilt, as safety appeals.
Pollay’s framework is widely regarded as the most comprehensive set of advertising appeals, as noted by scholars such as Dahl (2002) This extensive categorization encompasses all advertising appeals and has undergone rigorous testing and validation through various empirical studies, including those conducted by Albers (1994), Cheng (1997), and Harwood & Roy (1999).
Conceptual definitions of Pollay’s appeals are described as in Table 1.1
It relates to feasible, workable, useful, pragmatic, appropriate, functional, consistent, efficient, helpful, comfortable/ tasty A product if suggested to be powerful and capable of achieving certain ends
The product is renowned for its exceptional quality and durability, often recognized with prestigious awards or certifications from government bodies, showcasing its superior performance and reliability.
3 Convenience It stresses handy, time-saving, quick, easy, suitable, accessible, and versatile A product is suggested to be handy and easy to use
4 Ornamental It suggests beauty, ornateness, decorativeness, adornment, embellishment, design and style
The inexpensive, affordable, and cost-saving nature of a product is emphasized
6 Dear It means highly regarded, costly, extravagant, exorbitant, luxurious, priceless
The unrivaled, incomparable, and unparalleled nature of a product is emphasized
8 Popularity The focus is on the universal recognition and acceptable of a certain product by consumers
9 Traditional The experience of the past, customs, and conventions are respected The qualities of being historical, time-honored, and legendary are venerated
10 Modern The notion of being contemporary, modern, new, improved, progressive, advanced, up-to-date, and ahead of time is emphasized
11 Natural It suggests spiritual harmony between man and nature by making references to the elements, animals, vegetable or mineral
12 Technology The advanced and sophisticated technical skills to engineer and manufacture a particular product are emphasized
13 Wisdom It relates to knowledge, education, awareness, intelligence, curiosity, satisfaction, comprehension, sagacity, expertise, judgment, experience
14 Magic The emphasis is on the miraculous effect and nature of a product
It refers to achievement, accomplishment, ambition, success, careers, self- development, being skilled, accomplished, proficient, pulling your weight, contributing, doing your share
16 Relaxation The use of the product will bring one comfort or relaxation
17 Enjoyment It relates to have fun, laugh, be happy, and celebrate, to enjoy games, parties, feasts and festivities A product will make its users wild with joy
It means being adult, grown-up, middle-aged, senior, elderly, having associated insight, wisdom, mellowness, adjustment; refers to aging, death, retirement, or age related disabilities or compensations
19 Youth The worship of the youngest generation is shown through the description of younger models The rejuvenating benefits of the products are stressed
It refers to security (from external threat), carefulness, caution, stability, absence of hazards, potential injury or other risks, guarantees, warranties, manufacturers’ reassurances
21 Tamed It means docile, civilized, restrained, obedient, compliant, faithful, reliable, responsible, domesticated, sacrificing, self-denying
22 Morality It means humane, just, fair, honest, ethical, reputation, principled,
23 Modesty It means being modest, nạve, demure, innocent, inhibited, bashful, reserved, timid, coy, virtuous, pure, shy, virginal
24 Humility It means unaffected, unassuming, unobtrusive, patient, fate-accepting, resigned, meek, plain-folk, down-to-earth
25 Plain It means unaffected, natural, prosaic, homespun, simple, artless, unpretentious
26 Frail It means delicate, frail, dainty, sensitive, tender, susceptible, vulnerable, soft, genteel
27 Adventure It suggests boldness, daring, bravery, courage, seeking adventure, thrills, or excitement
It means primitive, untamed, fierce, course, rowdy, ribald, obscene, voracious, gluttonous, frenzied, uncontrolled, unreliable, corrupt, obscene, deceitful, savage
29 Freedom It suggests spontaneity, carefree, liberty and indulgence
30 Casual It means unkempt, disheveled, messy, disordered, untidy, rugged, rumpled, sloppy, casual, irregular, noncompulsive, imperfect
31 Vain It means having a socially desirable appearance, being beautiful, pretty, handsome, being fashionable, well groomed, tailored, graceful, glamorous
32 Sexuality The commercial uses glamorous and sensual models or has a background of lovers holding hands, embracing, or kissing to promote a product
33 Independence The emphasis is on self-sufficiency and self-reliance of an individual or on the individual as being distinct and unlike others
34 Security It means confident, secure, possessing dignity, self-worth, self-esteem, self-respect, peace of mind
Using this product is said to enhance the user's status and reputation among peers, instilling a sense of prestige and trendsetting It conveys feelings of pride and suggests that the product or service can contribute to the user's financial success and overall well-being.
Being accepted and liked by peers, colleagues, and the broader community is essential for fostering social connections This involves gathering, bonding in friendship, and cooperating with others through reciprocity Additionally, conforming to social customs and exhibiting good manners, social graces, and decorum play a vital role in building and maintaining these relationships.
It stresses giving charity, help love, protection, nursing, consolation, or support, comfort, nursing, care or sympathy to the weak, disabled, inexperienced, tried, young, elderly, etc
38 Succorance It means to receive expressions of love (all expressions except sexuality), gratitude, pats on the back, to feel deserving
The article highlights the importance of family life and relationships among family members It emphasizes key moments such as marriage, sibling companionship, and the warmth of home, suggesting that the featured product is ideal for enhancing the well-being of the entire family.
It relates to community, state, national publics, public spiritedness, group unity, national identity, society, patriotism, civic and community organizations or other social organizations
41 Health This value commends that the use of a product will enhance or improve the vitality, soundness, strength, and robust of the body
42 Neat It refers to orderly, neat, precise, tidy, clean, spotless, unsoiled, sweet-smelling, bright, free from dirt, refuse, pests, vermin, stains and smells, sanitary
Pollay’s advertising appeals can be categorized on an overall level as either rational or emotional as stated in Albers-Miller and Stafford (1999)
Table 1.2 Classification of advertising appeals
Pollay’s (1983) advertising appeal system is widely regarded as comprehensive and reliable; however, it has faced criticism due to its American origins Scholars such as Zhang (2014) and De Mooij have raised concerns regarding its applicability in diverse cultural contexts.
Recent studies have raised concerns about the relevance of Pollay’s 42 advertising appeals across different cultural contexts (2015) Research by Albers-Miller & Stafford (1999) and Albers-Miller & Straughan (2000) indicates that not all of Pollay’s appeals are applicable in service settings, with only 16 being identified as emotional and service-related Furthermore, Zhang & Harwood (2004) criticize Pollay’s system for its excessive number of value items As a result, numerous researchers have advocated for the selective use of Pollay’s taxonomy to identify the most suitable advertising appeals (Cheng, 1997; Cheng & Schweitzer, 1996; Ji & McNeal, 2001; Lin, 2009).
The author asserts that Pollay's framework is superior to other similar models due to its comprehensiveness, relevance, analytical capability, and reliability This framework has been effectively applied in previous research, including cross-cultural studies beyond Western advertising contexts, as demonstrated in the current study (Dahl, 2002).
Politeness
Politeness has gained significant attention in recent years, with researchers like Lakoff, Leech, Brown and Levinson, Fraser, and Watts proposing various theories on the subject It is widely regarded as a natural aspect of communication, to the extent that Thomas suggests it could be viewed as a pragmatic discipline.
According to Nguyễn Quang (2011), humans possess a dual nature as both social beings and conscious thinkers, which enables self-concept and other-concept development This realization leads individuals to understand their dual status as unique individuals and members of various societal groups Consequently, the need for politeness in communication arises, with positive politeness catering to the desire for social belonging and negative politeness reinforcing individuality Ultimately, politeness fosters social harmony, acting as both a product of social order and a prerequisite for human cooperation.
Figure 1.3 Why Politeness?, adapted from Nguyễn Quang (2011)
The following part discusses in detail various definitions, approaches to politeness, general concepts in contemporary politeness theories and the relationship between politeness and advertising
Self-concept and other-concept
Politeness is a widely studied concept, yet it lacks a universal definition due to its varying interpretations across different cultures.
Etymologically, politeness was described as:
“… derived from the Latin „politus‟, past participle of „polire‟ meaning „to smooth.‟ Thus, „polite‟ original meant „smoothed,‟ „polished,‟ and subsequently
„refined,‟ „cultivated,‟ „well bred,‟ and so on when referring to people and
„courteous,‟ „urban‟ etc when referring to manners.” (Sifianou, 1992: 81 cited in Miriam A Locher, 2004: 89)
Politeness is closely linked to the behaviors of the upper classes, reflecting urban life and civilized manners, as well as various social behaviors.
Politeness, as defined by Hill et al (1986), serves as a fundamental constraint in human interactions, aimed at acknowledging others' feelings, fostering mutual comfort, and enhancing rapport among individuals.
From a strategic perspective, facework refers to the methods utilized to demonstrate awareness of another person's identity and social standing, as defined by Yule (1997) It encompasses the strategies employed to mitigate the potential threats to an individual's face during face-threatening acts, as outlined by Brown and Levinson (1987).
According to Nguyễn Quang (2004: 11), politeness is defined as any communicative act, whether verbal or non-verbal, that is deliberately and suitably intended to enhance the feelings of others or alleviate their discomfort.
The author of this study is in favor of Nguyễn Quang (2004)’s conceptualization and functionally take politeness as making people feel good
Since the late 1970s, several politeness theories have emerged within the field of pragmatics, with four primary theories gaining prominence: the conversational-maxim view, the face-saving view, the social-norm view, and the conversational-contract view.
The conversational-maxim approach, rooted in Grice’s cooperative principles (1975), encompasses four key maxims: quantity (be informative), quality (be true), relation (be relevant), and manner (be clear) Grice also suggests that additional maxims, such as the politeness maxim, can complement the cooperative principle Influential authors like Lakoff have built upon these foundational concepts.
(1973) and Leech (1983) suggest two sets of politeness rules
According to Lakoff (in Eelen, 2001: 2), politeness is defined as a system of interpersonal relations aimed at facilitating interaction by reducing the potential for conflict and confrontation in human exchanges She proposes two main sets of politeness rules: "Be clear," which aligns with Grice’s cooperative principle, and "Be polite," which encompasses three specific guidelines.
(1) Don’t impose, (2) Offer optionality, and (3) Encourage feelings of camaraderie Her theory can be summarized as follows:
Pragmatic competence Rules of politeness
Figure 1.4 Lakoff (1973)’s rules of pragmatic competence
Lakoff's politeness theory, proposed in 1973, has faced criticism from researchers like Brown (1998) for lacking a comprehensive framework that defines her rules of politeness Marquez (2000) further emphasizes this issue, noting that Lakoff fails to clarify the terms she uses and seems to confuse formality with aloofness and camaraderie with sympathy.
Quantity Quality Relevance Manner Don’t impose Offer optionality Encourage feelings of camaraderie
Rules of conversation (Grice’s principles) Rules of politeness
According to Watts et al (1992), a significant gap exists in the understanding of politeness, as the concept itself and its three distinct levels are not explicitly defined This lack of clarity raises questions about the fundamental nature of politeness and how its various levels should be interpreted.
In 1983, Leech built upon Grice's cooperative principles by developing a model that incorporates politeness maxims and a framework of rules He proposed a politeness principle aimed at minimizing impolite expressions while maximizing polite ones This principle is comprised of six key maxims: tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy Leech also acknowledged that the importance of these maxims can vary significantly across different cultures and societies.
Chinese culture places a higher emphasis on modesty compared to British culture, while tact is regarded as the primary form of politeness in English-speaking nations Additionally, a cost-benefit scale is introduced to demonstrate the relationship between speaker (S) and hearer (H) during the execution of a speech act.
Figure 1.5 Leech cost-benefit scale (1983)
The relationship between cost and politeness is clear: as the cost to the listener increases, so does the level of impoliteness of the action Conversely, when the benefit to the listener rises, the action is perceived as more polite.
Politeness and advertising
Advertising language, as highlighted by Toolan (1988), emphasizes interaction between advertisers and target customers through the use of interrogative and imperative verb moods Politeness plays a crucial role in shaping this interaction, influencing the relationship between advertisers and potential consumers To effectively persuade consumers to purchase a product or service, advertisers must promote the benefits while maintaining a respectful tone that avoids causing offense.
Mileva's (1998) study highlights the differences in advertising communication strategies between the US and Bulgaria, revealing that Bulgarian advertisements tend to employ a direct approach, using phrases like "Buy our product" or "Become a shareholder in our fund." These ads focus on straightforward calls to action and lack personal engagement, as they often omit linguistic devices that acknowledge the consumer's presence or foster a personal connection.
American advertisements often employ the imperative form as a subtle way to suggest benefits to consumers, utilizing positive politeness strategies to foster a connection with the audience Phrases like "Experience more Find more." exemplify this approach, effectively encouraging engagement while maintaining a friendly rapport.
"Engage your senses and explore!" This friendly advice exemplifies the use of imperative language to build rapport with readers Advertisements often function as face-threatening acts (FTAs) by directing consumers to make purchases, which can lead to potential rejection of the message To counter this, advertisers employ face-saving politeness strategies to soften their approach and encourage consumer acceptance.
Advertising fosters relationships between advertisers and consumers, and politeness strategies are essential for analyzing advertising language According to Hardin (2001: 155), positive politeness enhances the impact of advertisements by aligning the desires of both parties and encouraging audience engagement through friendly appeals Conversely, negative politeness strengthens the message's authority by maintaining formality and respecting the reader's autonomy This approach allows advertisers to present valuable medical and technical information without offending the reader, empowering them to make informed decisions about the product or service offered.
Politeness plays a crucial role in social interactions by enhancing the relationship between the speaker and the hearer Central to politeness theory is the concept of "face," which represents an individual's self-worth and self-image, susceptible to being damaged or enhanced through social interactions In various contexts, individuals must adapt their language to achieve their communicative goals In advertising, preserving the audience's face is particularly vital, as the primary objectives include capturing attention, generating interest, stimulating desire, and fostering conviction to encourage purchases Consequently, ad-writers must implement diverse strategies to maintain their customers' face effectively.
At the same time, appeals can be defined as something that makes the product particularly attractive or interesting to the consumer (Wells, Burnett, &
Advertising appeals are closely linked to the attributes of products and are crafted to convey the perceived values associated with them For instance, a claim that a product contains 25% less sugar can lead consumers to believe it offers health benefits, making them feel safer and better about their choice These appeals reflect societal values, as noted by Pollay (1986), and are used to enhance the consumer's image Thus, there is a potential relationship between politeness strategies and advertising appeals.
Review of previous studies
Advertising is a captivating subject of study across various fields, including mass media communication, business disciplines like economics and marketing, and linguistics In linguistics, researchers examine advertising through diverse lenses such as discourse, content, visual, pragmatic, and multi-modal analysis This section reviews significant prior studies conducted from a cross-cultural pragmatic perspective and highlights their relevance to the current research.
1.5.1 Previous studies of advertising from cross-cultural pragmatic perspective
Many studies in the field of pragmatics focus on the application of Grice's maxims, speech act theory, and elements such as implicature, presupposition, entailment, and politeness strategies in advertising Additionally, some research examines non-verbal cues or employs an inferential pragmatic approach to analyze the language used in advertisements.
Firstly, studies of Chiluwa (2007), Al-Azzawi (2010), or Lipping Ge
(2011) explore advertising language based on Grice’s maxims of cooperation in communication
Chiluwa (2007) uses the speech acts theory by Austin (1969) and Searle
A study examining soft drink advertisements in Nigeria from 1969 to 1976 reveals that the most common persuasive strategies are directive and representation acts, which include requesting, appealing, claiming, reporting, asserting, and suggesting These strategies effectively engage consumers by appealing to their sense of ego, sexuality, social class, and self-worth, making them the most powerful tools for persuasion in these advertisements.
In his 2010 analysis, Al-Azzawi explores the pragmatic aspects of advertising language, focusing on Grice’s cooperative principles The findings indicate that advertisers utilize implicature and entailment to achieve their objectives, regardless of whether the audience's interpretations align with those of the advertisers However, the study does not address the role of presupposition and other pragmatic elements that could also play a significant role in advertising.
Ge (2011) addresses the gap identified by Al-Azzawi (2010) by exploring the pragmatic functions of presupposition in English advertising The research findings indicate that presupposition serves as a linguistic tool to suggest the existence of certain conditions or events As a result, presupposition effectively maximizes contextual impact on audiences while minimizing cognitive processing, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of advertisements.
Zhu Wenzhong and Li Jingyi (2013) explore the use of vague language in English commercial advertising across the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada, utilizing data from newspaper advertisements Grounded in pragmatic theory, particularly the Cooperative Principle and Conversational Implicature, their study reveals that vague language can serve both beneficial and detrimental purposes in advertising On the positive side, it enhances communication flexibility, conveys politeness and naturalness, boosts language expressiveness, enriches message content, and ensures information accuracy Conversely, if misused, vague language can lead to misunderstandings and false interpretations among readers.
Numerous studies have explored politeness strategies in advertising language, examining how politeness is conveyed in speech acts within ads Notable research in this area includes work by Koga & Pearson (1992), Hongfei Ke (2006), Wise (2011), and Pishghadam and Navari, contributing valuable insights into the role of politeness in marketing communication.
In 2012, Hongfei Ke and Wise utilized Brown & Levinson’s politeness model for their analysis, while Koga & Pearson, along with Pishghadam & Navari, integrated this model with additional politeness theories, including those proposed by Ting & Toomey (1988) and Leech (1983).
Koga and Pearson (1992) analyze politeness strategies in advertising through a cross-cultural pragmatic lens, integrating Brown and Levinson's and Ting and Toomey's models Their findings indicate that Japanese advertisers favor social strategies that reflect their collectivistic, vertical, and high-context culture, while American advertisers lean towards individual strategies associated with individualistic, horizontal, and low-context culture However, the study's focus on female readers may compromise the objectivity of the results, as gender can significantly influence outcomes Furthermore, a more nuanced approach to categorizing face strategies is recommended for future research.
Hongfei Ke (2006) utilizes a politeness model based on Brown and Levinson's theory to compare Chinese and American advertisements, analyzing 70 ads through the lens of negative versus positive face value, individual versus social face value, and self versus other face value The study reveals that Chinese advertisers favor collective and negative face strategies, reflecting their collectivistic and high-context culture, while American ads emphasize individual and positive face strategies, aligning with their individualistic and low-context culture Additionally, American advertisements prioritize other face strategies, whereas Chinese ads focus more on self-face strategies In terms of combined features, Chinese ads predominantly reflect Association/Collective/Other face concerns, while American ads lean towards Association/Individual/Other face concerns These findings offer valuable insights for international product promotion for both Chinese and American corporations and contribute to the fields of pragmatics and cross-cultural communication However, a larger sample size and a more precise categorization of face strategies would enhance the study's robustness.
In her 2011 study, Wise examines speech acts and politeness in magazine advertising across Spanish and English cultures, utilizing a cross-cultural pragmatic perspective The research applies speech act theory alongside the politeness models developed by Brown and Levinson to analyze how these elements influence advertising strategies in different linguistic contexts.
Wise (1987) and Leech (1983) explore directives and commissives in advertising, revealing that both Spanish and English advertisements predominantly utilize positive politeness strategies The study highlights distinct structural linguistic features inherent to each language that enhance these politeness strategies However, Wise's analysis is limited to advertisements from only two magazines—one for each language—restricting the generalizability of the findings Furthermore, the research is confined to only two types of speech acts, indicating the need for the inclusion of additional speech act types for a more comprehensive understanding.
Pishghadam and Navari (2012) explore the politeness strategies employed in English and Persian advertisements to analyze their persuasive elements Their study examines a corpus of 100 ads through the lens of Brown and Levinson’s (1987) politeness taxonomy The results show that English ads predominantly utilize positive politeness strategies, whereas Persian ads favor indirect off-record strategies Furthermore, the research highlights that the psychological strategies chosen by advertisers align with their cultural contexts, reflecting England's individualistic culture and Persia's collectivist nature While this study focuses on the variety of politeness strategies in English and Persian ads, it sets the stage for further investigation into the proportionality and visibility of politeness strategies in American and Vietnamese advertising.
A notable trend in advertising is the use of politeness, which involves analyzing conversational principles like the cooperative principle and politeness strategies Research by scholars such as Fang Liu (2012) and Abel (2014) has contributed to this understanding.
Fang Liu's 2012 study applied Grice's cooperative principle and Leech's politeness principle to analyze advertisements, revealing that advertisers often use indirect communication to convey information by intentionally flouting the maxims of cooperative principles This approach allows readers to infer conversational implicature from the literal meaning, thereby achieving special effects The study also found that the tact, generosity, and sympathy maxims of Leech's politeness principle are commonly applied in public service advertising, as they can increase attraction and persuade consumers more effectively.