Advertising
All industries rely on what Lutz calls "weasel words," those stock phrases ubiquitous in advertising. Among the most common weasel words include "new and improved." As if with total disregard to the environmental degradation caused by overconsumption, companies seem hell-bent on getting consumers to upgrade and buy a new model of something they already own. By continually feel bad about they already have (it's too old, it's not cool anymore), consumers are more likely to invest in something only because it is "new."
Yet as Lutz points out, "new" does not necessarily mean improved. "What was wrong with the old product?" Lutz asks. Consumers need to become more savvy and aware. O'Neill takes a more objective stance in "The Language of Advertising," in which the author points out that advertising language can be used in an "edited and purposeful way" to convey the intended emotion. In fact, both Lutz and O'Neill show how advertisers manipulate consumers, and therefore suggest ways consumers...
The digital camera industry relies heavily on weasel words to sell its products, as each camera model is continually replaced by a new one year after year. Sometimes, the gap between new models is within a few months. This tactic is not limited to advertising alone but is in fact a core marketing strategy used to stimulate renewed interest, solidify brand awareness, and make the products seem fresh.
Digital camera advertisements also demonstrate the language of advertising: the appeal to humor, sex, and fantasy. The advertisements for digital cameras do not really tell us what we need to know about the camera such as its technical stats. In fact, the advertisements for digital cameras often include none of that information. To receive detailed information about the cameras we consumers must spend time reading camera magazines or Websites such as the Digital Camera Resource…
