2. Analysis of the Advertising Campaign “Budweiser American Ale”
2.1. Print advertisement “Inaugurale”
2.1.1. Selling Strategies and Approaches
2.1.2. Linguistic Analysis
2.1.3. Why and How the Advertisement Works
2.2. TV Commercial
2.2.1. Selling Strategies and Approaches
2.2.2. Linguistic Analysis
2.2.3. Why and How the Advertisement Works
2.3. A Successful Marketing Campaign?
3. Conclusion
References
Illustrations
1. Introduction
In our capitalist and profit-orientated society advertising plays a major role in economy and our everyday life. Nevertheless, it is often damned as annoying and of not much artistic depth. But advertising works on various meta-levels and is highly linguistic: it even has got its own “language” which includes all the verbal and non-verbal parts used to address the receiver.
Furthermore, we actually need advertisements to get an overview of the immense variety of products and to decide which ones are worth spending money on.
Advertising always means communication and discourse. The sender (here: company) wants to sell a certain product to a certain kind of receiver (here: customer) (Cook 2001: 240). In order to assure an efficient way of communication, each advertisement has to avail itself of a specific language.
The aim is to sell products and to gain popularity among a wide range of customers. And it can only work by steady interaction of the verbal and nonverbal parts of every print ad, radio spot or TV commercial (e.g. copy, visuals, colors, symbols, etc.).
This paper aims at analyzing the language of advertising and at proving the linguistic complexity of a good and well-designed advertisement. In order to prove that the language of each advertisement differs according its medium of publication and its expected influence and effect on the customer I will first analyze the “language” of two advertisements which belong to one campaign.
But they are realized in two different kinds of media – one of them is a print advertisement and the other one is the corresponding TV commercial. Referring to the categories[1] defined by Guy Cook (2001: 251-252) I will analyze the techniques used to transfer a specific message to the prospective customers in the print advertisement. Afterwards I will refer to the TV commercial in order to illustrate how advertising companies create attention value, memorability and make sure the selling power of their products increases.
2. Analysis of the Advertising Campaign “Budweiser American Ale”
The following advertisements were published by the American brewery Budweiser at the end of 2008 and advertise the newly introduced Budweiser American Ale. Therefore, both can clearly be defined as product ads.
I will begin with the analysis of the print advertisement and then I will concentrate on the complementary TV spot in order to illustrate in which elements they show remarkably congruity and where they provide new information to prospective customers.
2.1. Print Advertisement “Inaugurale”
This print advertisement would normally be found on a billboard or in a magazine.
The glass of ale in the centre of the picture and a six-pack in the lower left corner immediately signal that this is a beer advertisement.
Though the visual arrangement of the advertisement’s basic elements is very simple, it features all the basic elements of an advertisement: the product itself, a headline, a descriptive copy, a slogan and of course the brand logo and product name.
The product itself and the main title or headline “Inaugurale” account for about 75-80% of the complete space. The remaining 25-20 % are colored differently and feature further information on the product in the copy, the slogan of the campaign “Sip. Savor. Repeat.” and the obligatory note that “Responsibility matters” (see fig.1).
2.1.1. Selling Strategies and Approaches
I have already mentioned that the Budweiser ad can be identified as a product ad at first glance.
But does it make a direct appeal to its viewer (hard-sell) or does it work more subtle using a soft-sell approach? Here, we see that both approaches are used. The copy tells us to “try” and “discover” Budweiser American Ale. In consequence, it could be considered a hard-sell approach.
But due to the fact that those imperatives are very small concerning the seize they take up in the advertisement and that there are no exclamation marks, the order and instruction is softened and appears less irritating to the viewer. But still the advertisement aims at a certain action of the viewer: to try and discover their new product. This illustrates how to contrary approaches can work hand in hand and have a good influence on each other.
The same can be applied for reason vs. tickle. First, one might argue that there are hardly any reasons to buy alcohol. But having a closer look on the information given in the copy we will find reasoned explanation to buy Budweiser American Ale: it is “dry hopped”, has a “full-bodied taste” and “bright finish” so it needs to be of very good quality and very tasty.
Highlighting the origin of the “Cascade hops from the Pacific Northwest” it appeals to people who prefer to buy local products. But it also tickles the viewer with the wordplay of “Inaugurale” (see.2.1.2.) which is supported by the visual pun of putting the “ale” of “Inaugurale” into the frame of an ale glass. This proves that“… every advertisement contains both.
2.1.2. Linguistic Analysis
It was already mentioned that the headline itself is most dominant part of this advertisement. But not only because of its size but also because of its linguistic character.
Not only the visual pun makes the viewer stumble. The term “Inaugurale” itself needs further linguistic investigation as it is not part of our usual vocabulary. The advertising specialists of the Budweiser company took advantage of a well-known linguistic word formation process called “blending” (see fig.2).
This does not only cause a change in the phonetic pronunciation of the term’s last syllable from /əl/ to /eɪl/ but it also adds an additional component to the semantics of the term. An inaugural is usually defined as the first speech given by a (political) person on the occasion of his or her introduction into the new office. Budweiser makes use of this tradition in order to introduce their new ale.
And by making use of this linguistic phenomenon Budweiser assures that their headline creates attention value (Leech 1966:27) because “any kind of unorthodox behavior, linguistic or otherwise, compels notice” (Leech 1966:27).
But Budweiser did a very good job here. People do not like to be told what they have to do. And by omitting the exclamations marks in the imperative clauses they make their instruction less aggressive and more polite. Even though they still use imperative forms they sound more like kindly asking the people to buy their products.
2.1.3. Why and How the Advertisement Works
In order to understand the advertisement to its full extend one needs to be aware of its political allusion and background. Without its date of release and a basic knowledge of the American culture one would simply not get it. And that is exactly what makes the advertisement a little difficult for non-native speakers.
In conclusion, one could claim that the target group of this advertisement is limited to native English-speaking customers who are at least partly interested in politics.
Nevertheless, the ad is perfectly placed in time. As George W. Bush could not be re-elected in the 2008 elections of the American president, a new president was elected either way. It was a perfect marketing strategy to introduce a new product at the same time.
So the American population could celebrate a new political area with a brand new beer.
The print ad proves that there is no need for bright colors or complex pictures. A very distinct design with the focus on one or two catchy elements (in this case the blending and the visual pun) work as well and to not irritate the viewer. The ad works because the putative “mistake” in the headline catches the attention of the viewer and once you get the advertisements to its full extend you will probably remember it.
As most companies run their advertisements in various media (e.g. newspapers, television, radio and internet) it is not a big surprise that Budweiser promotes their American Ale not only in the print media. The following examination focuses on the corresponding TV commercial of Budweiser American Ale.
To match an advertisement to a certain campaign it has to feature at least some elements that are also used in the other publications. The TV sport corresponding to our analyzed print advertisement starts with a close-up shot of the product itself (see fig. 3). Just like in the print version the viewer immediately knows that this is a beer commercial.
The whole scenery is promoted by an off-screen voice which indirectly addresses the viewer: “There are moments in life worth savoring, friends worth savoring and now a new beer worth savoring. Introducing Budweiser American Ale: Dry-hopped and top-fermented for a full-bodied taste and a bright hoppy finish. It’s not just a new beer. It’s a whole new ale. New Budweiser American Ale” (see fig. 3-17).
At the end of the spot a freeze shot of the product itself features the basic elements we already know from the print ad (see fig. 19)
2.2.1. Selling Strategies and Approaches
Analyzing the selling strategies used in the TV spot the advertisement makes use of a soft-sell approach combined with tickling of the audience. The off-screen voice does not tell the viewer to “discover” or “try” the ale like the copy of the print advertisement did.
2.2.2. Linguistic Analysis
Analyzing the TV commercial according to its linguistic features the encounter a linguistic strategy that we have already met in the print advertisement. The TV commercial uses the word formation process of blending too (see fig.15). This time <Original> and <Ale> are blended to <Originale>. And again the causes a change in the phonetic pronounciation of the term (see fig. 18).
2.2.3. Why and How the Advertisement Works
At first glance the TV commercial appears very boring and ruins the expectations everyone who knows Budweiser TV commercials has. It is just like every other TV advertisement for beer and lacks any typical spirit of Budweiser.
It addresses a very large audience – everybody who likes to enjoy a glass of beer in the presence of his or her friends. And this target group includes even far more people than the print ad addresses.
2.3. A Successful Marketing Campaign?
Comparing both the TV commercial and the print advertisement one has to admit that Budweiser did a very good job in designing this advertising campaign.
Even though, or especially due to the completely different approaches and target groups the ads complement each other. Both feature the most important visual elements: the ale glass, the beer bottle, the catchy slogan “Sip. Savor. Repeat” and both remind the receiver to be responsible while drinking (see fig. 19). This creates memorability and recognition value and make sure both ads a perceived as belonging together.
Both advertisements have to be contrasted to “usual” Budweiser advertisements. The brewery is famous for its funny and extraordinary beer commercials[3]. But it cannot be denied that their American Ale campaign is rather isolated. But that is clearly done on purpose.
It is not only isolated in its style compared to “usual” Budweiser commercials, but also by excluding it from the standard Budweiser web page3 because it has its own one[4]. They want to make sure that Budweiser American Ale is perceived as a completely new and independent product.
3. Conclusion
Comparing both ads has shown that the form of an ad depends on its medium of publication. Ideally, TV commercials and radio spots attract the attention of prospective customers and make them curious about further information. Print advertisements and web pages provide room for further and detailed information about a certain product.
In conclusion the Budweiser American Ale Campaign is a coherent and convincing advertisement campaign.
References
Printed Sources
Cook, Guy. 2001. The Genre of Advertisement. In: The Discourse of Advertising. London: Routledge. 237-255.
Leech, Geoffry. 1966. Language and Motive. In: English in advertising: a linguistic study of advertising in Great Britain. London: Longmans. 25-31.
Strong, Edward K. 1925. Theories of Selling. Journal of Applied Psychology 9:75-86.
Simpson, Paul. 2001. ‘Reason’ and ‘Tickle’ as Pragmatic Constructs in the Discourse of Advertising. Journal of Pragmatics 33: 589-607
Web Sources
< (accessed: 16 December, 2011)
<: (accessed: 28 December, 2011.
Figure 1
: “Inaugurale” print advertisement of Budweiser American Ale
(including basic visual features of printed advertisements: )
Fig. 3 Fig.4
“There are moments in life worth savoring,
Fig.5 Fig.6
friends worth savoring
Fig.7 Fig. 8
And now a new beer worth savoring. Introducing Budweiser American Ale
Fig.9 Fig. 10
Dry hopped and top-fermented.
Fig. 11 Fig. 12
For a full bodied taste and a bright hoppy finish.
Fig. 13 Fig.14
It´s not just a new beer
Fig. 15 Fig. 16
It´s a whole new ale
Fig. 17
New Budweiser American Ale.”
Figure 18: Recurring visual elements in the print and TV advertisements
[1] The key words printed in bold refer to the categories defined by Cook (2001:251-252).
[3] For further examination of “usual“ Budweiser advertisements go to:
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