A study on metaphors in english advertising slogans for food and beverage

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS A STUDY ON METAPHORS IN ENGLISH ADVERTISING SLOGANS FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE (NGHIÊN CỨU ẨN DỤ TRONG CÁC KHẨU HIỆU QUẢNG CÁO TIẾNG ANH VỀ THỰC PHẨM VÀ ĐỒ UỐNG) LƯU THỊ PHƯƠNG THẢO Hanoi, 2016 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M.A THESIS A STUDY ON METAPHORS IN ENGLISH ADVERTISING SLOGANS FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE (NGHIÊN CỨU ẨN DỤ TRONG CÁC KHẨU HIỆU QUẢNG CÁO TIẾNG ANH VỀ THỰC PHẨM VÀ ĐỒ UỐNG) LƯU THỊ PHƯƠNG THẢO Field: English Language Code: 60220201 Supervisor: Dr Tran Thi Thu Hien Hanoi, 2016 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled “A study on metaphors in English advertising slogans for food and beverage” submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Language Except where the reference is indicated, no other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Hanoi, 2016 Luu Thi Phuong Thao Approved by SUPERVISOR Date:…………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Doctor Tran Thi Thu Hien, my supervisor, who has constantly supported my study, and whose patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge have helped me in all the time of study and writing of this thesis and inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic studyer My sincere thanks go to all lecturers and the staff of the Department of Post Graduate Studies at Hanoi Open University for their useful materials, guidance and enthusiasm during my study at the institution Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my family, my friends for the help, consideration and encouragement they have devoted to the fulfillment of my study ii ABSTRACT Metaphors are not only found in everyday use of language, but also in advertisements The use of metaphorical expressions, specifically conceptual metaphors in advertising slogans is very common because they can attract attention and they can give positive inferences for the advertisement messages The metaphorical expressions can not be interpreted literally, but they must be inferred because they give new meanings to the expressions The understanding of metaphorical expressions can be drawn by mapping the features of source domain on the target domain By the mixture of qualitative and descriptive method and based on this condition, this study investigates metaphorical expressions used in advertising slogans for foods and beverage products through the answer of these questions: 1) What are the most common types of metaphor used in food and beverage advertising slogans? 2) What are the target and source domain of the metaphorical expressions used in food and beverage advertising slogans? 3) What are the implications for teaching and learning English as foreign language as well as in advertising field? Since then the study can help to understand more about metaphor and its uses in advertising slogans, identify the importance and characteristics of metaphorical expressions in food and beverage advertising slogans Meanwhile, it can improve knowledge of metaphor in advertisements, translation and communication in general iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Sample: CMT: Conceptual metaphor theory TV: Television Ad: Advertising iv LIST OF TABLES AND PICTURES TABLE Table 1: The frequency of each sub- types of Conceptual metaphor in food and beverage advertising slogans 37 Table 2: The general percentage of use of each sub- types of Conceptual metaphor in the whole forty slogans of food and beverage 38 Table 3: The analysis of target domain, source domain and metaphor concepts in 24 slogans .41 PICTURE Picture 1: Slogan for Leggo‟s New Deli Fresh 41 Picture 2: Slogan for Taco Bell 42 Picture 3: Slogan for Coke 44 Picture 4: Slogan “Open happiness” (Coca-cola) .46 Picture 5: Slogan “Real taste Uplifting freshment” (Coca-cola) .47 Picture 6: Slogan for South Cape Fine Foods Haloumi in Brine Advertisements 48 Picture 7: Slogan for Mrs Dash Advertisement 50 v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv LIST OF TABLES AND PICTURES v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Review of previous studies 2.2 Review of theoretical background 2.2.1 Theoretical framework 11 2.2.2 Theoretical background 12 2.2.2.1 Metaphor 13 2.2.2.2 Advertising slogan 23 2.2.2.3 The exploitation of metaphors in advertising slogans 30 2.3 Summary 31 Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY 32 3.1 Study-governing orientations 32 3.1.1 Research questions 32 3.1.2 Research setting 32 3.1.3 Research approach(es) 33 3.1.4 Principles/criteria for intended data collection and data analysis 33 3.2 Study methods 34 3.2.1 Major methods vs supporting methods 34 3.2.2 Data collection techniques 34 3.2.3 Data analysis techniques 35 3.3 Summary 36 vi Chapter 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 37 4.1 The most common types of metaphor used in advertising slogans for food and beverage 37 4.2 Metaphorical slogans by target domain and source domain 38 4.2.1 Product is an entity 41 4.2.2 Life is an entity 43 4.2.3 Emotion is an entity 45 4.2.4 Product is a person 47 4.2.5 Days are products 51 4.2.6 Characteristics are locations 52 4.3 Further implications for teaching, learning and advertising concerning the use of metaphorical expressions 53 4.3.1 For teaching and learning foreign language 53 4.3.2 For advertising 54 4.4 Summary 54 Chapter 5: CONCLUSION 55 5.1 Recapitulation 55 5.2 Concluding remarks (on each of the thesis objectives) 56 5.2.1 Concluding remarks (on the first objectives) 56 5.2.2 Concluding remarks (on the second objectives) 56 5.2.3 Concluding remarks (on the third objectives) 57 5.3 Limitations of the current study 57 5.4 Recommendations/Suggestions for a further study 58 5.4.1 Recommendations 58 5.4.2 Suggestions for a further study 58 REFERENCES 59 APPENDIX 61 vii Chapter INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale for the study Metaphors are very common in people‟s daily life; whether people realize it or not, they actually have used metaphors to understand something since metaphors are characterized as “understanding and experiencing one kind of things in terms of another” and metaphors are “primarily a matter of thought and action and only derivatively a matter of language” Metaphor has been concerned by many linguists because it is an outstanding linguistic phenomenon in language For many different purposes, metaphor is used in many fields to find out its real nature in communication In fact, more and more people have used metaphor effectively Metaphor is very closely related to human‟s everyday life, so it is not surprising that “a contemporary advertising contains many metaphors” (Forceville, 1996: 67) And at present, metaphor has become one of the most popular devices for advertising The advertisers always like to use metaphor in their advertisements because metaphor refers to language use that explains something other than what it literally means through the comparison two things to make a connection between them A well chosen metaphor will greatly prompt people‟s desire to buy a certain product Using metaphor in advertising satisfies customers‟ curiosity and excitement but sometimes causes many difficulties to understand Because advertising slogans can attract customers‟ attention and give positive inferences for the advertisement messages by mapping the features of “kissed” The characteristics of a person as the source domain that can dress and be kissed are mapped on the product as the target domain “Then dressed in a Lemon Gown” is also the source domain mapped on the advertised product However, dressed has two meanings of putting on clothes or putting something on food, specifically lemon The slogan implies that Haloumi in Brine with lemon dresing is not only easy to make but also tasty with attractive appearance 15) Hand in hand with Australia (McDonald’s, 2006) McDonald‟s restaurant in Australia is personified as a human being when using hand in hand phrase It means holding others‟ hands while walking that is only among close friends having close relationship Australians when seeing this slogan would feel that McDonald‟s is their friend This metaphorical expression refers to the aim of creating long-lasting connection between McDonald‟s with Australians in particular and Australia in general 16) It gives you wings (Red Bull) “It give you wings” is an example of metaphor This slogan uses personification obviously Literally, the explanation for this slogan is that the energy drink is supposed to give consumers so much energy that they could fly However, it should be understood by the metaphorical meaning “gives wings” means brings customers happiness, creativity and other positive feelings Red Bull is considered to be a source of strong motivation, whenever drinking it, people can be cheered up and energetic 17) Benecol Keep cholesterol at bay (Benecol yoghurt drink) Here appears a conceptual metaphor when connecting two parts of the slogan into a complete sentence: “Benecol keeps cholesterol at bay” This slogan is used for a famous yoghurt brand called Benecol, which features 49 healthiness and low fat Cholesterol is conceived of as an entity that could be kept under control It is rather conventional to conceptualize an abstract concept in terms of a physical object Then it could be identified that Benecol is considered as a person that can keep an eye on and control an object 18) That’s McDonald’s … with Yee-Hah (McDonald’s, 2009) The conceptual metaphor the tastes of American series are people is realized in the slogan This slogan is also used for a new menu of food in McDonald‟s Yee-Hah is typically used by American people in spoken English With this knowledge of the tastes of American series, it is possible to understand the food of the new menu as American people who are saying Yee-Hah to the customers It becomes fun to try American series because the food is lively and they remind you of the energetic American people saying Yee-Hah The products so become vivid and alive by this conceptual metaphor Picture 7: Slogan for Mrs Dash Advertisement 19)“Perk up plain potatoes!” 20) “Bring on the burger!” (Mrs Dash Advertisement) 50 These slogans contains ontological metaphor: Product is a person which is inferred from the first slogan “Perk up plain potatoes!” and the second slogan in the advertisement: “Bring on the burger!” The target domain in the metaphor is the product and the source domain is a person The characteristic of the source domain, the person in the personification that can perk up plain potatoes and bring on the burger are mapped on the target domain, the product Literally, “to perk up” has several meanings: “to become lively and active such as after depression or illness” “Perk up plain potatoes” infers the idea that Mrs Dash is capable to make plain potatoes become delicious food; therefore, it can raise smartly one‟s appetite and finally make somebody energetic and lively It is not just for plain potatoes; Mrs Dash can also bring on the burger The word “bring on” means “produce” or “bring into action”, so it infers the idea that Mrs Dash as the product, enables nice burgers to be produced or enables people to bring into action the production of nice burgers 4.2.5 Days are products 21) Brew a better day (Green Mountain Coffee) Implicates the idea that a cup of Green mountain coffee will make people fresh The word brew has two meanings: literally, it means prepare by soaking or boiling and figuratively, it means bring about, forming Therefore the features of being fresh, cool, bright and clear are mapped from the source domain to the target domain Thus, it can be interpreted that starting a different day from other days in the better way by drinking a cup of Green mountain coffee will not only makes people fresh, bright and cool but also bring about a great morning and a wonderful day 51 22) Mac your day (McDonald’s, 2000) This slogan combines both metonymy and metaphor, and metaphor is realized through the usage of metonymy In order to draw the conceptual metaphor days are products, specifically is food, the metonymical use of Mac have to be analyzed first Mac is the nickname of the star product of McDonald‟s It is a kind of hamburger and is originally used as a noun, only in this slogan it functions as a verb and could be understood in two ways It could mean eat your day like eating the Big Mac or turn your day into a Mac Mac is the object involved in the action and is used to stand for the action Only at this point can we come to the conclusion that day is conceptualized as food in the slogan 4.2.6 Characteristics are locations 23) Things that will make you go MMMMMM (McDonald’s, 2002) The conceptual metaphor states are locations appears in this slogan States can be understood as locations so that changes to states can be understood as movements from one location to another This common conceptual metaphor is explored by MMMMMM in slogan After having a square meal, we would make the sound MMMMMM It is posible that we are full and satisfied Our faces would screw up if we feel angry and on the other hand, our faces would crumple into a smile if we are happy What happens in the slogan is that MMMMMM is also the first letter of the brand McDonald‟s The implication is passed on to the customers Turn to McDonald‟s means arriving at the state of satisfaction 24) A million Miles from Humdrum (Chicago Town pizza) The source concept of location is used to understand the characteristic of the product The trait of humdrum is conceived as a place or location The 52 longer the distance is, the less the two places have in common In this slogan, Chicago Town pizza is a million miles from humdrum Judged through our experience, a million miles is a long distance The distance between the product and humdrum implies their difference It infers that the food full of fun and interest is very different from humdrum 4.3 Further implications for teaching, learning and advertising concerning the use of metaphorical expressions 4.3.1 For teaching and learning foreign language This study maybe help teachers well know new discoveries in study of metaphors and elaborate on theoretical basis behind language phenomenon of various kinds and organize pieces of language phenomenon into a whole by dint of metaphor theories, since then have deeper insight into metaphorical expressions and their significance in teaching language The study also provides teachers with valuable source that is necessary in meeting students‟ studying needs From teaching metaphor, teacher can provide students with deeper understanding of culture, history, geography, values, lifesyles of English speaking countries As the whole, with further knowledge, teachers can encourage their students to learn and perceive language through practising and applying metaphor Students are provided with two lists of linguistic expressions, one in their mother tongue and the other in English They are then required to identify the metaphorical content of each expression using italics and to indicate the source domain in order to map conceptual metaphors In order to familiarise students with the source domains they are expected to be able to identify in English The result of the study is maybe beneficial to English learners The analysis will offer them a clearer insight into metaphor use Moreover, the 53 study helps learners enrich their knowledge about conceptual metaphors in the conceptual metaphor theory (CMT) With comprehension of the source domain and the target domain, this helps students conceptualize as well as write and translate metaphorical expressions better 4.3.2 For advertising The study can help advertisers with important information and necessary knowledge about using metaphor in advertising slogans Accordingly, they can apply into designing and writing advertising slogans and advertisements effectively The advertisers can use metaphors in advertisements in order to make advertising language more exciting, interesting, lively with the aim at drawing the customers‟ attention and persuade them to buy products and services as much as possible 4.4 Summary From the findings and discussion on food and beverage advertising slogans, it is clear that most of the slogans chosen contain ontological metaphor Besides, structural metaphors are also favored The target domain refers to the advertised product and source domain, which is chosen by the advertisers, contain positive features concerning the advertised product which are mappable on the target domain By finding the characteristics of the source domain and mapping them on the target domain of the metaphor, the inference of the metaphorical expressions could be drawn Since then there are some practical implications for teaching, learning and advertising concerning the use of metaphorical expressions 54 Chapter CONCLUSION 5.1 Recapitulation The study is originated from the interest of metaphors, especially metaphors used in English advertising slogans or food and beverage For the purpose of the classifying and analyzing, 40 advertising slogans are chosen from international food and beverage brands such as: Coca-cola, Burger king, Mc Donald, Pepsi and other famous ones However, the study is analyzed within 24 slogans only from a variety of source Accordingly, the aim of the study is given to explore metaphors used in food and beverage slogans, favored to advertisers and popular with customers After all 40 slogans are classified into types based on Lakoff and Johnson‟s classification, an analysis of the target domain, source domain and metaphor concept is conducted In fact, all 40 slogans have the conceptual sense in their metaphor expressions By using ontological metaphor, the advertises can make readers understand the inferences of the metaphorical expressions more easily since readers as human beings can compare the advertised product with human characteristics better than with other comparison that makes up an important part of metaphors in advertising slogans Personification treats the advertised product as if it were a human being and the human characteristics in the source domain are mapped on the target domain The products are personified and given personal characteristics By doing this, customers would probably feel close to the product and the brand It would by large chance promote the selling power of the advertisements It is obvious that metaphors in food and beverage slogans transfer the values of the product as well as the producer‟s 55 message to consumers in different ways Since then findings is applicable to teaching and learning foreign language and advertising as well 5.2 Concluding remarks (on each of the thesis objectives) By describing advertising slogans and analyzing their metaphorical expressions, this study meets the objectives mentioned in the chapter one 5.2.1 Concluding remarks (on the first objectives) + Objective restated: To provide the most common types of metaphor used in food and beverage advertising slogans + Remarks: As mentioned in chapter two - Literature review, metaphor is classified into many types Apparently, 24 food and beverage advertising slogans are analyzed and interpreted to find out those types and clarify what are the most frequently used, the result is ontological metaphor which represents the most favored However, compared to orientational metaphor, structural metaphor is also a popular choice So the findings of chapter four really meet objective 5.2.2 Concluding remarks (on the second objectives) + Objective restated: To clarify the target and source domain of the metaphorical expressions used in food and beverage advertising slogans + Remarks: A metaphor is a figure of speech that is based on a comparison between two different objects in which one object is being understood in terms of the other one Therefore, metaphors consist of two domains: a target and a source domain As we know, the target domain refers to an object that has its properties and attributes borrowed from the source domain, in order to understand its meaning In this study some aspects of target domain and source domain are explored such as: Product is an entity, life is an entity, emotion is an entity, product is a person, days are products and characteristics are locations 56 5.2.3 Concluding remarks (on the third objectives) + Objective restated: To suggest some implications for teaching and learning English as foreign language as well as in advertising field + Remarks: The knowledge of metaphor is very useful for learning and teaching foreign language that helps teachers provide students with valuable ways of understanding culture, history, geography, lifestyle, values through metaphor, since then students can learn and perceive language through practising and applying metaphor effectively Study on metaphors also has relevance to advertising as well since both are so intertwined in our daily lives Advertisers hoping to modify beliefs, behaviors, and thinking could study metaphors in language Metaphor has implications then for the study of mass communication Metaphorical messages are present in advertising field in general and in advertising slogans in particular 5.3 Limitations of the current study Due to the shortage of time and length, the study reveals some limitations: - The study is carried out for food and beverage advertising slogans only, so it is considered to be one aspect of studies on advertising slogans in general - The study focuses on English advertising slogan without making comparison with Vietnamese advertising ones - The slogans of food and beverage products are taken into consideration while other parts of advertisement are not studied I would be very grateful to those that take interest in the topic Any comment, advice, and adjustment are very valuable to make this study more fulfilled, clearer, and more perfect 57 5.4 Recommendations/Suggestions for a further study 5.4.1 Recommendations From the findings and analysis, we realize that conceptual metaphor plays an important part in advertising slogans The advertisers need to pay attention to the results and take the advantage of using metaphorical expression to serve their advertising purposes In fact, the advertisers can use metaphors in their advertisements in order to make advertising language more catchy, exciting and persuasive with the aim at drawing the customers‟ attention and arouse them to buy their products 5.4.2 Suggestions for a further study This study is carried out to identify and analyze metaphorical expressions used in English advertisising slogans for food and beverage in hope of providing useful information to marketers and advertisers when developing their products However, to create an effective advertising slogan, further study would be necessary Study in this area in the future should concentrate on how the consumer reacts and interacts with conceptual metaphors A questionaire of the most favourite slogans might be created This descriptive study set out to merely identify the metaphors in use at the present time, but as advertising tendency might change and grow fast in the future, further study will become more important So we would like to suggest some researches on the following aspects: - The study on metaphors in English advertising slogans of other aspects such as: banking, perfume, fashion, cosmetics, etc - The study on metaphors in English advertising slogans in comparison with Vietnamese - The study on metaphors in English advertising headline, image, logo, body, etc 58 REFERENCES Croft, W and Cruse, D.A (2004) Cognitive Linguistics Cambridge University Press Chun, Lan (2005) Cognitive Linguistics and Metaphoric Study Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research press Cruse, D A (2000) Meaning in language: An introduction to semantics and pragmatics New York: Oxford Universtiy Press Delicious (January, July, 2012) Retrieved April 10, 2012, from http://magazinesdownload.com Every Day with Rachael Ray (July/August, 2012) Retrieved May 20, 2012, from http://magazinesdownload.com Forceville,C (2008) “Metaphor in pictures and multimodal representations” In R W Gibbs, Jr (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Metaphor and T, 462-482 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Kovecses, G (1986) Metaphors of Anger, Pride and Love Amstendam:Benjamins Kövecses, Z (2002) Metaphor: A Practical Introduction New York: Oxford University Press Knowles, M & Moon, R (2006) Introducing metaphor London and New York: Routledge Kövecses, Z (2010) Metaphor (2 nd ed.) Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press Lakoff, G (1987) Women, Fire and Dangerous Things: What Categories reveal about the Mind Chicago:University of Chicago Press Lakoff, G and M Johnson (1980) Metaphors We Live By Chicago: University of Chicago Press 59 Lakoff, G and M.Turner (1989) More than Cool Reason: A Field Guide to Poetic Metaphor Chicago:University of Chicago Press Lackoff, G and Johnson, M (2003) Metaphors We Live By London: The University of Chicago Press Lundmark, C (2005) Metaphor and Creativity in British Magazine Advertising PhD Thesis, Luleå University of Technology Available at http://epubl.ltu.se/1402-1544/2005/42/LTU-DT-0542-SE.pdf Ortony, A (1929) Metaphor and Thought Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Ortony, A (1993) Metaphor, Language and Thought Metaphor and Thought Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Richards, I.A (1936) The Philosophy of Rhetorics London: Oxford University Press Sutton, T., and Whelan, B M (2004) The complete color harmony Singapore: Rockport Publishers 60 APPENDIX LIST OF SELECTED ADVERTISING SLOGANS It Gives You Wings (Red Bull) Obey your thirst (Sprite) Refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach (Heineken) Keep hunger locked up till lunch (Shreddies Cereal) The joy of Cola (Pepsi) The pause that refreshes (Coca-Cola) Right Now (Pepsi) Bags of taste without the handles (Weight Watchers frozen desserts) Pleasure is the path to joy (Haagen-Dazs, ice cream brand) 10 Because Life‟s full of surprise (Life) 11 Earl: Employee of the Month (Burger King) 12 Think outside the bun (Taco Bell) 13 In the land of Burgers, Whopper is king (Burger King, 2001) 14 The Coke Side of Life (Coca-Cola, 2006) 15 Progresso A taste of the good life! (Progresso soup brand) 16 Earth Grains Discover a healthier slice of Life! (Earth Grains bread) 17 Put a smile on (McDonald‟s, 2002) 18 Unwrap a smile (Little Debbie snack cakes) 19 The Choice Is Yours (Pepsi) 20 Real taste, Uplifting refreshment (Coca-Cola, 2009) 61 21 Make up your own mind (McDonald‟s, 2006) 22 Pepsi A Generation Ahead ( Pepsi) 23 “It just needs to be kissed gently by a frying pan Then dressed in a Lemon Gown” 24 Hand in hand with Australia (McDonald‟s, 2006) 25 It gives you wings (Red Bull) 26 Benecol Keep cholesterol at bay (Benecol yoghurt drink) 27 That‟s McDonald‟s … with Yee-Hah (McDonald‟s, 2009) 28 Be Young, Have Fun, Drink Pepsi (Pepsi) 29 “Bring on the burger!” 30 Brew a better day (Green Mountain Coffee) 31 Mac your day (McDonald‟s, 2000) 32 Things that will make you go MMMMMM (McDonald‟s, 2002) 33 A million Miles from Humdrum (Chicago Town pizza) 34 Finger lickin‟ good ( KFC) 35 Make it great ( Pizza Hut) 36 Feed your inner child (McDonald‟s, 2005) 37 Gotta Have It, Chill Out (Pepsi) 38 Open Happiness (Coca-Cola, 2009) 39 Perk up plain potatoes! (Dash) 40 Transparent with a plastic body No wonder it goes down well in Hollywood (Evian mineral water) 62 LƯU THỊ PHƯƠNG THẢO ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2014 - 2016 ... common types of metaphor used in food and beverage advertising slogans? 2) What are the target and source domain of the metaphorical expressions used in food and beverage advertising slogans? ... “understanding and experiencing one kind of things in terms of another” and metaphors are “primarily a matter of thought and action and only derivatively a matter of language” Metaphor has been concerned... expressions used in food and beverage advertising slogans (iii) To suggest some implications for teaching and learning English as foreign language as well as in advertising field 1.4 Scope of the study