You are probably familiar with many figures of speech, which are phrases or words used in different ways than their literal meanings. Figures of speech emphasize, clarify, or embellish spoken and written language; thus, advertising campaigns often employ figures of speech to catch consumers' eyes, make them smile, and make them remember the product advertised. Simile, metaphor, hyperbole, and personification are commonly used figures of speech, though advertisers use less common types as well. The following article introduces five less common figures of speech that can be used in advertising and beyond.
Antithesis
You are probably familiar with antithesis, which puts together two words, phrases, or ideas that have contrasting meanings; the contrast balances itself out by juxtaposing two opposites. Antithesis works well in advertising because it is a good way to express ideas efficiently and memorably for my essay writer. For example, a Sara Lee ad says, "Everybody doesn't like something, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee." Antitheses often make you stop and think for a minute, to understand what the advertisement is actually saying; this thought-provoking tactic makes the slogan stick in your mind even more.
Chiasmus
Chiasmus is a classic rhetorical device that has been used often in advertising. This figure of speech is a type of antithesis that introduces one phrase by professional college essay writers, then follows it with a parallel phrase in reverse order. One of the best-known examples of chiasmus in advertising is, "I am stuck on Band-Aid brand 'cause Band-Aid's stuck on me." Other examples are 7-Up's, "You like it, It likes you" and StarKist Tuna's slogan, "StarKist doesn't want tuna with good taste, StarKist wants tuna that tastes good." Chiasmus works well in advertising because the reversal and repetition of the same words is memorable.
Anaphora
Anaphora is another rhetorical device that uses repetition for emphasis and memorability. Anaphora requires starting two or more phrases or sentences with the same word or phrase. It is a powerful tool in advertising because it grab's the listener's attention. Take this phrase from a Wendy's commercial, "Right Price. Right Size Menu." Or this one, from Sherwin Williams, "Ask how. Ask now." The repetition of words means that you have fewer words overall to remember, and you particularly remember the repeated words.
Metonymy
Metonymy is a more complex figure of speech that requires replacing a word or phrase with a similar word or phrase that represents the original one. For example, "the press" is often used to refer to all of news media, and "Wall Street" is used to represent the stock market and those who work there. In advertising, metonymy is less commonly used in slogans, but is rather employed in visual campaigns. A brand's logo, such as the Nike "swoosh," represents the entire brand, so when people see the well-known image, they immediately think of the company.
Synecdoche
Synecdoche is a type of metonymy, more specifically using one part of something to represent a whole. For example, body parts like hands are often used to represent an entire the essay writer, as in "all hands on deck." Automobile advertisers may use phrases like "your new wheels" to talk about cars they are selling. Another example of using synecdoche in advertising is when you use a brand name to refer to a generic product, as in saying "Kleenex" to refer to tissues or "Q-Tip" for cotton swab.
As you can see, figures of speech are commonly used in advertising. The trick is for advertisers to come up with original slogans and campaigns that cleverly play on words and use techniques like repetition or juxtaposition to add emphasis and draw the consumer in. Advertising must be memorable in order for people to buy products, which is why rhetorical devices such as anaphora and chiasmus are so commonly used. Once you begin to understand the rhetorical devices, you will begin to recognize them in advertisements and you could even write my essay custom writing with powerful slogans.
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