A World We Live In - Unit6

ranked according to preference. The client is then asked to reject words which may suggest other products or which for other reasons are unacceptable. A second short list of 50 words is eventually made. These are scrutinised even further until finally a list of no more than 4 or 5 words is drawn. The trademark can then be confidently chosen.

Choosing a brandname in this scientific way shows us yet another important use of language. Some brandnames, such as biro or hoover, have become so famous that they have been incorporated into the English language as nouns. Others, such as Coco Cola, are well known world wide. Only one question remains to be asked and that is do we really need the consumer products the advertisers so skilfully persuade us to buy?..

(Lesley Bonner)

II. See if you can match the brand names under column A with the products under column B. Dwell on the choice of the brandname (associations, word-formation, spelling etc.).

III. Comment on the brandname of any well-known consumer product. Tell if the choice was good or bad.

IV. Read the text; do the exercises coming after it; sum up the techniques and devices used in advertising and present them in the form of a recommendation for the beginners.

ENGLISH IN ADVERTISEMENTS

Supplying information about a product is an essential function of advertising, but its most fundamental aim is to persuade the potential consumer to buy or use the product. More often than not the value of the information is doubtful, but there is no doubt about the intention of the advertiser.

Advertisements attempt to make a product as attractive as possible using a number of techniques and devices. In radio and TV advertisements, the quality of the announcer’s voice and the kind of accompanying music contribute to the effectiveness of the appeal. Similarly, written advertisements make use of extralinguistic visual devices such as attractive drawings, photographs, colour, the lettering and the layout of the text.

Basically, however, both spoken and written advertising rely on words; advertising depends on how skillfully they are used. The skill of the advertiser often reminds of that of the literary author; they both use their language in a creative way. However, the effect of an advertisement is different from that produced by literature because it lacks a certain kind of

integrity; it is designed to manipulate the mind of the reader and, instead of projecting objective aesthetic values, it plays on the personal emotions of the reader.

For obvious reason, these aspects of advertising are never made apparent in the message; they are usually well hidden under the glamorous appeal or flattering promises of the text. In his well known book on advertising techniques Vance Packard warns against such

“hidden persuasion”.

It sometimes requires experience and strong willpower to resist the glittering charm of certain advertisements, and it is small wonder that many inexperienced readers would respond to the following advertisement for candles as they would to a poetic description in a romantic novel:

Candleflame... fragile, yet so alive! There is witchery in the mellow glow of a candle against a mirror... near a ticking clock... beside the tea-service... above the cool linen and silver of dinner... Candles are made to be burned and are most lovable when lifting their buoyant soft little flames.

It takes a critical reader indeed to discern the appeal to one’s snobbish dreams, which the candles are apparently to fulfil! There is a false promise of elegance; it is assumed that the candles themselves will create the beauty of the scene. The exaggeration of effect is hightened by giving life to the candles; they are “lovable”!

Advertisements based on flattery, one of the most effective techniques of persuasion, often assume an intimate tone, talking directly to the reader about the product made

“especially” for him.

“This is YOUR kind of car”, they assure the reader. “It’s big. It’s powerful. It’s faster than thought. And it looks great from every angle. It’s made to suit YOU”.

The psychological appeal of this type of advertisement depends mainly on one’s desire for power and status, especially for men. In other advertisements, it may be an attractive appearance, higher intelligence, good health, the ability to make friends easily or similar qualities the reader may wish to posses which the advertisement promises the product will assure.

Some advertisements are effective because they appeal to man’s feeling of insecurity.

They depict various dangers - loss of job, loss of good health, loss of property, humilations, and so on - which await one and from which only the proper tablets, shampoo, insurance licence, face cream, walking stick, tooth paste, spring matresses, or whatever, will save one.

This psychological appeal to the reader’s emotions may be reinforced by seemingly logical reasoning and pseudo-scientific argumentation. An example of this type is the advertisement which describes the structure of the spine and how it is affected by lying on different surfaces. These are described one by one and blamed for causing damage to the spine, thus “proving” that only the particular matress advertised can help to avoid the otherwise inevitable danger of having a crippled spine.

Sex appeal is present in an overwhelming number of advertisements which either promise that certain products will make the consumer extremely popular with the opposite sex, or cleverly stimulate sexual appetites by choosing appropriate associations for the products. To this end pictures and photographs are often used. They not only make the products desirable but also attract attention to the advertisement.

There is so much advertising going on in western countries that is has become difficult for the advertisers to compete, to influence people to buy their products. And so they use interesting illustrations, choose eye-catching graphic techniques for their texts, and brighten them up in striking colours. Sometimes they are puzzling, unusual or comical and so catch the eye. For example, spelling is often purposefully changed; instead a show tonight posters may announce a show tonite. New coinages are constantly appearing as in the piece of advice written in this manner:

DRINK A PINTA MILKA DAY

Play on words, alliteration, rhythm and rhyme are additional means of attracting and drawing attention, as well as making the message easy to remember. The example below is a memorable advertisement for a kind of petrol:

GO WELL, GO SHELL

Striking word combinations such as sixth-heaven cake serve the same purpose. They may make little sense on the level of literal meaning, but they evoke pleasant associations and in this way make the product itself seem pleasing; it is through associations that most advertisements manipulate the psychological response of the reader. The style of such advertisements tends to be exaggerated and abounds in hyperbolic modifiers such as fabulous, super, fantastic, top quality, etc. This excessive enthusiasm appears also in numerous exclamations, which, together with sentence equivalents and imperatives urging the reader to buy, are characteristic features of the style of advertising language.

The use of overstatement does not contribute to simplicity of style; nevertheless it is simple in the sense that it adopts a conversational rather than a sophisticated tone in order to reach more people. It is also straightforward, but this straightforwardness of style is seldom present in the message. For this reason, advertisements must not be accepted uncritically nor at face value.

a)Questions:

1.What is the aim of advertising? 2. What techniques and devices are used in various advertisements? 3. How do they play on the personal emotions of the consumer? 4. Why is pseudo-scientific argumentation so effective? 5. What is another effective device of modern advertising? 6. What is typical for the language of advertising?

b)Support or challenge the following statements:

1. More often than not the value of the information is doubtful, but there is no doubt about the intention of the advertiser. 2. The skill of the advertiser often reminds of that of the literary author; they both use their language in a creative way. 3. An advertisement is designed to manipulate the mind of the reader and, instead of projecting objective aesthetic values, it plays on the personal emotions of the reader. 4. It sometimes requires experience and strong willpower to resist the glittering charm of certain advertisements. 5. There is so much advertising going on in western countries that it has become difficult for the advertisers to compete. 6. Advertisements must not be accepted uncritically nor at face value.

V. Working in pairs (groups) discuss why it is so difficult to resist the appeal of advertisements. Give your reasons. Present the result of your discussion to the class.

VI. Read the following advertisements. Discuss the ways and means used to achieve maximum effect of appeal. Define the psychological appeal of the advertisements.

1. Are you using yesterday’s makeup for today’s face?

Lucidity

Light-Diffusing Makeup SPF8

It’s that rarest of things - a true breakthrough. A Makeup that covers flawlessly... yet look natural. A makeup that moisturizes and protects your skin, every minute you’re wearing it. And, it reflects light away from lines and shadows - makes them seem to disappear. You don’t see the makeup... you see the perfection. In shades to match every skin, from palest porcelain to rich chocolate. Wear it with Lucidity loose or pressed power. Lucidity. Today’s

makeup. Only from Estee Lauder. 2. Brain Wave

The idea just hit up at Ocean Spray. Take the delicious tang of Cranberry Juice. Add the richness of Blackcurrant.

And you have a taste experience that’s thirst drenchingly different and totally unique.

New Ocean Spray Cranberry & Blackcurrant Deliciously sweet, then quenchingly crisp and very fruity. It will startle your taste buds and engulf your thirst.

Packed full of vitamin C, this brain wave gives new meaning to Blackcurrant. Get ready for the new Ocean Spray wave of flavour.

Ocean Spray. The wave of Refreshment.

3. OVER 55?

We challenge you to insure your home this well...

Are you tired of paying too much for your home insurance - because you have to pay the price for those less careful than you?

Because Advantage55 is only for people aged 55 or over who take better care of their homes and possessions it offers exceptional cover at an exceptionally low cost. We challenge you to find this high level of cover such a small premium!

Advantage55 automatically gives you home contents cover up to $50,000 and up to $500,000 of buildings cover - giving you complete peace of mind and real security. It means an excellent level of service too - our helplines give you instant access to knowledgeable staff to help with queries, claims - or emergencies. They will arrange for repairs to be made straight away by trustworthy tradesmen - and settle the bill directly.

How much will you save with Advantage55? Take the Advantage55 challenge today - simply call our telephone team, or use the coupon - and find out.

4. Cartier

The Store

Like some fabulous, legendary jewel box, the Cartier Store offers treasures of dazzling refinement. Exclusive creations from a celebrated jeweller. Superb collections of stunningly inventive objects. From the luxuriously prestigious to the elegantly functional. Everything is extraordinary. Everything tempts. Jewellery, wristwatches, lighters, eyewear, writing instruments, leather goods, perfumes, tableware...

The Cartier Store epitomises the fine art of living, the fine art of giving: the art of being unique.

5. INSENS Wild and impulsive... for men.

For the man with a flair for happiness, joie de vivre and sense of fun. INSENS de Givenchy. Fresh, joyful and irresistible. Expressing all that is surprising and unexpected with its original fragrance: a floral - woody - ambered harmony.

6. Don’t fret about that obsolete doorbell and never miss another caller, with...

Wireless Door Chime/Pager System only $39.95 *But read this ad for an even better deal!

If your doorbell has seen better days and if re-wiring is a hassle and an expense you’d rather avoid, the Wireless Door Chime/Pager System is for you. Or if you are in your workroom, in the backyard or in your living room, with the TV going full blast, this System will always alert you. Attach the pushbutton Ringer on or near any door. Position the Chime permanently in any convenient place or carry it with you wherever you are in your home or office, Its pleasant bell sound will never let you miss any caller. There is no wiring at all - it’s all done by FM radio transmission, with a range of over 100 ft. And the System has another

very useful application: It’s a Pager for home and office. Carry the Ringer switch with you, give the Chime(s) to your child(ren) and round them up when you need them. And it’s a godsend of course when you have a sick child at home or anybody who might need to page you.

We are the foremost importers of the Rodelvox Wireless Door Chime/Pager System in the United States and are therefore able to bring you this useful product for just $39.95 per set. But we have an even better deal: Buy two for $79.90, and we’ll send you a third one, with our compliments - absolutely FREE! Never miss another caller, another delivery, and another call from the sickroom. Get your Wireless Remote Door Chime/Pager System today!

7. You don’t have to be a saint to have a Halo.

The wickedly delicious caramel, honey and nougat bar drenched in milk chocolate but only 97 calories. Halo has less fat than the top ten best-selling chocolate snack bars.

8. A flower’s true beauty disappears with the morning dew.

Evian lets you hold onto yours all day long.

Just like a flower, your skin loses precious moisture as the day wears on. But now you can replace lost moisture, instantly, with something even softer than the morning dew, Evian. Evian’s ultra-fine mist spray and nature PH-balance allow quick and thorough absorption, whether we’re wearing make-up or not, putting back moisture and revitalising the skin cells. Evian mist spray will instantly freshen your appearance. Soothing and calming from dawn till dusk. Available at Boots, Lloyds and other department stores, chemists and beauty salons. JCA Product Ltd, Molesey, Surrey KT8 2UZ.

9. LET THE BREATH OF AEOLOS MOVE YOU

Aeolos was known for his extraordinary abilities as a sailor. In recognition of his accomplishments, he was appointed keeper of the winds. Winds that he breathes over ancient seas. The aegean. The ionian. The saronic. The playground of the Gods.

Steady winds. Friendly waters. Inviting shores. Mythical islands of legendary Greek hospitality, separated by distances no greater than 60 miles. And, 330 days of perfect sunshine. Plain sailing that will leave you breathless.

Did the Gods choose Greece because it is a water paradise? Or is Greece paradise because the Gods lived here? You might find the answer whispered by Aeolos.

The Gods could have chosen to breathe anywhere. They chose the air of Greece.

10. Introducing The New Chrysler Town & Country LXI

The new Chrysler Town & Country LXI minivan is proof that it truly is possible to make a luxury of necessity. The kind of vehicle you need has, indeed, become the kind of vehicle you want.

Chrysler Town & Country’s luxuries are now impressively complemented by increased spaciousness and versatility. Town & Country offers more passenger space than luxury car short of a limousine. And it offers more cargo volume than any other minivan. With cabforward design, a wider track and a range of suspension system improvements and innovations, you’ll find a ride that is even smoother, stabler and quieter than before. It’s not quite a sport coupe - but what sport coupe can you slip a sheet of plywood into?

The new Chrysler Town & Country LXI. An uncompromised union of luxury and capability.

11. Ask your doctor for a trial of once-a-day, 24-hour C L A R I T I N.

Clear relief without drowsiness. In studies, the incidence of drowsiness was similar to placebo (sugar pill) at the recommended dose. Drowsiness may occur if you take more than the recommended dose.

Clear relief for 24 hours. One dose per day provides effective relief from seasonal nasal allergy symptoms.

Clear relief with a low occurrence of side effects. Side effects occurred about as often as they did with placebo (sugar pill). Most common were headache, occurring with 12% of people; drowsiness, 8%; fatigue, 4%; and dry mouth, 3%.

Nondrowsy antihistamines, such as CLARITIN, are available by prescription only. Call 1-800-CLARITIN (1-800-252-7484) for a $5.00 coupon and important free

information about seasonal nasal allergy relief.

Notify your doctor of other medication(s) you are currently taking. Consult your doctor for important information concerning this product.

Once-a-day

C L A R I T I N

12. Learn Foreign Languages... Incredibly Fast!

Conversing in a foreign language is a major social and business asset... and brings new life to the worlds of travel, entertainment, and relationships. The technique of accelerated learning, as conveyed by these proven foreign language courses, allows anyone to comfortably converse in a new language within 30 days.

Accelerated learning, developed by famed learning expert Dr. Georgi Lozanov, is based on the premise of involving both hemispheres of the brain in the education process. The analytical or logical left side of the brain, when properly activated with the musical or artistic right side of the brain, both increases the speed and heightens the retention of learning. Utilizing these untapped mental capacities of your learning ability is the basis of this unique, highly effective course.

You will learn the language as stresslessly as a child does, by hearing new vocabulary and phrases in alternately loud, whispered, and emphatic intonations, all accompanied by slow rhythmic music in digital stereo. This perfect combinations of music and words allow the two halves of the brain to work together to dramatically facilitate your assimilation of the new language.

The first 15 (memory) tapes of this 30-tape package help activate the learning capacities of the brain. The second 15 (study) tapes are the very same tried and proven tapes used by the Foreign Service Institute to train career diplomats. This marriage of two concepts literally gives you two courses in one, providing the best of both worlds in language instruction.

Best Value! With a total of 32 cassettes plus study materials, this program represents the best value available today in language instruction. Compared to other programs, the Accelerated Learning Series outperforms them with twice the audio and 20 times the study material.

To correctly converse in a foreign language, you must understand the meanings and intent of the native speaker. If, after 30 days of listening to the study and memory tapes, you are not comfortably understanding and conversing in your new language, return them for a full refund.

VII. Read the text; make a brief summary of it; do the exercises coming after the text

Ban on adverts that tickle the taste buds

New rules to cut down on snack appeal

SWEET makers are to be banned from producing too tempting adverts.

Crisps and other snack foods could also be hit by tough new rules aimed at protecting children.

Even the use of ultra slim models such as waif-like Kate Moss could be banned from commercials for fear of encouraging teenage girls to become anorexic.

Industry watchdog the Committee of Advertising Practice has produced the new rules following concern over children’s eating habits.

The severe guidelines could affect a vast range of best-selling products like Mars, Milky Way, Kit-Kat and the crisp giants Smith’s and Walkers.

Commercials must now not only be legal, honest and truthful - but also “socially responsible”.

The crackdown will hit adult promotions for drink, slimming products, cars and beauty treatments.

Advertisers’ use of sexual stereotypes has also been targeted, as well as claims of being

“environmentally friendly.”

The watchdog committee says there is growing concern that some firms ignore the consequences of adverts.

The effectiveness of slimming adverts, with their before and after selling techniques, will be called into question.

The new rules come into force next month and will be policed by the Advertising Standards Authority.

Attitudes

The ASA has the power to demand that campaigns are stopped and adverts changed. The rules were first introduced in 1961 and this is their first major review for seven

years.

An ASA spokesman said: “These new codes take account of the changes in attitudes that have taken place both in society generally and in the market place.

“For example, concerns about the advertising of confectionery to children are addressed for the first time.

“They also reflect society’s awareness of environmental issues and social problems such as irresponsible driving.

“The rules on decency have been more broadly flamed to discourage negative references to sexual, racial or religious stereotypes.”

The crackdown on the use of sex in adverts comes soon after a BSkyB poster of the film Indecent Proposal.

The poster, which showed a close-up of a woman clad in scanty briefs with the caption

“the price is right so come on down”, attracted 167 complaints.

TARGETS

THE guidelines cover:

DECENCY: No content likely to cause widespread serious offence - particularly with racial, religious or sexual images.

ALCOHOL: No drink adverts if one in four of the medium’s audience is under age.

Drink-driving must not be encouraged.

CHILDREN: Nothing to encourage eating near bedtime or replacing main meals with snacks. Parental permission should be obtained before children are committed to costly purchases.

MOTORING: Speed claims must not be the main message. Drivers should not be encouraged to break limits.

GREEN CLAIMS: No use of terms like “environmentally friendly” without

convincing evidence.

HEALTH AND BEAUTY: Therapies should not be offered as an alternative to essential treatment for serious ailments. Celebrities should not endorse medicines.

SLIMMING: Should not appeal to under-28s. No suggestion that it is good to be underweight.

PROMOTIONS: Complex rules should be avoided.

(Paul Crosbie)

a)Study the information published under the headline “TARGETS” and analyse what caused the ban in each of the cases. Do you approve of the decision of the Committee of Advertising Practice? Would you like to enlarge the list of the guidelines? What would you like to include into it?

b)Explain what stands behind the words “socially responsible commercials.” What trouble may socially irresponsible advertising cause?

c)Comment on the statement: “Commercials must now not only be legal, honest and truthful - but also “socially responsible”.” Do modern advertisements meet these requirements?

d)Working in pairs (groups) discuss if it is necessary (and possible) to institute control over modern advertising. Present the results of your discussion to the class.

VIII. Read the text. Speak on the rule-breaking advertisements (their message, the target audience, the harm they do). Do the exercises coming after the text.

Decadence, the corporate way

Calvin Klein is at it again, this time with a series of bus and magazine ads showing young teens posed in what look like opening scenes from a porn movie. In one photo, a girl is shown lying down with her skirt hiked up, exposing her panties. In another tacky crotch shot, a curly-haired boy gazed out at us, as if scanning desperately for any nearby member of the North American Man/Boy Love Association.

These are creepy pictures, and like Calvin Klein models going back 10 years, nobody here looks capable of ever having an actual relationship. Sex is rather blankly offered here as a commodity by and for the bombed-out and the hopelessly numb. Some of the teens look coaxed into posing. Other seem like they’re wearily going through the motions for a customer. It’s not just in our face and totally inappropriate on buses. It’s decadent.

This is about what we have come to expect from Klein, our most relentlessly tasteless taste maker. Why does he bother with this tawdriness? Don Nathan, a spokesman for Calvin Klein, told the Washington Post: The target audience is made up of a generation that’s independent and media-savvy. They’re “people who do only what they want to do.” The Post reporter, Robin Givhan, summed up his analysis: “Hence the rule-breaking attitude of the ads.”

It’s interesting to focus on rule breaking, rather than the more obvious themes of sex, numbness and the sensibility of cheap porno film shot quickly in a motel or basement rec room. But in fact the rule-breaking theme is nearly always more potent in ads today than the sexual themes that draw far more attention.

Freedom from responsibility. It works like this: Advertisers are focusing more and more on the emerging market of “people who do only what they want to do,” that is, people who yearn to be completely free of all restraint, expectations and responsibilities. This is a familiar ‘60s product now tinged with ‘90s pessimism. So a socially subversive, pro-impulse, anti-rules and anti-restraint message is casually being built into more and more campaigns, often with the help of hired psychologists and focus groups.

The modern classics in this effort are Nike’s “Just Do It!” (act on impulse, don’t analyze or inhibit yourself) and Burger King’s “Sometimes, you gotta break the rules.” These

were very successful campaigns and their power can be measured by the number of imitators. A jeweler, Best, picked up the break-the-rules theme and so did Don Q rum: “When you have a passion for living, nothing is merely accepted. Nothing is taboo. ... Break all the rules.” Another rum, Bacardi Black (“The taste of the night”) promises to take the drinker to a boozy evening universe where it seems that anything goes: “Some people embrace the night because rules of the day do not apply.”

A Neiman Marcus ad says: “Relax. No rules here.” Even a shoe ad can promise a world without norms or rules. Our shoe “conforms to your foot so you don’t have to conform to anything,” heralds Easy Spirit shoes. A batch of ads concentrates on changing the rules or the glamor of crossing lines (for example, Isuzu’s campaign making fun of the imperious and bald teacher who tells children, “Stay within the lines. The lines are our friends.”) Others strum the theme that the only real rule is self-preoccupation. These are so common that they regularly go by without raising eyebrows: “Peel off inhibitions. Find your own road”- Saad; “Your own rhythm”- Drum tobacco products; “We are all hedonists and we want what feels good. That’s what makes us human”- Nike.

Another group focuses on getting rid of boundaries (“Living without boundaries”- Ralph Lauren’s Safari; “Your world should know no boundaries”- Merrill Lynch; “It’s not trespassing when you cross your own boundaries”- Johnny Walker scotch). While there is an obvious healthy side of the no-boundary theme - the computer world, for instance, has no real boundaries - the idea plays to the classic infantile wish for an infinite self, free of all restraint. At its worst, the no-boundaries theme shows up in narcissistic personality discorders as the inability to know where the self ends and others begin. “I don’t know where I end and you begin,” say ads for Calvin Klein’s perfume Eternity.

The point here is that while everyone is aghast over blatant sex, violent movies and gangsta rap, the ordinary commercial messages of corporate America are probably playing a more subversive role.

The drumbeat of rule-breaking slogans has a devastating effect. Our commercial culture and the advertising industry are not just at war with traditional values. They are at war, too, with the possibility that new common values will emerge from the current social chaos.

By pushing self-obsession, narcissism and contempt for all rules, they strike at the sense of connectedness that any society needs to cohere and to care about its common problems and least fortunate members. It’s time to call the corporations and ad agencies on this. They are busy - financing our social meltdown.

(John Leo)

a)Explain, why is the theme of rule-breaking so popular in modern advertising?

b)Re-read the three concluding paragraphs of the article and state the negative influence of rule-breaking advertisements on people and society. Support or challenge the author’s view on the menacing role of such advertisements in modern society.

c)Advertising is often described as brainwashing. Can J. Leo’s article serve as a proof of this statement?

IX. Read the text; do the exercises coming after it. Does the idea of Pan-European advertising appeal to you? Do you think it has future?

The Euroconsumer Is Back

In advertising, nothing is forever. Remember the Euroconsumer? Last year marketers sniffed at the notion. There is no such thing as a citizen of Europe, ad agencies told their clients - you must tailor your message to the nationality of the consumer. But look at Europe’s television screens today. If the Euroconsumer is a myth, why do kids and moms from Scotland to Sicily all recognize Capt. Birds Eye, the salty sailor who wants everyone to love frozen fish sticks? Why do French, British and Italian men all share the same, irresistible

attraction to women who wear Impulse body spray? Why are the same cuddly tabbies meowing the virtues of Kit-e-Kat pet food from Dublin to Dusseldorf?

Because in the ever-evolving world of market research, the word this year is that there might be a Euroconsumer after all. “The idea used to be that everything had to be marketed on a national basis,” says Judie Lannon, director of European research and development for J. Walter Thompson in London. “Now we realize that many products are used by people with strong similarities. There is a convergence going on.” Yet the failure of some past continentwide ads is a painful reminder of enduring cultural idiosyncrasies. So how do you capitalize on the budding homogeneity while not stepping on national sensitivities? By designing Pan-European campaigns with subtle local variations.

The method is becoming popular among purveyors of everything from foods to financial services. Capt. Birds Eye is romantic and adventurous, designed to appeal to women and children in every country. But while his theme song in Italy is an upbeat tune sung by children, Germans are treated to the cadences of a marching band. Handsome men everywhere drop whatever they’re doing as soon as they catch a whiff of a woman wearing

Impulse - but exactly how they go about approaching her depends on where they’re from. In Italy the ragazzo plucks a gift of flowers directly from an arbor. In France he buys the flowers and the couple end up in bed. In Britain the Impulse woman is a secret agent in a pseudothriller spoof; she receives flowers from a man she presumes to be a spy. American Express has a new European TV campaign that links its charge card with the glamour of a Paris fashion show. Spliced in are scenes in which a woman - played by a different actress in each of five different markets - discusses the card’s easy acceptance. In the German version the woman says that a salesman told her, “No problem, Madam.” While that works fine in Germany, “in France you tend not to want to state an obvious fact.” You tend to want a refined observation about it,” says Richard Thoman, chairman and co-CEO of AmEx’s Travel Related Services division. In the French ad the woman talks instead about the salesman’s smile.

To a large extent, the current wave of enthusiasm for Pan-European advertising is the natural result of a trend that started in the mid-1980s. In the run-up to 1992, many companies centralized research and development, manufacturing, packaging and distribution. “The logical consequence of that is the re-examination of marketing tactics as well,” says Ken Robbins, CEO of Lintas International in New York. At the same time, Europeans are more and more exposed to identical media images - thanks in great part to the proliferation of commercial television stations, which increasingly broadcast uniform programming.

“Consumers in Europe get the same news every day, listen to the same music and see the same films,” says Hans Herman, a marketing executive at Philips. Just a year ago the Dutch electronics giant launched regionalized commercials for its electric razors. But this year, when the company tested concepts for advertising its TV sets in Germany and Italy, it discovered that preferences in both countries were exactly the same.

The emergence of Eurowide cultural references is a slow and gradual process. So is the standardization of business operations. But there is another, fast-acting factor at work: the onset of recessionary pressures. As companies are forced to watch their bottom lines, many are delighted to find that multinational ad pitches can trim their advertising budgets significantly. AmEx’s five-country charge-card commercial cost just 25 percent more than one single-country ad. Similar math inspired Procter & Gamble Co. to a single, though nationally adjusted, commercial for Pert Plus shampoo. “Procter & Gamble realized tremendous economy of scale in this way,” says Laurel Wentz, European editor for Advertising Age. “They did a whole European shoot in one day with one director, one plan, one crew - and they only needed one creative team racking their brains over expensive lunches to get the concept in the first place.” Speed is another motivation. “You want to get campaigns out to the