Text 4 We’ll Be Back after This Break

Some people love them, others hate them – but almost everyone watches dozens of TV commercials every day. They are, in fact, a vital part of the modern media culture. Why? Because they don’t just sell us products - they also reflect our dreams, fears, stereotypes and fantasies. So how do they work?

The Rules. TV commercials have to obey some rules. A few basic conditions exist in every country. But the more developed a country is, the tougher commercial restrictions are. For example, in Great Britain The British Code of Advertising exists to protect the consumer from being deceived and misinformed by advertisement. Their slogan is: “All advertisements should be legal, decent, honest and truthful.”

The Product. So what kind of products can be advertised? Well – almost anything, from a penny chewing gum to expensive and luxurious cars. And every product appeals to certain audience: chocolate - for kids, washing powder – for housewives, computers - for students and so on

The Concept. This is a general idea for the style of the commercial. For example, it may be a cartoon fantasy, a 50’s rock and roll party or a romantic beach scene. Some of today’s most popular concepts include: the mini-soap (a series of commercials which tell a story), the environment (this shows how healthy and natural a product is), “the new man” (images of gentle, sensitive men, often shown with babies and young children), “the female executive” (images of successful women with glamorous, busy lives).

The Slogan. It’s a short, clever, easy-to-remember phrase. Three recent slogans in British commercials were: “Gas – the heart of the moment” (British Gas), “Everything you want from the store and a little bit more” (Safeway supermarkets).

The Music. Images and words are both vital factors in a TV commercial. Some ads have their own short songs or “jingles” (they are usually built on the repetition of the slogan). Others use pop, jazz or classical tunes to create a mood which fits the product.

The Slot. “Slots” are the short breaks during and between programs. TV companies sell them to advertisers, but not all for the same price. A slot at 4. 30 p. m., for example, is much cheaper than one at 8 p. m. – that is at “prime time”. The reason is that more people come home from work and switch their TV sets on after 7 p. m. The larger the audience is, the higher commercial rates are.

From: David P. Rein. The Language of Advertising and Merchandising in English. NY, 1982.

Preparing the Text

A. Studying the language

1. Match the words from two columns to make a word combination.

media	powder
expensive	writer
washing	party
successful	goods
easy-to-remember	time
prime	campaign
commercial	car
rock and roll	culture
consumer	woman
promotion	phrase
soap	break
copy	opera

2. Put in a necessary word combination.

a). A lot of people … during commercial breaks.

b). The British Code of Advertising exists to … the consumer.

c). TV commercials have to … some rules.

d). The larger the audience is, the higher … are.

e). The more developed the country is, the … commercial restrictions are.

3. Which word is the odd one out?

Ex.: table stool stereo cupboard Stereo is not an item of furniture.

pop	jazz	rock and roll	jingle
word	slogan	phrase	sentence
illegal	gentle	honest	decent
to love	to hate	to fear	to watch
to obey	to break	to restrict	to inform

4. Multiple choice.