Introduction

Relevance of the Topic

Advertising permeates our daily lives, carrying messages that seek to persuade us from a point of view, sell a product, or promote an idea. It is a reflection of the culture, economy, and values of a society, and also an inexhaustible source of inspiration and study. Understanding the Elements of Advertising and Argumentation in English allows for a deeper immersion in this world of communication, offering the ability to decode, analyze, and create persuasive discourses, as well as to expand the understanding of the English language in real and relevant contexts.

Contextualization

In the realm of English, the importance of "Elements of Advertising and Argumentation" becomes evident in the 9th grade of Elementary School, when students already have a basic command of the language and are ready to challenge themselves with more complex and authentic texts. In this sense, advertising provides authentic material ranging from brief slogans to video advertisements, stimulating vocabulary acquisition, grammar improvement, and the development of text comprehension and production skills. Additionally, the study of argumentation enhances students' analytical and critical capacity, while providing tools for building solid arguments in their written and oral activities. Therefore, the study of this theme creates a bridge between the classroom and the real world, bringing English into an authentic and meaningful context.

• Advertising Elements: In this topic, we will explore the elements that make up an advertisement - from the use of catchy phrases to the choice of impactful words and images. We will understand how these elements work to influence the viewer's perception and strengthen the central argument of the advertisement.
• Argumentation: In the study of argumentation, we will focus on the linguistic strategies used to convince the target audience. We will analyze the use of logical arguments, emotional appeals, and authority in persuasion and how these elements connect in the formation of the advertising discourse.
• Decoding and Creating Advertisements: Finally, we will practice the skills acquired in the classroom. We will analyze authentic advertisements to identify the elements of advertising and argumentation. Then, students will have the opportunity to create their own advertisements, applying the knowledge acquired.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Creation of purposes in advertising
  • Advertisements, in general, have a goal: to convince the viewer to act according to the transmitted message. This goal can be understood as the "purpose" of the advertisement, and the ability to identify and analyze this purpose is fundamental for a deeper understanding of the advertising message. Moreover, the creation of the purpose is also a creative and strategic process, involving the careful selection of elements of argumentation and advertising.
• Persuasive language in advertising
  • The language used in advertising is known for its persuasive nature, capable of creating emotions, changing perspectives, and influencing behaviors. This persuasive language operates through a series of techniques, such as the use of adjectives, imperative verbs, and figures of speech. Understanding these language techniques allows students not only to decode advertising discourses but also to effectively apply persuasive language in their own text productions.
• Visual and auditory components in advertising
  • Advertising is not limited to spoken or written words. Often, it is reinforced (or even replaced) by visual and auditory elements. These elements include the selection of images and sounds, as well as the design and aesthetics of the advertisement. Learning to analyze and create these visual and auditory components is, therefore, an essential part of the curriculum.

Key Terms

• Slogans: Brief catchy phrases that synthesize the purpose or central message of a brand or product. They are often used to attract attention and provoke an emotional response in the viewer.
• Emotional Appeals: Advertising strategies that seek to reach the viewer on an emotional level, often appealing to desires, fears, or shared values.
• Logical Arguments: In advertising argumentation, logical arguments are those that appeal to the reason, logic, and common sense of the viewer. They are usually constructed from the use of facts, statistics, and deductive or inductive reasoning.
• Authority Arguments: This type of argument is based on the use of experts or authority figures to reinforce the credibility of a message. The presence of a celebrity, for example, can be considered as an authority argument.

Examples and Cases

• Analysis of a TV commercial: After introducing the basic concepts of advertising elements and argumentation, we can apply this knowledge in the analysis of an authentic TV commercial. In this analysis, we will identify the various elements discussed, such as the purpose of the advertisement, the use of persuasive language, and the visual and auditory components.
• Creating a print ad: For a more practical experience, students can create their own print ad, selecting a brand or product and applying the concepts of purpose, persuasive language, and visual and auditory components. This activity allows students not only to apply their knowledge but also to demonstrate a deeper mastery of the concepts through their creative use.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• Nature of Advertising: Advertising is a form of communication that seeks to persuade and influence the behavior of the public. It is fundamentally creative and strategic, carefully selecting and combining elements of argumentation and advertising to achieve its goals.

• Components of Advertising: The key elements of advertising are the creation of purposes, the use of persuasive language, and the incorporation of visual and auditory components. Each of these components plays a crucial role in the formation and transmission of the advertising message.

• Argumentation in Advertising: Argumentation in advertising is based on logic and emotion to convince the public to adopt a certain action or belief. It incorporates logical arguments, emotional appeals, and authority arguments to enhance its effectiveness.

• Decoding and Creating Advertisements: The ability to decode and analyze authentic advertisements, identifying their elements of advertising and argumentation, is a crucial skill that allows for a deeper understanding of the English language and cultural context. Similarly, creating advertisements is an opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired and demonstrate an effective understanding of the components of advertising and argumentation.

Conclusions

• Importance of Analysis: The analysis of authentic advertisements in English allows for a deeper understanding of the language and culture, while providing a solid foundation for the development of persuasive text production skills.

• Practical Applicability: The concepts and techniques learned in advertising analysis have practical applications in various communication and argumentation situations, expanding the range of linguistic and argumentative skills of students.

• Creativity and Strategy: The study of advertising and argumentation elements highlights the importance of creativity and strategy in effective communication, skills that are useful not only in the English language but in all spheres of life.

Exercises

1. Identifying Components: Choose an authentic advertisement in English and identify its advertising and argumentation components. Describe the purpose of the advertisement, the persuasive language used, and the visual and auditory components.
2. Decoding an Advertisement: Watch a TV commercial in English and try to identify the types of argumentation (logical, emotional, authority) present in the advertisement. Describe how each type of argumentation is used and how they contribute to the overall purpose of the advertisement.
3. Creating an Advertisement: Choose a product or brand and create an advertisement in English. Make sure to include the advertising and argumentation components discussed in class. Justify your choices, explaining how each element contributes to the purpose of the advertisement.