A Persuasive Force of Puns in British Advertising

Abstract

In the article an important role of puns in British advertising has been widely studied. Also it is a subject of interest in modern culture, linguistics, communication, popular psychologyand marketing.Today an important role of our social life plays advertising. It has a great influence on our life and may affect on us in various spheres. Today’s advertisements also inform and guide many of the important decisions we make,not just the cars we drive but whether we take entrepreneurial risks, choose to live a healthy lifestyle, plan ahead for retirement or donate to charity. Moreover, it representsspecific sidesof our society`s valuation and frame. Advertising humor refers primarily to the ability of audiences to respond positively when one or others are portrayed in a playful manner. Attention is simply the degree to which consumers focus on stimuli within their sensory field. Humor is inherently attractive to most consumers because it is a major and pleasurable component of our cultural value system. A positive relationship between humor and attracting attention has been found across many different types of situations. It has been recommended for use in sales presentations, educational settings, training sessions, after-dinner speeches, and in the advertising of many different types of products. In the process of creating advertisements, language, option of demonstrationis of crucial significance. English pun is a common language phenomenon. This effective rhetorical device is common in literary texts, cinema, and television comedy shows. Puns in advertising, as a technical way of communicating between advertisers and customers, play a great role in attracting people`s attention. Punning is one of the most common forms of speech play which can enhance the appeal of a language and strengthen its informative effect. One of the most intriguing aspects of pun is the inter connection among culture and language, which с an show the disambiguation of the appointed dual meanings closely stimulating or challenging, mostly if there viewer is not a natural speaker. On the other hand, it is not always easy for consumers to understand the wordplay, as well as jokes are based on homophones and homonyms.