Means Of Manipulation In American And Russian Commercials: Gender Perspective

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of manipulative techniques of non-verbal behaviour in advertisements as viewed from gender perspective. A comparative analysis of various forms of non-verbal behaviour of Russian and American women showed the peculiar images and communicative tactics used in commercials. This enables the advertisers to manipulate with the image of the product. For this various types of non-verbal human behaviour are exploited. The main types of feminine non-verbal behaviour in such situations are mimics, miremics and different kinds of touching and coming close. It is argued that specific non-verbal behaviour evokes positive emotions of a woman in intergender communication and causes the same reaction in other communicators. It is shown that in Russian commercials involving women characters feminine non-verbal behaviour correlates with the image of a decent housewife and affectionate mother as well as with the creation of the image of a woman-saviour while to the main means of persuasion in American commercials is referred the creation of the image of femininity and the concept of “love” via different types of non-verbal behaviour. Manipulative techniques that create positive emotional state are identified, as well as their relationship with the non-verbal behaviour of female characters, which have a great impact on all those involved in interaction of the commercial.