Russian Classic Literature In Modern Advertisement

Abstract

The article contains the analysis of using examples of Mikhail Lermontov, Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy and other authors’ works and images in Russian advertisement. The purpose of the article is to identify the motives and typical methods of using classic literature in modern advertisement. The research materials are represented by commercials on Russian national television channels (such as Russia-1, Channel One, NTV, REN TV, STS) in 2011-2018, archive video materials of different years published on YouTube, and outdoor advertising. We used similar advertisements of two previous decades interpreted in the context of main subject of present research. According to presented data, the main motives of using classics works are the following: appeals to classic symbols to confirm the product’s greatness; quoting of classics to form loyal attitude to the product; using of pictures and biographies of Russian writers in the context of social promotion of reading, and using the elements of classical art to attract mass audience. In recent years there is significant increasing of using Russian classic literature in the advertisement despite its rare using. The increasing amount of “classical advertisement” is caused by several significant dates, the rising interest of citizens in Russian culture, and also by achievement of a qualitatively new level in production of Russian national advertisement. Long-term studying of the present problem lies in the field of further data collection for a deeper understanding and analysis of the interaction between literature, art and advertising in the modern world.