“The Pelevin Phenomenon” in the context of advertising pragmatics (using the example of an e-mail campaign for the release of the novel “Journey to Eleusis”)

Abstract

INTODUCTION. Victor Pelevin, a popular Russian writer, is of scientific interest not only as a literary phenomenon, but also as a marketing phenomenon that has not yet been studied by the scientific community. V. Pelevin’s marketing strategy, despite the minimalism, is effective, his image attracts attention, which determines relevance of our research. The purpose of the work is to analyze the inclusion of the writer’s image in advertising communications, as well as to identify the specifics of using modern mailing, including the introduction of game elements.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study was conducted based on the September e-mail campaign of one of the bookstore chains. A qualitative content analysis and a descriptive method were used. The subject of the study is the image of a modern writer in the refraction of advertising discourse.RESULT AND DISCUSSION. The analysis showed that the image of V. Pelevin, like the release of a new book, becomes an informational occasion, and not an end in itself of the campaign. Despite the fact that the new novel belongs to the “Transhumanism” series, the e-mail newsletter contains images of characters from other novels, which is determined by their popularity. The newsletter uses a recognizable image of the author and references to his work as a whole – to supertext – coupled with the corporate style of the book chain. The image of the author is mythologized and intertwined with literary heroes, which is reflected in this advertising campaign.CONCLUSION. The Pelevin’s new book has not become a key topic of advertising communication; the emphasis is on V. Pelevin’s work as a supertext, and not directly on the “Transhumanism” cycle.