Freitas Elsa Simões Lucas. Taboo in Advertising

John Benjamins, 2008. — xix, 214 p. — (Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, v. 179).Taboos are much more than just a synonym of ‘forbidden’. Proof of the concept’s complexity can be found in the way ads often try to hide the taboo inherent to their products or, conversely, in the way certain taboo readings are foregrounded on purpose in other ads. This volume shows why and how that happens, using print and television ads to exemplify (a) the elaborate strategies used by ads for certain products to cleverly hide the taboo inherent to them, and (b) the deliberate recourse to taboo references in ads for products that do not present any taboo connotation. The linguistic analysis undertaken takes into account the different modes (verbal language, music, sound effects, moving and static images) that convey meaning in ads. Taboo is very often conveyed or disguised through one of the channels while the others play the opposite role, thus achieving a balance that prevents the ad from being too obscure to be understood or too daring for the general public to accept it. For this comprehensive approach, concepts are drawn from different disciplines: textual and semiotic analysis from linguistics, theories of taboo from anthropology, and background to advertising from media studies.List of tables
List of figures
Foreword
AcknowledgementsTabooThe origins of the word
Taboos about the categorisation of the individuals in given situations
Taboos about dirtiness and bad language
Taboos about threats to traditional social institutions
A working definition of tabooAdvertisingThe functions of advertising
Taboo as an element in the communication strategy
Taboo in advertising?
A framework for the analysis of taboo ads
How ads deal with taboo issues
Bodily issues and disease in ads
The polluting potential of dirtiness and bad language in ads
When taboo is an advertising strategyWords & imagesTaboos in magazine ads and strategies used
Taboo ads
Visual softening of the taboo: Canesten Oasis ad and Lactacyd ad
Visual and textual cues for softening and foregrounding taboo: Sloggi and SPA ads
Visual emphasis on taboo: Health Education Authority anti-smoking and Renova ads
Non-taboo ads
Visual cues of taboo: Total Recall and CECE Ads
Visual and textual cues of taboo: Rover 75 ad
Textual cues of taboo: FCUK and Zero Films AdsImages, words & humourHumour in advertising
Specific issues in the use of humour in advertising
Humour in ads for taboo products
Humour in ads with taboo approaches
A humorous outdoor campaign: the Super Bock ads
Sexy message in a bottle: the Miss Playbock (legs and buttocks) outdoor ad
Another sexy message in a bottle: the Miss Playbock (breast) outdoor ad
The message of the unusual cleavage: the Wonderbeer outdoor ad
The message of the absent label: the Topless outdoor ad
The message of the half-torn label: the Latin Lover outdoor adWords, images, sound & narrativesTaboos in television ads and strategies used
Taboo ads
Visual softening of taboo
Developing pictorial metaphors: Skip ad
Softening of taboo through the use of animals and children: Scottex and Colhogar ads
Textual softening of taboo 1
Softening of taboo through intertextual narrative: Harpic ad
Textual and visual softening of taboo: Fibre 1 ad
Visual emphasis of taboo: Abraço ad
Visual and musical cues for playing up taboo: Impulse and Sanex Ads
Non-taboo ads
Visual cues of taboo: Skip Aloe Vera
Visual and textual cues of taboo through humorous narrative: TMN ad
Sounds and speech as cues for taboo: Combi ad
Visual and musical cues for playing up taboo: Martini adSummarising: Sanpro adsThe social dimension of menstruation
Taboo-evading strategies in ads for sanitary products
Analysing the sanpro ads selected
Menstrual taboo in magazine ads: o.b. ad
Menstrual taboo in television ads
Downplaying of taboo through intertextuality: Renova First ad
Downplaying taboo through visuals and music: Carefree Black
Downplaying taboo with pictorial metaphors: Carefree Respirare hothouse and Carefree Respirare cheeks
Summing-up: downplaying taboo with pictorial metaphors, proto-narrative, narcissistic format, external counselling: o.b. Comfort