ENGLISH HL 27 May 2023

GRADE 12 LANGUAGE NOTES: Paper 1 - Advertising

Persuasive techniques Aim/Intention/Purpose

1. Visual – pictures / photos Identify the link between the text (words) and the image
(pictures).
Adds credibility, validity, authenticity.
To convince, manipulate, persuade, highlight and makes
it easier to understand.
Evokes an emotive response – e.g., a little teary-eyed
toddler.
Celebrities – add prestige
2. Use of personal pronouns Shows personal involvement and experience.
‘We’, ‘Us’, ‘You’ or relating Adds credible, reliable, sincere and believable.
to a common Involves us more directly.
cause/shared view To engage readers (participation).
Shows a shared concern – comrades/friends.
3. Literary expressions, puns, To impress, astonish, imprint.
clever sayings Gets the reader’s attention. Makes you remember –
recall.
4. Repetition Has a pounding effect – hammers a point. Makes you
remember - Recall. Familiar.
It emphasises.
To add credibility, validity, authenticity.
To convince, manipulate, persuade.
To emphasise, highlight.
5. Rhetorical Questions To provoke involvement, an emotional response,
answer, reaction.
To involve reader more directly / personally.
To add credibility, validity, authenticity.
6. Emotive Adjectives Emotive words - e.g. A new principal. vs A new, foolish
principal.
Emotive words create an expectation/bias/prejudice
… an unusual comment will now be seen as ‘foolish’. Just
ONE word can swing things.
To provoke emotional responses.
To emphasise, highlight.
To engage readers - (participation).
To encourage thinking/ an OPINION.
7. Numbers, statistics, data, To add credibility, validity, authenticity.
research To convince, manipulate, persuade, emphasise,
highlight.
8. Arouse feelings of Guilt – Encourage a response, play on feelings.
manipulation/exploitation/ To encourage thinking/an opinion.
blackmail To involve us more directly / personally.
9. Font/Punctuation Attract attention, to highlight, engage readers
(participation).

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 11. Celebrities/ To attract attention. Celebrity endorsements build
Avarice(greed)/Lifestyle/ credibility-validity, authenticity.
Attractive people To engage readers (participation).
To encourage thinking/an opinion.
To manipulate.
QUESTION 1 – November 2014

A wise man once said that it’s the mountain as much as your own two feet that carries you
upwards. While that may be true, something tells us that wise men are also smart enough to
have someone else haul their stuff. For the rest of us, every ounce counts. So we made a
jacket so light you’ll forget you have it on. ‘Where’s my jacket?’ On your back. ‘Oh, see what I
mean.’ It took us twenty years to arrive at the new Nike ACG superlight jacket. And, as
always, it’s still a departure.
1.1 Closely examine the image of the jacket. Explain the advertiser's intention in
using this image. (2)
The advertiser gives the jacket the attributes of energy/motion/athleticism. These
qualities make the jacket appealing to the target market/people who like clothing which is
associated with outdoor adventures.
1.2 Account for the advertiser's reference to 'twenty years'. (2)
Taking twenty years to develop a product suggests that it has been made with
great care/that it is superior. /It shows that the company has invested time and resources
to manufacture a jacket of outstanding quality.
1.3 Comment on the advertiser's technique in using the catch-phrase, 'Heavy as
a feather'. Refer to both the image and the words. (3)
The advertiser contrasts heaviness and lightness. The word 'heavy' is depicted as being
composed of feathers, signifying the lightweight quality of the product. Wordplay on the
idiom 'light as a feather' draws attention to the denial of the standard notion that a jacket
is heavy.

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 1.4 Refer to the written text, 'A wise man ... still a departure'. In your view, is the style of
expression effective in promoting the product? Justify your response.
Yes. The style is narrative. The anecdotal statements are meant to engage the reader.
The use of informal language, e.g., 'haul their stuff', appeals to a wide target market. The
dialogue creates a conversational tone. The advertiser blends casual expressions with
sophisticated language to appeal to upmarket clients as well.
QUESTION 2: ANALYSING ADVERTISING -November 2011

Being voted the leading private bank in both South Africa

and Africa proves that for us the phrase 'entrepreneurial
approach' is more than just words. It's the very essence
of what we do, ensuring that our clients never have to
settle for anything less than the extraordinary.
[Link]
Out of the Ordinary

2.1 Comment on the effectiveness of the statement, 'Leadership is a verb', as an

advertising device. (3)
The expression is 'catchy' because it is apparently absurd/simply wrong, since
'Leadership' is a noun. The reader might be lured into reading on about the
claimed advantages of Investec. Some might be impressed by the idea that
(Investec's) leadership is dynamic/go-ahead.

2.2 Do you think the visual image is suitable for the service being advertised?
Justify your answer. (3)
Yes. The picture of the zebra is 'extraordinary'. The reference to South
Africa and Africa makes one think of the wildlife and the zebra fulfils this
idea. The zebra looks like a horse, but a really 'different' horse.

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QUESTION 3: ANALYSING ADVERTISING - NOVEMBER 2012

QUESTIONS: TEXT E

3.1 The advertiser makes reference to 'Mother Nature' and 'Mother Earth'.
Discuss whether these phrases are appropriate in context.
QUESTIONS: TEXT E
3.2 In your
Personifying opinion,
nature showsis the
thatillustration
the company a suitable choice
valuesNature' for the product being
the environment/gives the
3.1 The advertiser
advertised? makes
Motivate reference
your to 'Mother
response. and 'Mother Earth'.
impression that the
Discuss company
whether prioritises
these phrases environmental
are appropriateissues. 'Mother' has positive
in context.
connotations such as nurturing.
3.2 In your opinion, is the illustration a suitable choice for the product being
advertised? Motivate your response.

The advertisement targets parents who would like to expose their children to the
outdoors and/or are concerned about environmental issues. It captures attention
since it is an unusual illustration for a vehicle. The fact that it is so much larger than
the visual of the car conveys the advertisers concern for environmental issues in their
technologies. The clouds, grass and sun are also relevant ideas. 'Meow' is 'cute'/
childlike and has pleasant connotations/links to a child's innocent consciousness.