The Discourse of Advertising

Book excerpt: This second edition considers advertising in the context of current changes in communication. All chapters have been fully revised and updated, and substantial new material has been added. The social functions and aesthetic effects of advertisements are comprehensively analysed across a wide range of media, from billboards to email and the Internet. Controversially, advertisements are contrasted and compared with literary texts throughout. The book clearly explains relevant concepts from semiotics, poetics, and linguistics, and can serve as an introduction to all of these disciplines. Practical exercises to stimulate further discussion are included at the end of each chapter.