hello i'm a student and i have a huge request for you. I prepared a survey about language play in advertising slogans. If you happen to have some spare time, please fill in this survey :)
LANGUAGE PLAY IN ADVERTISING
This questionnaire includes the most frequent types of wordplay that you can find in English advertisements. The questionnaire is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on specific language play whereas the second part concerns general attitude towards the wordplay. There are multiple-choice questions. Please, circle one or more answers.
I.
1. The following slogans are based on idioms. Do you find them:
a) humorous
b) catchy
c) creative
d) sophisticated
e) clever
f) unique
g) memorable
h) challenging
i) meaningless
j) needless
k) boring
l) irritating
m) terrible
n) other…………
One swallow makes a summer -Italian wine. (IDIOM: One swallow does not make a summer-You should not assume that something is true just because you have seen one piece of evidence for it).
The BERD’S in hand- The Bank of European Reconstruction and Development. (IDIOM: a bird in hand is worth two in the bush- Having something for certain is better than the possibility of getting something better)
Make your website work harder. But don’t break your balls doing it- Services of PNC Tele.com. (IDIOM: don’t break balls doing sth- try very hard to do sth)
You pay through the nose when you buy trainers, so why do the same when you wear them- Nike. (IDIOM: pay through the nose-to pay too much for something).
2. The following slogans are based on rhyme. Do you find them:
a) humorous
b) catchy
c) creative
d) sophisticated
e) clever
f) unique
g) memorable
h) challenging
i) meaningless
j) needless
k) boring
l) irritating
m) terrible
n) other…………
The flavour of a Quaver is never known to weaver- Quaver.
A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play- Mars.
Takes a licking and keeps on ticking-Timex.
Nothing sucks like an Electrolux- Vacuum cleaner.
3. The following slogans are based on alliteration. Do you find them:
a) humorous
b) catchy
c) creative
d) sophisticated
e) clever
f) unique
g) memorable
h) challenging
i) meaningless
j) needless
k) boring
l) irritating
m) terrible
n) other…………
The best four by four by far- Land Rover.
You’ll never put a better bit of butter on your knife- Country Life Butters.
Functional…Fashionable…Formidable- Fila.
Don’t dream it. Drive it.- Jaguar.
4. The following slogans are based on puns. Do you find them:
a) humorous
b) catchy
c) creative
d) sophisticated
e) clever
f) unique
g) memorable
h) challenging
i) meaningless
j) needless
k) boring
l) irritating
m) terrible
n) other…………
Coke refreshes you like no other can- Coca Cola (can has double meaning: modal verb/an aluminium tin).
Spoil yourself and not your figure- Ice cream ( spoil has double meaning : enjoy oneself to the heart’s content/destroy one’s body figure).
Mum’s taking us to legoland. She’s an absolute brick- Lego. ( brick has a double meaning: a small block of plastic or wood used by children for building things/a nice helpful person).
Try our sweet corn, you’ll smile from ear to ear- Sweet Corn ( ear here has a double meaning: organ of hearing/seed bearing part of cereal).
Good mornings follow a good Nytol- Nytol sleeping pills (nytol is similarly pronounced as night).
Seven up...The uncola. The un and only- Seven up (the un and only is similarly pronounced as the one and only).
Silly Rabit, Trix are for kids!- Trix Cereal (trix is similarly pronounced as tricks).
Look deep into our ryes- Wigler’s Bakery (ryes is similarly pronounced as eyes).
Make your every hello a real good-buy- NEAX Telephone (good-buy is similarly pronounced as good-bye).
Two beer or not to beer, that’s the question- Shakesbeer. ( beer is similarly pronounced as be).
Absolut magic- Absolut Vodka. (the brand name absolut is similarly pronounced as the word absolute).
When it pours, it reigns- Michelin tires. ( reign is similarly pronounced as rain)
II.
1. In general, do you consider wordplay in advertising as:
a) an effective method of catching the recipients’ attention
b) a persuasive method of generating sales
c) helpful for memorizing a slogan
d) unconvincing
e) disturbing the message of an advertisement
f) requiring too much time to process a hidden meaning
g) other………