新编大学英语第一册unitTextBAdvertisingTheSellingofaProduc

1、Advertising:TheSellingofaProduct1Aconsumerwalksintoastore.Hestandsinfrontofhundredsofboxesoflaundrydetergent.Hechoosesonebrand,paysforit,andleaves.Whydoeshepickthatspecifickindofsoap?Isittrulybetterthantheothers?Probablynot.Thesedays,manyproductsarenearlyidenticaltoeachotherinqualityandprice.Ifprodu

2、ctsarealmostthesame,whatmakesconsumersbuyonebrandinsteadofanother?Althoughwemightnotliketoadmitit,commercialsontelevisionandadvertisementsinmagazinesprobablyinfluenceusmuchmorethanwethinktheydo.2Advertisinginformsconsumersaboutnewproductsavailableonthemarket.Itgivesusinformationabouteverythingfromsh

3、ampoototoothpastetocomputersandcars.Butthereisoneseriousproblemwiththis.Theinformationisactuallyveryoftenmisinformation.Ittellsustheproductsbenefitsbuthidestheirdisadvantages.Advertisingnotonlyleadsustobuythingsthatwedontneedandcantafford,butitalsoconfusesoursenseofreality.Zoomtoothpastepreventscavi

4、tiesandgivesyouwhiteteeth!theadvertisementtellsus.Butitdoesnttellusthecompletetruth:thatahealthydietandagoodtoothbrushwillhavethesameeffect.3Advertisersusemanymethodstogetustobuytheirproducts.Oneoftheirmostsuccessfulmethodsistomakeusfeeldissatisfiedwith1/3ourselvesandourimperfectlives.Advertisements

5、showuswhowearenotandwhatwedonothave.Ourteetharentwhiteenough.Ourhairisntshinyenough.Ourclothesarentcleanenough.Advertisementsmakeusafraidthatpeoplewontlikeusifwedontusetheadvertisedproducts.WhydontIhaveanydates?agood-lookinggirlsadlyasksinacommercial.Here,repliesherroommate,tryZoomtoothpaste!Ofcours

6、eshetriesit,andimmediatelythewholefootballteamfallsinlovewithher.Thatsastupidcommercial,wemightsay.ButwestillbuyZoomtoothpasteoutoffearofbeingunpopularandhavingnofriends.4Iffearisthenegativemotiveforbuyingaproduct,thenwantingagoodself-imageisthepositivereasonforchoosingit.Eachofushasamentalpictureof

7、thekindofpersonwewouldliketobe.Forexample,amodernyoungwomanmightliketothinkthatshelookslikeabeautifulmoviestar.Amiddle-agedmanmightwanttoseehimselfasastrong,attractiveathlete.Advertisersknowthis.Theywritespecificadstomakecertaingroupsofpeoplechoosetheirproduct.Twopeoplemaychoosedifferentbrandsoftoot

8、hpastewiththeidenticalprice,amount,andquality。eachpersonbelievesthatheisexpressinghispersonalitybychoosingthatbrand.5Advertisersgetpsychologiststostudythewayconsumersthinkandtheirreasonsforchoosingonebrandinsteadofanother.Theseexpertstell2/3advertisersaboutthemotivesoffearandself-image.Theyalsoinfor

9、mthemaboutrecentstudieswithcolorsandwords.Psychologistshavefoundthatcertaincolorsonthepackageofanattractiveproductwillcausepeopletoreachoutandtakethatpackageinsteadofanidenticalproductwithdifferentcolors.Also,certainwordsattractourattention.Forexample,thewordsnew,improved,natural,andgiantsizearevery

10、popularandseemtopulloureyesandhandstowardthepackage.6Manypeoplebelievethatadvertisingdoesnotaffectthem.Theyknowthatthereisfreedomtochoose,andtheyliketothinktheymakewisechoices.Unfortunately,theyprobablydontrealizethepowerfuleffectofadvertising.Theymaynotclearlyunderstandthatadvertisersspendbillionsofdollarseachyearinaggr