Commercial television brand names with supportive slogans in South Africa : an analysis

Abstract

All across the world companies make use of electronic media such as television to bring their service or product to the attention of would-be consumers. Television time is hugely expensive and both television and economic enterprises rely on one another: television is dependent on the income generated by advertisements produced by companies (and supporting entities), whereas the advertising companies depend on the support of television watching consumers. The duration of a television commercial to publicise the relevant brand name is relatively short in order to cut costs, hence the effect of the advertisement is likely to be maximised through using appropriate images and language use to drive home the message regarding the effectiveness, the attractiveness, or necessity of the service or product. A fairly common practice is the way in which companies end the advertisement, by stressing the brand name of the product or service audibly and visibly, which is finally followed by a supportive slogan (also audibly and/or visibly), emphasising the true nature or possibilities of the product. On the television screen, the slogan usually follows at the end of the commercial, alongside or below the brand name. The purpose of this contribution is to analyse a number of these commercials covering a great variety of products, trying to assess the role of the brand names. By incorporating an appropriate supportive slogan, the onomastic character of the commercial name is expanded.