Marketing: Linguistic Strategies

• Marketing linguistic strategies are used to grab attention, evoke emotions, and persuade potential customers.

‘We/you' orientation

• Framing a message to engage the reader directly using "you" (second person) or "we" (first person plural).
• It creates involvement or establishes a connection with the audience.

Imperative mood/imperatives

• Using command forms like "Buy now," "Join us," or "Sign up".
• It encourages immediate action by leading people to take steps.

Interrogative style/interrogatives

• It involves asking questions like "Are you ready for the weekend?" or "What's holding you back?".
• This encourages readers to reflect and can create curiosity.

Contractions

• Using shortened forms of words (e.g., "don't" for "do not," "it's" for "it is").
• It makes the tone more casual, friendly, and approachable while making the message feel less formal.

Dynamic verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs

• Action-oriented words make the message lively and energetic.
• Dynamic verbs include "boost," "create," or "accelerate".

Evocative verbs, nouns, adjectives & adverbs

• Words that stir emotions or create vivid imagery.
• Using "exciting" or "unstoppable" creates a strong, positive emotional connection.

Superlatives

• Words like "best," "most," "greatest"
• Used to emphasize top choice offerings, often highlighting an offer's superiority or uniqueness.

Amplifiers

• Words or phrases like "extremely," "absolutely," or "incredibly".
• Used to intensify a message and make it sound stronger or more convincing.

Lexical boost

• Using positive, persuasive, and compelling words to enhance the overall impact.
• Adjectives like "amazing," "unbeatable," or "essential" are good choices.

Metaphors

• Comparing one thing to another without using "like" or "as."
• Calling a product a "game-changer" or referring to a company as a "rocket" suggests speed or success.

Similes

• Similar to metaphors, but using "like" or "as" to make comparisons.
• "As easy as pie" or "like a breath of fresh air" are examples.
• They create vivid, relatable images.

Idioms

• Common phrases or expressions whose meanings are not literal.
• Examples include "break the ice" or "hit the nail on the head."
• Idioms make the message sound more natural and familiar.

Alliteration

• Repeating the same initial consonant sound in a series of words
• It makes the message more catchy or memorable.
• Example "Fantastic flavors, fabulous freshness”.

Ambiguity

• Deliberately leaving parts of the message unclear or open to interpretation, enhancing curiosity and intrigue.
• It encourages the audience to seek further clarification.

Word play (puns)

• Using words that have multiple meanings or similar sounds for humorous or clever effects.
• A bakery might advertise "loafing around" to suggest relaxation and baked goods.

Weasel words

• Vague or ambiguous terms that lack real substance but are meant to sound impressive.
• "Up to," "virtually," or "nearly" are examples.
• They are used to create an illusion of credibility or significance.

Repetition

• Repeating key phrases or words to make the message stick in the reader's mind.
• This can create emphasis or reinforce the main idea, such as "Just do it" (Nike).

Parallelism

• Using similar grammatical structures in a series of phrases or sentences.
• This creates balance and rhythm, like "We fight for justice, we fight for equality, we fight for freedom."

Antithesis

• Presenting contrasting ideas in close proximity to create a striking effect.
• For example, "It's the best of times, it's the worst of times."

Neologisms

• Newly coined words or phrases
• Often used to reflect innovation or a modern, forward-thinking brand like "selfie," "blogosphere," or "cyberbullying."

Long noun phrases

• Using extended noun phrases to create detailed, descriptive, or technical messages.
• An example is "a brand-new, state-of-the-art, cutting-edge smartphone."

Oxymorons

• Phrases that combine contradictory terms for effect.
• Examples include "bittersweet," "jumbo shrimp," or "silent scream."
• It creates a sense of curiosity or emphasizes complexity.

Onomatopoeia

• Words that imitate the sounds associated with their meanings, such as "buzz," "sizzle," or "pop.".
• This makes the message more sensory and engaging.

Explore marketing linguistics—'we/you' orientation, imperatives, interrogatives, contractions, and dynamic words. Connect with audiences using direct language and action-oriented messages. This strategy encourages audience involvement, reflection, and immediate action.