Skopos Theory and Advertising Translation 英语专业硕士毕业论文.doc

Chapter I Introduction This part, which serves as the introduction to the thesis, first defines the key term “advertising” and expounds its essential functions, then it moves on to provide a brief review of relevant studies, and finally, it explains the necessity and purpose of the research. 1.1 Definition and functions of advertising 1.1.1 Definition of advertising The definition of advertising given by the American Marketing Association (AMA) is commonly regarded as the most standard one: Advertising is the non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various media (Zhao Jing, 1992:1) . 1.1.2 Functions of advertising Advertising is both applauded and criticized for its role in selling products and its influence on society. For years, critics have denigrated advertising for a wide range of sins—some real, and some imagined. The result has been a steady growth in the number of consumer groups, business organizations, and government bodies that now regulate virtually everything that advertisers say and do (Arens, 1996:39). Anyhow, advertising does play a very important role in both reflecting and shaping our society. Five different functions have been identified for advertising. They are briefly discussed below. The marketing function Along with sales promotion, public relations and personal selling, advertising is one of the vehicles employed by a business or an organization to communicate with its customers. Although advertising is only one element in a company’s overall promotional program, it is the most visible one (Wells, 1989:9). The communication function Advertising is a form of mass communication. It transmits different types of market information to match buyers and sellers in the market place. Advertising both informs and transforms the product by creating an image that goes beyond straight forward facts. The economic function The two