My research objective was to investigate the language used by advertisers to target male farmers. I analyzed print advertisements from farming magazines and newspapers as well as a television advertisement. I expected to find patterns in the language used and reliance on farming stereotypes.

1. Doing your research write-up

2. INTRODUCTION What did you expect to find? My research objective was to investigate the language used by advertisers to target male farmers. My sources were mainly print advertisements from farming magazines and newspapers but I also included a television advertisement. I wanted to find out if there were any obvious patterns in the language of these advertisements and if advertisers relied heavily on the farming stereotype. Outline the focus of the investigation What did you expect to find? Read the example above Now do this for your own research

3. What verbal language features are used in advertisements aimed at male farmers and what effects do they produce? Advertisers obviously want to connect with their audience. Both humour and puns prove very effective techniques for this, and this is shown in an advertisement for Greenacres Greenhouses. It states they are “light years ahead of the competition” (meaning a long way advanced and better at providing light) and also states they “cover the country” (meaning both the function of a greenhouse and the branches they have). Seppi Mowers print that their mowers can “really cut it!” (make the grade and actually cut grass). Humour is also used in the television advertisement for Holden Utilities. When a man takes a friend’s farm utility for a drive, he isn’t told about a nasty drop off the back of a hill. When the owner is told about the drop, he drawls, “That right?” This use of understatement, similar to the Speights’ advertisements, plays on the quiet ‘man-of-few-words’ stereotype of farmers. Puns and understatement help create humour, and humour is used to make farmers feel that those selling the product are similar to them Use your first question as a heading. State a language feature Give multiple examples across your advertisements Interpret information. Make qualitative judgements. (see other powerpoint for more on this) Read the example above Now do this for your own research