The Analysis of Figurative Speech On products Advertisement in The World. The aim of this study is to (1) investigate the use of figures of speech in printed advertisement and internet advertisement from food advertisement until men’s product and women’s product, (2) analyze which type of figurative speech that use in product advertisement like Alliteration, Anaphora, Assonance, Euphemism, Metonymy, Paradox, Oxymoron, Hyperbole, Personification and Simile. It means that in order to the reader can know what kinds of figurative speech that uses in the products advertisement.

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IVE THE ANALYSIS OF FIGURATIVE SPEECH ON PRODUCT
ADVERTISEMENT
Muh. Azizurrahman; Tiara Tiffani; Aliyani; Mulyanawati; Angga Hardianto
Abstract
The aim of this study is to (1) investigate the use of figures of speech in printed
advertisement and internet advertisement from food advertisement until men’s
product and women’s product, (2) analyze which type of figurative speech that use
in product advertisement like Alliteration, Anaphora, Assonance, Euphemism,
Metonymy, Paradox, Oxymoron, Hyperbole, Personification and Simile. It means
that in order to the reader can know what kinds of figurative speech that uses in the
products advertisement.
Key words: Figure of speech; product; Advertisement

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INTRODUCTION
Language plays an important role in human communication. Without
language, we cannot communicate each other. Wardhaugh (1972:3) states that
language is a system of arbitrary vocal symbols used for human communication. The
main function of language is as a tool of communication. As a main tool of
communication, language has a very important role in human’s life. Language is a
specific human’s characteristic that makes them different from other. By using
language, people can say their intents, wants, messages and information to other
people.
Language is everything which is produced by sounds, words, sentences, and
it has meaning. According to Fromkin, Blair, and Collins (2000), it is language that
consists of all sounds, words, and sentences. When we know what language is, we
know the sounds, the words, and the rules for their combination. Similar to Fromkin,
et al., Celce-Murcia and Freeman (1998) explain that there are three components of
language, they are sound, structure, and vocabulary, and those are should be
learned by people in doing communication. From those quotations above, the writer
concludes that language skills and language components are integrated one
another. As a result, when studying language, especially English, students have to
study both of language skills and language components.
Figurative speech is a way to deliver meaning other than the literal meaning
of the words. Sometimes, the words are used to describe thing or condition by
comparing it to something else. In short, figurative language is a kind of language
which employs various figures of speech. Using figurative language is a way to
captivate readers’ interest. It allows us to deliver our idea and imagination in more
entertaining way.

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There are several kinds of figurative speech that we will discuss like;
Alliteration (a figurative speech that use repetition of initial consonants), Anaphora
(a figurative speech that use repetition of the same words at the beginning),
Assonance (a figurative speech that use repetition of vowel sounds), Euphemism (a
figurative speech that use of substitution of a less versifies or more agreeable form
for another), Hyperbole (a figurative speech that use of exaggerated term for
emphasize), Metonymy (a figurative speech that use substitution of a word to
suggest what is really mend), Oxymoron (a figurative speech that using two terms
together that normally contradict each other), Paradox (a figurative speech that use
of contradictory ideas to point out some underline truth), Personification (a
figurative speech that use attributing of a personality to impersonal objects), and
Simile (a figurative speech that use an explicit comparison between two things).
Advertising is something that we are all exposed to. It is also something that
is likely to affect most of us in a number of different spheres of our lives. It is
reasonable to say that we live in a world of advertising. As potential consumers, we
are always bombarded with all kinds of product or service information from various
media, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio, Internet, etc. Advertising
indicates the difference that exists between brands of products and alternative
services. Advertising also tells the consumer what a specific product, brand or
service should do when it is used, thus helping him or her to understand and
evaluate experience with the products and services that he or she uses.
On the other hand, by making people aware of products, service and ideas,
advertising promotes sales and profits. Therefore, the forms of advertising are very
important. Advertising has many forms, but in most of them language is of crucial
importance. The words in advertisements are carefully crafted to meet particular
needs.

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Finally, advertising is one of the major forces that are helping improve the
standard of living around the world. Combined with all these communicational,
marketing and social functions, advertising becomes indispensable in the modern
world.
A figure of speech is figurative language in the form of a single word or
phrase. It can be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal
meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of
the words. There are mainly five figures of speech: simile, metaphor, hyperbole,
personification and synecdoche. Figures of speech often provide emphasis,
freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use,
as any figure of speech introduces an ambiguity between literal and figurative
interpretation. A figure of speech is sometimes called a rhetorical figure or a
locution.
LITERATURE REVIEW
As known for decades, advertisement is one of the main strategies in
marketing either a product or service. It can be defined as “ An Advert that does not
create a buying response, or at least produce a desire to wa nt to know more is not
an advert” (Quinn, 1985). The Table 2.1 holds the summary to t he types of
advertising being exercised (Aaker and Mayers, 1975).
Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade an audience
(viewers, readers or listeners) to purchase or take some action upon products, ideas,
or services. It includes the name of a product or service and how that product or
service could benefit the consumer, to persuade a target market to purchase or to
consume that particular brand. These messages are usually paid for by sponsors and

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viewed via variousmedia. Advertising can also serve to communicate an idea to a
large number of people in an attempt to convince them to take a certain action. The
meaning of word advertising inprevious century was limited only ‘to give notice of’
but in modern world it is used in specific commercial form. So advertising means to
inform the public about the item or quality and price and motivate the public to
invest money to help increase the sale of commodity. In other words it is pictorial
salesmanship presented through printed or written words.
Types of Advertisement Targeted on Customers
1. To Inform
a. Telling the market about the new product
b. Suggesting new user for the product
c. Informing the market of a price change
d. Explaining how the product works
e. Describing available service
f. Building company image
2. To Persuade
a. Building brand preference
b. Encouraging switching brand
c. Changing customers perception of a product attribute
d. Persuading customers to purchase
e. Persuading a customer to receive a sales call

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3. To Remind
a. Reminding consumers that the product may be needed in near future
b. Reminding them where to buy it
c. Reminding how to check for quality (originality)
d. Keeping in their minds during off seasons
e. Maintaining its top-of-mind awareness
A good, idea, method, information, object or service created as a result of a
process and serves a need or satisfies a want. It has a combination of tangible and
intangible attributes (benefits, features, functions, uses) that a seller offers a buyer
for purchase. For example a seller of a toothbrush not only offers the physical
product but also the idea that the consumer will be improving the health of their
teeth.
In general, a product is defined as a "thing produced by labor or effort" or
the "result of an act or a process. " The word "product" stems from the verb
"produce", from the Latin prōdūce(re) "(to) lead or bring forth. " Since 1575, the
word "product" has referred to anything produced.
In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that
might satisfy a want or need. In retail, products are called merchandise. In
manufacturing, products are purchased as raw materials and sold as finished goods.
Commodities are usually raw materials such as metals and agricultural products, but

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the term can also refer to anything widely available in the open market. In project
management, products are the formal definition of the project deliverables that
form the objectives of the project.
An expression that uses language in a nonliteral way, such as a metaphor or
synecdoche, or in a structured or unusual way, such as anaphora or chiasmus, or that
employs sounds, such as alliteration or assonance, to achieve a rhetorical effect.
A figure of speech is figurative language in the form of a single word or
phrase. It can be a special repetition, arrangement or omission of words with literal
meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of
the words. There are mainly five figures of speech: simile, metaphor, hyperbole,
personification and synecdoche. Figures of speech often provide emphasis,
freshness of expression, or clarity. However, clarity may also suffer from their use,
as any figure of speech introduces an ambiguity between literal and figurative
interpretation. A figure of speech is sometimes called a rhetorical figure or a
locution.
DISCUSSION
Types of figurative language were collected from slogan in advertisement as
found in internet. The whole data were gotten from slogan of advertisement in
internet. There were 50 examples, it was consists of five examples of Alliteration,
five examples of Anaphora, five examples of Assonance, five examples of
Euphemism, five examples of Hyperbole, five examples of Metonymy, five examples
of Oxymoron, five examples of Paradox, five examples of Personification, and the
last is five examples of Simile. The data were analyzed and classified into types of
figurative language. The slogans are in advertisements of man’s product and
woman’s product, foods, beverages, etc.

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1. Alliteration
Alliteration is kinds of figurative speech that use repetition of initial consonant.
For the examples of alliteration;
a. Dunkin Donuts
b. Candy Crush
Both sentences are alliterative because the same firs letter of words (D & C)
occurs close together and produce alliteration in both of the product advertisement.
An important point to remember here is that alliteration does not depend on the
letters but on sounds. In our daily life, we notice alliteration in the names of
different companies. It makes the name of a company catchy and easy to memorize.
Here are several common alliteration examples.
a. Dunkin Donuts (Dunkin Donuts)
b. LiLT Fruit Crush (The Totally Tropical Taste)

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c. Car (Today Tomorrow Toyota)
d. Game (Candy Crush)
e. Beverage (Coca Cola)
All of the examples above us categorize into Alliteration because all of the
examples above use repetition consonants like; on “Dunkin Donuts” (D & D), on fruit
crush “The Totally Tropical Taste” (T,T,T & T), on car products “Today Tomorrow
Toyota” (T,T & T), on game “Candy Crush” (C & C), and on beverage “Coca Cola” (C &
C).
2. Anaphora

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Anaphora is a repetition of the same words at the beginning and the end.
Anaphora, possibly the oldest literary device, has its roots Biblical Psalms used to
emphasize certain words and phrase. Gradually, Elizabethan and Romantic writers
brought this device into practice.
For examples:
a. Chocolate (Have a break Have a kitkat)
b. Food (Tomato Soup) (Good food Good people)
c. Snack (always tasty, always there)

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d. Elzea Snacks (Share the Fun, Share the flava!)
e. Shampoo (love the earth, love your hair)

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Anaphora because all of the examples above use repetition words like; the
first on chocolate “Have a break Have a Kit Kat”, the second on Food (Tomato Soup)
“Good food products Good People, the third on snack ‘’always tasty, always there’’,
the fourth on Elzea Snacks product “Share the Fun, Share the Flava”, and the last on
shampoo ‘’Love your hair, love your earth.
3. Assonance
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within
phrases or sentences, and together with alliteration and consonance[1] serves as one
of the building blocks of verse. Assonance does not have to be a rhyme; the identity
of which depends merely on sequence of both vowel and consonant sounds. Thus,
assonance is a resemblance of units that are generally less than a syllable.
Assonance takes place when two or more words close to one another repeat the
same vowel sound but start with different consonant sounds.
Similar to any other literary device, assonance also has a very important role to
play in both poetry and prose. Writers use it as a tool to enhance a musical effect in
the text by using it for creating internal rhyme, which consequently enhances the
pleasure of reading a literary piece. In addition, it helps writers to develop a
particular mood in the text that corresponds with its subject matter.
The words do share the same vowel sounds but start with different consonant
sounds unlike alliteration that involves repetition of the same consonant sounds.
Below are a few assonance examples that are more common on products
advertisement:

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a. Beverage (Coca Cola)
b. MP3 Player (Bigger Bitter)
c. Shoes (Lighter Tighter)

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d. Morton Salt (When it rains it pours)
e. Mineral waters (Aqua Pura)
Assonance because all of the examples above use repetition the same sound
vowel like; the first sound /a/ in coca-cola, the second and the third are the same
sound /ə/ in MP3 Player (Bigger & Better) and in Shoes (Lighter & Tighter), the
fourth sound /s/ in Morton Salt (When it rains it pours) and the last is sound /a/
Mineral Water (Aqua Pura).

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4. Euphemism
A Euphemism is a generally innocuous word or expression used in place of one
that may be found offensive or suggest something unpleasant. Euphemism is an
agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something
unpleasant.
Some euphemisms are intended to amuse in while other use bland, inoffensive
terms of four things the user wises to downplay. Euphemisms are used to refer to
taboo (such as disability, sex, excretion, and death) in a polite way, or to mask
profanity.
There are three antonyms of Euphemism: dysphemism, cacophemism, and
loaded language. Dysphemism can be either offensive or merely ironic;
cacophemism is deliberately offensive. Loaded language evokes a visceral response
beyond the meaning of the words.
For the examples in products advertisement;
a. Food (Burger) (Crispy Frickin’ Chicken)

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b. Anti-virus (Broccoli, admittedly more interesting than explaining hacker-proof
passwords)
In logic broccoli just kinds of vegetables that cannot hold a hacker in access our
website.
c. Alcoholic drink
d. Inhaler products

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e. Mobile Phone (Samsung)
We categorize all of the advertisement above because all of them that use more
polite words in their products advertisement.
5. Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It
used in poems to create emphasis on a situation. It may be used to evoke strong
feelings or to create strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally.
Hyperboles are exaggerations to create emphasis or effect. As a literary device,
hyperbole is often used in poetry, and is frequently encountered in casual speech.

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According to Harry (1976:138) “hyperbole is obvious and deliberate
exaggeration; an extravagant statement. Hyperbole is a figure of speech that not
intended to be taken which has a way of abundant to express something”.
Hyperbole is a figurative statement exaggerated (exaggeration), intended to obtain
certain effects, not the truth.
For examples;
a. Food (It’ll blow your mind away)
b. Food (Breakfast on Mars)

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c. Detergent (Rinso gives the whitest wash)
d. Toothpaste (Formula build strong teeth)
e. Car (For the money, it’s the most fun you can have sitting down)

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All of the examples above we categorize into Hyperbole because all of the
advertisement is use exaggerated words like in example (a) that show a food that
not really have a great taste, and in the example (b) that show a place that not can
reach in breakfast, if we bring the example (b) in a logic no one can have breakfast
on Mars they have to pay more expensive for go to space and to Mars.
6. Metonymy
Metonymy is substitution of a word to suggest what is really mean. ULLMANN
(1964) states that "two objects or ideas may be associated with one another in two
ways: by similarity or by contiguity. (....) Simile and metaphor arise from the
latter."27 JAKOBSON (1969) calls the process of association by similarity the
metaphoric process and the process of association by contiguity the metonymy
process.
According to BREDIN, metonymy is the application of the name of a thing to
something else, whenever the two things are closely associated in common
experience, in such a way that the name refers to both simultaneously. In MOISES'
opinion metonymy is the use of one word instead of another, with which it
establishes a constant und logic relation of contiguity.
Examples;
a. Adidas (Impossible is nothing)

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b. Nike (Just do it)
c. Panasonic (Ideas for life)
d. BMW (The ultimate driving machine)
e. McDonald’s (I’m lovin’ it)
Because if we hear their slogan we can faster know their products and that’s
their characters.

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7. Oxymoron
Oxymoron is using two terms together that normally contradict each other.
Examples;
a. Soap (the cleaner you are, the dirty you get)
b. Balsam (icy, hot)
c. Juice ( have a cool summer )

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d. AC ( silent thunder)
e. Earphone (The Good News, The Bad News)
All of the examples above we categorize into Oxymoron because all of the
advertisement is contradict each other words like in example (a) the example show
word the cleaner you are, the dirty you get. Cleaner and dirty is contrast. (b) the
product says icy hot, that’s contrast words. (c) the product says ‘’have a cool
summer’’ cool and summer is contrast. (d) the product says thunder silent, that’s
contrast words. (e) the product says the good news, the bad news. Good and bad is
contrast.

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8. Paradox
Paradox is use of contradictory ideas to point out some underlying truth.
Examples;
a. Oak (kills hungry thirsty dead, then informs its next of skin via text)
b. Handbody lotion (stop the sun and you stop time)
c. Facial foam (just ask your boyfriend what to do. Oh, that’s right, you
don’t have a boyfriend.)

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d. Soft drink (Red Bull gives you wings)
e. Baby roller (never forget your first time, who loves you baby)

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All of the examples above we categorize into Paradox because all of the
advertisement is contradictory ideas to point out some underlying truth like in
example (a) the product says” kills hungry thirsty dead, then informs its next of skin
via text” the ideas for the product is contrast (b) the product says “stop the sun and
you stop time” that’s contrast ideas. (c)the product says “Red Bull gives you wings”
that’s contrast ideas (d) the product and the words is contrast, there is no
relationship. (e) the product and the words is contrast.
9. Personification
Personification is attributing a personality to impersonal object.
a. Car (The road to happiness has many curves)
b. Hugo ( The skyline is the limit )

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c. Mineral Water (Your Source Energy)
d. Nokia ( Harmony in the palm your hand )
e. Dunkin’ Donuts (America Runs on Dunkin’)
All of the examples above we categorize into Personification because all of
the advertisement is attributing a personality to impersonal object like in example
(a) the product says ”The road to happiness has many curves” this is personification

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because the product says the road to happiness, there is no road happiness (b) “The
skyline is the limit” because skyline is something that don’t have limit (c) the product
says “Your Source Energy” because that is something like a human characteristic
that has energy(d) the product says “Harmony in the palm your hand” because that
is like human that has harmony (e) the product says “America Runs on Dunkin’’
because America runs, that like human characteristic. In logic America can not run.
10. Simile
Simile is an explicit comparison between two things, always use like and as.
a. Netea product ( Exotic and powerful like an Italian sports car in your
mouth)
b. Silverado Car ( The truck like a rock)

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c. Roof (A roof without Harvey tiles is like being burnt in hell without a
saviour)
d. Vacuum Cleaner (Nothing sucks like an Electrolux)
e. Loreal (Like a lot of us, Preference just keeps getting and better. And I’m
worth it)
All of the examples above we categorize into Simile because all of the
advertisement is an explicit comparison between two things, always use like and as

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like in example (a) the product says “Exotic and powerful like an Italian sports car in
your mouth” because the words use like, like the example above (b) “The truck like a
rock” because also has word like (c) “A roof without Harvey tiles is like being burnt in
hell without a saviour” because has word like, comparison two things (d) “Nothing
sucks like an Electrolux” because use word like, that’s comparison things. (e) “Like a
lot of us, Preference just keeps getting and better. And I’m worth it” because use
word like, like the character of simile.
CONCLUSION
After analyzing the data, it can be concluding that figurative language is not
only use in literary work such; novel, poetry, short story, drama, and poems, but is
also used in advertisement. In order to make these advertisements more exciting
and interesting, the advertisers used figurative language to make the product
become alive. The use of figurative language in advertisement like in internet
advertisement, gives big influence in promoting the product. It is easier the
producers deliver the message of their product to the consumers.
The producers use figurative language to deliver the message of the product.
By using figurative language, the producers persuade the consumers to buy their
products. Figurative language enables the producers to sale the product quickly
because they use the memorable sentence and distinguishing it from the competitor
products.
Figurative language has more than 10 types, but in analyzing this paper was
focused to analyze 10 types, they are: alliteration, anaphora, assonance,
personification, oxymoron, paradox, euphemism, hyperbole, simile, and metonymy
that tend to be used in internet advertisements. The advertisements were classified

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into food, male, female products and other. These classifications are in order to
show types of figurative language in products advertisement in our life.
REFERENCES
Fromkin. V., Blaire, D., and Collins, P.C. (2000). An Introduction to Language. Sydney:
Harcourt.
Wardaugh, Ronald. 1986. An Introduction to Sociolinguistic. United Kingdom:
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Celce-Murcia, M., and Freeman, D.L. (1998). The Grammar Book: an ESL/EFL
Teacher's Course. Massachusetts: Newbury House Publisher, Inc.
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