從汽車廣告看美國文化 (1)

從汽車廣告看美國文化

Auto Ads &American Culture (1)

   Commercial advertisement is a kind of business promotions.  Its importance is no less important than its research and its cost.  It frequently appears on radio, TV and or other media. Whether it be on Newspaper, Periodicals or on TV, the space of advertisement words occupy much less than that of pictures do.  But it may reach as many effects as as pictures do, if not more. What is to be covered in this article includes newspapers, general magazines, public places (bus depot, bus stops, train stations, or benches in the park).  Some features are vividly revealed in this advertisement.

商業廣告是一種促銷商品的行為，它的重要性不亞於產品的開發與成本。它常出現於無線電台、電視或平面媒體(media) 上。不論是平面媒體或電視，文字部分通常比圖面的篇幅小很多，但其具畫龍點睛的效果及震撼力卻比圖面大。本文所提包含報紙、雜誌、或在公共塲所 (公車站、火車站、或公園板凳上) 的廣告。廣告詞句之打動人心，引起購買慾(arousing desire to purchase)當不在話下。

Automobiles are not merely a necessity but a luxury as well. For those who live in metropolitan complex, such as New York City, they can live without autos. Because they can survive with public transits or Barts.  But they can barely move without cars if they live in a Los Angeles Metropolitan or Bigger Seattle Areas. People regard a vehicle as a basic transportation in the suburbs or rural areas. They do not care much about whether a car is a luxury or not. For those living in big cities, some people are after fashionable nice cars, including up-to-date, styles and elegance. The car price can therefore be ranged from a few thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands or even a million dollars. Cars in America are made in all countries in the world. Usually the more expensive a car is, the more precise and terse its commercial ad.is, and more effects it generates. Sometimes American culture can be revealed in an auto commercials, which contain one or some of the following features：

汽車是我們生活中一項重要必需品與奢侈品，居住在人口密集的大城市(metropolitan)如紐約，既使沒擁有汽車，僅靠大眾運輸工具(public transit) 如地鐵或Bart也還可以(People can do without it)。但在西部如大洛杉磯或大西雅圖地區，沒有汽車等於沒有脚，則有行不得也之苦。在純樸的郊區或農村(suburban or rural)，大部分人將它當作代步工具，故不太講究是否豪華，但有些住繁華地區的人，則喜歡追求時髦、款式與派頭，故其售價從幾萬元起，到幾十萬元甚至上百萬(美元)都有。美國汽車產地來自全世界，應有盡有。通常越名貴，售價愈高昂的車子，其廣告詞愈精簡，效果也愈佳。『不論產地在何處，我們討論的是銷售地-美國』。因此其廣告內容如何及從當地人如何看廣告，我們就瞭解他們的想法與文化。像其他產品一樣，汽車廣告也是一分錢一分貨。其廣告具有或包含下列任一種特色：

1.The noticeable locations of an ad in publications 醒目的位置

2.The contents : to the point. 中肯的內容

      3. Terse or concise words it chooses. 簡潔的用詞

4.Arousing desire to purchase. 能引起購買慾

I.         function: 功能
 

1. GMC (expert in producing trucks, big vans, and buses專製造卡車與巴士)

              “These roads are all so predictable.”

          These roads imply “crooked, rough, not smooth or not paved” It means we are skilled

      in producing vehicles for tough roads, which are within our predictions. And this feature our 

      vehicles.比較：
      "There s no royal road to learning. "  學問無徑。royal road 皇室走的步道(全舖地毯)

2. Range Rover (英國車) ：

            “Power becomes more powerful.” 『更有力』另如power steering wheel電動方向盤

           “Luxury becomes more luxurious.” 『更豪華『

           (Note: The words used are emphatic, concise and dynamic. 註：本廣告用字淺顯，

           真有力，够夯!)

3. Alfa Romeo(愛快羅蜜歐)

           “It was designed to be driven with the wrists, not the elbows, and its handling becomes

            more precise as speed increased.” 『emphasizing the ease with which to drive; the wheel

            is easily controllable』 No one drives a vehicle with elbows, of course。(强調方向盤輕
           盈、準確)

4. BMW

      “The M6 matches the performance of the European exotics, but it is wrapped in a relatively

       discreet guise, and offers accommodation for four.”

     – the European exotics mean “imported European cars”；discreet guise means “under the guise

      of discretion”and with the capacity of four.

     『M6款式車種符合歐洲進口車的功能，但具相當謹慎的內涵，並提供4人座的豪華』。

      “BMW’s performance coupe should arouse the interest of any driving enthusiast.”

   『BMW精美双門車，應引起任何一位熱心駕駛人的興趣』 。

II. after-sale service 售後服務

Lincoln & Mercury: (林肯牌-美國車)

“Be sure and secure 75,000 miles.” 務必争取到七萬五千哩的保固。

《Usually a warranty for 50,000 miles or 5 yrs, whichever comes earlier is basic and satisfactory with general customers. Of course, 75,000 miles offered is superb. For an American-make car to run 75,000 miles is reaching its limit. It is very attractive, because by the 5-year-time expires, it is almost finished. But how about 5 yrs and unlimited mileage? 》

【註】：

美國一般汽車保固(warranty)，大都是3年3萬哩或5年5萬哩。依哩程或時間先到為準，顧客也滿意。所以這個廣告確是吸引人。美國車大都可開5年，然後毛病開始來，修完一樣，別樣又壞。因原始設計各項零件即以5年的壽命。車商鼓勵你每5年，換新車。如不買，車商就鼓勵你用lease比較划算。lease-長期租賃-通常是3年，除down payment頭期款外每月再繳付一點，3年期到還車，每5,000哩免費保養，包括oil-change換機油、power wheel fluid方向盤機油、brake fluid煞車機油、free tire-rotation免費前后輪胎調換或補胎等服務。但最近有車商推出一種更讓人心動的保固-5年，unlimited mileage (不限浬程數)!

III. style 款式

1. Hummer (悍馬-美國車-H2 Sport Utility Truck-小卡車)

     “Same DNA. Smaller Chromosomes.” 『遺傳基因相同。但染色體較小』。(車型與大型
     車一樣，但外型較小。如果廣告商用smaller size，就沒有深度了。而且敢以生物學的
     DNA來說明其遺傳基因-(material transmitting the hereditary pattern)，更醒目)

2. Ferrari (法拉利-義大利跑車)

    “Sweet Successor” 『甜蜜的接班人』。 
   
    “Predecessor was good and popular”-意謂舊款受歡迎，新款亦不差-很可愛)。

    “The F430 is meant to be driven fast.” F430這款車就是要開快。(to demonstrate its chief
       function才能顯示它的優點)。

    “New. Classic.” 『又新又古典』。= It seems difficult to blend “new” and “classic”. (廣告意義
    含 “New but Classic.” -新款車但仍保有古典氣質)。How can they do it?

IV.   special equipment 特殊配備

1. Ford Thunderbird (福特雷鳥牌)

    “And they say cell phones are a distraction” 『據說在車上使用手機會分心』。The car is
    equipped with modern telephone systems and apparatus. In USA, drivers are prohibited from

    using cell phones. (美國禁止在車內講手機，為配合政策而有此創新發明)。

    As we know, Ford is a vehicle liked and accepted by general people, while Lincoln or

    Cadillac(凱迪拉克)is a Limousine大禮車。

       【In 1970 President Nixon resigned because of Watergate scandal. Vice President Gerald Ford

        succeeded to him as the President.。After swearing-in, he told the country people：“I am a

        Ford, not a Lincoln.” (我是一位普通人士，不是高貴人士) 】。

2. Mercedes Benz 賓士:

    “You won’t believe what’s under the hood.” –Mercedes E55 AMG
    『你不會相信在車蓋下面藏有什麼東西』。

     **(Mercedes is noted for its quality of engine, which is under the hood. 賓士車的引擎是

     以耐用出名，本句涵意為它的引擎很棒。)

     a joke 笑話：

         Usually a people’s personality can be fully displayed or revealed on  the first thing they feel
         about a vehicle before they purchase it: (有人說從前，從買車這件事，可以看出民族性)：

         *《The Americans prefer bigger car size, good suspension(避震器)and cushion(座位反彈力
             良好) 》。

          Is it because most Americans suffer from obesity? (美國人胖子超多?)

        *《The British like gentlemanlike taste. 》(英國人喜歡車型正派，具紳士風格) 。

        *《The French are fond of romantic appearance.》(法國人著重浪漫)。

        *《The Greeks are in favor of big and shiny head lights》(希臘人喜歡車前燈超亮)。

        *《The Chinese used to take to the loudly horn.》
            (過去中國人喜歡喇叭聲超大，引起行人注意，及時閃人?)

       *《The Germans open the hood and listen to the sound of engine.(德國人先打開引擎蓋，
          聽聽引擎聲音。)
 

          Why? Are they more practical? 德國人更實際?

         Dear Folks, (朋友：請問您呢?)  how about you?  (待續)

 

         Justin Lai in Seattle, USA

 

         revised on 05/27/2013