On The Interpersonal And Ideological Functions Of Evaluation In Cosmetics And Cosmetic Surgery Advertising Text

In the light of APPRAISL theory, this study explores the interpersonal and ideological functions of evaluation in cosmetics and cosmetic surgery advertising text from a critical point of view. The present study has two aims: one is to gain a full understanding of the role of evaluative language in building up interpersonal relations and ideological assumptions, the other is to lay bare the contemporary western cultural attitudes and norms with respect to the importance of physical appearance and the consumption of cosmetics and cosmetic surgery.By closely analyzing six sample advertising texts and attending to forty advertising texts in the database, the present study reveals that in cosmetics and cosmetic surgery advertisements, the advertisers deploy various evaluations to serve their ultimate persuasive goal. As far as the interpersonal function of the evaluations is concerned, it is revealed that ATTITUDE systems are basically drawn upon to construct attitudinal positioning and manipulation over the potential consumers. More specifically, AFFECT, JUDGEMENT and APPRECIATION systems are deployed to achieve emotional positioning, normative positioning and aesthetic positioning respectively. ENGAGEMNET and GRADUATION are mainly used to bring the attitudinal manipulation into fullplay. As far as the ideological effect of the evaluations is concerned, it is revealed that ideological referent systems such as nature, history, youth, individualism, gender identity and social problems are frequently drawn upon to serve the advertisers' persuasive purpose. It is argued that by advancing evaluations, the advertisers automatically reinforce the current ideological system and construct new ideological assumptions. Thus, the advertisers are partly responsible for the current youth-and-beautification obsession in the western cultures.