A Study On Socio-cultural Features In Cosmetic Advertisements

China Advertising Industry Report 2006 and Research Report on China Cosmetics Market show that China's cosmetic industry continued to be the top in terms of investment, the amount of which is approximately 25.6 billion RMB. China has consequently emerged as the second largest cosmetic market in Asia, and the eighth cosmetic market in the world. The status and developing tendency of Chinese cosmetic export call for some in-depth and systematic studies on cosmetic advertisements. Although many linguists have done much research on advertisements, their subjects mostly concentrate on the macro-analysis of advertisements. There is not much attention paid to cosmetic advertisements so far. Some studies that have been undertaken on cosmetic advertisements are far from satisfactory. Therefore, this thesis intends to do some research into the Chinese and English cosmetic advertisements, with the hope of finding some socio-cultural features reflected in them.This thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter defines advertising, clarifies the definition, objectives and classification of cosmetic advertising and explains the significance of studying cosmetic advertisements. Chapter 2 presents a brief review of literature on domestic and international studies on advertisements. Chapter 3, a discussion of distinct features of cosmetic advertisements, is conducted from four perspectives: targeted audiences, choice of advertising media, celebrity and implicit assumptions. Chapter 4 is the focus of this thesis, dwelling upon the socio-cultural features potentially reflected in cosmetic advertisements. The thesis states clearly that language comes from culture, and culture reflects language as well. Cosmetic advertisement is not only a carrier of the information of products, but also a rich reflection of cultures. The historical background of a nation, people's values, attitudes and ethics, literature and art, all these can be reflected in advertisements. They, to some extent, determine the form of advertisements, and, more importantly, content of advertisement. At the same time, advertisement can exert a great influence on culture. Therefore, cosmetic advertisement acts as not only a mirror of culture but also as a means of promoting culture. It has become the wind-vane of social fashions. Through the comparison of Chinese and English cosmetic advertisements, this thesis finds out some culture differences reflected in cosmetic advertisements between Chinese and western countries, and proves that there is a close relationship existing between culture and advertising. Specifically, this chapter makes an in-deep analysis of the nature of beauty, the classification of beauty and distinctions of aesthetic standards in cosmetic advertisements. We find there is much exhibition of differences in aesthetic standards. Chapter 5 conclusion, the thesis points out some findings and makes some suggestion for the future study. The findings are:①The target customers of these advertisements are people—mainly women; Primary media vehicles of cosmetic advertisements are women's magazines, especially fashion magazines; almost every cosmetic product has its own spokesperson, and, most of them are celebrities.②The distinctions between the modes of thinking of Chinese and westerners which find expressions in the thinking modes of cosmetic advertisements chiefly lie in collective orientation vs. individual orientation; belief in authority vs. belief in facts; and past orientation vs. future orientation.③The differences in aesthetic standards between Chinese and western reflected in cosmetic advertisements are: Chinese people take fair skin as beauty and being natural as beauty, whereas Westerners take tan skin as beauty, sex appeal as beauty and being healthy as beauty.④Other characters of cosmetic advertisements are: Chinese cosmetic advertisements are developed-country-worshiping, emphasizing science and technology, but at the same time taking pride in our motherland, China. By contrast, characteristics in western cosmetic advertisements are stimulus and venture seeking, and a heavy emphasis on time saving.Loving beauty is an essential part of human nature. Exquisite pictures, haunting music and flowery words, all these contribute to the eye-catching cosmetic advertisements and create wonders of beauty. It is hoped that this thesis will help customers get a better understanding of cosmetic advertising; will help advertisers create memorable versions from the learning, also more important, provide further research with some valuable enlightenment and reference.