A cultural analysis of English and Chinese advertisements in Singapore : a deconstruction approach.

• Main Authors: Lee, Chih Chin., Liew, Yen Lin., Lim, Ann Chui Hoon., Wong, Wai Ling.
• Other Authors: Lee Chun Wah
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Promotional communication
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/14829
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With increasing affluence and exposure to foreign media content in recent years, the Singapore government has been very concerned with the need for Singaporeans to preserve their traditional cultures and values. These values have played a vital role in maintaining national cohesion, economic prosperity and the continued progress of Singapore. The continued growth of the advertising industry and its pervasive nature have made it worthwhile to examine the impact of advertisements on the social/cultural values of society. In the Singaporean context, advertisements may reinforce or undermine the five core national values and other Asian values that contributed to our nation's success. This study examines the language attributes, persuasive tactics and cultural assumptions present in English and Chinese advertisements in Singapore. It primarily attempts to uncover the cultural assumptions embedded in advertisements carried in local newspapers and television channels. Besides investigating how the advertisements analyzed support/conflict with our Asian values, the study also seeks to explore how the cultural values reflected in English/Chinese advertisements are expressed.