2006年VOA标准英语-New TV Advertisements Shock Viewers

By George Dwyer
Washington, DC
19 May 2006
 
watch Shock Ad report

Shock ads are now incorporating real car accidents   
  
A series of distinctively¹ styled, realistic television advertisements have been causing a stir in the United States. Called 'shock ads,' they use disturbing images -- such as actual car crashes -- to sell consumer products. Marketers say the shock approach has been used for decades. But as VOAs George Dwyer reports, some critics see these new ads as distasteful and perhaps even manipulative.

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In a "shock ad" for Volkswagen's Jetta model:  two young men are seen casually² driving along when… they are in an accident

 
Volkswagen shock ad
  
The collision is real. The victims: professional stunt³ actors, as are those in another advertisement. The implied message: drive this auto⁴ and you can survive a crash. But why the shock approach?

Professor Roland Rust⁵ chairs the Department of Marketing⁶ at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. He says that these days advertisers feel they need shock value to capture people's attention.

Roland Rust   
  
"It is a fear appeal really. That is what it is called in marketing and advertising⁷. And that means that you try to scare people to make them change their behavior. And that is really what they are doing. I think it is really just breaking through the clutter⁸ -- the idea that people really do not pay much attention unless you just hit them over the head."

But some critics say ads like Volkswagen's leave a false impression -- that the automaker appears to suggest results similar to those seen in their ad. Consumer safety advocate Judie Stone says the ads are misleading.

 
Judie Stone
  
"I think the ad probably should have been a little bit more clear about the fact that not every crash is the same and that you are not necessarily going to walk away from every crash just because you have safety systems."

But the Volkswagen ad appears to be part of a larger trend toward more 'shock' value in advertising.

Anti-smoking public service announcement have become increasingly graphic…

And food products firms now regularly invoke⁹ mortality to play on people's fears…

Rust and other experts say although the intensity¹⁰ may be new, the technique is not. "A lot of the old ad agencies used to say, 'You sell the sizzle and not the steak.' And that is really what is going on here. Emotional appeals are something that has been used in the business for many, many, many years."

And while there are those who question their tactics, few can doubt the ads are effective. Sales of Volkswagen's Jetta are up 20 percent this year.

1 distinctively   

adv.特殊地，区别地

参考例句：

• "Public risks" is a recent term for distinctively high-tech hazards. “公共风险”是个特殊的高技术危害个人的一个最新术语。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• His language was natural, unaffected, distinctively vivid, humorous and strongly charming. 语言既朴实无华，又鲜明生动，幽默而富有艺术魅力。

2 casually   

adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地

参考例句：

• She remarked casually that she was changing her job.她当时漫不经心地说要换工作。
• I casually mentioned that I might be interested in working abroad.我不经意地提到我可能会对出国工作感兴趣。

3 stunt   

n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长

参考例句：

• Lack of the right food may stunt growth.缺乏适当的食物会阻碍发育。
• Right up there is where the big stunt is taking place.那边将会有惊人的表演。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 rust   

n.锈；v.生锈；(脑子)衰退

参考例句：

• She scraped the rust off the kitchen knife.她擦掉了菜刀上的锈。
• The rain will rust the iron roof.雨水会使铁皮屋顶生锈。

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

8 clutter   

n.零乱，杂乱；vt.弄乱，把…弄得杂乱

参考例句：

• The garage is in such a clutter that we can't find anything.车库如此凌乱，我们什么也找不到。
• We'll have to clear up all this clutter.我们得把这一切凌乱的东西整理清楚。

9 invoke   

v.求助于(神、法律)；恳求，乞求

参考例句：

• Let us invoke the blessings of peace.让我们祈求和平之福。
• I hope I'll never have to invoke this clause and lodge a claim with you.我希望我永远不会使用这个条款向你们索赔。

10 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。