The most frequently used words used in today's advertising are “New and Improved” according to author William Lutz. Lutz is a retired English professor who wrote this excerpt from his book Doublespeak.His primary purpose in this text is to uncover and unfold secret details of the rhetorical strategies of advertisers that often conceal the true product or embellish its effectiveness. Professor Lutz’s article “With these words I can sell you anything” describes many of the advertisement business tricks to draw consumers into buying their products. He describe the advertisers tricks as weasel words, doublespeak and unfinished words.
Professor Lutz first starts off by telling us the definition of “weasel words” which was named after the weasel who steals egg yolks right from under the nose of the unsuspecting hen , which appear to have meaning, one thing is said but you really mean the opposite, or nothing at all. He then goes on to explain some of the examples of weasel words. One is “help” which is actually the number one weasel word according to Lutz, “Help only means to aid or assist, nothing more”(Lutz 197). He goes on to say that most advertisers use the word …show more content…
Lutz talks about unfinished words, he says that “ Unfinished words are a kind of “up to” claim in advertising”. Lutz is trying to tell the consumers that when advertises use the “up to” words they are trying to appear as if the product is trying to promise so much. The purpose that Lutz is trying to get across is that we as the consumers should pay attention to what the ad is really saying. The man and or women who make the ad are just trying to figure out a way to get your attention. When you see the words “ twice as much” or “ up to twice as long” and so on; that means the advertiser is wanting you to finish that sentence with your own words. Once you do that then the product from that ad can mean so many different things to all people and the product isn't really promising
Professor Lutz first starts off by telling us the definition of “weasel words” which was named after the weasel who steals egg yolks right from under the nose of the unsuspecting hen , which appear to have meaning, one thing is said but you really mean the opposite, or nothing at all. He then goes on to explain some of the examples of weasel words. One is “help” which is actually the number one weasel word according to Lutz, “Help only means to aid or assist, nothing more”(Lutz 197). He goes on to say that most advertisers use the word …show more content…
Lutz talks about unfinished words, he says that “ Unfinished words are a kind of “up to” claim in advertising”. Lutz is trying to tell the consumers that when advertises use the “up to” words they are trying to appear as if the product is trying to promise so much. The purpose that Lutz is trying to get across is that we as the consumers should pay attention to what the ad is really saying. The man and or women who make the ad are just trying to figure out a way to get your attention. When you see the words “ twice as much” or “ up to twice as long” and so on; that means the advertiser is wanting you to finish that sentence with your own words. Once you do that then the product from that ad can mean so many different things to all people and the product isn't really promising