Reviewed by Francisco Yus, University of Alicante
Pragmatic analyses of computer-mediated communication are not as abundant as one would imagine (if we take into account the current development of pragmatic research; see my book Ciberpragmática [Cyberpragmatics], 2001 and references therein). Pragmatic analyses of the web are even less abundant, and therefore Janoschka’s book is more than welcome within pragmatic research.
As the title of the book indicates, J is interested in advertising on the web, taking communication through the web as an asynchronous form of communication whose ‘way of disseminating information corresponds to characteristics of monologue-oriented mass communication. The message-transfer is accomplished in the relation one-to-many’ (2). Specifically, web ads are small graphic images that demand the user’s active participation with a mouse click. But the overall aim of the study is to explore the new forms of communication that have emerged with the launch of this new medium and that have had some effect on the language used to communicate on the web. Besides, the analysis concentrates on ‘the linguistic means that are employed in web ads’ (3). Interestingly, for J, communication on the internet is not only interactive, but also individualized through the way in which information is produced and perceived.
As sub-aims of the book, J lists (a) the description and exploration of new dimensions and forms of online communication, (b) the analysis of written language used in online advertising communication, and (c) the analysis of the new structure and functions of online information realized by hypertexts (3–4).
Ch. 2 (‘Traditional advertising’, 8–41) serves as a contrast to the overall aim of the book, as J reviews the qualities of traditional advertising in order to highlight, later in the book, the significant differences with online advertising. By the term ‘traditional advertising’ J means not only ‘conventional advertising’, but also the so-called ‘direct advertising’ (mailings, coupon ads, etc.). In the chapter, the concept AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) is also addressed.
Ch. 3 (‘Online advertising’, 43–81) starts with a description of the web as an ‘advertising platform’, including an analysis of different types of web pages. Their functions are also listed: to attract the users’ attention, to persuade them to activate (i.e. ‘click on’) them, and to meet the users’ expectations provoked by the advertising message. After all, on the internet the content of the web page and the advertising banners share the space on the screen, and banners compete for the user’s attention, an attention that was not primarily intended to focus on the banner (and of course the user does not intend to leave the current web page and go wherever the banner will lead).
Ch. 4 (‘Communication’, 83–120) focuses on two types of traditional communication: mass (unidirectional) and interpersonal (with mutual exchange of information). As internet communication has developed and become popular, a mesh of these forms has emerged: interactive mass communication. Ch. 5 (‘The language of web ads’, 121–58) concentrates on linguistic means and strategies employed by web ads.
Finally, Ch. 6 (‘Hyperadvertising’, 159–90) focuses on the structure of hyperadvertising, which means a brand new approach to web advertising, especially because users can now participate actively in the message-construction process by selecting which links to follow and in which order.
Overall, Web advertising is a clearly written book and a welcome contribution to the pragmatics of media communication.