Perceptual Shaping via Syntax and Textual Layout: Additional Insights for US Copywriters

In recent years, psycholinguistic research of advertising text in US-based publications has contributed substantially to our understanding of advertising language. However, most of this effort has been directed towards the semantics of advertising rather than the language itself—the syntax. Consequently, in an advertising context, this study addresses the effects of one of the most interesting and problematic syntactic structures, the passive. This syntactic structure is examined both in isolation and in conjunction with text layout. The results of our study confirm the view that passive syntax, both independently and in conjunction with layout, elicits significant responses from readers of advertising. However, most interestingly, these responses are often counter-intuitive and raise significant questions about copywriters' assumptions regarding the effects of both passive syntax and text layout. Practical applications of our findings and future research are discussed.

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