The Effect of Sociolinguism on Advertising Slogans

The present research intends to check if foreign languages, as cultural conveyors, moderate the characteristics associated with advertising slogans. To understand better how the use of foreign languages can improve the persuasive capacity of ads, three research questions have been established: (1) with what sector of production is the use of foreign languages associated; (2) which characteristics are associated with the foreign language used in advertisements; and (3) what is the relationship between the foreign language used and the image of the firm. In order to answer these questions, the authors have designed an audio slogan translated into three languages: Italian, Turkish, and Russian. The total sample exposed to the slogan is composed of 184 subjects. The conclusions have shown that those firms that seek to communicate a symbolic meaning should select a language that conveys the desired cultural values, thus improving the persuasion already derived from the country of origin.