The Difference between Chinese and Western Moral Concept in Advertisement

Pan Jie

【Abstract】Cross-cultural advertising is a advertising communication between different cultural boundaries， especially in the international field of intercultural advertising communication. There is a crucial problem in cross-culture advertisement， that is moral difference. For this reason， it is significant to understand the differences between Chinese and Western moral concept in advertisement during advertisement promotion.

【Key words】advertising English; different morality

【摘要】跨文化廣告是一種不同文化間的廣告傳播，特別是在跨文化廣告傳播的國際領域。跨文化廣告所面臨的關鍵問題就是文化差異，這種差異主要體現在道德觀念方面。所以，了解中西道德觀念的差異，對廣告宣傳有著重要的意義。

【關鍵詞】廣告英語 中西方道德觀念的差異

As a kind of practical language， the advertising language has different expressions under different cultural background， which are mainly embodied on and moral concept. Meanwhile， to understand the differences between the advertising languages，such as English and Chinese advertising languages， will help us understand differences in moral concept between China and Western countries. To some degree， this paper tends to demonstrate the different moral concepts between Chinese and Western cultures by analyzing the English and Chinese advertising languages on cultural and moral concepts.

There are many different moral concepts between Chinese and Western culture. The different moral concepts between Chinese and western culture in ad mainly embodied in authority worship and data demonstration.

Luo Chunyan said： “There is a strong authority worship idea in traditional Chinese culture. Chinese famous-brand products mostly focus on prestige and fame， stress power and influence， many ads included series of certificate and honor of this product.”（Luo 2004）. For example， “華凌，中國馳名商標。華凌電器，專業制冷十八年！” This ad reflects the fact that manufactures are proud of their long and excellent professional experience in refrigeration. Hao Qinhai said： “compared with Chinese advertising， there is no such expression in English advertising.”（Hao 2000） English advertising tend to provide some reliable data about research and development of products for consumers， which made them convinced. Such as： “Compare the weight of this calculator with the weight of a credit card. The credit card maybe heavier than the calculator's 1/2 ounce. See how easily it fits inside a billfold. That is because its dimensions are 3 1/4 by 2 1/4 by 1/16 inches-about the size of a playing card.” Similarities between these ads is that they all contain data， such as 1/2， 1/16 etc. They believe that the data is the authority which is the scientific evidence of ad.

So far， we have analyzed the Western and Chinese advertising languages from moral concepts. We can see the differences between Chinese and Western culture in moral concepts. With the development of economic and the increasing of foreign trade， cross-culture advertisements play more and more significant role in overseas market and world market. We have to learn the differences between Chinese and Western advertising language， because it enables people to experience the essence of those two different cultures， helps people make a better understanding about advertising language， stimulates consuming， promotes the success of advertising， as well as expects the advertising designers to create the suitable advertisements and develop the market activities， according to customs of different cultures.

References：

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[3]鄧英華.英美文化心理與英語廣告語言[J].長沙：湖南經濟管理干部學院學報，2004.7.