Monday, December 6, 2010

French Language Ad--Rachelle


This advertisement for a French Language School can be perceived in multiple ways. While it is written in English (albeit somewhat incorrect English…), suggests learning French, and was made by a Czech advertising agency, it also speaks to a larger audience as well.
The advertisement aims to encourage people to become a student of this particular language school in order to learn another language—which, in this case is French—while humorously criticizing the French for having no interest in any other language but their own. When I first read the ad, and after I understood the hidden meaning, I literally laughed out loud. The French are painted as being so open-minded and liberated, yet the ad suggests a level of smugness among them as they expect everyone else to cater to them by learning how to speak what they know. It also strikes further thought of any other aspects of the French that seem to be arrogant or unaccommodating. Additionally, the ad speaks to nearly every other nationality that does not speak French—nor English—as a first language (judging by the writing in the ad) which gives it a bit of an appeal globally. If the French expect everyone to learn the French language, then there are billions of people around the world who may not all have a common language among them, but they are all common in their quest to learn this language.
While I do not necessarily agree with the underlying tone of this advertisement, as I tend to think that there are some French people who have chosen to be literate in other languages besides their own, I do find it quite humorous. According to the ad the French are not going to learn any other language, which means I would have the responsibility to learn their language, and it is not the easiest new language to take up, I must say. Whether completely accurate or not, the advertisement can be understood by many nationalities (especially if written in other languages throughout the world), which is generally the key point in advertisement, and, it’s funny, too.

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