Who Talks Advertising? Literary Theory and Narrative “Point of View”

This paper analyzes the presenter in advertisements by means of a theoretical framework drawn from literary criticism. The paper adapts literary theory to explore the advertising “who” — the presenter of a message. It turns to dramaturgy and narratology theory to formulate a trichotomy of advertising “points of view” — first-person narrator, third-person narrator, and dramatic character. The formal and functional properties of each are discussed with advertising examples. Advertising consequences are illustrated with examples taken from Advertising Age's “Best Advertising of 1989” compilation. These are discussed in terms of media patterns, message strategy, and overall communication objectives. The discussion also suggests the need for additional research to understand hybrid and parody forms.