LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 6 June 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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An Intertextual Analysis of Selected Mobile Telecommunication Advertisements on Nigerian TV

Adebola Adebileje and Tolulope Adebileje

Abstract

This study aimed at analyzing the intertextuality of selected telecommunication adverts of etisalat, glo and airtel as viewed on Nigerian television stations through a practical approach. Mobile telecommunication advertisements on television are aired creatively through novel ideas that have gone beyond the normal common advert of just written words and sounds. In an effort to captivate viewers’ attention to their products, adverts providers now employ intertextual devices to weave in a network of bits and pieces of our culture (music, religion, politics, etc) and movie or television celebrities as a technique of relating products with stardom and life style consequently, persuading viewers to buy their products. Hence, this paper analyzed three randomly selected telecom adverts: etisalat, glo, and airtel among others and discovered the use of intertextual devices such as humour, popular celebrities, symbolic codes and popular music by the advert providers. It was revealed that viewers or intended target audience naturally evoked certain associations in their minds (self-referentiality) as they interpret and understand these devices and then connect with the products. Conclusively, the correct interpretations of intertextual devices in viewers’ minds as intended by advertisements providers account to a large extent for the general success of these adverts. This is evident in the boom in telecommunication business in Nigeria.

Introduction

Global satellite system communication (GSM) was established in Nigeria to replace the government owned Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) which had woefully failed to perform. Since then, the GSM business has been experiencing quite an impressive boom across Nigeria. One major factor that could be responsible for this boom is the novelty of advertising on TV and since there are many of such companies in Nigeria, competition has been quite stimulating and aggressive. Hence, TV happens to be the best preferred medium for advertisement because well over half of the Nigerian population watch the TV. In the US for instance, Robert (2010) states that TV has become the hegemonic medium and 99% of all households have a TV and it is seen on an average of 7 hours a day per household.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Adebola Adebileje
Redeemer’s University
College of Humanities
Department of English
KM 46, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, Redemption Camp
Mowe
P.M.B. 3005, Redemption Post Office
Ogun State
Nigeria
bolaomolara@yahoo.co.uk

Tolulope Adebileje
Department of English
Faculty of Arts
University of Ibadan
Ibadan, Oyo State
Nigeria
vickeybill@yahoo.com
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