Non Verbal Communication happens all the time. We read it everyday, and display it ourselves as often as we actually communicate verbally. Advertisements and Campaigns almost always weave this silent language into their commercials as people can relate easily to them. Take this Korean commercial for example:
For most of the clip the boxer does not even have to say anything to illustrate his emotions- the first being pain, and the latter relief. He is demonstrating what rhetoricans call 'Kinesics' - body language. Kinesics is able to transcend nationalities or any form of verbal language barriers. I might not know Korean but I can read meanings behind the boxer's facial expressions or body movements simply because I use them myself. The aim of this commercial goes a step further though. Instead of merely communicating to viewers what the boxer is going through, advertisers want viewers to purchase their product. Hence the powerful cause and effect display of "pasting plasters equals one being able to smile as widely as the boxer". Furthermore, the commercial uses a protagonist people would look up too. A fighter who is strong and undaunted. This is applying the concept of "Objectics or Artifacts" - using personal identity to influence the mass. This is possible because people tend to follow those held in higher regard. Hence there is a high chance the public will want to imitate the boxer's use of medicated plasters if they ever had a back ache.
Lets look at another example that utilises body language to aid its campaign:
This example is a little more idiot proof in the sense that it informs viewers directly what types of non verbal communication to look out for in a Terrorist:
Shifty eyes.
Agitated behavior.
A big black bag supposedly carrying a bomb.
Honestly, why can't the producers show something a little less predictable? Perhaps a pink 'Dora the Explora' bag for the bomb carrier, and a sweet innocent young boy with bambi eyes as the terrorist? Anyone can be a terrorist. And I do not think someone serious about this job will go about it that obviously. Anyhow, this video represents most accurately an example of a stereotyped threat. And we can see how the passengers' suspicions are raised based on the would be terrorist's non verbal messeges. His shifty eyes that alert the public demonstrate the use of Oculesics - study of non verbal meaning associated with the eyes. They dart around amplifying insecure behavior which rubs off on the observant lady. Kinesics also come into play again when the terrorist tries desperately to go unnoticed but this in turn backfires. Finally there is the big black bag, an environmental object that has association with terror and misfortune.
Non verbal communication is an important tool used by campaigners and advertisers because we as viewers are familiar users of it. However they tend to portray a slanted view of the unspoken language and we must be vigilant to that. Not every professional fighter might make the right decisions, and most certainly not every terrorist will be male and wear a cap.
So we have seen body languages of the painful, the joyful, and the suspicious. Now lets hear about body languages of the attractive, by Jesse McCartney feat. T Pain.
Hi Racheal
ReplyDeleteI think the MRT thing is a societal norm by now, and yes it does show a lot in regards to nonverbal, such as shifty eyes and such.
I think perhaps such media sources have infiltrated into our lives? That is, if we see a bag unattended in the train, do we see it as a bomb? probably.
hey! interesting thought you have got with the stereotyping of terrorist.
ReplyDeletetrue enough, we should not have stereotyped perception on terrorist as anyone could be one.
I mean if the terrorist saw the video, he wont dress himself like that and get caught right?
Oh and i guessed it is easier to make use of kinesics and oculesics in foreign advertisements to convey the message they want to bring across without saying a word (alright we may not understand it though). Non verbal cues are amazing in this way! =)
Hello!
ReplyDeleteArgh the clip on MRT safety again. Wonder who has so much time to flim the thing down at 9 plus in the night.
But, I must say, both the clips are viewer-friendly as the non-verbal communication/actions used are quite obvious in almost every culture in Asia.
Although I think the MRT safety clip is a bit bias as not all potential criminals look like that : tall, dark n lanky, wears a cap n carries a big, blck bag. ( No wonder few of my guy friends often got held up at the security post before entrance.)
Rmb to comment on mine ( last wk's n this wk's) too!
-Chu Yuan
Gd analysis on both clips!
ReplyDeleteIt never did cross my mind that in the first video, there was the element of "Objectics or Artifacts". By using a protagonist whom people would look up too. Several other ads companies are catching up on this technique as well. We see the billboards at bus stops about the Chicken Essence, where they would get top scorers of PSLE yearly to sort of be their ambassadors. This is also makes the ad is more believable!
cforceleste.blogspot.com
Yes, certainly there is such a thing like the universal language of love, or like in the commercial, pain and relieve. Interesting to note that some of these non-verbal codes transcents races & languages.
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine how much can be acheived if we can all learn to identify with more such 'language'?
Hey babe,
ReplyDeleteIn all the videos you used it shows clearly how all the directors use non verbal cues effectively to send a message. Even if the korean commercial does show exaggerated expressions, all in all, it brings across the intended message very clearly and effectively. Sometimes, like in real life, we tend to overlook such non-verbal cues and take them for granded, often not really noticing their influence on our lives subtly, just like these commercials.
JunYing
Hi Hi,
ReplyDeleteYes, it's that MRT clip again we're talking about, and spot-on there, Rachel, about the stereotyping of terrorist, or for that matter any one type or group of people.
But then again, this clip is meant for mass audiences, which means not just intellectuals like us... but the man on the street who are more susceptible to what I call 'suggestive notions' (i.e. plant an idea into a man's mind to make him respond the way you want him to).
But good observation there on the highlight on the use of Oculesics - study of non verbal meaning on the eye thing.
I think non-verbal communications is one of the better ways of bringing across and Idea or promoting something. Having non-verbal communication in lets say a commercial, somewhat makes the commercial more interesting and at the same time more engaging than the daily commercial we all see on the TV.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the MRT advertisment... I think its is true that most fo us sterotype people..which is judging a book by its cover.
And by the way good observation on sterotypes and the un-spoken languange. It is indeed interesting
Hey Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that anyone can be a terrorist. Women or kids can be used too, like in the case of Iraq or Afghanistan where women were suicide bombers too. Terrorists do not have any regard for their lives as the ultimate goal is to make people notice them. They wouldn't even bother about the number of innocent lives lost.
Breda
hi!
ReplyDeletei agree with you that the videos tend to portray a slanted view of the unspoken language. The video reminding people to be aware of suspicious characters is a very good example.In addition, the video also affect one's perception greatly as it encourages sterotypic views. Thus, due to the fact that the videos might be misleading, I think we will have to be selective in what we believe in.
Just the other day I actually saw this aunty on the train staring suspiciously and fearfully at this young man donning a black cap and in dark clothing.. And then it dawned on me that the terrorist video was very effective! (I'm being sarcastic here) And the poor young man was scrutinized for nothing really. The media has such an influence that now anyone in black caps are now in danger of being suspected. Nonetheless, it is still better to be vigilant than not vigilant at all! And non-verbal communication, especially body language can alert people to possible mischief. Some more non verbal languages that a terrorist can exhibit that perhaps the campaign left out - breaking out in sweat, and trembling from anxiety.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on how terrorists can be anybody though.
I find it baffling how almost anyone from any country can understand non verbal cues - like that of pain and relief in the first advertisement. But the way different people interpret it might be different. Some masochistic person might instead see pain as good, and hence might not be influenced by the pain relief commercial to purchase muscle patches.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that using someone who in reality people would normally look up to in a commercial is a form of non-verbal communication as well? But now that you mention it, I can think of a few other advertisements that make use of such Objectics/artifacts. An example would be the colgate commercial where a 'dentist' would go around examining the public's teeth and tell them how with colgate total they can have cleaner teeth. It is one thing to use someone in a labcoat to bring their message across, but have you ever noticed the people this 'dentist' interviews are people held in high regard as well? His interviewees included a teacher - someone from a profession we trust to inform us that indeed colgate is the brand of toothpaste to buy.
Non-verbal cues speaks much louder than words. If SMRT is to portray a respectable, smart-dressed, confident actor as the one who's planning to plant a bomb on the train, commuters of the train may not get the idea that SMRT wanted to get across as easily, because our cognitive schmata have already registered shifty, suspicious guys as bad people.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that anyone can be a terrorist, and even if a well dressed respectable young woman were to plant a bomb in the train now, nobody would suspect her because unfortunately, ingrained in their minds their ideal terrorist is exactly what the man in SMRT's campaign looks like. So I think SMRT is not really doing its customers justice. Plus they play this campaign everyday, the high frequency only further embeds this stereotype into the brains of people.
ReplyDeleteHey Rachel, good point brought up about the terrorist video about the whole stereotype. It really did not occur to me at that point of time! I guess should someone really tried to smuggle a bomb on board, they won't actually carry a black bag with it. The inconspicuous has became the most suspicious in fact.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's where I think the beauty of non-verbal communication lies with. It helps to bridge the barriers between languages, however assumption of similarity might land one into trouble sometimes!
If every sign or advertisement were like this in Korea, I think I could actually live there! I think Non verbal communication can really compliment even our verbal communication, and it helps reinforce what is being said. I also find that body language in commercials is needed especially for deaf people who cannot hear what is being said in advertisements. The Kinesics used by actors and the promotional words that pop up on screen will thus help such handicapped people understand the commercial and allow them to consume products.
ReplyDeleteHey! I really really enjoyed watching the Korean commercial. The guy featured in the commercial indeed used a multitude of non verbal cues and hey, you noticed it all.
ReplyDeleteRelating to the one which we see at MRT stations here in Singapore, I agree with you totally that we have stereotyped terrorists as those which have shifty eyes, bringing a black bag and acting weirdly. Actually, I think new age terrorists may not actually be like that anymore. At least, I think they'll change their appearance since everyone else thinks that they look like that. Maybe they'll be wearing colourful clothes when they attack. LOOK OUT!
I agree with you that campaigners and advertisers actively use quite a lot of non verbal cues in their advertisements.
=)Kai Ting
itsmorethanjustwords (JUNYING)>>
ReplyDeleteHi dear! I agree that often we take non verbal cues for granted, especially when we can already understand the verbal ones. It is when we are thrown into a situation when we have to rely on non verbal cues, like in a foreign country where everyone speaks in a language we don't undertand , then we really appreciate how non verbal cues communicate messages.
rocknstone (CHERVIN)>>
ReplyDeleteHi yes i think such media norms like you said have infiltrated our lives. In fact I think that such media norms creates or even deepens stereotypes we may already have. Which is not really healthy. Because not every cap wearing man might be a terrorist and not every sweet innocent looking young child might be a saint. We should not rely on our stereotypical views of how a terrorist looks like to protect our brains from blowing up in an MRT tunnel.
LIM>>
ReplyDeleteHi! I agree how this universal language of nonverbal communication is so amazing, and that if we learn to perhaps see and identify with each other through nonverbal means plenty of walls can be torn down.