An Analysis of Code Switching and Linguistic Strategies of Persuasion in Pakistani TV Advertisements

Abstract

The language of advertisements plays an important role in selling products. This study investigates the phenomenon of code switching and linguistic features in Pakistani television advertisements, with particular attention to its role in persuasion. The research identifies and categorizes the types of code switching employed in thirty-five purposively sampled advertisements from three major television channels: Geo Entertainment, Hum TV, and ARY Digital. A mixed-methods approach was adopted: quantitative analysis measured the frequency of different types of code switching and persuasive linguistic features, while qualitative analysis explored their functional role in enhancing persuasive impact. The findings reveal that code switching is strategically employed by advertisers to emphasize product qualities, create familiarity, and appeal to both Urdu- and English-speaking audiences. Additionally, the analysis identified the linguistic features of persuasion, including hyperbole, repetition, slogans, prosodic features, cognitive message strategies, contrasts, and statistics. Among these, out of 105 examples of linguistic features, slogans (19.05%) and prosodic features (18.1%) are the most frequently used devices, while contrasts (2.86% ) are the least common. The study concludes that code switching not only reflects the bilingual reality of Pakistani society but also functions as a deliberate advertising strategy to maximize consumer engagement and product appeal.