Epstein writes, “A sentence is vague if there are so many ways to understand that we can’t settle on one of those without the speaker making it clearer.” I noticed that a lot of vague sentences take place in advertisements for products. They try to make the advertisement as a claim but in reality it’s vague because that particular sentence has multiple meanings to it, and people won’t have the clear meaning of that particular sentence. An advertisement I had seen in the People magazine was for Campbell’s soup. The sentence in the advertisement says, “Live a more colorful life.” This sentence comes off vague to me, because it can have different meanings to that sentence. Someone’s perception of eating Campbell’s could come off as “Oh well if I eat Campbell’s soup, then my life would have more color in it.” But what does it mean when you live a more colorful life? That your life is bland and if you eat Campbell’s, your life will become more colorful than before? Or that the vibrant colors of the vegetables will make your food more appetizing and healthier? I believe that this advertisement comes off too vague for its product because of the multiple meanings it can suggest to a consumer.
Hi! I had fun reading your post!! It was easy to read and understand. I like how you talked about using vague sentences and incorporating an example with it, your Campbell soup advertisement. Sometimes I look at ads and wonder the same questions. They make it so vague that its hard for me to understand what they are trying to say. It's funny when ads are vague and you try to figure out what it mean. My friends and I would usually read the whole commercial wrong. But it was fun trying :) I enjoy reading your post and will be looking forward to reading your future blogs.have a good labor day weekend. -little j
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