Code-mixing in Chinese advertisement : an analysis of bilingual advertising in Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Over the past few years, Chinese advertising has undergone a process of exponential growth, acquiring both strategic and symbolic significance in fostering societal openness and driving economic development in the country. Evolving from an initially negligible sector, Chinese advertising has expanded into a colossal industry. The evolution of advertising in China is closely linked to four main factors: the nation’s economic globalization, political liberalization, cultural transformations, and technological advancements. Moreover, advertising constitutes a distinctive form of communication that fulfils communicative functions, since it facilitates the establishment of interpersonal connections, it manages the communication processes and informs people regarding events and facts of public life. There is an interaction between society and advertising that functions as a bidirectional process. However, the impact of advertising on contemporary society extends beyond merely shaping consumer behaviour and influencing the dynamics of demand for goods and services. It functions simultaneously as a medium of communication and as a cultural object. Advertising is an interesting site of language contact. In Chinese advertising, code-mixing is a powerful strategy through which more persuasive messages can be created, while simultaneously contributing to the construction of social identities. Through the analysis of Chinese advertisement in Mainland China and Hong Kong , we will illustrate the functions of Chinese dialects and English in code-mixing. The use of code-mixing varies significantly between the Mainland China and Hong Kong. In Mainland China, strict language policies aim to promote the use of Standard Chinese and maintain linguistic purity. In contrast, Hong Kong’s unique linguistic and political context fosters a more flexible approach to language mixing, reflecting its distinct socio-political situation.