Subtitles in English-only TV commercials: are they still necessary or have they become superfluous?

Abstract

Abstract: Previous studies on the effects of subtitles in cross-national English spoken commercials have yielded contradictory results regarding young and highly educated viewers\u2019 ad and brand attitudes. Most studies did not examine whether local-language subtitles are still necessary for older viewers to understand the English dialogues in the commercials. In a between-subjects experiment, we examined whether subtitles had a positive effect on (1) participants\u2019 understanding of what the actors in commercials were saying to each other, and (2) participants\u2019 attitudes towards commercials. Our sample (N = 188) consisted of viewers over age forty with different educational backgrounds living in a typical subtitling region. Our study showed that subtitles did not affect viewers\u2019 attitudes towards the commercials. Local-language subtitles, however, increased participants\u2019 understanding of what was said in the commercials, regardless of their educational level. Subtitles in English spoken commercials intended for an older and broad audience are, therefore, certainly not superfluous