Abstract
Advertising is a form of persuasive communication. Through refined symbolic meanings advertising can bring the recipients-consumers into the store, where it advices them whispering what product is sexy, fresh, modern, new, good or requested.
Goods on the store shelves are surrounded by symbolic meanings that lurk in association chains with certain words, linking common adjectives or other expressions to specific products. Such simplified ideas help us to understand the complex social reality, classify it and categorize what is happening around us.
Among the variety of stereotypes used (and created) by media there are also those related to the Czech nation. Advertisements tell more or less hidden stories of Czechs and their behavior, personality traits, past and even origin.
The stereotypical stories, naturalized in myths, contribute to a creation of a symbolic representation of the Czech nation. Media contents are a sort of mirror of Czech nationalism which is based on a specific discourse – nation is a social construct.
The paper will focus on concrete examples of national myths in global advertising of Pilsner Urquell beer in the serie called Historical Inspiration, especially that one about famous composer Bedrich Smetana.