A comparison of German and American advertising reveals differences in technique and structures. Persuasion is central in both, but the grammatical structures and illocutionary devices available in each language vary. The culture is also reflected in the type and degree to which each language uses techniques of persuasive language. The findings can be applied in the foreign language classroom, allowing students to better understand German marketing techniques, German verbal and nonverbal communication, the function of German strategies and structures used for persuading, and perceived and actual cultural differences. Comparison of automobile ads from the two countries, using both pictures and text, suggests significantly different approaches to the audience, with the German version using a much more interpersonal communication style and the American ad stressing facts. The level of communication in the ads also varies. The German ad uses conversational turn-taking, handwriting, more personal pronouns, and an identification of buyer and seller belonging to the same group. The American ad is clearly constructed as a monologue, focusing on the product alone. The ads are appended. (MSE)