In class a few weeks ago, we looked at advertisements and analyzed the appeals companies were selling along with their commodity. Ever since this exercise, I've become very conscious of how manipulative advertisements are, for along with their actual product, they sell what they know their viewers are hungry for. Often times this includes the appeals of popularity, success, beauty, and happiness. Considering the monumental impact our current economic recession is having on America, it only seems appropriate that advertisements are using this financial situation to gain pathos and logos in selling their products. While watching TV, I came across a specific AllState commercial that exemplifies how useful this tactic really is.
The commercial opens to images of the desparity of the Great Depression and announces that AllState opened its doors in 1931. This important fact adds credibility to AllState's ethos, for it lets the viewer know AllState survived the Depression, and infers that AllState's main goal is to help the average person, especially those suffering from financial loss. The ad then stresses an emphasis on "it's back to basics," claiming that these difficult economic times allow for families to become closer. AllState insinuates that they are a part of that family, and a part of that close bond. This tugs on the the viewers pathos.
Many different companies are using the recession as amunition to fuel their quest to sell their product. Is this ethically right and sensitive to the times? Perhaps not. But AllState has me sold!
2 comments:
I think that it is acceptable for companies to use the economic to sell their products. Right now, everybody is struggling and everybody is competing. If you can gain an edge on competitors, go for it. I have noticed many other companies employ this very tactic. For example, in the old navy commercials, they advertise that their cheap prices are the way to go in our economy. I think that it is very interesting to see how advertisers pray on their audience and cater their product to whatever the public needs at that specific moment in time.
I completely agree that it is appropriate for companies to use pathos to "sell" their products. It shows that they are aware of the economic crisis that many people are suffering from even if the company itself continues to thrive. This This understanding gives buyers a sense of comfort. If we had companies advertising products and completely overlooking the lack of money in our country at this moment then people would not only be financially unable to buy the products but they would not want to even after our crisis is relieved. As a buyer, I need to know that companies care enought to advertise their discounts, and sales. I, too, have paid very close attention to advertisments since our class discussion. I never really understood how a person could go into the field of advertising as a profession before our activities and analysis of them. I never thought that there was really much to it, but now I see how important it is for the success of a company. Comercials, billboards, media, news, magazines advertisments, etc, all leave a mark on the viewers' subconcious minds. I know that my opinonions are swayed by product advertising and since evaluating it in class, I will be more careful from now on as to which ones I really buy into.
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