Advertising, Happiness, and The End of the World: #2

Our most recent assignment in English class was to look at two different advertisements and think about them critically and analytically. Below, I analyzed each ad using a three step process of identifying crucial aspects that make the ad effective, their persuasive techniques, and whether or not the ad was essentially effective for me as a consumer.

Advertisement #1
The first ad I chose was a John Lewis holiday ad. The content of the advertisement that first stood out to me was the choice of music in the background. The singer in the background was the speaker. The music was calming, tranquil even. The music, perhaps, was meant to convey a sense that the products from John Lewis provide you with a sense of security. The story is simple and depicts a young boy who is scared of a monster under his bed. This youthful and innocent situation develops that aesthetic of tranquility and even a bit of holiday spirit. The speed of images is rather slow. It stood out to me that the angles were soft and seemed to be an extension of the music. With the music and the angles combined, I found it interesting when combined they conveyed more clearly the meaning of the story. The meaning of the story was simple and seemed to be a representation of the meaning of the advertisement; that John Lewis products are homely and reliable. For example, in the very end of the advertisement the little boy is no longer scared. His problem has been solved. His mother smiles at him as he opens his gift and finds emotional security. This scene reflects what I had mentioned earlier about John Lewis portraying their products as calming and even dependable. In English class, we discussed the common need for many people to feel organized or calm. That same communal necessity is reflected in this advertisement. It seems as though the advertisement mostly uses pathos to appeal to the emotional attachment the viewer feels when seeing the little boy in need of something to ease his fear. Through using pathos and some ethos, the advertisement seems to aim towards making the viewer feel inclined to do the ethical move and purchase their products for their children to provide that same emotional sense of security the little boy felt when he opened his gift. Therefore, the ad effectively reflects the perspective of parents with young children, but disregards the perspective of others who may want to buy gifts. However, I found that this advertisement was essentially successful in persuading me to buy their products. I enjoyed the ad and it was memorable. I will remember the story and connect it to the company, therefore, I would say that it was effectively persuasive.



Advertisement #2
The second ad I chose was an advertisement for Apple but specifically their new HomePod. The ad is formatted in a story. A story that is conveyed with no dialogue. The perspective of the working class female is centrally represented, however, the perspective of the child or retired adult seems to be ignored. The music is introduced through the HomePod product, the main character seems to turn to her HomePod for condolence after a seemingly difficult day. The speaker is essentially the main character even though she never speaks, but it is her life that is being depicted. While she is commuting home, the speed of the images start out slow and seem to trudge along with her and her seemingly defeated attitude. There is also no music in the beginning, representing her feeling of a bland day. When she arrives home it is her HomePod playing music that cause the images to start to speed up. The ad is explicitly  and implicitly stating that with the HomePod, your life will improve with its convenience and ability to lift your spirits. By the end of the advertisement, the woman is able to stretch walls. Through this example I inferred that the ad was implying that with the HomePod you can become empowered. The images quickly accelerate and become eccentric. The ad seems to be using logos and pathos. The advertisement represents the HomePod as a logical solution to getting through a working person's daily life. The HomePod is also represented as a way to release stress which can be an emotional improvement. For example, when the woman returns home she immediately orders her HomePod to play music, it seems she is making a logical decision. After the music starts playing, her emotions seem to improve and she gains impossible power and energy. Personally, I found the advertisement very effective. The story was easily relatable and conveyed with the escalation of tone correlating with the effectiveness of the product.