Let's proceed along the same line of reasoning

Now watch this video clip and try to figure out what aspect the advertising experts exploited in order to sell their product or their point.


To be clearer, I would like to give you an example. I find the advertisement of the air-conditioning equipment irritating. Most people would find it funny, but isn’t using animals on brink of extinction like pandas a bit paradoxical?

So think about the following:

Why  are animals used in advertising?

T
hink of the commercial in which the American actor Richard Gere advertises the brand of a car. It is shot in Africa, among lions, as if in Africa people could drive that car, or as if that car respected the natural environment!

Think about this issue, but please bring up some of your own.

Then:
Which ad is male-oriented?

Which reinforces pathetic stereotypes?

Which one is paradoxical?

 Which plays on the idea of sex?

Yes!!!  There appears to be lots of ads that hinge around sexual innuendos, because believe it or not sex sells. We live in a society obsessed with the idea of sex and advertisers know that, that is why lots of ads use it or hint at it!

Another important aspect to consider.

Why do you think lots of ads use paradox?

I mean, why do lots of ads use situations that you immediately spot as absurd, unreal. For example, consider the commercial advertising a brand of cars driven by Tibetan monks!

27 Replies to “Let's proceed along the same line of reasoning”

  1.  i like the last point raised by Valentina about Evian commercial… I don’t find it funny at all….even if very astonishing because of the rap music and the babies dancer. I have just watched again the international video of the ad..there are baby of all the races, and they are dancing together..this is could be considered as a good point, a sign of unit and peace….maybe music and  baby’s action would hide this important point..but this is not the real aim of producers…just a type of "covering"…and I don’t think it is funny  because they are exploiting  baby’s sweetness to sell water!!!!
    However at 0:28 , when babies grasp the net…does it seem a strange movement , with a sexual connotation..doesnt’ it?
    Maybe I am too pessimist….but i don’t think so…as we saw in the other commercials sex is a key point for advertising..unfortunately i would say!
    however i have just found another Evian commercial , this is the link
      
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpiEws0EKG0&NR=1

    it is really interesting!

    to reply to Sara’s question….Yes , I am sure they would change and adapt their tehcniques…

    Elisa =) 

  2. Elisa (),I saw the evian commercial you were dealing with,and it is even worse than the one seen in class:this time the set is a swimming pool but it could remind us the amniotic fluid,because they are babies,even if they are acting and dancing like adults. I don’t want it to be a vicious circle but on youtube,while I was watching Elisa’s video I bumped into another Evian commercial but this time the main characters are older people,in my opinion it is a shame! Evian’s advertisers have no scruples,they would do anything in order to sell!

    However this is the web site:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao6IxKjBVuw&feature=related

    Waiting for your opinions classmates

  3. Elisa (),I saw the evian commercial you were dealing with,and it is even worse than the one seen in class:this time the set is a swimming pool but it could remind us the amniotic fluid,because they are babies,even if they are acting and dancing like adults. I don’t want it to be a vicious circle but on youtube,while I was watching Elisa’s video I bumped into another Evian commercial but this time the main characters are older people,in my opinion it is a shame! Evian’s advertisers have no scruples,they would do anything in order to sell!

    However this is the web site:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao6IxKjBVuw&feature=related

    Waiting for your opinions  
    Valentina

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