This week, we are continuing the work we did last week with rhetorical concepts.

• Please answer the following questions for a commercial of your choice. I may suggest choosing one of your favorites of all time.  My only request is that it is not banned in this country.
• Please note there is no word count or minimum requirement, only a mindfulness of fully analyzing the commercial..
• Please include the link to the commercial, along with the analysis (see below)
• As with all discussions, please stagger your initial post and 2 responses on 3 separate days

The analysis will consist of the following:

Commercial

Worksheet

Title of Commercial/Product/Service/PSA ________________________________________

Link ______________________ ____________________________________

1. What is the purpose of the commercial?  
2. Who is the intended audience? What specific details support this? 
3. What is the context of the commercial (biggest competitors). Please mention competing commercials, if applicable. 
4. Which modes (visual, verbal, auditory) contribute to the composition of the commercial in order to speak to the overall purpose? 

Student 1:

link: 

 

Superbowl Snickers Commercial feat. Betty White

The purpose of this commercial is to persuade people to choose Snickers as a snack when they are feeling hungry. Their phrase “you’re not you when you’re hungry” explains why Betty White was used. This commercial was made to show that you don’t perform well or act like you when you’re hungry, but the satisfaction that comes with eating a Snickers bar can make you, you again.

This can apply to a broad audience as the food itself is not meant for any one group of people. This commercial specifically seems like it might be targeted towards people who are not performing at their best in a physical or athletic way. I believe that this could be the intended audience, because after eating a Snickers bar, the main character in the commercial returns to his normal self and suddenly is playing far better.

There are dozens of competitors for the Snickers bar, but this commercial makes it stand out against others as it promotes getting back to your true self. The left/right Twix commercials would count as a competing commercial but promotes something very different. Instead of insisting their product makes you feel better and more like yourself, their commercial is more goofy and simply acts to brings people’s attention to the fact that it exists as an option.

The visual component of using two older people to represent a less athletic self is a good representation of how one could not feel like themself. The language and communication between actors as the character goes from hungry to satisfied perfectly captures the purpose of the commercial.

student 2:

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqWG5_7nwyk&t=59s (Links to an external site.)

2021 Toyota Big Game Commercial: Jessica Long’s Story

The purpose of this commercial is to spotlight one of the Paralympian medalist athlete, Jessica Long’s life story. The commercial is showing the turn of events that happened in her life and the different hardships the adoptive parents will/had face (d) when they adopt a child like Jessica. It is also Jessica looking back at the turn of events that lead her to the Olympics.

The intended audience for this commercial is towards anyone that is trying to buy a new car. New car buyers can be around the age of 25+. In addition, it can pertain to anyone that wants to adopt, which is around the age of 35+. The specific details that support this is that adoptive parents are told in the beginning of the journey the possible issues that might arise when they are given a child to take care of or can possibly adopt. Being a new time parents are always trying to make sure that safety for the child is a top priority so getting a car like a Toyota is the pitch.

The context of the commercial was to focus in on the journey that an adoptive parent will have when they adopt a child like Jessica. In the sense that it would be a hard but long journey that the parents will have to face when they are put to take care of someone with a rare condition like amputated legs. The biggest competitor of this commercial is can be the different brands of cars and a Toyota car. Toyota cars tend to outlast many other car brands. Being a new time parents are always trying to make sure that safety for the child is a top priority so getting a car like a Toyota is the pitch.

The visual modes that contribute to the commercial is seeing Jessica swimming in the pool/ water and remembering the event of her childhood that led her to the Olympics . The verbal modes is the conversation that the social worker/the adoption agency is having with Jessica’s now adoptive mom. The auditory mode is the soft music, the conversation, the cheering of the crowd when she is swimming, and the encouragement of everyone having the hope and strength to preserver.