Inspiration in Advertisements

I think this advertisement serves as a perfect example of how some companies focus primarily on inspiring their potential customers, whether it pertains to life goals, bypassing anchoring circumstances, or other such things. It makes me wonder why general inspiration would inspire someone to buy a certain product, such as the advertisement featuring Nick Cannon displayed below.

2014 Honda Civic- Nick Cannon #BestYourself

Hence the #BestYourself in the title of the ad, one can initially assume that the main focus pertains to being the best you can be, never giving up, etc. Nick Cannon first mentions how individuality is important and then how in life there will be failures and success. He then mentioned the importance of hard work and mindsets. He then closed by saying that there are some things we can't control, but we can control ourselves. Honda ends the commercial with the words "We never stop pushing forward."

From the inspirational music and anecdote by Nick Cannon to the scenes of people achieving and doing good things, everything in this commercial inflicts inspiration upon viewers. Like most advertising tacticians, the makers of this ad gave no information about the car whatsoever. In some ads, such as Apple's, this can be quite an effective way to implant the idea of purchasing the product into the minds of viewers. This ad is somewhat affective in regard to that tactic in that throughout the duration, the inspirational speaker is driving a Honda, subsequently suggesting that those who drive Hondas are successful people.

Though this advertisement is very inspirational and very entertaining in general, I wouldn't go out and buy a Honda after watching it.

"The World's Most Trusted Airline"

Because I'm flying this Thanksgiving break, I was inspired to look up some airlines' advertisements to see what kind of methods they used to convince viewers to utilize their services. I chose this ad because I found it really interesting how a piece of luggage is the main center centerpoint.

Rather than offering useful information on the Airline itself, Delta features the journey of a single piece of luggage making its way onto the plane. First of all, the appearance of the luggage, being a bear-like creature with overalls practically suggests it is a living being that has feelings and cares about how it's handled. This personification of the luggage coupled with an innocent sounding melody establishes an emotional connection with viewers. This is an example of how a company can influence viewer's opinions of them by presenting to them exactly what they want to see. Most of the targeted viewers love to get new stuff and thus care quite a bit about their belongings. The Delta advertiser said it himself: "On time flights are nothing if we can't get your things there too."

I think Delta might be trying to establish "loyalty beyond reason" and an iconic place in the hearts of its customers and/or its potential customers. Delta is already a very well-known company, however its popularity doesn't compare to that of Apple. It seems as if Delta is moving towards a goal of making people think of Delta when they think of planes, much like when people think of music devices or tablets they think of Apple.

Personally, this ad doesn't motivate me to consider Delta over any other airline. I've never really heard of an airline that isn't willing to transport belongings for its passengers--so that doesn't separate Delta from its competitors. Delta mentions that they have the fewest cancellations and the most on-time flights, which is definitely a plus, however it isn't really enough to convince me to fly Delta. Maybe if Delta added a couple more facts like that they fly to the most destinations world-wide or that they have the best pilots and the safest aircrafts my opinion would be different.

Media Journal Blog 1

This advertisement for the Subaru Legacy is a prime example of how peoples' opinions on products  can be altered solely by how relatable and appealing the advertisements for them are. Throughout the duration of the ad, passengers are constantly shown riding in the Legacy. Scenes varied from trips home from soccer practice to emergency room visits; from this the viewer can picture him or herself in the car in any situation, making the Legacy seem like a reliable car to own. The minimal information provided about the car's technical capabilities such as the fact that it has four-wheel drive and has "eyesight driver assist technology" is immediately supported by assuring the viewer that the car's capabilities promote care for passengers. One can conclude based on this that Subaru cares about more than just selling their product. Subaru cares about the passengers.

Many people searching for a new car might consider the Legacy by way of this ad. The Subaru seems like a reliable car for any family because it is sufficient for just about any situation and keeps its passengers safe. If one can see past the deceit embedded in the advertisement however, they may not consider purchasing the car because there wasn't concrete evidence that proves the vehicle to be any better from a Toyota or a Honda.

Generally speaking, media can be very successful in tricking someone to do something, buy something, or even act a certain way without sufficient evidence to support claims. We have to be cautious when online to ensure that we aren't deceived by the wicked methods of the media.