Week 3 - Deconstructing Commercials

CenturyLink

I do not believe that this ad itself is an attack on the American workforce.  The add seems to be an attempt to make the new customers feel welcome and more connected than they were in the past.  While it may be misleading, as it does not mention CenturyLinks's reputation for poor customer service, or the fact that many workers may lose their jobs as a result of this merger, I don't see that as an attack.  I do believe that it is an example of manipulative advertising, but I also believe that, in general, Americans are skeptical of large companies such as CenturyLink and many people will not see this change as an improvement to their service.







This is a Volkswagon commercial designed to encourage people to purchase their product.  The target audience for this commercial is middle-class professional families in their mid 30's-40's.  These are people with families who are concerned about maintaining a certain lifestyle.  This is suggested by the child in the Darth Vader costume who is the main character in the commercial.  The family lives in a nice house, where everything is new and well-maintained.  The mother obviously stays home and takes care of the children, while the father is a professional who provides for the family.  The target audience would be people who grew up watching (and probably playing) Star Wars themselves.  The text of the message is a child who is playing dress up and trying to use "the Force" throughout the house.  The father comes home in his Volkswagon, and the child, who seems about ready to give up, tries to use the Force on the car, and his father, watching from inside with the mother, uses the remote to play along and make the child think they finally succeeded.  The subtext is that driving a Volkswagon will help to attain the seemingly "perfect" life, and from the child's point of view "the Force will be with you."  The lifestyle presented is a middle-class lifestyle, with a successful, professional father providing for his family.  The mother doesn't appear to work, and they live in a very nice home.  The idea is that if you want to appear successful, you will drive a Volkswagon.  It is a very "keeping up with the Jonses" mentality.  Some of the tools of persuasion used in this add are association, where the Volkswagon brand is associated with success and happiness, beautiful people - the family depicted in this add are very attractive and "perfect", and nostalgia - the viewer remembers role playing in childhood, and probably even watching the Star Wars movies and playing with Star Wars-themed toys.  The positive messages presented here are success, happiness, and fun, and there really aren't any negative messages.  It is designed to empower successful people who are able to go out and buy a new car, but it disempowers those who are struggling to make ends meet, or single parents who are trying to provide for a family on their own.  This serves the media maker's interest because people who want to appear successful will buy their product, even if they can't really afford it.  The part of the story not being told here is the cost of the Volkswagon, the performance and safety and resale value.  This information can be found on the company's website, Kelly Blue Book, or an auto magazine that provides information and comparisons between similar vehicles.