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Many companies aspire to sell components of the “American Dream”, such as success or happiness, along with their products. Most advertisers use symbols and relate their products with our underlying or expressed wishes to make them appear more attractive. After analyzing three current print advertisements, I will evaluate their effectiveness, their consequent counterparts, and their relation to the American Dream. In the first advertisement that I evaluated, a good-looking man and an attractive woman are on the beach together.
The man Is holding the woman In his arms while hey both are laughing and appear to be having a great time. In the middle of the page, It reads In bold, capital letters. On the bottom right-hand corner it shows a bottle of Jose Curve and reads the company’s slogan, Naive Curve”. After analyzing the content of this image, nothing that is going on in the picture or text is related to the product Jose Curve. This particular advertisement is intended for adults who have the desire to be happy, be carefree, or want a good-looking partner.
In this advertisement, the couple symbolizes happiness ND positivist, and through purchasing and drinking this product the viewer believes he or she will play the role of one of these characters. This alcoholic beverage’s perception has been altered to cause the public to believe that they will be happy If they purchase this product. Though the couple In the background already Implied that the product would bring them happiness, the text In the middle of the ad reinforces that your dreams will come true If you drollness Curve.
The advertisers intentionally used these words to relate ambitions to drinking this beverage. The underlying symbol in these words is that if you buy this product, you will be happy and have an attractive partner in your arms, and consequently be living a luxurious life, paralleling the content of the ad. Although this ad is selling Jose Curve, it is also selling sex, emotions tied to happiness, and a perfect picture of a dreamy lifestyle. In reality, this product will intoxicate you and possibly leave you with a headache.
It relates to the American dream because everyone wants to be happy, have an attractive companion and have a life filled with carefree moments. While we suppose Hess advertisements do not work, consumers subconsciously want what the advertisement Is representing. The next advertisement that I examined was for a perfume named “Deseed’. In the background, It almost looks as though It Is a tropical forest with bright green leaves wooden floor. Hanging above the black floor is a golden hammock that looks like silk.
Inside the hammock is an attractive celebrity Unifier Lopez) stripped down to her skin, while the hammock is covering only certain parts of her body. Above her is a crystal chandelier hanging and glistening in the sunlight. On the right-hand side of the ad it reads “Doses”, and underneath that it reads “let desire lead you”. Finally, in the bottom right-hand corner it shows the perfume bottle that appears to look like a precious diamond or gem. All of the items in the ad are there to cleverly represent the desires of many women.
The creators of this ad purposely added the tropical plants, glossy black floor, golden hammock, and all other aspects in the advertisement to symbolize fixations that women desire. The name “Doses” literally translates to desire in Spanish. The chandelier and gem-looking bottle reference extravagance and give the viewer feelings of wealth in relation to the perfume. The brain sends messages that this product will lead these women to lifestyles of lavishness. Another way the creator of this ad influences women to buy the product is by using Jennifer Lopez as the model.
Using celebrities is another effective way to lure customers because they have something to relate the product with. Although this ad is selling a perfume, it is also selling sex, wealth, and celebrity status as underlying symbols. This ad relates to the American dream by having wealth and being beautiful. I believe that this is a successful ad, and that many women could be persuaded to purchase the product. In spite of all this, the perfume will still not make you rich, beautiful, or an icon. The last advertisement that I analyzed is from the makers of Coca-Cola.
In the ad, Santa Claus is gleefully dressed in his traditional outfit while he is sitting in a green chair. Next to him, there is a window with a heart cut out of the shudder. He is holding a hammer and ruler in one hand, and a Coca-Cola in the other. With the hand holding the Coca-Cola, he is also holding a sign up with his pinky that says “For Sparkling Holidays”. On a miniature ladder that goes up to the sign, a small elf is painting the letters with the color red. In this ad, Coca-Cola targets children and families by characteristically using Santa Claus, implying the hopes and dreams of Christmas.
By using a Christmas theme in this ad, the company gets people to transfer the tender feelings of a magical season filled with nostalgia and tradition. Also, since it is directly related to Santa Claus, it makes children believe that it is approved for youth and safe to drink. Suntan’s laughter and Jolly smile set the mood or a happy environment. Using Santa convinces people that the product brings the same feelings of family, warmth and security. The sign that Santa is holding up implies that Coca-Cola is connected with holidays, meaning that it is almost a reward.
This ad is selling Coca-Cola, but also selling family traditions, positive memories, and feelings tied with wholesomeness. This ad relates to the American dream by using Santa Claus and Christmas-time as the setting for their product. I believe that this ad would catch the eye of children and adults alike, ingeniously persuading them to buy Coca-Cola. After all, Coca-Cola does not spend millions of dollars annually on mass advertising to not be the first name to come to mind when the word “soda” is mentioned.
Whether or not we directly seek big company names to influence our spending or drive on freeways, hear advertisements during radio or television commercial breaks, and our eyes always catch product or service advertisements in the newspaper no matter how hard we aim to steer clear. People tend to purchase products with famous, brand names because they seem to be more reliable and trustworthy, even if they cost a couple or a couple thousand dollars more. Different advertisements and companies have different target markets, which attract different age groups.
Toy and snack advertising tend to have children as their target market while alcohol, beauty and car commercials have a greater influence on adults. Anti-aging and vacation promotions target the older generation. Material possessions not only make people feel fulfilled and better about themselves but give us the opportunity to separate us from the crowd while still feeling like they belong to a particular group. For example, a flashy car may set someone apart from the ordinary but make him or her feel as if hey belong to an elite group while living the American Dream.