http://adflip.com/addetails.php?adID=12828&showLargeJpg=yes
This motorcycle ad may seem merely catchy but behind its seemingly magically appearing allure is an extremely simple formula used to persuade in any great ad and consists of the combination of the three basic methods of persuasion; ethos, pathos and logos. These three perfected methods are portrayed brilliantly and prove quite seductive in the ad.
Ethos, which is this ad's appeal via revealing how reliable the product is based on its credentials, is obvious in the text shown on the image. By informing the audience that the motorcycles benefit from "Formula One Technology" and "traditional hand craftmanship", one may feel drawn to the product because of the emphasized trustworthiness. After all, Formula One Technology is superior technology, and thus can be found reliable. Even if readers haven't heard of the name, the way in which it is stated is just boastful enough to resound in a mind as awe-inducing, and an awe-inducing boast must indeed logically be backed up by truth. "Traditional hand craftsmanship" even seems to scream "trust me!", for who doesn't automatically register a hand-crafted item as being not only artistic but perhaps perfected? It is a natural connotation of "hand craftsmanship." Also, "traditional" is a huge plus because although we may not see it so plainly, we, as humans, totally base our lifestyles off of traditions because it is in our nature to do so. Thus, tradional ways are so appealing in their comforting essence. The ad claims too that the motorcycles are "sold by a very select group of dealers." This emphasizes again that the quality is of the highest kind because its dealers are "select," a term so commonly associated with the best of the best. The article on the image goes on to state that "Cycle Canada Magazine called the new Sprint RS 'sublime'." This further proves the product's credentials because a motorcycle magazine, which must of course know all there is to know about motorcycles, would go as far to call their product "sublime"! And ethos doesn't stop there. The largest words on the ad, the ones that actually catch the attention of potential readers, state "The Empire Strikes Back," practically a joke, but such a clever one! The "Empire" can be seen metaphorically as the bike, and that is in most apparent terms of the aspect of power. This furthers the motorcycle's credentials in associating it with such a popular theme as Star Wars. Even the first words of the following article begin as did Star Wars. How witty!
Pathos, an appeal to the emotions, is visible in the ad in several ways as well. The motorcycles shown can all be seen as going very fast because the backgrounds are all blurry. This demonstrated speed incites excitement and even a taste for adventure or at least adrenaline. The pictures have all been shot at angles that make the motorcycles look extra dangerous just to provoke this enchanting excitement. Also, the article states "Fancy a bike with the pugnacious attitude of an English bulldog? The Speed Triple is your ride." Not only is this clever and slightly amusing, -humor which also appeals to emotions-, it targets prime audience. Obviously motorcycle customers are looking for adventure and speed or they would not be such customers. And anyone looking for a bike of adventure and speed would surely appreciate an analogy of a bike to a bulldog, as both have connotations of ferocity. A ferocious bike means a speedy one.
Logos, which seduces the reasoning human side, too is shown. The article says that "each Triumph is backed by a two-year unlimited mileage warranty." This is a plain fact of the benefits of buying the product. A customer will always be weighing the benefits and cons before buying, and the more benefits they detect the more likely they are to buy. It also states "each Triumph is crafted in the world's most modern motorcycle factory in the English midlands." This is another benefit because more modern typically indicates much better quality.
Ethos, pathos and logos have been utilized to such a degree of perfection in this advertisement that it's practically impossible to not buy a motorcycle after reading it.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Temptation
"Temptation" by Cradle of Filth is one of a plethora of their songs I love. Though not my very favorite, its message, or maybe it's just an observation really, is clear, spot on and ironically a bit tempting to love.
Temptation appears as human weakness, but also defines us. The song describes a temptation, or at least one worth giving into it, as 'an offer that cannot be ignored.' Yes, the benefits of the temptations must outweigh the cons, else no profit is made. But, a temptation is generally thought of as a bad thing, despite the fact that more benefits are made than taken away. Temptation seems to have a connotation of being wrong, immoral. And the benefits reaped typically are due to some immorality. Thus, the benefits only outweigh the cons if the perpetrator does not mind the immorality. The greatest decision is between indulging in what appears to be irresistible or ignoring the urge for sake of a clean conscience.
The song illustrates a temptation as causing the tempted to 'keep climbing higher and higher' in their desire. This escalating desire is the ultimate theme of the song. The power that it retains over us is overwhelming, and the song seems to make it fascinating. It does not portray a message that advocates turning away from the temptation or trying to get rid of it. Rather, it simply presents a temptation as something worth giving into if and only if the benefits are more than than the negative consequences, despite any moral issue. It's all too tempting to think this way.
Temptation appears as human weakness, but also defines us. The song describes a temptation, or at least one worth giving into it, as 'an offer that cannot be ignored.' Yes, the benefits of the temptations must outweigh the cons, else no profit is made. But, a temptation is generally thought of as a bad thing, despite the fact that more benefits are made than taken away. Temptation seems to have a connotation of being wrong, immoral. And the benefits reaped typically are due to some immorality. Thus, the benefits only outweigh the cons if the perpetrator does not mind the immorality. The greatest decision is between indulging in what appears to be irresistible or ignoring the urge for sake of a clean conscience.
The song illustrates a temptation as causing the tempted to 'keep climbing higher and higher' in their desire. This escalating desire is the ultimate theme of the song. The power that it retains over us is overwhelming, and the song seems to make it fascinating. It does not portray a message that advocates turning away from the temptation or trying to get rid of it. Rather, it simply presents a temptation as something worth giving into if and only if the benefits are more than than the negative consequences, despite any moral issue. It's all too tempting to think this way.
Idiocracy?
If I had to extract one from all of the movies I have ever seen to have been the most realistic as well as most rediculuos, the choice would not be one over which I'd need any time at all to contemplate. Idiocracy, another delightful product of Mike Judge, is the tale of our modern day Average Joe making his way into a far off but then again not-so-distant future. He emerges from a forgotten military experiment after 500 years of hibernation to meet a world of an average IQ equivalent to perhaps that of someone nowadays with down syndrome. Garbage overflows into cities because no one has figured out what to do with it, and water fountains have all had their water replaced with the new Gatorade, meaning if you drink water, you're the idiot. Costco is the new law school and Starbucks is the new means of prostitution. The number one movie in America is called Ass, and that is all it is. Absurd, but is such idiocy not already seeping into our society?
Not only is it pessimestic, but it's just downright blasphemous to humanity to draw such cruel accusations it seems. Humanity is better than that! Right? We've all been taught the wonders of evolution, and we've clinged our minds to these expectations of a future more civilized, intricate and technological. But, Idiocracy had sense in its predictions. The world must be logically becoming stupider because those of lesser intelligence have such a higher rate of reproduction than those of more intelligence, as is shown in the movie with examples of white trash reproduction rate vs. high class reproduction rate.
Evolution does function perfectly, with the exception of one flaw. Once a species reaches a certain level of technology, evolution no longer works. Because of the method of functionality our society has adopted, we have permitted natural selection to cease by preventing the consequences nature had always before bestown. The unfit cannot be killed off. Instead, because they are unfit, intelligence-wise of course (intelligence applies to physical state as well in this sense), they reproduce faster.
In Idiocracy, average Joe becomes the smartest person alive. So maybe it will take more than 500 years, but I can easily fathom the same future in which the best hospital is St. God's and the best tv show is "Ow, my balls!". I mean, look at Tosh.0.
Not only is it pessimestic, but it's just downright blasphemous to humanity to draw such cruel accusations it seems. Humanity is better than that! Right? We've all been taught the wonders of evolution, and we've clinged our minds to these expectations of a future more civilized, intricate and technological. But, Idiocracy had sense in its predictions. The world must be logically becoming stupider because those of lesser intelligence have such a higher rate of reproduction than those of more intelligence, as is shown in the movie with examples of white trash reproduction rate vs. high class reproduction rate.
Evolution does function perfectly, with the exception of one flaw. Once a species reaches a certain level of technology, evolution no longer works. Because of the method of functionality our society has adopted, we have permitted natural selection to cease by preventing the consequences nature had always before bestown. The unfit cannot be killed off. Instead, because they are unfit, intelligence-wise of course (intelligence applies to physical state as well in this sense), they reproduce faster.
In Idiocracy, average Joe becomes the smartest person alive. So maybe it will take more than 500 years, but I can easily fathom the same future in which the best hospital is St. God's and the best tv show is "Ow, my balls!". I mean, look at Tosh.0.
A Dream Within A Dream
The nature of dreams is often found to be a most fascinating inspiration for works of art. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a poem entitled "A Dream Within A Dream" about the most obvious aspect of dreams which is that they are not reality but mere fantasy. When such a perspective is mirrored into reality, so that reality is thought another dream, the illusion is devastating in its hopelessness. This defining property of dreams is the villain in another work of art as well, a recent movie titled Inception.What makes the knowledge that a dream is not real so terrifying is that it leads to analyzing reality in a way that makes it appear it is only a dream too. For if a dream could feign reality so well, how can we tell reality isn't feigning reality? Poe's poem is of the hopelessness that strikes along with the discovery of an utterly meaninglessness life, and it is this despair that kills in Inception. Meaninglessness is the ultimate depression.
"A Dream Within A Dream" compares the comprehension of everything as nothing to one being unable to keep a handful of sand in their grasp. The hand cannot clutch the grains of sand because they keep spewing out much like the attachment of significance to everything, every part of life, being dissolved. Poe picked the most fitting comparison, even calling the sand golden as meaning is so rich in joy like gold.
In the movie Inception, the main character, while trapped in the dream world with his wife, implants into her head the idea that their current 'reality' was a dream because she was beggining to think otherwise, to believe it was reality. They eventually, after about fifty years in a dream, awaken back to how they fell asleep, young again. But the idea he had planted in her brain remained, and she began to question actual reality. She ended up committing suicide, tossing herself off a ledge to 'wake up'. Tossing herself like sand spilling between fingers as her husband watched.
No one wants to consider their lives insignificant, much less with no meaning or value whatsoever. The notion is one of the most morbid there is, for it is human nature to attach and maintain meaning to everything we see. Significance is life, or perhaps at least the illusion of significance.
"A Dream Within A Dream" compares the comprehension of everything as nothing to one being unable to keep a handful of sand in their grasp. The hand cannot clutch the grains of sand because they keep spewing out much like the attachment of significance to everything, every part of life, being dissolved. Poe picked the most fitting comparison, even calling the sand golden as meaning is so rich in joy like gold.
In the movie Inception, the main character, while trapped in the dream world with his wife, implants into her head the idea that their current 'reality' was a dream because she was beggining to think otherwise, to believe it was reality. They eventually, after about fifty years in a dream, awaken back to how they fell asleep, young again. But the idea he had planted in her brain remained, and she began to question actual reality. She ended up committing suicide, tossing herself off a ledge to 'wake up'. Tossing herself like sand spilling between fingers as her husband watched.
No one wants to consider their lives insignificant, much less with no meaning or value whatsoever. The notion is one of the most morbid there is, for it is human nature to attach and maintain meaning to everything we see. Significance is life, or perhaps at least the illusion of significance.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
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