Advertisement Analysis – Sonny Products, Essay Example

Brief discussion on portal in Advertisement

This advertisement was found on an internet site showing the magnificence of sonny devices and how they can transform a busy business man’s life to have him walking on an airplane runway; looking taller and bigger than the aircraft when still so close; blown away; his papers blowing away in the wind with him; the device blowing away too; his tie and front of jacket seems to be blowing away as well and he continues to walk in the grandeur. There were no significant amount of words inscribed to lead someone into making a decision based on any extensive verbal communication, but the graphics seemed to have said it all. Precisely, philosophers have predicted that a picture says a thousand words. Perhaps, this was the intended communication in the selected advertisement.

A fallacious analysis detects appeal to emotions; common cause; clouding the issue; black and white; beside the point, ad homien and appeal to authority. Appeal to emotions or argumentum ad passiones is a logical misrepresentation intended to manipulate the viewer’s innate feelings in order for a response to be created out of excitement, mismerisement or the idea of being carried away into another level of existence. The specific features within this ad are the lies particularly in blowing away vision. It relates the fallacious logic by offering the impression that when once one becomes the owner of a brand name Sonny equipment he/she will never be the same again. Life will suddenly change.

My belief is that this is the general idea portrayed in order to catch the viewer’s emotional response. The real misrepresentation for me lies in trying to tie one’s emotions into hilarious moments. My initial response is to laugh and declare the picture ridiculous, but in laughing my emotions could become programed into watching and captivating the comedy nonetheless. This is the producers aim first to draw my attention and then think. This is wrapped up in the blowing away effect; an apparently busy executive whose documents are being blown all over the place because they cannot be store in a computer, which is blowing into him. It is an awesome appeal to the emotions.

Common cause fallacy is related to documents flying away; computer flying in and the executive flying too, but not in the nearby airplane, which appears to smaller than he is. The idea communicated is that when one owns a Sony computers document will no longer be blowing away. In fact, the documents blowing away in the wind really has no relationship to owning a laptop computer. Precisely, there is no common cause and the argument is not logically substantiated.

Clouding the issue or smokescreen fallacy is offering too many details that make it difficult for the viewer to grasp the truth without thinking it through. For example, here is where the complexity of this advertisement is demonstrated. There ae two airplanes beside each other overlooking a hilly mountainous background; large disproportionate pieces of white paper are flying/blowing away high up instead of the airplanes. They are blowing/ flying away from the executives hand while a computer laptop seems to be standing still or flying in from a distance. It would appear consequently that the special pleading to purchase a Sonny laptop is wrapped up in a whole set of unnecessary details while appearing to be logical is not from the standpoint of clarity.

Black and white or false dilemma fallacy limits the reader’s choices. In this advertisement there is only one alternative to crazy flying away papers, ties and jacket fronts it would appear. Insidiously it is a Sonny model laptop computer. Stationary airplanes are not a logical option to flying paper, ties and jacket fronts; hence the false dilemma.

Beside the point fallacy seems to coincide with false dilemma. Simply, the false dilemma proposes to the reader an invalid conclusion, which is just beside the point. The typical demonstration again lies with flying paper; a stationary laptop and two airplanes. The nonverbal suggestion is that a Sony, is ‘a lightweight like no other’ and no one should be carrying paper subsequently having them fly away behind since these laptops can be carried all over. They are not the only lightweight laptops in the world and paper can be safely carried in a brief case. It shown nowhere in the advertisement that the executive was trying to take the paper out in the open. All these are extraneous details which are beside the point.

Ad homien insidiously undermine the credibility of another. In this case the verbal ascription that Sony is ‘a light weight like no other’ insinuates that all other computers are heavy and perhaps their brands are inferior. This established the fallacy of appeal to authority. The brand name ‘Sony’ has been established as a symbol of authority. Therefore, even if the equipment advertised is not a true Sony brand in the advertisement, the brand name in itself appeals to the viewing audience from the premise of authority.

Ultimately, responding to question three of this assignment the primary targeted audience appears to be travelling executives. However, it was listed as an advertisement among many other for computer products. As such, it is highly suggestive that students, travelling business people, and the general public are essentially the predictable viewing audiences. While the general public is not a specific audience people may know people who may like to have a Sony laptop computer. Therefore, while browsing and encountering this ‘light weight like no other’ Sony laptop the communication can spread to the specific targeted, audience.

The second part of section three requires a response regarding psychological impact of the advertisement. As a viewer this advertisement communicates to the audience inadequate means of carrying documents in an antiquated brief case when there are modern inventions such as Sony computer laptops. More importantly, the device is lightweight and in an age when travel has transcended journeys on foot towards air transportation, the psychology is that professionals ought to upgrade their standards of carrying important documents by hand.

It is thinking versus feeling. Thinking is communicated when the picture of a man walking and all his important documents are being blow away. The irony is that the bag he is carrying is closed, which means that, perhaps, those documents were in his hand. Precisely, it portrays misfortune for which, now empathy is outpoured on this unfortunate soul losing his files to the wind when they could have been contained in a Sony laptop. Without deeper thinking the viewer might not have noticed that these files were being carried in the man’s hand.

Perhaps, had they been in his hand bag case this would not have happened. Hence, the psychology of playing the thinking sense with feeling human nature. Researchers admit that there is insufficient evidenced based data to detect the efficacy of advertisement on consumers’ response. However, they have evidence to prove that it is a science whereby the advertiser uses many techniques of paying the senses against the intellect in the decision making process. Ultimately, the thinker would be the greatest barrier to a successful advertisement (Tom & Grow, 2006).

In relation to the subconscious needs and desires this advertisement seeks to arouse the quality of being modern, current and orderly. Clearly, no executive of a high caliber will be caught walking with paper flying all around him. These papers are obviously important documents pertaining to customers’ interest. They could have been lost. However, had he been carrying a Sony laptop he would have looked more professional and orderly. Most importantly his status quo would have been in alignment with his counterparts who have the device.

Part 11

Part two of this assignment requires that an alternative to the advertisement evaluated in part 1 be created to engage thinking audience and project advertisement integrity. In many countries advertising companies have to follow standards, which limit misleading customers and the viewing audience. Importantly, some advertisers are restricted from promoting certain products such as tobacco to children or condoms. It is against the advertising protocol (Kenneth & Donald, 2007).

Hence, proper advertising ensures that an advertisement reaches the most appropriate viewing audience. The consumer is taken through six steps before making a decision to purchase and these must be a component of the content advertised. They are awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction and finally purchase. An attempt is being made to embody these components by redesigning the advertisement evaluated in the foregoing section 1(Kenneth & Donald, 2007).

Works cited

Altstiel, Tom; Jean, Grow. Advertising Strategy: Creative Tactics From the Outside/In. CA: Sage Publication Inc. 2006. Print.

Clow, Kenneth E.; Baack, Donald. Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications 3rd edition. Pearson Education. 2007. Print