Super Bowl 50 Jeep Commercial
Austin Smith
Demographic (Target Audience): A target audience is the group that an advertisement is aimed at. The target audience of this ad is anyone who can afford the car (middle class) and is 20-50 years old. These people will be more likely to want to go off-roading, because their bodies will be able to withstand any strain that is put on them from off-roading (off-roading is what Jeep is known for). These people will also be able to replace any parts that break when they are off-roading because they will have enough income to pay for the parts.
Psychographics are the descriptions of target audiences according to psychological characteristics. The psychographic for this ad are Explorers. An Explorer values challenges, freedom, and exciting experiences. An Explorer would need a car that is capable enough to deal with their "free" lifestyle. This ad shows that their cars have seen and done many different things, so it can do whatever you throw at it.
A propaganda technique is a technique that companies use in their ads to further their cause. The propaganda technique used in this ad is Plain Folks, which means the ad has a folksy approach and is relatable to the average person. The reason this ad is relatable to the average person is they say, "We don't make Jeep. You do." This implies the idea that the average person has helped make this company who they are, and their products are tailored to the people that drive them. If the average person has contributed to make a product, then they will think that the product was tailored for them.
A primary appeal (also called a rhetorical appeal) are the primary techniques of appeal to the audience the ad is focused towards (logos, ethos, or pathos.) Logos is an appeal that is made through using logic, like a statistic or percent. Pathos is an appeal that is made using emotions, like using happy pictures to make a product more appealing. Ethos is an appeal that is created through using people's ethics, such as showing sad pictures in a charity commercial to trigger a person's natural tendency to want to help someone. The only problem with Ethos is many people don't have the same ethics, so while it may work well for one group of people, it may not work for another group, or even offend them. The primary appeal of this ad is ethos. The reason the primary appeal is ethos is because when people her the phrase, "We don't make Jeep. You do", they will feel a sense of pride. They will feel pride because they were apparently able to help create a brand that has done very well for itself (Jeep is part of the Chrysler brand, which is a very successful brand).
Evaluation: Considering the target audience, propaganda technique used, and the primary appeal, I have to say that this ad is effective. This ad is effective because it stirs emotion and a sense of pride in the viewer. The narrator has a very home-grown sounding voice, which makes the viewer feel more comfortable as the ad goes on. Also, in the background, which is prominent throughout the entire video, but gets very moving near the end. The ad is also able to use its image (the company has its roots back in WWII when it manufactured many cars for the U.S. Military, which would give them a rugged and proven image.) to its advantage. Jeep created an ad that told people that the average person has a large effect on their vehicles. They used a narrator that sounded like the average hard-working person, so they were able to connect with their intended audience. It is for these reasons that this entire ad was effective.
Citations
2016 Jeep 75th Anniversary Edition Model Lineup. Digital image.Automobile. The Enthusiast Network, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2016.