Analysis Of Advertisements And Stereotypes

Advertisements play on a variety of human emotions. Some go for the “wow” factor, while others, including Pantene’s deaf violinist commercial, strive for the “whoa” factor. Many ads aim for the former reaction, using bright, flashing colors, catchy music, visual effects, or celebrity appearances. Advertisers want to leave the audience impressed, so they will draw the conclusion that the product is really as good as the commercial says. Other ads key in on the latter response through heartwarming and motivational techniques. This is the route this Pantene commercial takes. It encourages viewers to express themselves without fear of peer pressure, through the struggles of a deaf-mute girl, then ties it all together by revealing the product being

The ad limelights what many adolescent girls think, which is they are not good enough because they lack certain characteristics. How the commercial expresses this is through the main character’s curtailment of obvious skills, hearing and speech, and the challenges she faces while learning to play the violin. Because of her handicap situation, she was constantly told outright that she would fail at this almost impossible feat. Many people in this situation would give in thinking that if everyone says something cannot be done, then who are they to say otherwise. This is the mindset of the young girl. She believes if only she was like everyone else and fit their idea of who she should be, then people would accept her. This reaction is natural. At some point in a person’s determination they begin to agree that if only some characteristic was different, life would be better off. Not only does the young girl represent adolescent girls, but she stands as a beacon of encouragement for them to stop trying to fit someone else’s idea of who they should be. After attempting to fit into the box the world created for her, she came to understand that what was considered her weakness was actually her strength. When she realized this she was able to play the violin with such a passion that she left everyone speechless. This encourages people not to be ashamed of who they are because

The only time Pantene was mentioned was at the end of the commercial. Attempting to dissuade viewers’ attention from the idea that a product is being sold, advertisers told an uplifting story proclaiming to young girls they could stand out from the crowd, which, according to Jack Solomon, is what Americans want. “We Americans dream of rising above the crowd, of attaining a social summit beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.” Striving for exactly that, the young deaf-mute violinist’s story plays to the tune of what viewer want to hear. Setting the stage for the big