Textual Analysis Of A Commercial

In the business of advertising nothing is as it seems. every aspect in a commercial or print advertisement is carefully and precisely chosen to convey the ideal the company is selling. A successful Ad campaign is not only selling the product, but an expectation. One such commercial is the 2012 Volkswagen Passat featuring Mini Darth Vader. The main character is a young boy dressed as Darth Vader. He is roaming his beautiful, well lit, clean home attempting to “use the force” to turn on items, but to no avail. Then his father comes home from work driving his new, shiny, silver 2012 Volkswagen Passat. When the boy attempts to start the car his father secretly starts the car using “the force” which is really remote start, the newest innovation

The advertisement shows a child dressed as Darth Vader making people reminisce about when they were children or when their children were that age. Pathos is portrayed by using a small child who feels like he will never be able to do what he wants to do and seems defeated. Then his dad uses his new car to show his son he can use ‘the force”. This is pathos because it focuses on emotions, by showing the child overjoyed with his achievement. The parents are also smiling with joy due to their sons happiness. Another very small detail that really causes the whole commercial to connect and really put you into the perspective of the kid, is the very famous Star Wars Darth Vader music that helps tie the whole scene and acts of the family together. This advertising campaign uses the “perfect” image of an average middle aged family selling them happiness, sentimentality, and

Volkswagen depicts a clean, well taken care of home with all the amenities and the stay at home mother making lunch for the children. The Marketers also depict the happy, hardworking father coming home to his loving family, and family dog (mans best friend). Volkswagen is selling this 1950’s ideal to really make a statement about their product and how every family that has their product is this way. The volkswagen advertisers want to make a very subtle statement about how the family in their Advertisement could be the viewers ideal. Everything placed in an advertisement is placed there to manipulate and draw you in, selling an ideal. Symbolism is persuasive and pervasive in advertising drawing you in and