Wow. I never thought I would ever get the chance to see George Washington driving an American muscle car toward a fleeing British military force. This commercial reminds me of how much I love America, and Dodge. I should go buy one.
OK, my mental dialogue about this ad did not unfold quite like that. But I do like this ad: not because I agree with the superficial, overly macho message, but because it is quite unique.
Most advertisements today use stupid, slapstick comedy, sex appeal or cold hard facts, while this one uses nationalism and downright ridiculousness. The makers of this ad know that Americans pride themselves on being the home of democracy, where the first Americans fought for freedom against a monarch rule: they also know that the image of George Washington behind the wheel of a car with an American flag on it driving out (pun intended) the British will be immediately imprinted into the mind of anyone who sees it.
As a consumer in a consumer-based society, I have seen plenty of advertisements and found that the basis for the vast majority of television commercials is a common ground between the ad and consumer. Just think of the classic commercial question, "Has this ever happened to you?"
This Dodge Challenger ad has a superficial aspect, patriotism, which Americans can relate to. What I find to be particularly clever about this ad is that it possess another relatable quality: virtually everyone has seen absurd, over-the-top commercials. I get the sense that the ridiculousness of this commercial was meant to be blatantly senseless, and was not made assuming that some people would whole-heartedly agree with the message and yell "Go America!" I would go so far as to say that this commercial has some satire-like qualities, bringing to light the absurdity of corporate advertising and its barrage on consumers.
OK, my mental dialogue about this ad did not unfold quite like that. But I do like this ad: not because I agree with the superficial, overly macho message, but because it is quite unique.
Most advertisements today use stupid, slapstick comedy, sex appeal or cold hard facts, while this one uses nationalism and downright ridiculousness. The makers of this ad know that Americans pride themselves on being the home of democracy, where the first Americans fought for freedom against a monarch rule: they also know that the image of George Washington behind the wheel of a car with an American flag on it driving out (pun intended) the British will be immediately imprinted into the mind of anyone who sees it.
As a consumer in a consumer-based society, I have seen plenty of advertisements and found that the basis for the vast majority of television commercials is a common ground between the ad and consumer. Just think of the classic commercial question, "Has this ever happened to you?"
This Dodge Challenger ad has a superficial aspect, patriotism, which Americans can relate to. What I find to be particularly clever about this ad is that it possess another relatable quality: virtually everyone has seen absurd, over-the-top commercials. I get the sense that the ridiculousness of this commercial was meant to be blatantly senseless, and was not made assuming that some people would whole-heartedly agree with the message and yell "Go America!" I would go so far as to say that this commercial has some satire-like qualities, bringing to light the absurdity of corporate advertising and its barrage on consumers.
To be honest I have never thought this extensively about an advertisement, and I can't tell whether or not that means advertisers are successfully persuading me to want what they are selling. Perhaps the use of familiar cultural institutions, such as patriotism or humor, allow the messages of advertisers to affect me in a way that I don't readily acknowledge. This is just my own thought on the matter, but it seems that advertisers are able to use what people relate to on the most fundamental level of day to day life, so that their message, or product, becomes more deeply rooted in the minds of consumers, who then are more likely to remember and consider buying that product.
The next time I hear the Star Spangled Banner, is the image of George Washington standing proudly next to a flag-bearing Dodge Challenger going to pop into my head?
My bet is yes, and to that I say, touché Dodge, and touché advertising.
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