Introduction
As part of their efforts to enhance their competitiveness, firms develop marketing campaigns through which they attempt to gain the attention of the market. Most firms focus their campaigns on the key features that set their products apart from what rivals make. While these campaigns are generally effective, their appeal can be improved. To enhance the effectiveness of the marketing initiatives, the firms need to focus on evoking emotional responses in the audience. When an individual develops an emotional connection with a product or brand, they are more likely to purchase the product. The company behind an advertisement that originally aired on Thai national television recognizes the importance of exploiting human emotion to establish deep connections. An analysis of this advertisement reveals that its creators expertly combined the three rhetorical appeals to provoke the audience into recognizing the need for kindness and sacrificial giving.
Context and Description of Advertisement
In order to gain a full understanding of how the advert functions, it is helpful to set the stage by providing some background information and highlighting its significance. This is done in the following section.
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Historical, Social and Political Significance
As will be described in detail in a later section, the ad follows a young man who engages in various activities that depict selflessness and immense love for others. The historical, social and political significance of the advert is that it tackles an issue that modern society faces. Today, individuals are exhibiting narcissistic tendencies with many prioritizing their wellbeing at the expense of others. Furthermore, when one participates in an act of service, they expert reward. The advert challenges the audience to embrace selflessness and serve mankind without expecting reward. As one watches this ad, they are moved to recognize that unless individuals demonstrate initiative, most of the ills that plague that world will remain unresolved. The poor will continue to lack access to decent education while the old will die in isolation. In addition to underscoring the importance of selflessness, the advert also reminds the audience of the value of such principles as love and concern for others. This advert is timely as the world is at a moment when it is confronted with crises but few are willing to take action.
Publication Medium
The medium that a firm uses as a platform for its marketing campaign determines the success of the campaign. To be effective, firms should select media that allow them to reach large audiences in a cost-effective fashion. As noted earlier, the ad was originally broadcast on mainstream television channels in Thailand. Television was an appropriate medium as it enabled creators to reach millions of Thais. Following its success in Thailand, the advert was later released to a global audience through such platforms as YouTube. Given the global reach of YouTube, it is fair to conclude that the advert has impacted millions of lives as it reminds viewers of the essentials of life.
Company Background
An insurance company with its main operations in Thailand is the creator of the advert. The advert was part of the company’s aggressive marketing campaign that sought to persuade its people to purchase its products. Through the advert, this firm also wished to enable the Thai people to acknowledge that human connections are far more important than material possessions. The effectiveness of the advert highlights the company’s desperate desire to capture the heart of the Thai market. For firms wishing to achieve similar success in their marketing campaigns, they should turn to the Thai insurance company for insight and inspiration.
Ad Description
The advert focuses on the actions of a young man who takes practical steps to solve the problems in his world. For example, he observes an elderly woman struggling to push her cart (Krishnan, 2014). There is also a scene where he feeds a dog and donates money to a mother and her daughter. As he intervenes in the lives of this people, he is met with reactions of bewilderment. Those who witness these acts wonder how he benefits from his actions. In addition to portraying the man’s generous acts, the video also includes text which captures background information and presents nuances. Furthermore, there is a narrator who poses questions designed to prompt the audience to reflect. For instance, the narrator wonders “What does he get in return, for doing this every day” (Krishnan, 2014). The advert concludes on a positive note with the young girl to whom he constantly donated money eventually attending school and the old lady he offered bananas embracing him. It is evident that the creators of the ad set out to highlight the immense rewards that result from sacrifices and selflessness. As individuals invest in the wellbeing of others, they receive rewards in the form of a sense of fulfilment and the knowledge that they have transformed the lives of others.
Analysis of Rhetorical Appeals
A careful scrutiny of the advert described above reveals that it effectively incorporates the three rhetorical appeals, as discussed below.
Logos
Logos is a tool that allows one to engage the reasoning faculties of the audience. The use of logos in the advert can be seen in how text is employed to explain and raise questions about the man’s actions. For example, part of the subtitles that accompany the video reads “What does he get in return, for doing this every day?” (Krishnan, 2014). It can be argued that by posing this question, the advert aims to engage the minds of the audience by challenging individuals to reflect on their expectation of reward whenever they serve others. In exchange for service, it is reasonable for an individual to demand reward. It is therefore surprising that the man in the video does not expect or ask for a reward. In fact, by serving others, he sinks lower in poverty. However, he derives satisfaction from the joy that others experience. Essentially, logos is employed to underscore the need for individuals to act against their own interest in the pursuit of a world where love and justice prevail.
Ethos
Ethos is yet another appeal that the ad incorporates effectively. This appeal is primarily concerned with establishing credibility. As stated earlier, the advert was created by an insurance company which wished to convince the Thai market that its services and products are designed to improve the lives of ordinary people. By likening its operations to the actions of the man in the video, the company essentially establishes itself as one that will go extreme lengths to safeguard the wellbeing and interest of its customers. This firm uses the advert to promise its customers that it can be relied on to be present and committed. It is worth noting that the claims and suggestions that the firm implies through the video do not necessarily reflect its policies or operations. Insurance companies are notorious for failing to honor claims and charging exorbitant premiums.
Pathos
Pathos is a rhetorical appeal that involves evoking emotional responses. This advert focuses on the emotions of various characters in the advert to elicit similar emotional responses in the audience. For example, an old man who was initially skeptical of the man’s actions is shown smiling. The different people in whose lives the man intervened are shown displaying feelings of excitement and joy. These emotions are shared by the audience. As one watches the advert, they are prompted to respond warmly. In fact, the advert manages to confront the audience to join the man in serving mankind. This advert was evidently inspired and accomplishes its purpose of moving people to place the needs of others above their own.
Conclusion
As they develop advertising campaigns, firms need to be driven by goals that extend beyond maximizing revenue. The advert described shows that marketing initiatives should seek to engage the mind and emotions of audiences. To be effective, adverts need to be relevant and designed in a fashion that allows them to provoke the audience. When the message of the advert resonates with the audience, it is likely to yield positive responses. Responsible and ethics-driven marketing holds the key to promoting progress within communities while enabling firms to flourish.
References
Krishnan, V. (2014). Best advertisement ever- winner of best ad 2014. YouTube. Retrieved November 25, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9vFWA1rnWc
