Ad #10: Marlboro Cigarettes

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is men ages 22-47. Men in this age group would immediately recognize the professional athelete in the advertisement and be interested in buying the cigarettes. One element that makes this advertisement an effective form of persuasion is the use of color. The majority of the advertisement is done in black and white, but the name Marlboro and the Marlboro box are in red. The juxtaposition of the colors makes the product stand out on the page, and on the viewers mind. The photograph also makes the advertisement very effective. The man is attractive, and looks relaxed and at ease while smoking a Marlboro. The image gives the viewer the notion that Marlboro cigarettes will make him look and feel the way the man in the picture does. This advertisement utilized popular culture by using an athlete to promote the product. Paul Hornung was a halfback for the Greenbay Packers and in 1961 was named NFL Player of the Year. The advertisers used a well known athlete to sell the cigarettes. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

The product being sold in this advertisement is Marlboro Cigarettes. This advertisement was run in 1962. The main advertising method used in this particular ad is celebrity endorsement. Like I said above, the man pictured in the advertisement is Paul Hornung, NFL's 1961 Player of the Year. He was a major celebrity and accomplished athlete at the time, and Marlboro used his fame to sell their product. Anything associated with Hornung at the time would sell because of his stardom. This advertisement was created using more of a soft-sell approach. There are virtually no facts about the cigarette, and the advertisement doesn't offer any reasons why a buyer should purchase Marlboro over the many other cigarette brands. The only real information the ad conveys about the product is that it is filtered. The advertisement appeals more to the viewers emotions by using Hornung as the celebrity endorsor. The ad appeals to a man's longing to be a professional athlete and to obtain Hornung's level of fame. This item would be important to someone in this time period because of the increasing importance society placed on physical appearance. Cigarette advertisers claimed that smoking cigarettes would help you slim down and remain fit. They were also advertised as a stress reliever. There are no stereotypes portrayed in this advertisement. 

Ad #9: Scott Tissues

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is women ages 23-65. The target is women because of the pictures included in the advertisement. They are all of women who look to be about 23 years old. The age gap is so wide in the target audience because pretty much any women who looks at this advertisement will connect to it. Toilet paper is a pretty universal product and is a necessity for women at every age. This advertisement is very effective because of the photographs used. The main picture at the top shows a woman who is clearly worried about something. You can read her discomfort from her face, and she looks very unhappy. That image along with the statistic below it set the tone of the ad, and turn this problem into a health issue. The smaller images underneath show the different types of Scott Tissues being sold and the cheap prices they're going for. The advertisement establishes a problem and then gives the solution to the problem (along with prices) directly underneath. This advertisement utilizes popular culture by placing an emphasis on personal hygiene. Toilet paper is a necessity for cleanliness, and cleanliness was a main priority for people at this time. Advertisements like this one also established that toilet-tissue issues and irritation are widespread and shouldn't be something to be embarrassed about.

Comprehensive Analysis:

The product being sold in this advertisement is Scott Tissues. This advertisement is from the 1930s. One advertising method used here is the symptom cure formula. Scott Tissue turned toilet paper irritation into a disease, and advertised their product as a toilet paper that is absorbent, soft and chemically pure-- three criteria necessary to avoid irritation. Another method used was the slice of life approach. The advertisement is preoccupied with physical body suffering and discomfort. Scott Tissue actually created "Toilet Tissue Illness", a disease caused by extra harsh toilet paper. The advertisement spends most of its time selling the "disease" instead of selling the distinct product benefits. This advertisement definitely utilizes a soft-sell approach. The photographs and copy appeal to human emotion, not logic or reasoning. The photograph conveys discomfort and fear. The copy says that the irritation is a "serious danger", using a scare tactic to get the viewer to buy this safe brand of toilet paper.  There are no stereotypes displayed in this advertisement.

Ad #8: Aunt Jemima

Critical Analysis: 

The target audience of this advertisement is mothers ages 24-32. The image of the happy child eating Aunt Jemima's Pancakes is meant to appeal to a mother who wants to see her children that happy at breakfast time. Also, the copy of the ad stresses that the pancake mix is "ready-mixed", which would be appealing to a mother because it means that she would have to do less in the morning. She could make pancake mix from scratch-- a more time consuming method-- or she could grab a box of Aunt Jemima's and save time. I think the image of the happy child makes this advertisement very effective. Every mother wants to see her child happy, especially in the morning when children can be hard to handle. The happy kid is eating a huge pile of Aunt Jemima's pancakes, suggesting that the pancakes are what's making the little boy so happy. The advertisement utilizes popular culture by advertising yet another ready-made food item that can cut back on cooking time and free up time for women to do other things. Instead of stressing about cooking a home-made, filling breakfast for her children in the morning, a woman can open up a box of Aunt Jemima's and go about her morning with ease. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

This advertisement is selling Aunt Jemima's Pancake Mix. This advertisement was published in the 1920s. The central advertising method used in this advertisement is celebrity endorsement. At this time, Aunt Jemima was already an established house-hold name. Aunt Jemima had credibility and was considered to be a celebrity. In this ad, Aunt Jemima's face is the largest thing you see, bringing attention to it automatically. Also, the copy of the ad is in quotations, suggesting that it it is a quote directly from Aunt Jemima. Aunt Jemima is endorsing the product in her quote by telling the reader that its time for some delicious, ready-made pancakes. She gives the advertisement credibility when she mentions her "secret-recipe". This product would be important to someone in this time period because it made people's morning routines a lot simpler. Mothers have a lot to worry about in the mornings. They have to get the kids out of bed, dressed, and packed up for school, and before ready-made breakfasts were on the market they'd do all of these things while cooking a home-made breakfast. Ready-made pancake mix made the morning routine a lot easier. All a mother had to do was add a few simple ingredients and throw the pancakes on the stove. There are definitely racial stereotypes portrayed in this advertisement. First of all, Aunt Jemima in general is a racial stereotype because at this time, black people were limited to menial jobs such as cooks and housekeepers. Second, the copy in this advertisement is stereotypical. The copy is not written in proper english, suggesting that Aunt Jemima (a black person) doesn't know how to speak correctly and is poorly educated. 

Ad #7: Kotex

Critical Analysis: 

The target audience for this advertisement is working women ages 21-27. Women in this age group are of a working age, and would see themselves in this advertisement. They would empathize with the anecdotes and scenarios in the advertisement, and the ad would be particularly effective on them. I think the story-line and different colors make this advertisement a particularly effective form of persuasion. The "story" in the advertisement is easily relatable to women in the target audience of the advertisement. The story of the secretary almost creates a bond between the reader and the story, and generates a sense of trust in the secretary. The colors are very attention grabbing and make the advertisement stand out. Her physical appearance also makes the advertisement very effective. She doesn't look uncomfortable or in any pain. She is going about her day as if nothing is wrong. This message influences pop culture because of societal emphasis on hygiene. Kotex allows a women to go on with her life during "that time of the month" in a hygienic and clean way. She doesn't have to put life on hold during that time, which is especially helpful for women with jobs. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

This advertisement is selling Kotex Sanitary Napkins. It was published in Motion Picture magazine in 1939. One of the advertising methods used in this ad is the friendly advisor method. The secretary in the advertisement acts as the "personality" or expert that gives the advertisement a more personal touch and friendly vibe. The secretary seems like she generally cares and wants to make the viewer more comfortable and happy by endorsing the product. Another method used is editorial style. The female point of view is clearly evident, and the copy in the advertisement focuses on the hopes and dreams of the target audience. It is a gentle-sell approach that gives specific reasons why a woman should use Kotex. This item would be important to women in this time period because of hygiene and personal health. It would be important to women in social situations as well. They would feel more comfortable and less paranoid that something would go wrong. They could go on with their social and work lives with less worry. There are no stereotypes portrayed in this advertisement. 

Ad #6: The Rover 3 Litre Sedan

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is classy, whitte-collar company men ages 25-50. A steady income is required to afford a car like this one. This advertisement appeals more to men than to women because of the black and white color scheme and simple type. If the advertisers were trying to appeal to women, they would romanticize the car and add more color. Men are more attracted to simplicity. This advertisement appeals to classy men because the copy emphasizes the fact that the car is luxurious but not showy.  The overall simplicity of the advertisement makes it a very effective form of persuasion. The headline is very short and to the point. It emphasizes the sedan's practicality and luxuriousness without going over the top. The photograph is also very straightforward. The head-on shot shows the car off, but at the same time the angle of the photograph enhances the vehicles supposed luxury. The photograph makes the car look classic and expensive. The advertisement influences popular culture by indulging America's car craze. The advertisement offers yet another new car model, and tries to sell it by saying that owning the new Rover Sedan would improve a family's social status. This advertisement also influences popular culture by putting emphasis on a family vehicle. Vehicles made it possible for families to take road trips together. Cars made travel a lot easier and opened up new doors for family activities. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

This advertisement is selling the Rover 3 Litre Sedan. This ad was published in 1962 in Road & Track Magazine. The advertising method used here is the look of the ad. The ad is centered around the photograph of the vehicle, and it is the main focus. The simple headline at the top is connected to the photograph. The headline emphasizes "practical luxury", and the picture exemplifies that. The white space also creates an optical illusion. It makes the car look a lot smaller than it is, which highlights the photo. The copy underneath the picture definitely utilizes a hard-sell approach. The wording gives specific reasons why a consumer would want to buy the car. The paragraph includes information about the actual sedan itself, and also makes a connection between owning the car and social prominence. The copy also suggests that the vehicle is an investment that would pay happiness dividends to the family who owns the car. Lastly, the paragraph under the photo offers more information to the reader in case he wants to do more research about the car.This item would be important to someone in this time period because of America's continuing car craze, and because of society's overall excessiveness. When Henry Ford first developed the Model T, body-style and luxury wasn't a main concern to the consumer, but as time went on these aesthetic details became more and more important. At this time, American's wanted the most stylish, up-to-date vehicles. There are no stereotypes portrayed in this advertisement. 

Ad #5: Campbell's Soup

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is athletic men ages 16-28. The writing of the advertisement as well as the photograph appeal to men in this market segment. In the picture, the man is wearing dirty football gear and looks very manly. The words "hungry man" also have a manly connotation. I believe athletic men in this age group would see themselves in the photograph and want to buy Campbell's soup. The bright colors + the vivid image make this advertisement an effective form of persuasion. The colors instantly grab the readers attention. The fact that the image of the football player is sandwiched between two bright orange rectangles brings the readers attention to the image. The image the advertisers chose to advertise Campbell's soup is a very powerful one. The man looks dirty, exhausted, and famished from his game, and is choosing to eat Campbell's soup to fill him. This advertisement utilized pop culture because it is selling a canned good. Throughout this time period, the switch from strictly home-cooked meals to ready-made meals continued. The wife/mother of the family had other priorities, and couldn't always prepare dinner or snacks for her family. Canned, processed, and frozen meals became very popular for their convenience. Also, in the year this ad was published, the New York Jets won the Superbowl. This event of pop culture influenced which celebrity Campbell's chose to endorse their product. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

This advertisement is selling Campbell's Soup, particularly Campbell's Vegetable Beef. This advertisement was run in the 1960s. One of the advertising methods used in the ad is celebrity appeal.  The athlete shown in the advertisement is Gerry Philbin, a New York Jets Defensive End. He is eating the soup, and anyone who knew who he was would want to buy Campbell's soup after seeing them eating it. This advertisement also exemplifies the look of the ad. The ad makers used bold headlines as well as photographs and an interesting layout to sell the product. The advertisement is immediately attention grabbing, and would have the same effect on the viewer no matter where it's placed in a magazine or a newspaper. They also used more of a soft-sell method. The advertisement appeals more to the thoughts and emotions of the viewer than to logic and reasoning. The ad doesn't give much factual information about the product, other than suggesting that it is hearty and filling (from the headline). This product would be important to someone during this time period because it helped make life easier. Canned goods made the wife/mother's job easier because it freed up time for them to do other things. It also made the man's life easier because if he was hungry, he could pop open a can of soup instead of waiting on a woman to prepare him a meal. There are no stereotypes demonstrated in this advertisement.  

Ad #4: Lifebuoy Soap

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is mothers ages 22-29. The ad is appealing to the mothers in this age group because of the picture and the copy. The picture shows young children, and the copy describes the types of activities young children do as well as the kinds of trouble they are prone to get into.The copy in this advertisement makes it a particularly successful form of persuasion. The first paragraph describes the typical young child-- messy, adventurous, and reckless. Paragraph two highlights the specific attributes of Lifebuoy soap that make it so powerful and appealing to children. The next paragraph is a description of what the children would be like after being scrubbed with Lifebuoy soap, and the fourth reinforces the idea that washing with Lifebuoy means safe hands. The copy in this advertisement tells a story. The children with "grimy hands" and "smudgy faces" were transformed into kids with "velvety skin" and "bewitching curls", all because of Lifebuoy soap.This advertisement utilized popular culture by focusing on overall health. In this time period, people were becoming more and more concerned with their health and hygiene. People were very worried about cleanliness. Lifebuoy soap played off of this societal concern be creating a "health soap" who's "invigorating cleanness" you can feel.

Comprehensive Analysis:

This is an advertisement for Lifebuoy Health Soap. This ad was published in 1925 in New York Journal American. The specific advertising method used for Lifebuoy Health Soap is the Preemptive Claim. The creators of this ad centered the whole advertisement around the idea that Lifebuoy was a "Health Soap". They took an aspect of virtually every soap and made it central to their advertisement. All soaps disinfect and cleans and contributes to a person's health. All soap is "health soap". This advertisement also utilized the symptom-cure technique. The advertisement makes non-issues such as "grimy hands" and "smudgy faces" into major health risks, and advertises the product as a remedy for the problem. Soap is important to people in this time period because of the growing emphasis people placed on good hygiene and personal cleanliness, like I stated above. There are no stereotypes demonstrated in this advertisement.

Ad #3: General Electric Lamps

Critical Analysis:

The target audience for this advertisement is married men ages 50-60. The cartoons depict a balding man who looks to be in this age group and also show a woman who is meant to be his wife.  A married man in this age range would relate to the cartoons and find them humorous. I think the use of cartoon images makes the advertisement very effective. The copy is in a very small font, so all of the viewers attention is directed at the pictures. The bright colors and distinct pictures make the storyline very easy to follow, and clearly shows why it would be beneficial to purchase a GE Lamp. This advertisement influenced pop culture because widespread electricity created many new products and opened up a new market.  

Comprehensive Analysis: 

In this advertisement, General Electric is selling GE Lamps. This ad was run in Life magazine in 1946. The unique selling proposition is being utilized in this advertisement. The ad claims that "Research is always at work to improve GE Lamps and make them stay brighter longer". This is a claim that all over light bulb companies could probably make, but weren't making at the time. The creators of this ad used the comic strip method to demonstrate why the lamps were necessary and to sell the product. They created a successful visual element. They also used Bernice Fitz-Gibbon's be specific-- it pays technique. The ad makers created a story with the comics that sold the product. This ad is also an example of a more soft-sell approach. The ad doesn't make any logical appeals, but is puts a "what if" scenario into the consumer's head that makes him think about why it might be beneficial to buy new light bulbs. This item would be important to someone in this time period because at this time, electricity was widespread and was available in houses. Light bulbs were necessary for clear sight. Bulbs would be important to consumers because they're easily replaceable and also easy to install. When a bulb burnt out, you'd just go to the store and purchase a new one. You wouldn't have to call an electrician, you could replace it yourself. There are no stereotypes portrayed in this advertisement.

Ad #2: Pepsodent with Irium

Critical Analysis:

The target audience of this advertisement is women ages 18-24. The headline of this advertisement reads, "Are your teeth alluring too?" The photograph to the left of the headline shows a beautiful woman that is clearly attracting a man. Like I said in my previous post, at this time in history women married at younger ages than they do today. The photograph along with the headline are meant to appeal to women in this age group who think they need more help attracting a potential husband. The overall layout of this advertisement makes it very effective in my mind. First, the headline along with the picture put the idea of a "filmy coating" in the readers head. Then the advertisement instructs the reader to do the "tongue-test", making the "filmy coating" a scary reality. In step two, the ad claims that the "filmy coating" hinders romance, and in step three the ad offers a solution to the problem: Pepsodent with Irium. The last thing on the page is a picture of the woman and the man kissing, and directly under the photo is a tube of Pepsodent tooth paste and a toothbrush, suggesting that Pepsodent is the reason for their romance. The layout of the ad indicates a timeline of events that leads to the woman's dream of romance. The advertisement utilizes popular culture by highlighting the superficiality of the era. People were very concerned with their outward appearance, and this advertisement plays off of that insecurity. It also utilizes pop culture by enhancing the idea that a woman's main goal at the time was to land herself a husband and become a home-maker. Pepsodent's concept in this advertisement was to relate the "filmy coating" of her teeth to a woman's inability to secure a husband, highlighting the importance of romance in the woman's life. 

Comprehensive Analysis: 

This is an advertisement for Pepsodent with Irium Toothpaste. It was published in Cosmopolitan magazine in 1941. One of the techniques used in this advertisement is constructive discontent. The advertisement focuses a lot on creating the problem ("filmy coating") instead of selling the beneficial qualities of the product. All the advertisement says about Pepsodent is that it will remove the coating. Another technique used is the symptom-cure formula. The advertisement defines "filmy coating" as an unattractive problem, and says Pepsodent with Irium is the cure. The advertisement defines a problem and offers the product as the solution. This product would be important to someone in this time period because of the societal connection between good hygiene and finding a husband. Single women would see this ad and immediately run to the store and buy new toothpaste in hopes of becoming more alluring to men. There aren't any stereotypes in this advertisement. 

Ad #1: Proctor and Gamble

Critical Analysis: 

The target audience of this advertisement is women between the ages of 18 and 24. This ad was published in 1939, and at that time women married at young ages. The ad says if you have rough hands and ugly hair you won't find romance or a husband, a message that would attract and scare women who's main goal was to marry and start a family. I think the picture of the woman caressing the man's face makes it a very effective form of advertising. It shows a woman with beautiful hair and pretty hands seducing a man. The photo reinforces the headline directly above it, which reads "Gorgeous Hair. . . Lovely Hands. . . with these a woman conquers!" The headline + the photograph make the ad very persuasive. I also believe that the limited-time offers make this ad effective. The discounts are highlighted in a bright red box, which immediately attracts the eye, and the idea of a "limited-time offer" creates a sense of urgency. The consumer has to go out and buy the product fast or else she will miss out on the deal. This ad influences pop culture by reinforcing the idea that the main goal of a woman's life should be to find a proper husband and start a family. The ad is basically saying that if a woman doesn't look her best, she'll end up alone-- a scary thought to a woman at this time in history.

Comprehensive Analysis: 

In this ad, Proctor and Gamble is selling Drene shampoo (special shampoo for dry hair and regular shampoo) and Danya new-type preparation for dry hands. The ad was published in 1939. This advertisement was published in the magazine Woman's Home Companion. The advertising style present in this advertisement is tabloid style. The main photo at the top, paired with the copy broken up by smaller pictures is a dead giveaway. The advertisement looks like a tabloid newspaper and endorsement in order to give the selling message more credibility. The advertising method used is definitely a soft-sell approach. The ad appeals to a woman's longing for romance and doesn't make any logical claims as to why a woman needs to buy the products. This product would be important to a woman in this time period because of the general belief that good hygiene and looks would land a woman a husband. The product would also make a single woman looking for a husband feel more self-confident. There are no stereotypes in this advertisement.