Test 1

1. A focus on the virtue of being a farmer is the key concept in the commercial. Even the title God Made a Farmer creates the idea that being a farmer sets you apart. The commercial makes claims that certain values are needed to be a farmer including; hard work, long hours, sacrifice, and faith. These values are not a new concept to farm work and for the most part they are very true, and using Paul Harvey’s voice creates imagery which ties the viewer to these virtues. Paul Harvey has a rustic and trusting voice, as wells as the ability to create a connection to the past and “another time”.

2. The central route of the video were the stated reasons God made a farmer. Stating that Farmers needed to be up all day, work hard, and then do it all again the next day. The words are meant to inspire a farmer and resonate with his sense of pride in his work. Then the farmer associates the idea that being a farmer means he is great. The other central route of persuasion were the photos that were used along with the speech. The pictures were vivid and clearly depicted the idealized notion of being a farmer, while subtlety showing that RAM trucks were also a part of the farmer lifestyle.

The peripheral route was the narrator Paul Harvey. Harvey’s voice is a familiar voice which lulls those who listened to radio to like the ad. The tone of his voice is one that people like and enjoy—which is evident from his long career in radio. Many people also know Harvey’s beliefs and attitudes which reflect similar to those stated in the video. This creates another relational aspect of the farmer and increases the likelihood they will be interested in buying the truck.

3. Pathos is the main focus of the commercial. The concept “…so God created the farmer” plays on the farmers ideology of faith, family and virtue. The whole commercial talks about how hard the job of a farmer is. Having to be willing to stay up all night with a newborn colt and then watching it die, wiping his tears and going back to work. This is strong emotional imagery. Saying that Dodge knows their job is tough, they know that a farmer has to be tough and gentle. Then telling them that these special characteristics are created by God. This will all resonate with a farmers on an emotional level.

Logos is used in the commercial through direct statements, the farmer’s direct experiences. The commercial lists the hardships of being a farmer. The time it requires, the strength that is needed to do the job, and the actual physical requirements such as shoeing a horse, or plowing a field. These actual facts make the commercial appeal to the logical side of being a farmer and help persuade the viewer that they need the advertised truck to do the job.

Ethos is clearly expressed by using Paul Harvey to narrate. Harvey is a familiar figure in many homes. His ideals and the familiarity create an aura of authority and encourage listeners to respect him. This convinces listeners to pay attention and believe what they are hearing.

4. The epistemic aspect of the commercial focuses on the way the farmer lives his life. His beliefs and attitudes towards what he does. The commercial clearly focuses on the glorified day to day of being a farmer that makes what he does worth it in his eyes. Focusing on hard work, family and faith in God.

5. This commercial paints a picture. It creates a story for the farmer. The dedicated hardworking, family man who wakes up every day at the crack of dawn and works endlessly until late in the night, he goes to bed, wakes up, and does it all again. The story is persuasive. It goes as far as to tell us the farmer’s son wants to be just like his dad. These persuasive elements which form a story are designed to convince a farmer that this is his story, and to live his story he needs the truck.

6. The benevolent community is the premise of this commercial. God made the farmer to sacrifice and be who he is for the benefit of Gods freshly made world and everything in it. From family to newborn colts, to the planting of food the commercial states the farmer takes care of it all. The first line of the commercial says this. …”I need a caretaker.”

7. The objective is to create an aura that Dodge is associated with farm life, and to sell trucks. The tactics used are: Positive expertise- dodge knows the farmer, knows the life, buy this truck. Liking/ingratiation-- you are a man designed by God, put here to benefit the whole word, buy this truck to help you do it. Moral appeal—you are a strong man dedicated to the success of your farm, family, and faith you don’t want any of these to fail and they won’t if you buy this truck. Positive Esteem of Others—your son and neighbors look up to you and everything you do here, buy this truck and don’t let them down.

8. The farmer’s needs according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs are shown in this commercial. The commercial focuses on self-actualization and esteem by saying “God created the farmer” as well as a sense of belonging that he was created and belongs where he is on the farm. His physiological needs are met through his ability to provide for himself. 

The emotional motivation behind the commercial is the appeal to the farmer Pride and happiness in all aspects of his life. From family, to faith, to tending animals and taking care of his crops. There is also a recognition that it can be sad and hard when it talks about animals dying, and the farmer working tirelessly.

Attitudes are addressed both directly. Examples are seen in the farmer’s belief system in family and faith “God created the farmer, the family sits down to pray together. As well as hard work is a way of life, when the commercial talks about the farmer accomplishing his 40 hour work week by Tuesday and then keeps going.

The consistency is addressed through the idea that a farmer needs to be both hard and soft. Saying that it is ok to cry over the death of a colt, or to smile when your son wants to be just like you, but then turning around and going back to work even harder than before. It is telling the viewer that it is ok these things are opposite because both are needed in the lifestyle of being a farmer.

9. Reassurance of worth. Waking up early, going to bed late, the blisters, and broken nails are all worth it because the farmer was tasked by God to take care of the earth. The commercial is telling the farmer he may feel unnoticed or unappreciated but God knows he is important and God knows this because he tasked him as a “Caretaker”.

10. Family is important- The family sitting down to pray and the little boy are shown and resonate. Faith is shown subtlety through the family praying, the cross on the wall, and a few other times when prayer is seen. Dedication is shown through pictures of huge fields being shown, and sunrises indicating early mornings.  

Cultural Imagery and Myths

The Possibility of Success

The cultural myth I will be discussing is Emma Watson's He for She address to the Women's United Nation meeting. The concept of men and women's rights is a major topic all over the word.

  

Emma Watson's speech at the Women's UN has been watched over 11 million times and has been mentioned in over 1.2 billions social media posts. Clearly the ideal has resonated with people all over the world. In her address Watson says "...there is no one country in the world who has achieved gender equality." She continues on to challenge men and boys to join the campaign He for She. She offers them a formal invitation to join and tells them that gender equality is their issue too. The purpose of the campaign-- and the speech-- is to encourage the public to join the crusade for gender equality. 

Watson uses the word "Free" multiple times in her speech to suggest that if people join the campaign they will succeed and be free. Free to express emotions, free to be paid the same amount, free to be themselves. Women's rights and any appeal on their behalf are considered encouraging a minority to look for success, which is the definition of Larsen's Possibility of success myth. Her entire message convinces the listener that without gender equality we will fail, and that by striving for gender equality we can achieve greatness. 

Each of the premises are addressed in her speech, however two of them stand out more than others-- emotion and attitude. Watson uses a strong emotional component to paint a picture. Using personal stories and her own life experiences she captivates the listener and persuades them that gender equality must be achieved. She also uses the premise of attitude. In the beginning of her speech she addresses the issues or the attitude that feminists are men haters and gender equality is only designed to put men down. She shifts the attitude by inviting men to participate in the cause. She offers them a "formal invitation" to change the lives of men and women around the world by joining the gender equality cause. Stating that gender equality will benefit men as well.

Choose Beautiful

The Dove choose beautiful campaign is a marketing effort geared towards encouraging women to accept themselves. The Dove product name has, in many households and with many women across the globe, become synonymous with natural beauty and confidence. Their recent video features two doors Labeled Beautiful and Average. Women have the choice of which door to go through. They are then interviewed about why they chose the door they did. The video can be seen below.

According to B.J Fogg’s behavioral model this commercial encompasses the necessary characteristics to drive Dove’s target audience to not only buy their products but also to endorse their brand.

Motivation

The Unilever Corporation which owns the Dove brand is known for creating household products. Dove is no different. There are two areas that can clearly be identified as motivation. The first is the commercial motivates women to think of themselves as naturally beautiful. The Unilever Corporation is well known for its philanthropic efforts and promoting social justices. The second motivation is to encourage women to purchase their product. The concept that Dove promotes natural beauty and self-confidence subconsciously associates the Dove care products with this redefined idea of beauty. This motivates women to purchase their products.

Ability

The commercial focuses on the idea that women can choose to think they are beautiful. There standpoint is that every woman has this ability.

Triggers

The Call to action by the commercial is the trigger. Even the title is calling women to choose to be beautiful. This creates a spark which is a lower motivation and a high ability. The ability of women to choose to be beautiful triggers the purchase of their dove products due to associations mentioned in the motivation segment.

Process Premises

The process premise used in this campaign is strongly focused on the wants and emotions of women around the world. Currently women’s rights and positive body image are a strong topic in most nations. Dove’s choose beauty campaign hones in on women’s desires to be beautiful and accepted, while encouraging them to be strong and themselves. Acceptance, especially in women, is a need. By encouraging women to accept they are beautiful, Dove has developed a successful persuasive campaign using one of humanity’s most basic needs. There is also an emotional aspect to the commercial. When women choose the average door we as human beings feel for them. The way women describe themselves in the interview pulls the watchers emotions in both directions. They feel compassion for those who think little of themselves, and strength and encouragement towards those who walked through the beautiful door. This also could fit under another premise—attitude. By the end of the commercial the viewer’s attitude is affected. Most viewers are determined to think of themselves as beautiful. They experience an attitude shift. Overall the premises that the commercial used were successful in expressing their message.