Blog Post #3 - Analysis and Evaluation of a Political Advertisement

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3t6bLugtJkQ

This advertisement is a short commercial aired by the car company Chevy.  The commercial starts off by showing a girl and her dog named “Maddie” going through the various life events of a typical girl growing up like graduation, a breakup, or even learning to drive.  All of these events where Maddie is there to support her through all of them whether good or bad.  Then the commercial goes back in time to show when this girl first got Maddie, and then she and her parents get into the car to go home.  The commercial ends with the quote “A Best Friend For Life’s Journey”  followed by the gold and silver chevy logo which is featured on all of the cars from that company.  

Right off the bat, I knew the primary target audience was dog lovers.  With the plotline of the dog being the girl's best friend through all the different stages of her life.  This has an emotional appeal to the people viewing the ad.  The secondary audience is the people who have cars or love their cars.  Most people have an emotional connection to their car so anyone with a car will be able to relate to the concept connection between a dog being a man's best friend and twisting it in terms of the car.  By using the myth that a dog is a man’s best friend, this chevy car commercial targets dog lovers through the emotional connection of feeling nurtured and safe and twisting it into a new concept of the chevy car being a man’s best friend.

The myth this commercial is relying on is the old saying that a dog is a man’s best friend and twisting it into a car being a man's best friend.  This as well as the chevy brand car feels like a best friend that will always be there for you.  The audience viewing the commercial will want to feel that emotional connection to something.  This myth is similar to the main message of the commercial.  The main message is to tell this story of a girl and her best friend being her dog, and how just like the dog will always be there for her, so will the car.  The majority of families have a car that they grew up with or had many memories in for a portion of their lives, which is similar to a relationship with a pet, or any relationship for that matter.  Although similar, the message and the myth are two separate things.  The myth is more of an old saying with the dog being a man's best friend, whereas the main message is about the car is similar to being your best friend and always being there for you.  So, in a sense, it is the same concept, but different subjects.  

Like the end quote says “A Best Friend For Life’s Journey”, A dog is a mans best friend often relates to domestic dogs in family households.  These dogs are a comforting figure to many members of the family, and many of the pleasing traits of this pet are things like loyalty, friendship, and companionship.  Where there may be times in life when you may feel lost and alone, but can always come back to this pet figure because they will always be there for you.  This cultural myth is very common in the typical American household.  Many people have values of the idea of companionship that align with the values that a dog can provide for them.  This is why having a pet through your life to always be there for you, even when no one else is so sought after. 

The commercial is trying to relate to many people because many people have a pet dog, or have had pet dogs in the past.  When you remember that relationship you had with a pet you have or have had, and then apply it to the relationship you could have with this company's car.  This advertisement is applying the appeal of feeling safe and nurtured which is two very prevalent features in what everyone wants out of life.  

Through all of this, the myth of a dog is a mans best friend, and the two subjects, being the relationship with the dog and the car all come full circle.  Although the main concept and the myth are directed towards a different subject, the concept stays the same.  As stated a few times before, the ending quote “A Best Friend For Life’s Journey” can be applied to the dog or the car.  However, the overall takeaway I have gathered from debunking this ad was that “If a dog can be your best friend for life’s journey, so will this car!”  Many people don’t think about their relationship with their car, but through this ad, chevy is helping make that connection with the story of Maddie, and how she was someone's best friend.  

Even though I did not have a relationship like this with a pet dog, I was still able to feel that emotional connection although not being able to relate.  This is how I know this commercial is successful in portraying the intended message to the audience.  Although I have never had a pet dog, I am still a dog lover, so I guess that makes me a part of the primary target audience.  Through different life events, good and bad, growing up, a dog, as well as a car, are there through it all.  This commercial used the timeline of events and used this minor sound of piano music to give it this heartwarming feel.  They used the concept of the dog and brought the whole idea full circle when the family was walking back to the car when the ending quote popped up to send us off with.  The ad appeals of feeling nurtured and safe doesn’t just apply to dog lovers, but anyone, and feel heartwarming to anyone, and that’s what makes this commercial so successful in its message portrayal.