Tim Llewellyn - Blog Post 3 - 2 Ads to Analyze

Ad 1: 'Tank Ride'
This ad was made for Michael Dukakis' 1988 Democratic campaign to bash his fellow competitor, George Bush Sr. The motivational appeal this ad appeals to is Pride or Patriotism by promoting that Bush is not worthy to be America's Commander in Chief. The Maslow's Needs this ad appeals to are the Safety Need, by stating that you as an American citizen are not protected by Bush, as well as the Self-Actualization Need, stating that you need to grow and understand that Dukakis is more suitable to fit the profile of being the president of the United States. The value in the American Value System that appeals to this ad would be the Puritan and Pioneer Morality, since Bush is not capable of protecting this country according to the ad, he is not one of us, and if you are for him, you are not one of us as well. After watching this ad, I get an emotional sense (Pathos) from the tank that Dukakis is in being a symbol that he is willing to go to war for our country and has the 'know how' to do so. Along with the degrading words to bash on Bush, I feel that Dukakis is threatened by Bush and has to us the 'kitchen-sinking' technique to throw out brash judgments on him to attempt to boost his own worth, which does not persuade me to be a fan of his.


Ad 2: Bear
This was a 1984 ad to promote Ronald Reagan for president, of a bear walking through the woods (represented as the Soviet Union), and stumbles upon a lone hunter (represented as the United States), and becomes intimidated and backs away from the hunter. This ad provides a Fear appeal by showing that the bear is scared of the hunter (Soviet Union scared of the United States). The American Value this ad appeals to is Effort and Optimism by showing that if you are wanting to achieve the American Dream, you must work hard and never give up, relaying in the fact that the hunter has worked hard to find the bear and once he has confronted him, he is not willing to back down and give up to it. The simple music and images provided by the ad create Pathos by presenting fear in the enemies of the U.S. and confidence in the U.S. to conquer anyone who steps in our path.