Analysis Of Oldsmobile 98 Advertisement

Sometimes, commercials are really cute. Maybe it was a billboard for Huggies Diapers, with a loveable little child showing off their newest diaper type, or a commercial showing an adorable puppy, asking for donations for the local animal shelter. There are many ways that companies manipulate consumers to buy their products. The different "appeals" can be separated into three categories: ethics, emotion, and logic. Divided among these categories are "fifteen basic appeals" to consumers, or "human needs," as Jib Fowles outlines in Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals. In this Oldsmobile 98 advertisement, the publicist chose to appeal to four of these "human needs": the need for "prominence", "attention", "autonomy", and "aesthetic sensations". This demonstrates that society unconsciously craves certain feelings, and advertising agencies can use this to manipulate consumers to buy the advertised product.

There is a real pressure to be popular, respected, and liked among one's peers in high school. Teens want to be recognized, or "prominent," in their school. Everyone wants to be recognized, whether he or she realizes it or not. Advertising agencies capitalize on this unconscious need by creating a sense that is some buys their product, that person will be a "breed apart" from everyone else. Whoever buys this product will be liked and respected. The Oldsmobile advertisement appeals largely to this need. In the ad, it shows a young gentleman with his fashionable lady. In the 1940s and 50s, when the Oldsmobile style was very popular, it was considered highly stylish for ladies to have their hair pulled back from the face, with long oversized coats, and for gentlemen to don a suit. The couple appears to be looking at an Oldsmobile 98 waiting for a valet across the street, amazed at the beauty of the fashion-forward automobile. The ad appeals to the sophisticated audience looking to improve their ranking in society. It seems to say that all owners of an Oldsmobile 98 are a cut above everyone else, "prominent" amongst society.

The wording of the advertisement also suggests an appeal to the figurative "upper crust" of society. In the 40s and 50s, not all people could get a complete education, and therefore not all people might understand the meaning of "distinction". "Distinction" is another way of saying "prominence" and "autonomy". This part of the Oldsmobile advertisement appeals to the side of people that wants to be seen, to stand out from the crowd. The car dealership is saying that any person who owns an Oldsmobile 98 will be outstanding in their community. People will recognize the owner of that marvelous car.

People who are "prominent" in society also tend to get a lot of "attention". This is another appeal to an unconscious need of humans. In Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals, by Jib Fowles, it states "The desire to exhibit ourselves in such a way as to make others look at us is a primitive, insuppressible instinct." (9). In the ad, it shows a trendy couple stopping to stare in amazement at the sophisticated car. The ad seems to say that anyone who buys an Oldsmobile 98 will be given much more respect and attention than before.

This ad also appeals to a "need for aesthetic sensations". In his article, Jib Fowles points out that every good advertisement is near-perfect; the photography, lighting, and editing are spot-on, any text is easily read, and layout could "scarcely be improved upon.". It is clear that if an ad is not good-looking, there is little probability of good communication to the consumer. At the time, all cars in the style of the Oldsmobile 98 were in high-demand. All of the fashionable and fancy automobiles had that long, stretched out look. Usually, the cars were white with an accent color for the back and bottom half of the vehicle, such as blue or red, with silver accents. Cars were a way for families to show off their power and wealth, and the men would keep their car polished and looking brand-new. The Oldsmobile in the ad keeps up with the trend, being white and blue with silver finishing. This car would have been considered highly fashionable at the time and is still considered as such today. Also, an appeal to "aesthetic sensations" is the contrast. Save for the people and the car, the advertisement is in black and white. Typically, black text on a white background is easy to read and strikes readers as modern, and refined. Though the text and imagery of the advertisement are very important, the coloring of the car and people in the advertisement if of equal importance. Multiple studies have shown that different colors make people feel certain ways, and of course, advertising agencies use this to their advantage. Red is a very bold and bright color, therefore making people feel daring and powerful. It also naturally draws eyes to the object, which in this case is the automobile. Since the Oldsmobile is the most important part of the advertisement, the candy-apple red on the bottom half of the car is a perfect color. The ad also balances the red with white on the car. White is a pure and sophisticated color, setting off the aggressiveness of the red. This aids in making the consumer feel more balanced, while also helping to give a refined style to the entire Oldsmobile car. If the automobile was all red, it would be a bit too dramatic and striking for most peoples' tastes. The white off-sets the aggressive red, causing the car to eye-catching and unique, yet refined and balanced.

The signature logo for Oldsmobile towards the bottom of the advertisement is also trying to help sell the product. The impressive, lilting penmanship is used to give the band name an expensive and fancy feeling. In the 1940's and ‘50s, such penmanship was to be admired and usually meant that the writer had a high education. A signature written in such a fancy and advanced hand radiates power and confidence. It means to convince the audience that all Oldsmobile products are expensive and fancy, keeping with the whole aura of the advertisement.

The Oldsmobile dealer employed many different strategies to sell his or her cars. He or she appeals to several basic "human needs", in this case, those "appeals" being to the need for "prominence", "attention", "autonomy", and "aesthetic sensations" by choosing imagery and coloring carefully. This says that human beings can be influenced to choose a product based off of these unconscious needs and wants. All people crave certain feelings, and advertising agencies always capitalize on this to help sell their products. The Oldsmobile ad is not any different. Different choices in wording and imagery for the advertisement would have conveyed a completely different message and might have invoked different feelings.