Major Aspects of Propaganda - Essay Example

? Propaganda Journalism, Mass Media and Communication The paper aims to proffer issues pertinent to an analysis of an ad according to the following categories: context, ideology, visual appeals, language, identification and otherness. The advertisement to be used to comply with the requirements is one of the best ads of 2011: Volkswagen ‘The Force’. The main message of the ad would be discussed as well as its effectiveness in eliciting emotional appeal from a wide range of audience. Propaganda The word ‘propaganda’ was defined by Linebarger (1954) as consisting of “the planned use of any form of public or mass-produced communication designed to affect the minds and emotions of a given group for a specific purpose, whether military, economic, or political" (p. 39). With the definition, one could effectively present an analysis of an advertisement that has been recognized as one of the best viewed ads of 2011: “Volkswagen’s “The Force”, in which a young Star Wars fan tries to use “The Force” on his father’s new Passat” (Holmes, 2011, par. 2). The advertisment definitely falls under the definition of a propaganda in terms of using mass-produced communication through the television and posting online with the purpose of eliciting emotion from the audience regarding the launching of 2012 Passat. In this regard, the paper aims to proffer issues pertinent to an analysis of the ad according to the following categories: context, ideology, visual appeals, language, identification and otherness. The main message of the ad would be discussed as well as its effectiveness in eliciting emotional appeal from a wide range of audience. Context The ad was created by Interpublic Group's Deutsch Inc.'s Los Angeles office and was released online on February 2, 2011 (Hall, 2011). It was created for the Super Bowl, but, according to Holmes (2011), “VW had posted the clip online two weeks before the sporting event — allowing the clip to rack up 10 million views before it ever aired on TV” (par. 2). It was reportedly posted in YouTube and has topped the most viewed and shared branded video totalling “4.71 million social media shares and 46.05 million views since its online release” (Hall, 2011, par. 1). Description of the Ad? The advertisement began with the famous Star Wars music at the background and a boy in a Darth Vader suit walking along the hall of their home trying his supposed telekinesis powers on different objects: the stationary bike, the dog, the washing machine, a doll seated on a bed, and even a plate of sandwich that was reluctantly pushed over to him by his mother – all to his dismay and disappointment. When he heard his father’s car coming through the driveway, he immediately tried his power on the new Passat. Without his knowledge, and as observed by his parents over the kitchen window, his father used the remote control to start on the ignition of the Passat to coincide with his prodding for ‘the force’ - in total amazement and surprise of the boy. ?Message The message of the ad was that the vehicle responds to the needs of the family, including an unsuspecting boy – who wanted to test if he has any powers on objects. By responding to his efforts, the new Passat would be emotionally appealing to the boy and to the whole family. As reported by Pathak (2011), its creator, Mike Sheldon, CEO of Deutsch LA, the West-Coast arm of Deutsch Inc., disclosed that the main message of the ad was to focus on tapping “into humanity rather than sheet metal. "We've got every element, from John Williams’ music to a cute six year old," he said. "The Passat is a family car, it's new this year and we have to reach those people"” (Pathak, 2011, pars. 11 & 12). Ideology The basic ideology that framed the worldview in this ad is the human appeal provided by the new Passat by being packaged as a family car – more than seeing it as a piece of steel parts and for its functionality. By using a boy and the appeal of the Star Wars character, Darth Vader, which has obviously gained universal appeal, the new Passat widened its reach and designed the most effective propaganda through mass advertising and communication. The innovative idea of linking Star Wars and the mass appeal that kids generate made the advertisement effective as attested from the number of views and shared information generated and revealed (Hall, 2011, par. 1). ?Visual Appeal The visual appeal focused on the boy wearing the Darth Vader suit and trying all his efforts to incite movements on various objects: the dog (is also appealing), the doll that is seated on the bed, and the prepared sandwich that his mother pushed to his invitation. Viewers get to remember this simple details and even the reaction of the boy despite wearing the suit. The reaction of dismay, disappointment, and even the surprise and amazement were very clear and effective. Language No apparent language or verbal communication was used during the 1 minute and two seconder ad. Only the background music of Star Wars was heard and the actions and efforts of the boy effectively and appropriately coincided with the rhythmic pattern of the background music. Music As mentioned, Star War’s signature music entitled “The Imperial March” by John Williams was the background music for the whole advertisement. It was an appropriate musical piece due to the rhythmic pattern that coincided with the boy’s gestures of trying to manipulate objects into moving according to his desires. The music definitely added to enticing audience appeal of the propaganda and assisted in generating universal recall and recognition. Conclusion The paper was able to achieve its objective of providing an analysis of the Volkswagen ad entitled “The Force” according to the following categories: context, ideology, visual appeals, language, identification and otherness. The main message of the ad was expounded to focus on the new Passat as a family vehicle and necessitated using the appeal of the boy wearing the Darth Vader suit with the Star Wars’ “The Imperial March” as the musical background. The combination of the innovative and creative design of the elements enabled the advertisement to receive various accolades and has been regarded as one of the most viewed, most shared videos of 2011. References Hall, S. (2011, December 9). VW's 'The Force' Tops 2011 Global Social Video Ads Chart. Retrieved January 2, 2012, from AdRants: http://www.adrants.com/2011/12/vws-the-force-tops-2011-global-social.php Holmes, J. (2011, December 27). VW’s ‘The Force’, Chrysler’s ‘Imported from Detroit’ Head YouTub. Retrieved January 2, 2012, from Motor Trend: http://wot.motortrend.com/vws-chrysler-head-youtubes-top-10-ads-of-2011-149913.html Linebarger, P. M. (1954). Psychological Warfare. Washington: Combat Forces Press. Pathak, S. (2011, February 10). How Deutsch LA Created 'The Force' for Volkswagen. Retrieved January 2, 2012, from Fins from The Wall Street Journal: http://sales-jobs.fins.com/Articles/SB129727530001584763/How-Deutsch-LA-Created-The-Force-for-Volkswagen ? Read More