Rhetorical analysis on Vintage Ads - Article Example

 Advertisement: Ariel Sensitive This paper critically analyzes a detergent advertisement by Procter & Gamble. The analysis reviews the role that the advertisement plays in selling the detergent and the response it elicits from the targeted market. The Ariel detergent advertisement first appeared on the Ariel site (hhttp://www.ariel.co.uk/) and on the Britain Sunday Times. The advertisement consists of a picture of a father and child sharing an outdoor blissful moment. The upper left corner of the advertisement picture has a text message that reads: “Is gentle something you touch or something that touches you?

” The picture extensively uses the Ariel brand-colour-blue- in different shades. The colour choice is perhaps aimed at accentuating the brand and product. The colours are also bright and perhaps an indicator of the cleanliness that is made possible by the detergent. The brightness of the colour serves not only the purpose of implying cleanliness, but also drawing attention to the advertisement. The image of the child and father is centred in the picture, and therefore, serves as the major advertisement theme.

The theme portrayed in the advertisement is sensitivity offered by the detergent, which cares for the skin of the old and young alike due to its gentleness. This is reinforced by a text message at the bottom-left corner of the picture, which reads: “The name says it all, it’s gentle next to skin even the British Allergy Foundation has endorsed it.” The objective of this advertisement is to elicit paternal and maternal sense of care. The targeted clientele consists of middle-aged consumers, specifically those with a family.

The aim is to influence detergent purchase choice in families. All families use detergents, therefore, this advertisement is not meant to sell a need to the targeted market, but rather an identity associated to a detergent that is more than just ordinary detergents. Common detergent advertisements would be focused on showing how a certain detergent is able to eliminate dirt effectively, but this one presents more than just dirt elimination-sensitivity to human skin and fabrics cleaned as well as the cleaners’ skin.

The picture’s focus shows how a product identifies with the lifestyles of consumers-the sensitive and caring lifestyle of most parents. This shows that advertisements are niche creating tools that help in market segmentation and in presenting and fulfilling identities and needs. Procter and Gamble sells different detergents including Ariel colour, Ariel biological, Ariel sensitive and Ariel style, and each of these brands target different market niches. This advertisement on Ariel sensitive is meant to portray Ariel sensitive as a detergent for people with sensitive skin such as young children and people with allergic or sensitive skin.

The core message on gentleness and sensitivity is emphasized by the text messages on the advertisement. The subtle form of this message is communicated by the gentle touch that the child offers the father, and this is compared to the gentleness of the detergent. The inclusion of term sensitive is meant to emphasize the niche for the product. The text at the bottom creates emphasis by further emphasizing the fact that the product is recommended by the British Allergy Foundation, which is a professional body.

This statement increases the credibility of the advertisements’ claims. The text message thus complements and emphasizes the pictorial representation, which presents Ariel sensitive as gentle product for the skin and fabrics. The message is clear and serves the right purpose of attracting mothers and fathers who are concerned about their children and family as a whole. The image of a child and a father at play outdoors is indeed a perfect representation of ‘sensitive.’ The advertisement technique used is perfect in capturing inner human feelings and predisposition.

Referenceshttp://adstrategy.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/arieleverydayheroad1.gif