Baby VOLKSWAGEN THINK BLUE TV Commercial Ad

THESIS:

Your baby will be happy, safe, and comfortable in the new line of Volkswagens (as long as it’s running!). Also, you will save money on fuel.

TRIUNE BRAIN:

This advertisement appeals to the limbic brain because it plays on the emotions and struggles of being a father. Additionally, it uses the cuteness of the baby to evoke emotion. It also has peaceful “lullaby” like music to set the mood. It alludes to the reptilian brain through the crying of the baby. Crying is instinctual and natural for babies. Finally is appeals to the neocortex because it makes you think about what exactly is going on with the car. The advertisement is called “Think Blue” and is introducing a new start/stop technology. 

3 SHIFTS/TRENDS:

This advertisement obviously represents an epistemological shift from word to image. It is a video with music and very little words. It also demonstrates a technological shift. It is displaying a new type of technology for cars, a shift from a constantly running motor to one that turns off when the car isn’t in motion. Finally, the advertisement is an example of an aesthetic shift. So many people get their does of advertisements from the internet, and youtube in particular. This wasn’t the case even 5 years ago, but today people can even look up ads (like we all did for this class). We can replay them over and over using the internet and websites like youtube. 

.

5 "FACTS":

The obvious “fact” that this commercial states is that babies are comforted by cars, especially when they are running. It also gives the impression that the road is open and peaceful. At the end it claims that “at least you’ll save money on fuel”. It also portrays fathers as driving Volkswagens, making it seem like a masculine car. Also, since the baby is sleeping while the car is in motion, it portrays the car as very safe and quiet. 

3 PRINCIPLES:

This commercial uses emotional transfer very well. It speaks to fathers who know what it is like to drive their baby around and their responsibilities. The two fathers at the end share a moment of understanding. The pacing of the commercial is interesting. It is a relatively calm and slow commercial, but there are a lot of cuts and different shots going on. The commercial takes you on tour of the cityscape, so there is a lot to take in upon multiple viewings. Finally, this commercial has a lot of individual meaning. Each person that sees this commercial will construct their own meaning to it, whether you are a father, a mother, a little kid, or a young adult. Everyone thinks differently about parenthood based on their experiences. Also, car buffs will be intrigued by the new technology. At the end of the commercial, the two fathers turn in different directions, further showing that everyone has their own individual meanings.

5 PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES:

This is a pretty funny ad. It uses humor in the sense that the father is trying to keep his car moving to keep the baby quiet. You can laugh at the fathers frustration. The baby is an example of a warm fuzzy, he/she is so cute! It uses nostalgia as well. Many people probably can relate to driving a crying baby around, or just having a little one around in general. Also, it appeals to plain folks, mainly fathers. Finally, it uses a little bit of bribery by saying that “you will save money on fuel” (this could also be a big lie).

3 SEPRITE THEMES:

Social structures are evident in this commercial. The only people portrayed are white, middle aged, middle class men and two white babies (and a few road workers). The environment is a cityscape at nighttime in the UK. It’s interesting that I came across this British commercial so easily with the use of the internet. This commercial could appeal to people that are interested in the natural environment though, because the car cuts down on fuel use. Finally, a big theme is technology, because the main point of the advertisement is with the new “start/stop technology”, you will save on fuel. 

RELATION TO READINGS: This commercial touches on the notion of freedom and “the open road” from Seiler’s book. The road is basically empty, and the main father driving doesn’t appear to have much of a destination. It’s almost as if he is using his car to keep the baby asleep. It presents the car as a private space and not just a mode of transportation. In “Carjacked” the authors talk about smart marketing and market segmentation

Project 1 - Car Commercial Deep Dive

 Volkswagen Game Day 2013 Commercial | Get in. Get Happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H0xPWAtaa8

Thesis: Driving a volkswagen makes you happy.

Triune Brain: 

This commercial mainly targets the emotional brain, playing on peoples emotions of grumpiness and happiness. It appeals to the emotional brain by connecting with how everyone feels on a monday and then dramatically shifting to a very happy worker. The commercial uses music to appeal to the emotional brain during this shift and by the end of the commercial there is music blasting and the entire mood of the commercial has shifted from being grumpy in the office to happiness in the car.

3 Shifts/Trends:

Epistemological shift: For the duration of the commercial there are no written words at all. It uses solely images and music to appeal to the viewer. This enables the viewer to simply engage their emotional brain, and never forces them to work too hard by making them read and understand something.
Technological shift: A obvious yet worthwhile statement about the technological shift in which we access this information. Originally aired on the television, this commercial can now be viewed over and over on youtube and is now being viewed from a blog.  Now if it If it were ever to be missed while watching TV you could still go to the internet and see it. Not to mention that most televisions now allow you to rewind and rematch what you just saw!
Discursive shift: There is an interesting discursive shift from the “objective” viewpoint that working in an office and mondays are not fun, to the view that everyone should just ‘be happy man’. This is seen in the commercial with the one happy guy that is going around, loving mondays and life overall.

5 Facts:

If you drive this car you will be happy. If you drive this car you will want everyone else to be happy. You will be more popular at work if you have this car. Your boss will like you more. You will be a more optimistic person in the workplace. The days will be perfect and sunny once you own this car.  You will be a better worker if you own this car.

3 Principals

Emotional Transfer: This principal is fairly straight forward. The video plays primarily on the emotional level, using both music and images.  The media taps into that feeling that everyone gets on a monday when you have to go back to work, that feeling when things are not going well in a staff meeting or when the vending machine breaks.  Using these techniques it then shows how you can be happy, and that is by owning a Volkswagen.  This will make the workday that much easier to get through and more enjoyable.  How clever!

Value message: I think an unintended value message from this commercial is a somewhat racist view on people with Jamaican accents. throughout the commercial the only people throughout the commercial that are happy have Jamaican accents, implying that if you are Jamaican, you are happy, and never showing them as being sad. This isn’t necessarily a bad stereotype, but a stereotype none the less.
Pacing: I find the pacing principal very interesting. Even though they are not talking about the car, but just telling a story and have happy people, at the end they say “Volkswagen” And even though the whole commercial may be moving too fast throughout, you will subconsciously remember that and associate happiness with volkswagen..

5 Persuasive Techniques

Plain Folk: This commercial appeals to the average 9-5 office worker and makes them feel as if they are missing out if they don't have this car.  Showing people in the office that don't have it as unhappy and pessimistic.
Big Lie: They use the big lie technique to say “if you drive this car, you will be happy, work harder and be happy working” Obviously this would not always be the case and is somewhat of a ridiculous claim.
Bandwagon: In the commercial the really happy guy tells a coworker and his boss to come on a ride with him, and when they get back they are both super happy and excited. Showing that whoever gets into the car will step out happy on the other end and with no worries.
Bribery: Relating back to the bandwagon theme, when the happy Volkswagen driver gets his coworker and boss to come with him, they come back and he is instantly more popular. Basically saying that if you are driving this VW, you will be cooler and people you work with will like you more and be happy to be seen with you.
Humor: This commercial also uses humor, by having one guy speaking in a very dramatic Jamaican accent and super happy in an office place where everyone is low key and bummed out. just what he talks about and the way he addresses people in the commercial makes for some laughs. Such as when he is talking to his coworker at the vending machine about the sticky bun.

3 SEPRITE Themes

The Environment in which this commercial takes place is very important. They are relating to the suburban office worker that needs a car to get to work and tying in with the plain people idea, showing people in a generic office where everyone is upset until they step outside into this wonderful VW.
In terms of social structure I think that this commercial very much relates back to American Graffiti in terms of having a car. In American Graffiti the car was a status symbol and everyone was much happier when they were behind the wheel or even just in a car as opposed to being on foot. This relates back to the commercial because as soon as the people that are really upset and unhappy get into the car, they become happy and excited and carefree!
This commercial also relates to economics. If you buy this car you will be happy working, and therefore be a better worker and work more. Thereby increasing how much money you have and the ability to pay off the car.

Classroom Screening #2: "Who Killed The Electric Car?" directed by Christopher Payne

After watching "Who Killed The Electric Car," please reflect in 5-7 sentences on what this film reveals about our Culture of Automobility. Draw on our texts, classroom conversations, and your emerging understandings of automobility in your response.

Classroom Screening #1: "American Graffiti" (1973 - George Lucas directing)

As we screen "American Graffiti" in class, consider how director George Lucas tackles the subject of "automobility" and 1960s youth culture. 1. What CAR-related themes emerge? 2. How does the CAR-as-ACTOR support these themes in the movie/story? Please share a paragraph of reflections (5-7 sentences) at film's end.