Message Appeal

The MGD 64 ad that I referred to in my most recent blog entry, triggered my attention as a consumer. As an advertising student, I feel that the advertisers pointed out the most important point about the product – that it only contains 64 calories. They emphasized this component using both the humor and guilt element of appeal. I thought it was hilarious when the girl ordered her margarita with few calories, and she barely had a shot in her glass. It proved the point of the beer. You can have a whole beer or a sip of margarita for the same amount of calories. After the commercial was over I felt that if I wanted a beer, I should drink this new MGD 64 if I plan to keep my figure. Even if it is not the intention to create a feeling of guilt amongst women, it can easily be done with out much knowledge of it. This ad may or may not have conscientiously wanted to evoke guilt but either way I felt guilty.
Verizon Wireless has run a very effective collage of advertisements recently. The catch phrase, “We never stop working for you”, illustrates the underlying message – In every level of communication needs, from customer service to advancements in technology, Verizon Wireless works for you. In a newer commercial, a potential motel guest is confronted by a daunting looking attendant, who warns him that there is only one room left. This available room, he cautions is a dead zone, wear calls are lost and emails aren’t received. Surprisingly, the motel guest boats that he’s got the Verizon Wireless Network. Then he is reassured of his converge by the overwhelming mass of Verizon Wireless employees crowding outside. This commercial plays on natural fear. The viewer is afraid that if he doesn’t have adequate coverage, that he’ll be left in a dead zone, or worse. The viewer is prompted to second guess his service and to potentially purchase Verizon service.

I don’t exactly like the Geico commercials that feature the cavemen. The message appeal is too weak and very stale. The commercials seem to be informative, but they are actually an appeal to humor. This unfortunately doesn’t work too well, because the commercials aren’t funny. One such ad, features a caveman in the airport, seeing a large wall ad for Geico’s, “So easy a caveman can do it” campaign. The caveman is insulted and rightfully so. He walks off disappointed and hangs his head low. The look of disbelief and disgust is palpable. This dry humor does nothing to enhance the product or to attract any real attention. The commercials would do good to switch to another form of appeal. This form is obviously not working.
Allstate commercials are very serious and evoke a sense of fear. However, the commercials are fear-mongering. The premise behind the commercial is to have better than adequate coverage, because without it you’re doomed. This seems to play over well at first, but fear soon leads into dread, and dread becomes panic. Dennis Haysbert, is famous for asking, “Are you in good hands?” But in one commercial he strolls through a car accident that has been drastically slowed down. The driver is shown, as coffee slowly fly’s through the air, as he creeps into the rear of the car ahead of him. Mr. Haysbert steps in to remind you that safe drivers get a discount. This is too real and too overwhelmingly scary for the viewer. This appeal would work well in a toned-down fashion – with an adequate balance of fear and hope.