Ad Analysis

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Ad Analysis

The process of improving a person’s scent has always been around from the inception of civilization. Over the years, people have been focusing significantly on the production of perfume. Therefore, based on the longevity of the perfume industry, having a sweet smell has become a need. Nonetheless, irrespective of such a need, the perfume sector is an industry set on attracting customers and making profits. Hence, it is not exempted from the use of advertisements in order to boost the sale of their products. One example of such an advertisement is the Heat commercial. Evident within a current issue of the popular fashion magazine, Cosmopolitan, the advertisement illustrates Beyonce, posing seductively while donned in a provocative red satin dress. This commercial tries to coax individuals into purchasing the perfume recognized as Heat. By utilizing the fragrance casing, a red color framework and Beyonce as an endorser, the advertisement seeks to persuade women using logos, pathos and ethos.

Logos: The Fragrance’s Casing

Logos is one of the first rhetorical appeals used in this advertisement. The device entails using reasoning and rationality in order to appeal to an individual reasonably (Killingsworth 251). In the advertisement, there is a depiction of the perfume casing on the bottom-right hand corner of the commercial. From the example, the target audience is capable of viewing the fragrance bottle and assessing it to see whether it gratifies their need. Based on its sleek design, the advertisement informs the audience that the perfume is trendy and does not possess a complicated exterior. Because of this conveyed message, the potential client is able to evaluate the simplicity of the product in question. In addition to this, the use of logos is also evident in the statement, “The First Fragrance by Beyonce” (“Beyonce Discusses Launch of ‘Heat’ Fragrance” 2009). Usually, logo appeals are quantitative. Hence, they depend on numbers in order to persuade the audience towards purchasing the product. By describing the perfume as the first product, customers are coaxed into supporting their favorite music artist’s business venture.

Pathos: The Red Color Framework

The advertisement also appeals to the pathos by use of the red color framework. Indeed, the advertisement utilizes this color significantly. Because of this, the commercial conveys messages of sexual attractiveness and branding (Hill 56). With the fragrance name being Heat, the advertisers or promoters made an appropriate decision in coloring the advertisement with red shades. The use of this scheme does not solely make the commercial unique and exclusive within the magazine’s white pages, it reestablishes the Heat’s brand name. In terms of social norms, the color red has always been associated with heat. Undeniably, being hot is only an extension of the brand name. From this, it is evident that the color framework reinforces the product’s name. Furthermore, an individual will not only remember Beyonce’s iconic image, they will also remember the name of the brand due to the use of red color. Even though the red color assists in brand recognition, it also evokes emotions of power, passion and sin. The element of passion assumes an imperative role since the advert’s main aim is to endorse the product’s sexiness (Chevalier and Mazzalovo 45). Furthermore, the commercial also exudes qualities of sin and danger, which are viewed as desirable aspects within the American pop culture. In addition to these qualities, the use of the respective color scheme also conveys messages of desire, love and romance.

Ethos: Beyonce as the Icon Endorser

The commercial further appeals to ethos using Beyonce Knowles as the celebrity endorser for the product. Beyonce is an icon famous over the globe for being a versatile person who possesses power, fame, desirability and influence (Vaughan 30). To most women, Beyonce is the embodiment of success and apart from this exudes strength and sensuality. Selecting her as the cover model for the product’s advertisement was an adroit strategy by the advertisers. This is because most view her as a trustworthy person and a woman that possess several qualities in which many women seek to gain. The trust that women exhibit for her generates from her extensive tenure within the entertainment sector, and her constancy to engage in thrilling performances at considerable levels of excellence. Undeniably, this trust aspect functions as a cause of ethos based on the way it is evident in her perceived personality and standing, in the community. Within society, people perceive Beyonce as a sturdy sensual performer and an individual with high morals based on her documented links to Christianity. By utilizing ethos, the commercial assumes Beyonce’s trust and connects that trust and appeal to the fragrance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the advertisement for Heat fragrance utilizes the three rhetorical appeals in order to attract the target customer. The appeals, which comprise logos, pathos and ethos, work together to have an overall effect on the audience. Undeniably, by captioning the perfume’s casing, utilizing the red color framework and Beyonce as the iconic endorser, the commercial appeals to the logos, pathos and ethos respectively. Overall, the integration of these elements serves as a significant platform for ensuring that the Heat commercial appeals logically, emotionally and morally to the target client.

Works Cited

“Beyonce Discusses Launch of ‘Heat’ Fragrance.” Women’s Wear Daily. 18 Dec. 2009. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. <http://www.wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/fragrance/beyonce-discusses-launch-of-heat-fragrance-2398237?full=true/>.

Chevalier, Michel, and Gerald Mazzalovo. Luxury Brand Management: A World of Privilege. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons, 2008. Print.

Hill, Dan. About Face: The Secrets of Emotionally Effective Advertising. London: Kogan Page, 2010. Print.

Killingsworth, M. J. “Rhetorical Appeals: a Revision.” Rhetoric Review 24.3 (2005): 249-263. Print.

Vaughan, Richard. “How Advertising Works: a Planning Model: Putting It All Together.” Advertising & Society Review 1.1 (2001): 27-33. Print.