Car Advertisements Are Bad

Today’s world is bombarded with advertisement and is represented in all forms of media for all types of products. Although advertisement is an important asset to a business success, what you see is not always what you get. A dominant product of mass consumption in the advertisement business is the automobile industry. Car advertisement will greatly influence one’s decision in buying a vehicle. The messages behind each ad have an impact on consumers and concern facts such as high performance, family satisfaction and the desire of living youth. Through this essay, the messages that car advertisement companies communicate using such issues will be analyzed in depth.

The individual’s driving experience is emphasized in car ads. Buying decisions for some people will depend on superior handling, braking and speed. High performance vehicles are characterized by the need for speed in addition to power and total control over the vehicle. In a Nissan Maxima television ad, a young man touches by mistake the car while holding a fruit in his other hand. The image then changes to a dreamy scene where he is driving the car at high speed and is going through sharp curves displaying the car’s smooth handling while smiling. He removes his hand to come back to reality noticing he had crushed the orange that he was holding due to his excitement. The message delivered reflects on the intensity of the driving experience we get when driving a Maxima, which overwhelms us and gives us the thrill of a lifetime. Another message often associated with high performance is the thrill for adventure. In a Grand Cherokee Jeep ad, a man walks around the city only to find executive-working people walking with their faces full of mud. He wonders what might have been the cause. He finally sees the muddy Jeep parked on the side of the street full with traces of people’s face and hands all over the 4x4, and then, in turn, puts his face and hands on the side window to see what is inside that SUV. The mud on the 4x4 describes the ability to drive off road, and the curiosity of the people illustrates the uniqueness of the Jeep itself. This ad doesn’t actually correspond to reality since people won’t really drive their SUV’s in the middle of a rain forest, in swamps or even on the edges of mountain roads. The message of being adventurous simply symbolizes the conquest of nature by men and its unbound natural restrictions.

A vehicle that portrays a high standard for security consists of resistance through test crashes as well as provides a smooth ride that represents in such way a family vehicle. In a Dodge Caravan commercial, the narrator says: “After watching this commercial you will have the urge to start a family”. The image changes to a Dodge Caravan being driven on the street, with a description of the engine’s power, the accessories (dvd for kids), security and facility of payments. The message behind this commercial is to let us know that the dodge caravan is the perfect car for a young couple that wants to start a family.