Advertising Today

For Class Meeting Four

Advertising Effects Paper

University of Phoenix, Colorado Division

For: SOC 105 Introduction to Popular American Culture

To: Kathy Stroh, Faculty

Date Due: 04/07/05

Date Submitted: 04/07/05

Advertising Effects

Our learning team got together and went through the advertisements in the Sunday paper. We ended up choosing three incredibly different products and advertisements to write on. The first one is advertising Relpax, which is a migraine medicine. The second one is Colgate whitening gel. The third one is Johnson’s Bedtime cream wash and bedtime cream.

After closely reviewing our ads, it is evident all three company’s hoped-for effects are to create a need of some sort. Just by taking a quick glance at the Relpax advertisement it is clear everyone is happy on vacation except for the person with a boulder on their body. Many people that have had or do experience migraines know that exact feeling. Possibly this person has tried every migraine medicine on the market, and this particular one is new and may have to potential to control their migraine. Clinical studies prove people got relief with just one dose compared to another medicine on the market. This will create a need to an individual who has migraines which says what do you have to lose, you will not know until you try it.

Our advertisement on Colgate Simply White Night Clear Whitening Gel is another advertisement that creates a need of beauty. A hoped-for effect from this advertisement is a consumer will see “Whiter Teeth Guaranteed. Use Once At Night For 14 Days” and purchase this product. The actual effect from this advertisement is a nice-looking lady with a pretty smile lying down with very little clothes on.

The Johnson’s bedtime cream wash and bedtime cream advertisement also creates a need, except for this need is of a relaxed baby sleeping peacefully. The hoped-for effects are to create a need or want to have a calmed baby at bedtime; however, in order to attain that a consumer needs to purchase this product. The actual effect from this advertisement is a really cute baby sleeping that probably just had a nice relaxing bath before bed.

One of the subliminal messages that come across in these three ads is the use of color. In all three of them, the colors are soft and inviting. In the migraine ad, the colors are more vibrant than the other ads but the net effect is the same. It also gives a message of truth. This ad, just by the photograph, gives the message that no matter where you are in the world, a migraine can hit at any time and can put whatever you are doing or wherever you are on hold. This ad gets the word out that migraine relief is available and that alone makes this an effective advertisement.

The Colgate ad also uses good use of color and that is part of what makes it appealing. The soft blue background and the white sheets give this ad a more subliminal effect. If the colors were more vibrant, it wouldn’t have the effect that it has. Since it is a bedtime whitener, the ad is very effective with the use of contrast with the girl in pajamas hugging a pillow and the sunburst above her suggesting the promise of whiter teeth in the morning.

The subliminal effects of the body wash advertisement are somewhat more difficult to detect. Again, the colors are subdued and the ad has a softer look to it. The glow off of the woman’s skin is also effective. The subliminal