Analization of a Magazine Ad

“The Dow of Wow,” Casey concluded his motivational speech on the cold March Saturday morning at a quarterly new menu rollout meeting at the Cheesecake Factory. Casey was a man in his late twenties, shaggy hair, rode a cheap motorcycle, never cut his fingernails, and had a hot wife. Hearing the speech that day made every one of the fifteen people present wince; it was full of clichйs and bad analogies. He talked about smiles, dress code; everything revolving around presentation.

The menus at the Cheesecake Factory, with many ornate pages, and over 200 menu items, allowed ads, placed by an advertisement agency (who gave the menus to Cheesecake free of charge), put ads for jewelry stores, BMWs, Gucci handbags right where they would do the best job. The clientele consists of wealthy people, and their spoiled kids, who can afford M3s and Luis Vuiton purses. What Casey, The Cheesecake Factory, and the advertisement have in common is that they are all masters of visual and organizational presentation, and the organization of words and ideas to collectively sell an idea, service, or product.

In the September 2005 issue of Motor Cyclist magazine, (restaurants, motorcycles, it is a stretch) one of the cover stories is a comparison of some new motorcycle models, including a BMW, a Ducati, a Triumph, and a Yamaha. Strategically placed between the first and second page of the BMW’s article, which just happened to be the magazine’s 2005 motorcycle of the year, are two small black pages that take up the bottom third of the magazine’s height, and about three fourths of the width.

The target audience for the magazine is males from the age of about 16 to 50, the audience that would be most interested in or own motorcycles. The target audience of the advertisement would be the same, with the preference of current or future ownership of a motorcycle. Throughout the magazine, there are pictures of burnouts, aerial shots, bold titles, and scantily clad women. Other ads in the magazine defiantly feature blondes in bikinis and are ads for trucks, motorcycles, motorcycle parts, and motorcycle “gear” and accessories. This magazine appeals to some readers for its use of space; many pages are devoted to technical specifications, and tech tips, which would most likely be read by current or future owners of the bikes, or similar bikes, described.

When you look at the advertisement’s first page, the first image that you notice is a stack of doughnuts. The word “CARBS,” the second most noticeable image to the reader, is written directly on top of the doughnuts. The next image that the reader looks at are lines of text above and below the word “CARBS.” This writing is in a smaller font, and white color. The complete text reads “When you told your insurance company you were going to rebuild your carbs did they think you were giving up on your diet?” For everybody who doesn’t get it, a “carb” is a part commonly found on a motorcycle that has to do with fuel and air intake, and can easily produce excess horsepower, but is also prone to problems.

On the back of this page, you learn that it is, in fact, an advertisement for motorcycle insurance. “Some companies just do not get it. But we do. After all, the Progressive group insures over a million riders, which makes us by far the largest motorcycle insurance provider in the country. Isn’t it time you started riding with the pack?”

The second page of this advertisement is about half the size of the first, and simply has the name of