The Volkswagen Golf Sportline Essay Example
The Volkswagen Golf Sportline Essay Example

The Volkswagen Golf Sportline Essay Example

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  • Pages: 5 (1244 words)
  • Published: August 22, 2018
  • Type: Essay
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The Volkswagen Golf Sportline print advertisement aims to appeal to two distinct demographics while promoting a shared concept. The ad targets younger individuals by showcasing the vehicle's power, excitement, and adventurous qualities. It portrays a locust expressing fear towards an unseen entity approaching on the road, which is in fact the sleek car designed for this particular campaign.

The initial appeal of the advertisement lies in the comical portrayal of a locust. Through a cartoonish depiction, the advertiser aims to elicit laughter from the audience as it serves as a potent social bonding mechanism. The environment portrayed in the advertisement is sparse, with only a road present that opportunistically frames the scene. This approach is intended to direct the viewer's attention towards the central message of the advertisem

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ent - the power and might of the off-camera vehicle that casts a shadow of terror over all.

In this advertisement, the driver of the car is depicted as powerful and in control, an embodiment of a force of nature that even nature itself cannot control. The viewer, likely male, shares in this feeling of power and terror experienced by the locust, who ultimately meets their demise against the unstoppable force of the car. The ad effectively sells the concept of a powerful car that can outrun anything in nature.

However, can the locust from this ad be considered anything beyond a comical device to grab readers' attention as they flip through magazines? In my opinion, it cannot. The presence of the locust serves as a low-cost tactic to evoke emotion. Utilizing the element of mystery - the car is not even displayed - the ad aim

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to sell its product. Whatever caused the locust to become so frightened warrants further exploration. Anything capable of instilling such intense feelings of terror must also elicit equally powerful feelings of strength in those who use the advertised products. Intellectually speaking, this approach appeals to the rebel stereotype.

Unlike older car advertisements that focused on luxury and elegance, which were typically associated with established individuals who could afford them, this ad targets the wild male impulse that is revered in our society. Rather than featuring a retiree driving a luxury sedan or a mother driving a minivan full of children to soccer practice, the driver in this ad is pure power, racing down the road at speeds only sports cars can reach with no regard for the world around them and unrestricted by its limitations. The use of explosive colors, expressions, and emotions is notable. This ad is designed to make an impression on the viewer's mind as they turn the page. Initially causing laughter and then prompting contemplation of the open road where the car is situated and the vast horizon that serves as the backdrop, both of which represent freedom from the burden of responsibility to society.

The first image cleverly promotes adventure, but does so in a way that may not consider the impact on the environment. Additionally, adventure shouldn't necessarily be limited to driving a car. The second ad, although less aesthetically impressive, appeals to a more traditional crowd by featuring a family using binoculars to take in a beautiful scene, potentially from the comfort of an RV available for purchase in the background.

Once again, the RV is identified as a major threat

to the environment despite being a serene, comfortable and luxurious vehicle designed to provide a home-like environment for long-range family adventures. Unlike the rebel VW driver featured in the previous ad, RV drivers are portrayed as wholesome and curious while still dominating their surroundings.

Moreover, the advertisement focuses more on promoting the lifestyle that requires the vehicle instead of selling it, but it accomplishes both objectives. The advertisement's right side displays the beginning verse of "American The Beautiful," a sentimental song that depicts the diversity and vastness of geography within the United States. By referencing this song, the advertisement suggests that RVing links the reader with their American heritage. Americans are fascinated with traversing the country, particularly the West, and the ad skillfully transforms the true motives behind early explorations - national expansion, fleeing urban poverty, sometimes unadulterated greed - into an innocent pastime that offers "bigger horizons".

The family in the picture has a comically old-fashioned appearance, with the son wearing a cowboy hat like the early Western pioneers who discovered similarly stunning views. The mother and daughter are positioned together, while the father stands watch over their youngest child at the back. In the background is their RV, which allows them to embark on this incredible journey.

The ad appeals to a longing for the past when gas was too expensive for middle-class families to drive cars and children used binoculars instead of handheld video games. Like the Volkswagen ad, it promotes an intangible experience that cannot be achieved through driving. Its target audience is those who yearn for nostalgia.

The advertisements for both cars and RVs promote these products as a lifestyle choice,

incorporating nostalgic elements and oversaturated colors reminiscent of tourist postcards found at roadside attractions. The gearshift even includes an "explore" setting, suggesting a spirit of adventure. Nevertheless, both types of transportation are expensive, polluting, and can isolate drivers from their surroundings. These ads present a safe and idyllic world in which these vehicles are used without the presence of dangerous drivers on the roadways. It is essential to recall that fundamentally, cars and RVs are simply modes of transportation.

Despite their ability to achieve high speeds, sports cars are typically operated at the same speed limit as any other vehicle. They are used by drivers for everyday tasks like commuting to work or shopping for groceries. Although these activities could be accomplished more slowly or without a car altogether, this fact is not emphasized. RVs present an image of exciting adventures and exploration, but in reality, they can be expensive and require significant maintenance costs. The irony of RV advertisements lies in the way they promote family experiences in nature and across the country while showing individuals using binoculars to view a horizon with no visible road. The RV club does not want to suggest that these same locations could have been reached via bike, compact car, or hiking; thus, the ad focuses on selling an idea of nature rather than a genuine experience.

The product being marketed is not just an RV, but the lifestyle that comes with traveling across the country in one. This lifestyle is often portrayed as a way to either conquer or experience nature, but it may actually be unnecessary for the latter. It is possible that, beyond the scenic views

enjoyed by RVers, there are oil wells pumping in the background. Similarly, a VW driver may leave a trail of dead insects in their wake. These advertisements both rely on fictional ideas. It should be noted that a car's speed does not depend on the driver.

Exploring one's own backyard can be just as stimulating for children as RVing, as the sense of wonder that is awakened is not dependent on the activity itself. RVing is simply an activity and not a lifestyle, and the desire to explore is a natural human need that cannot be commodified with gears, steel, and rubber. Source: Volkswagen Golf Sportline Print Ad; http://adsoftheworld.com/files/images/golf-sportline1.jpg; Go Rving Print Advertisement; http://www.

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