Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Shaping Every Body

Met-Rx Protein Plus bar, Muscle Fitness, August 2008, Kendra Harris.
Chevy Hybrid, National Geographic, July 2008, Victor Alvarez.
Banana Boat, Parents, July 2008, Sarah Quick.

As a group, we chose this ad over the others found because we felt it portrayed a higher standard of living focusing on a specific product for a specialized group rather than a generalized product - such as sunscreen and a car.
This ad is in an office setting with men and women working along side each other in what looks to be a stereotypical work environment. We found it interesting that the men were shown working while the women in the ad looked on or were occupied doing non-work life things (drinking water). The ad makes it seem like the man is studying an important document, when really he is thinking about how he needs to work out and look like the non-faced man in the lower portion of the ad. It almost seems like he's thinking of just eating the power bar at work to fill the void of not being able to get away from his busy work life. The anxiety of having to look good, be the best, and be better than his peers is in the back of his mind just like the others in the ad are in the background standing behind him.
The ad is split in half to show this man's two world's - his need to succeed in the workplace and his want to have a better body. The man in the ad has the best of two world's; it seems as if he's a well-off, upper-middle class man in his suit and tie, and also a lean mean workout machine.
This ad is in male fitness magazine, thus targeted directly at men. The man in the ad is probably what the typical Muscle Fitness reader looks like. The reader would be middle-aged (likely 25 - 45), upper-class male.

5 comments:

mjg504 said...

This is a very interesting ad because of how it combines what seems like an important business job with working out at the gym with a simple protein bar. Giving the impression you can do good for your muscles while sitting at your office desk.

monique said...

I LIKE THIS AD BECAUSE OF THE VISUAL ASPECT. IT WAS SORT OF 3-D LOOKING TO ME AND MADE ME THINK ABOUT THE PROTEIN BARS. "IF I EAT THESE BARS WILL I HAVE BIG MUSCLES LIKE THAT!" THE IMPRESSION OF AN ORDINARY OFFICE SETTING AND WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THE CLOTHING? HMMMM.

monique said...

POST CONTINUED....I WASN'T FINISHED
SOMEONE CAME UP WITH A GOOD EYE CATCHING ADVERTISMENT WITH THIS AD. NOW WHEN I'M SHOPPING I WILL LOOK FOR THESE PROTEIN BARS AND GIVE THEM A TRY. HAD I NOT SEEN THIS GREAT POST I WOULD NEVER HAVE NOTICED.
THEREFORE, ADVERTISING DOES WORK AND THAT IS WHY WE SPEND BILLIONS EACH YEAR TO CATCH THE AUDIENCE'S ATTENTION.

Fat Lenny said...

This ad is trying to sell a protein bar. To market it, the advertiser is trying to show that this is both the businessman's choice as well as the athlete's. The add uses phrases such as "cutting edge", "train like its your job", and "get down to business". The focus seems to be to associate the protein bar with business success. It suggests that If a businessman uses the protein bar, then it's the smart thing to do, and you will be successful. A businessman has to focus and be goal oriented to be successful. An athlete has to be goal oriented to be successful. Each uses different strategies to attain the goal. If you are a businessman who values physical fitness, then you are going to choose this protein bar because it has all the advantages that you seek to help you attain your goal.
The picture is reflecting that the man is a businessman and an athlete or physical fitness person.

Deda B. said...

This ad blatantly says, "If this is what you do (eat the protein bar), then this is what you'll have (the killer body)." It's more about creating an anxiety of not having the highest standard of living (in the form of the perfect body). Sure you might have a very good paying, white collar career, but that isn't enough to make you as great as you should be. What you need is to go get some of these protein bars and hit the gym so that you too can have it all, much like the man in the picture. Success is not enough...you need to look hot too.