Blog 3: Advertisement Analysis 10/09/16

I vividly remember the advertisement of Ambien Cr. With no personal bias, I believe this was an absolute success as an advertisement. To the naked eye, the subliminal changes in behavior of someone before and after taking the pill jab at every aspect of a successful day. The dimly lit and sullen mood of the morning before the actor takes the pill relates to anyone who has trouble sleeping. The rooster symbolizes the insomnia or any other sleeping disorder that forces people to wake up in the middle of the night. The actor wakes up abruptly, the opposite of a peaceful morning. The introduction already has the audience hooked. Anyone with a sleeping problem can relate to such a morning and so this is a text to world connection. The advertisement then sets Ambien Cr apart from any other medication by providing somewhat meaningless information about the layers of the pill. Meanwhile, underneath all of this action, "Dramatization" is written, yet purposely not said. The tone of the narrator stays optimistic and positive throughout the advertisement, even though the majority of the time is spent listing the numerous negative side effects. After the pill, the actor is stretching, smiling, and is evidently feeling much better. Her hair is combed and her skin is clear, yet it is supposedly just after waking up. Without looking through a critical lens, who wouldn't want to wake up that peacefully? I definitely would. She is seen walking confidently through her office and is taking a dominant stance while answering a call, igniting the thought of success and motivation in the audience. The phrase "It has some risk of dependency" is written, a nice and clever way of avoiding the negative connotation of addiction. The narrator swiftly talks through all the negative side effects and then slows down the emphasize what a lovely pill this really is.  The logos of the piece appeals to anyone suffering from lack of sleep and makes them question why they haven't already went to their doctor to get this life-saving pill. The drastic before and after reasons with the audience. The ethos is the actual actor, and yet who is she? Someone getting paid to be in the advertisement shouldn't let anyone believe that this is the real scenario. I found little to no pathos. Overall, with a little personal subjectivity, it is a cunningly deceptive piece that plays on the exact keys of the audience. . Without a critical lens, anyone is subject to being swooned by this advertisement.