তিন বচ্ছর পর বাড়ি আইতাছি!

“Advertising is only one of a host of influences upon consumption. Yet no one is fooled by this lack of perfect proof; everyone knows that advertising sells” (Fowles 17). Therefore the answer to the question, “Want two things in one thing?” should be positive which should in turn make the advertisement for Old Spice Live Wire (a body wash-cum-moisturizer) successful. Although I believe that the ad was very successful, it was not Jib Fowle’s statement alone that made me conclude this. I think, the advertisement was successful because of its smartly focused emotional appeals on its target audience. The ad builds itself in a bright, colorful style and revolves around a sexy, inviting mood. Since it is an advertisement for a body wash, the accompanying accessories are there: a bathroom and a bathtub. A question that reads as the copy and some information about the product is also present in the scene. The ad is centered upon the picture of a very attractive man who is half-human half-horse, posing boldly from the bathtub, looking straightly at the camera, piercing with his eyes and the haughty look in them the insides of many young men, who at this moment, are reading the March Issue of the GameInformer- the “cool” and “geeky” gamers’ magazine in which I found the ad. Plastered deliberately at the center of the page, this most striking image is also “the most likely to snag attention first and penetrate brains farthest” of the young viewers whose primary concern at this age is to appear “sexy” in the eyes of the opposite sex (Fowles 16). According to psychologist Henry A. Murray’s list, this ad therefore, at first sight, appeals to the viewers’ one very basic need: the need for sex. Although using a half-human, half-horse creature as the central mascot of an advertisement may sound a little weird, I think the advertisers implemented an ingenious maneuver by doing this. First of all, the “two-things-in-one-thing” approach finds its meaning in the body of man who is part human, part horse. Second of all, a creature of this kind, more commonly known as a centaur, is a mysterious creature from the Greek Mythology; it is an embodiment of untamed nature. Centaurs are described to be ridiculously good-looking, violent creatures and are known for their drunkenness and lawless behavior. Who does not remember how the centaur Nessus took his revenge on Hercules? Therefore, targeting a small group of mostly dependent young males who are on their 16-20’s, this advertisement invokes in the subconscious minds of its viewers the image of a centaur, leaving a subliminal resonance. Bringing back childhood memories from bedtime stories, this image secretly conveys to them the message that the fantasy is not impossible anymore. Using Old Spice Live Wire will give them the wild flavor of an untamed horse in addition to the sophistication of a fine gentleman. On the other hand, the use of a horse in this advertisement signals toward another supporting appeal of this advertisement. Proven that this ad motivates sex, the desire to have and exhibit strength and energy to a large extent most likely signals toward the perpetual desire of a male to dominate over his female counterpart, to keep her under his obedience. Although sad but true, this advertisement goes another step forward toward the consumers wallets by embedding this image of dominance in its viewers’ minds. This implies that what Fowles wrote was true. “We sincerely like the goods or services we have bought, and may even like some of the emotional drapery that an ad suggests comes with it” (18). The final major aspect of the ad that caught my eye was the use of color in the picture and in the text. The ad used the signature red color of Old Spice, in addition to a perky apple green. It is noticeable that the color does not only appear in the picture and the text but also in the body of the product itself. It is quite clear that green represents youth; the use of green in conventionally red Old Spice products depicts the emergence of a completely new line that is designed only for the young generation: a perfect complement to the-young-and-the-restless theme of the ad. What makes a successful advertisement? If it goes by the rule that “if the smallest fraction of that audience can be moved to buy the product, then the ad has been successful”, then this advertisement is definitely successful (Fowles 18). I am quite sure, it stands out in its own unique way, and that it appeals to the consumers just where they need to be persuaded. It is very focused and clear on what it wants to sell which makes it a “better ad”, since “better ads, however, seem to avoid being too diffused” (16). It is an ad that does not only sell, but sells successfully. Yes, it is a successful ad. Works Cited Fowles, Jib. "Advertising's Fifteen Basic Appeals." Common Culture: Reading and Writing about American Popular Culture. By Michael Petracca and Madeleine Sorapure. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Print.