This ad features Sarah McLachlan, a Canadian singer and songwriter, talking about rescued animals while one of her sad songs plays in the background and just absolutely depressing pictures of animals are shown. This commercial really effectively uses pathos in order to appeal to our emotional side. I mean, what kind of cold-hearted bastard would not give money to these poor animals that you just watched. Well, I for one would fall under this category. Its not that I hate animals or like to see them suffer, in fact its just the opposite of that. I think that this commercial is actually really ineffective with its use of pathos, or at least it is in my case. Every time that this ad would come on TV, I would just immediately change the channel. I just can't stand sitting on my couch in a good mood while this commercial plays on TV. It's just far to depressing for me to deal with, especially since I don't have enough money that I can just give it to them, plus the fact that I can't even watch the commercial long enough to find out haw to give to them. I also think, at least in my case, that the commercial also fails in its attempt to use ethos with Sarah McLachlan, since I had never heard of her before the commercial. Now all I know her as is that lady from the sad commercial with all the animals. I don't know if its just me, but thats how I feel.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
ASPCA
For a while now, I have been seeing a lot of commercials on TV for animal rescue organizations. Recently, one in particular has caught my attention and I'm sure that you have seen it too. Here is a link to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc
This ad features Sarah McLachlan, a Canadian singer and songwriter, talking about rescued animals while one of her sad songs plays in the background and just absolutely depressing pictures of animals are shown. This commercial really effectively uses pathos in order to appeal to our emotional side. I mean, what kind of cold-hearted bastard would not give money to these poor animals that you just watched. Well, I for one would fall under this category. Its not that I hate animals or like to see them suffer, in fact its just the opposite of that. I think that this commercial is actually really ineffective with its use of pathos, or at least it is in my case. Every time that this ad would come on TV, I would just immediately change the channel. I just can't stand sitting on my couch in a good mood while this commercial plays on TV. It's just far to depressing for me to deal with, especially since I don't have enough money that I can just give it to them, plus the fact that I can't even watch the commercial long enough to find out haw to give to them. I also think, at least in my case, that the commercial also fails in its attempt to use ethos with Sarah McLachlan, since I had never heard of her before the commercial. Now all I know her as is that lady from the sad commercial with all the animals. I don't know if its just me, but thats how I feel.
This ad features Sarah McLachlan, a Canadian singer and songwriter, talking about rescued animals while one of her sad songs plays in the background and just absolutely depressing pictures of animals are shown. This commercial really effectively uses pathos in order to appeal to our emotional side. I mean, what kind of cold-hearted bastard would not give money to these poor animals that you just watched. Well, I for one would fall under this category. Its not that I hate animals or like to see them suffer, in fact its just the opposite of that. I think that this commercial is actually really ineffective with its use of pathos, or at least it is in my case. Every time that this ad would come on TV, I would just immediately change the channel. I just can't stand sitting on my couch in a good mood while this commercial plays on TV. It's just far to depressing for me to deal with, especially since I don't have enough money that I can just give it to them, plus the fact that I can't even watch the commercial long enough to find out haw to give to them. I also think, at least in my case, that the commercial also fails in its attempt to use ethos with Sarah McLachlan, since I had never heard of her before the commercial. Now all I know her as is that lady from the sad commercial with all the animals. I don't know if its just me, but thats how I feel.
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Interesting topic. I checked out the AD and it is probably the most depressing AD I have ever seen. I found it hard to watch, and I don't even like animals. I agree with alot of what you said especially about inneffective use of Ethos using the singer. But if their aim is not only to get you to give but also to get the word out about animal abuse, then it's effective in that way, because I didn't even know people treated animals that badly so for me atleast the pathos was effective. And now unfortunately, the video has killed my good mood.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the commercials ineffectiveness. I really like animals, and as soon as I hear the background music I immediately recognize the commercial as the sad dog commercial and change it right away
ReplyDeleteI didn't click the link to watch, but even if I haven't seen this exact commercial, plenty of other similar ones come to mind. The music and the general setup of these ads is so iconic, we know exactly what to expect, and it's such a mood-killer. I love animals too, but this is the ad where I get off the couch until it's over.
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