Stephen Sylvester
RD2
When I was growing up I used to see all these ridiculous types of ad’s and television commercials. Even today they are still out there, but not in such an abundance. Just by watching them I could tell that this was some type of sales gimmick or something just to get me to by their product.
[Thesis] All these advertisements are giving off a false impression of what they are really trying to convey to the consumers. I am against these false advertisements and would like to hear the truth about each product.[Thesis]
Here, is the new Axe commercial called “wash your balls” that I watched on you tube last week. I found that it had hit so many logical fallacies. The first fallacy I would like to point out is in the heading of the commercial itself, “wash your balls.” They are using populum to appeal to the consumers which are aimed at appealing to the younger generation. The television commercial starts out with a young woman named Denise Saintclaire. She has brunette hair and is wearing a plain grayish blue t shirt. She is portrayed as the spokesperson for this particular Axe commercial. She steps on stage in front of the audience and introduces herself. A few seconds later, another woman walks out from behind the curtains and is introduced as the beautiful ex- tennis phenomenon Monica Blake. Monica is wearing a light blue collared t shirt that looks somewhat like a tennis shirt. She has blonde hair and it is pulled back in a ponytail with a headband. I think that gives her a little bit more of a sporty tennis player look. Here is a perfect example of Faulty Use of Authority. She is not even close to a credible source of a person with good hygiene by using Axe. The only credibility that she has is that she is a tennis super star.
When taking a look at the background of this commercial I noticed that the stage is set up in a modern way. It was a silver background with the company logo “Axe” lit up with lights. The lights looked as if you were looking at yourself in a supermodels dressing room mirror. Just like how there is lights all around the frame of the mirror. The “Axe” logo is the spotlight of the main stage. It was the size of almost the entire background itself. There was a clean, white modern looking table with a dirty soccer ball placed on top of it. The table had a built in bucket with water so that she could test the product out in front of the consumer. The audience was filled with mostly men and some women, nodding their heads and looking very interested in the product. Denise Saintclaire states in her first statement that “no one wants to play with dirty balls.” In my own opinion I thought that she was implying that women do not like to play with dirty balls of the male gender. This gives meaning to the words sex sales. She also uses Non Sequitur and ad Hominem by saying that a regular bar of soap will not cut it and simply cannot get those balls clean. If that were true, why would we all not switch to using Axe? Then we could all possibly sew other soap and bath wash companies for selling a product that supposedly does not work.
In the commercial, Monica Blake starts by scrubbing the soccer ball with a green bar of soap. She states that the bar of soap “just doesn’t cut it and it is still dirty.” She states that Axe detailer “cleans your balls.” Then everyone in the audience is smiling and clapping. Then there is a number posted on the ad to call for a free Axe detailer and it again repeats the statement that the Axe detailer “cleans your balls.” Then she cleans the dirty soccer ball and a pair of golf balls with the Axe detailer, and body wash. Monica Blake then hands the pair of golf balls to spokesperson Denise Saintclaire. She holds them for a second while rotating them in her hand. She gives a few non-verbal head gestures and says “I can play with these balls all day.” The crowd then cheers in the background. In this Axe commercial and like all other Axe commercials, they sell their products by using sexual attraction or the false impression that women will want and desire you more. These are such bold statements that they make with no real evidence to back up their claims.
Next they then ask the audience if they have any questions. A few people in the audience stand up toss a few items up like dirty tennis balls, a big sack of soccer balls, and of course the product cleaned them. The commercial starts to come to an end when an old man named Mr. Hackerman walks up to the front stage. He is rather old with little white hair and is wearing a brown coat and a light brown turtle neck shirt. He brings to the stage with him what looks like two old medicine balls and asks if the product will clean them. Monica Blake looks at him and says that “it can clean even his old, dirty balls.” Then the camera turns to audience and focuses in on a single individual, a young man in his prime with a sense of respect for him on his face. Then the camera returns and the medicine balls and they are like new and the crowd goes wild. This particular part at the end was the topping on the cake with many different types of logical fallacies. They are also giving a false advertisement by saying that their product will even make an old person’s balls like new. The commercial ends, then an ad comes on the screen that has the company logo and a number that you can reach them at. The ad says to call now and have a free detailer to come and clean your dirty balls while supplies last.
Stephen Sylvester
10/09/2010
FD2
When I was growing up I used to see all these ridiculous types of ad’s and television commercials. Even today they are still out there, but not in such an abundance. Just by watching them I could tell that this was some type of sales gimmick or something just to get me to by their product. [Thesis] All these advertisements are giving off a false impression of what they are really trying to convey to the consumers. I am against false advertisements and believe that commercials and t.v ads ultimately have a negative impact on us.[Thesis]
Here, is the new Axe commercial called “wash your balls” that I watched on you tube last week. I found that it had hit so many logical fallacies. The first fallacy I would like to point out is in the heading of the commercial itself, “wash your balls.” They are using populum to appeal to the consumers which are aimed at appealing to the younger generation and target the not so popular crowd.“Commercials for products like these target the insecure. It also gives people an opportunity to take an easy way out. The exercise machine that you pay $200 for, can do what simple walking and eating right could fix. (Asato)” The television commercial starts out with a young woman named Denise Saintclaire. She has brunette hair and is wearing a plain grayish blue t shirt. She is portrayed as the spokesperson for this particular Axe commercial. She steps on stage in front of the audience and introduces herself. A few seconds later, another woman walks out from behind the curtains and is introduced as the beautiful ex- tennis phenomenon Monica Blake. Monica is wearing a light blue collared t shirt that looks somewhat like a tennis shirt. She has blonde hair and it is pulled back in a ponytail with a headband. I think that gives her a little bit more of a sporty tennis player look. Here is a perfect example of Faulty Use of Authority. She is not even close to a credible source of a person with good hygiene by using Axe. The only credibility that she has is that she is a tennis super star.
When taking a look at the background of this commercial I noticed that the stage is set up in a modern way. It was a silver background with the company logo “Axe” lit up with lights. The lights looked as if you were looking at yourself in a supermodels dressing room mirror. Just like how there is lights all around the frame of the mirror. The “Axe” logo is the spotlight of the main stage. It was the size of almost the entire background itself. There was a clean, white modern looking table with a dirty soccer ball placed on top of it. The table had a built in bucket with water so that she could test the product out in front of the consumer. The audience was filled with mostly men and some women, nodding their heads and looking very interested in the product. Denise Saintclaire states in her first statement that “no one wants to play with dirty balls.” In my own opinion I thought that she was implying that women do not like to play with dirty balls of the male gender. This gives meaning to the words sex sales. She also uses Non Sequitur and ad Hominem by saying that a regular bar of soap will not cut it and simply cannot get those balls clean. If that were true, why would we all not switch to using Axe? Then we could all possibly sew other soap and bath wash companies for selling a product that supposedly does not work.
In the commercial, Monica Blake starts by scrubbing the soccer ball with a green bar of soap. She states that the bar of soap “just doesn’t cut it and it is still dirty.” She states that Axe detailer “cleans your balls.” Then everyone in the audience is smiling and clapping. Then there is a number posted on the ad to call for a free Axe detailer and it again repeats the statement that the Axe detailer “cleans your balls.” Then she cleans the dirty soccer ball and a pair of golf balls with the Axe detailer, and body wash. Monica Blake then hands the pair of golf balls to spokesperson Denise Saintclaire. She holds them for a second while rotating them in her hand. She gives a few non-verbal head gestures and says “I can play with these balls all day.” The crowd then cheers in the background. In this Axe commercial and like all other Axe commercials, they sell their products by using sexual attraction or the false impression that women will want and desire you more. These are such bold statements that they make with no real evidence to back up their claims.
"In today's media there are a lot of commercials that tend to manipulate the public to spend their money."(Young) I can strongly agree with this statement with the research I have done and believe in a way that all commercials and ads convey some form of deception.
Next they then ask the audience if they have any questions. A few people in the audience stand up toss a few items up like dirty tennis balls, a big sack of soccer balls, and of course the product cleaned them. The commercial starts to come to an end when an old man named Mr. Hackerman walks up to the front stage. He is rather old with little white hair and is wearing a brown coat and a light brown turtle neck shirt. He brings to the stage with him what looks like two old medicine balls and asks if the product will clean them. Monica Blake looks at him and says that “it can clean even his old, dirty balls.” Then the camera turns to audience and focuses in on a single individual, a young man in his prime with a sense of respect for him on his face. Then the camera returns and the medicine balls and they are like new and the crowd goes wild. This particular part at the end was the topping on the cake with many different types of logical fallacies. They are also giving a false advertisement by saying that their product will even make an old person’s balls like new. The commercial ends, then an ad comes on the screen that has the company logo and a number that you can reach them at. The ad says to call now and have a free detailer to come and clean your dirty balls while supplies last.
I believe that ads and t.v commercials can be useful but ultimately have a negative impact on our lives. Through my research I have proved some reasons why ads have a negative impact on our lives and society, and give false impression.
Works Cited
"Axe"Wash your balls"." Axe Detailer cleans your balls. Web. 28 Jan 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IMwuwrkd3s&feature=related>.
Asato, Kristine Online posting. “KAP ENG-215: Discussion and Private Messages.” 24 September 2010. Laulima. 05 October 2010 http://klasato.blogspot.com/2010/10/eng-215w-rd1-advertising-consumerism.html
Young, Daralyn onnline posting."KAP ENG-215;Dicussion and Private Messages.”Laulima 04 october 2010.http://nylarad.blogspot.com/2010/10/wrong-impression.html
Log of Completed Activities
_x_Sep 17F- Intro to Paper #2. Read the Guidelines for Paper #2. (Confirmation reply required.)
_x_Sep 20M- Complete readings for paper #2. (Confirmation reply required.)
_x_Sep 24F- Laulima Discussion: Ad Pros and Cons
_x_Sep 28t- Laulima Discussion: Logical Fallacies Exercise
_x_Oct 4M – RD2 due [50 pts]. Review the guidelines. (Confirmation reply required.)
_x_Oct 8F- RD2 evaluations due [50 pts]. Review the guidelines. (Confirmation reply required.)
_x_Oct 12t- FD2 due [125 pts]. Review the guidelines. (Confirmation reply required.)
