Introduction
It is important to note that advertisement as a marketing practice is a form of communication designed to convince and persuade consumers to purchase a product or service. The selected ad of interest is from Dr. Martens, which is a British footwear and clothing company. The ad strongly appeals to the young audience with claims centered around stylish rebelliousness, toughness, and disobedience, best reflected in its slogan, ‘Tough as You.’
Discussion
The target audience of the advertisement is young women and men, as well as adolescents. The message is about going against societal norms, which is summarized by the statement, “I do me for me” (Dr. Martens). The claim is that one does not need to stick to traditions and social rules since rebelliousness can be stylish and cool emphasized by showing the products. The connotation is aggressive and hostile to communicate the toughness of young people. The persuasive appeal is pure pathos, where emotions of anger, freedom, and pride are used. The linkage can be seen between the slogan ‘Tough as You’ and the general tendency of younger individuals to refuse to comply with societal norms. There are no identifiable elements of irony or humor, and the claims are made with seriousness making the ad effective for its audience only.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ad by Dr. Martens utilizes rebelliousness, toughness, and disobedience as stylish characteristics to have for its target audience of young people. Emotions, such as anger, freedom, and pride, are used, constituting pathos, and the message is about going against societal norms. The slogan ‘Tough as You’ communicates the central claim in a summative manner conveying aggression and hostility towards the rules.
Work Cited
“TOUGH AS YOU | 2020.”YouTube, uploaded by Dr. Martens, 2020.