Introduction
Advertising alimentary products and making them stand out has become a more challenging task due to a large number of viral commercials that employ creative thinking. In a video commercial featuring Ed Sheeran, the H. J. Heinz Company seeks to use humor and the celebrity’s popularity to make its classic tomato ketchup more popular in the UK. Although the company effectively incorporates British humor, storytelling, and the protagonist’s image to deliver the message, some explicit use of factual product-related information would help it to reach a wider audience, including rational shoppers.
Summary
In a one-minute video commercial that mimics the style of an auteur-directed comedy film, Ed Sheeran argues that even the most expensive and posh food is incomplete without Heinz Tomato Ketchup. Ed visits a “super posh” restaurant with standoffish guests, luxurious chandeliers, paintings, and a variety of cutlery for each type of food (“Ed’s Heinz Ad” 0:05-0:08). A reserved waiter approaches Ed to tell him about the restaurant’s special offerings, and Ed chooses some dish to try. When the food is finally on the table, Ed likes it but notices that something is missing. Ed makes a reach for his backpack and takes out a bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup to add it to his food. Every person looks at him with condemnation, and the waiter reacts almost hysterically and then leaves. Ed continues to enjoy what is on his plate and concludes that eating it with his favorite ketchup is a good idea.
The Commercial’s Audience
The key audience is represented by young and adult people in the UK, especially middle-income citizens. The conclusion on this specific demographic profile stems from the fact that the commercial was available on TV, social media, and video hosting services. As an English musician, Sheeran is well-known in the UK, and the commercial is part of the company’s larger advertising campaign to increase its classic product’s popularity in the UK and achieve the same recognition as in the United States (“Ed’s Heinz Ad”). The use of an exaggerated British accent and cultural stereotypes about wealthier English people make the commercial’s humor easier to understand for viewers from the UK. The target audience’s supposed income levels are related to the advertised product’s overall accessibility and the director’s attempts to satirize the wealthy. Regarding psychographic profiles, the commercial is aimed at individuals who appreciate simplicity and approachability while also despising elitism and snobbishness in real life. This conclusion stems from how the commercial satirizes the demonstration of one’s social status and the rigid standards of appropriate behaviors versus a mauvais ton.
The second large subgroup incorporates Ed Sheeran’s fans all over the world. The reason for it is that the commercial represents the entire situation from Ed’s perspective and focuses on his persona much more than on anything else. The celebrity’s fans would likely be interested in the video regardless of the product that he discusses. Therefore, the commercial seeks to profit from the musician’s popularity by showcasing his sense of humor and a genuine love for the product.
The Author’s Strategies and Argument Presentation Methods
The object’s creators cater to both audience groups in an effective manner by incorporating the elements of British humor and emphasizing Ed Sheeran’s perspective on the situation. As for humor, the plot manifests two crucial features of what is considered hilarious in British culture. The first element is absurdist humor, which is manifested in the difference between Ed Sheeran’s styles of behavior and clothing and the super-posh restaurant’s typical guests and atmosphere (“Ed’s Heinz Ad”). Eating “posh and fancy blah-blah-blah” from an expensive restaurant with ketchup that is accessible in every supermarket is another example of absurdity and incompatibility typical for British comedies (“Ed’s Heinz Ad” 0:40-0:42). The second element, the peculiarities of the British system of social classes and class tensions, finds use in the stark contrast between Ed and the other characters. Despite being wealthy, Ed Sheeran presents himself as a common guy, whereas others try hard to be perceived as the representatives of high society, which looks ridiculous for a middle-income person (“Ed’s Heinz Ad”). Every event is shown through the prism of the singer’s perception, and the characters do not even have their own voices.
The argument, such as Heinz’s ability to make virtually any food complete, is presented in the form of a story mountain. In the exposition and rising action parts, Sheeran describes a “super posh” restaurant with “fancy food” in a detailed manner (“Ed’s Heinz Ad” 0:10-0:35). This part highlights that he has experiences with diverse types of food but still remains a fan of Heinz. In these scenes, Sheeran prepares the audience for a conflicting situation involving the product by implying that he feels uncomfortable and does not belong to this society. For instance, he mentions that there are “way too many forks” in the restaurant, demonstrating that he finds dining etiquette hilarious and unnecessary (“Ed’s Heinz Ad” 0:09-0:13). In the climax scene, he finds the courage to ignore the place’s norms and add his favorite sauce, which is followed by the falling action and resolution represented by the visitors’ and the waiter’s exaggerated reactions and Ed’s ability to finally enjoy the food. This sequence of events demonstrates that the character’s love for the product is stronger than stereotypes and the fear of social condemnation for violating group norms.
As a video commercial, the object employs a range of presentation methods to appeal to emotion, including the aforementioned elements of humor and skillful acting, but there is not enough factual information on what makes this ketchup irreplaceable. The jokes are reinforced by the characters’ somewhat exaggerated snobbishness. The carefully designed hyperbole reaches its climax in the crowd’s overdramatic reaction to Ed’s decision related to improving the food’s taste (“Ed’s Heinz Ad”). The use of piano music and pauses place accents to highlight the advertised product’s exceptional role in the story. Specifically, the music stops when Ed takes a bottle out of his backpack (“Ed’s Heinz Ad”). These techniques enable the creators to make the product the center of attention.
At the same time, even though the commercial is capable of promoting the audience’s positive associations with the product, it does not implement factual statements to illustrate the ketchup’s unique characteristics that make it better compared to other sauces. To avoid destroying the carefully created film-like atmosphere, the authors avoid mentioning production technology, contents, caloric values, or takeaways from customer research. It could affect the commercial’s effectiveness in relation to pickier shoppers whose purchasing decisions are based solely on products’ objective characteristics. Nevertheless, for target customers who are tired of artificial narratives and the idealization of products in commercials, this approach might turn out to be extremely successful.
Conclusion
Finally, the commercial is effective in promoting the positive perceptions of Heinz Tomato Ketchup and its ability to make any dish complete. The object achieves this purpose by creating an emotionally appealing argument promoted thanks to the use of humor and a likable popular person’s presence. However, with its reliance on emotion, the object makes limited use of more rational evidence to illustrate the product’s unique gustatory qualities, safety, high-quality raw products, price levels, or any other characteristics that rational shoppers consider.
Work Cited
“Ed’s Heinz Ad.” YouTube, uploaded by Heinz, 2019, Web.