Description of the Chosen Advertisement
The featured advert for this discussion can be found on the main Facebook page for Rush Restaurant. Rush Restaurant is a fast-food entity located in Columbia, South Carolina. The ad, which is titled Rush’s with Rushy, describes two of the dishes found on Rush Restaurant’s menu, namely, hamburger and milkshakes. It involves a mascot (Rushy) highlighting the hamburger while two individuals discuss both the hamburger and the milkshake.
The Underlying Assumptions About the Targeted Consumers
One main assumption is that the target market for the ad is composed mainly of young people. This observation is evidenced by the use of a mascot displaying the aforementioned food items. Arguably, the mascot, dressed in Christmas theme colors, serves to attract young people to the open venue by entertaining them. Also, three children appear in the background where they seem to enjoy eating one of the food items. Consequently, another underlying assumption is that including young children in the ad will motivate their peers (watching at home) to purchase the featured items. Another assumption made by the authors is that the target audience is comprised of people who celebrate Christmas. This claim reveals why the ad coincides with the Christmas season and not any other period of the year. Additionally, the authors assume that the target consumers value natural products, as opposed to refined products. The assumption becomes apparent when the commentator emphasizes that the milkshake being advertised is made of absolutely natural products.
How the Ad is Using the Perceived Assumptions to Evoke Consumer Response
The ad emphasizes that Rush’s milkshake is made of natural products. The male commentator points out that all components are natural (Rush Restaurant, 2013). This powerful line is used to appeal to target consumers with a preference for natural products, as opposed to processed foods. Simons (2014) argues that appealing to customers’ tastes helps to strengthen a company’s brand. Therefore, Rush understands the importance of tapping into the “all-natural” craze that has driven customers to shun refined foods (Kornfeld, 2014). As the incidence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity continues, more people are moving toward eating the so-called natural foods.
The advert also relies on the Christmas festive to appeal to customers. Spending is usually higher during the Christmas holiday compared to during other times of the year. As such, Rush Restaurant hopes to drive sales during the said holiday season. Therefore, the ad is based on the assumption that many people who are driven by the Christmas mood will visit the restaurant. The presence of children enjoying themselves in the ad is expected to attract the interest of other kids. In other words, the authors of the ad anticipate that viewers will want to try the milkshake and hamburger if they see their age mates doing the same. Peer pressure is regarded as a key driving force in consumer influence (Moran, Muzellec, & Nolan, 2014).
A Consumer Group that the Ad Excludes
The use of a mascot suggests that elderly people are not part of the target audience. The main reason for excluding this consumer group could be that older people are not keen buyers of fast foods. Instead, they are likely to be relying on special nutrition programs designed for them by their doctors. The underlying rationale may be that as people get older, their bodies tend to develop various complications. For this reason, they will avoid foods, which are suspected to be capable of worsening their health (Pruchno, Wilson-Genderson, & Gupta, 2014).
Evaluation of the Advertisement and its Relationship with Cultural Values
Rush with Rushy appeals to a growing number of Americans who are beginning to shun refined foods. As such, the ad attempts to shatter the existing culture while enforcing a new trend. The ad suggests that natural foods are perhaps better compared to processed ones. This conclusion can be drawn from the commentator’s insistence that the milkshake is natural. Also, the ad can be said to advocate for healthy eating. This campaign is a reflection of the American consumer market, which is determined to pursue healthy eating. Particularly, parents are concerned about their children having to eat processed foods. Rush Restaurant understands this concern. As such, the restaurant seems to be assuring parents that their children are safe taking the natural milkshake.
Notwithstanding, It is worth noting the “all-natural” craze largely exists as a marketing ploy. The US Foods and Drugs Administration does not examine the purported of all-natural products to ensure they do not contain processed ingredients. This plan grants marketers a leeway to take advantage of the existing consumer demand for natural foods while the said foods are barely natural. If this case applies to Rush Restaurant, the ad can then be capitalizing on the craze for healthy food without seeking to change an existing cultural value. As Wansink and Love (2014) observe, the natural tag has been used by companies to drive up sales. Food items that are labeled natural are not only more expensive but also more sought after compared to the traditionally refined foods. Similarly, the ad also seeks to preserve the culture of holiday spending in the country. The ad is being rolled out during the Christmas season when many Americans are expected to spend copious amounts of money to entertain themselves.
References
Kornfeld, D. (2014). Eating right in America: The cultural politics of food and health. Agriculture and Human Values, 31(3), 527.
Moran, G., Muzellec, L., & Nolan, E. (2014). Consumer moments of truth in the digital context. Journal of Advertising Research, 54(2), 200-204.
Pruchno, R., Wilson-Genderson, M., & Gupta, A. K. (2014). Neighborhood food environment and obesity in community-dwelling older adults: Individual and neighborhood effects. American Journal of Public Health, 104(5), 924-929.
Rush Restaurant. (2013). Rush’s fast… fabulous. Web.
Simons, R. (2014). Choosing the right customer. Harvard Business Review, 92(3), 48-55.
Wansink, B., & Love, K. (2014). Slim by design: Menu strategies for promoting high-margin, healthy foods. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 42(1), 137-143.