Comm 1 Essay

In the 2012 Acura NSX Super Bowl Commercial - featuring Jerry Seinfeld, the main objective is to persuade the audience, which is anyone who wants the best new thing around, to buy the new Acura NSX. The commercial is about 3 minutes long and it is just Jerry Seinfeld trying to persuade a ordinary man with money, aliens, ziplines, and speed boats to give him the new Acura NSX and at the end when Jerry was about to get the car Jay Leno flies in with a jetpack and persuades the man to give him the car and he ends up flying away with the man and the car keys. The commercial uses the three source characteristics: source credibility, source attractiveness, and source power, along with positive message characteristics like humor, a strong narrative, and attention- getting features like salience to cultivate the views of the audience so that they will buy the new Acura NSX. The 2012 Acura NSX Super Bowl Commercial - featuring Jerry Seinfeld uses three source characteristics: source credibility, source attractiveness, and source power to cultivate the views of the audience about the car. The commercial was aired during the Superbowl of 2012 and with the prestigious Acura brand; the credibility of the commercial is present as millions of Superbowl viewers watch the commercial. Having big names such as the Superbowl and Acura backing the commercial; it is seen as credible. Source attractiveness is achieved by using Jerry Seinfeld and having him go through unparalleled extents by offering an alien to the owner of the NSX and then offering him access to a fictional network of Manhattan zip lines all to trade for the car. This appeals to the audience because it shows how

valuable the car is and Jerry Seinfeld reinforces this by offering valuable things like a speedboat or the alien just for the car. Not only that but at the end of the commercial Jay leno flies in with a jetpack to make even more offers and he ends up getting the car. This shows the audience that the car is in high demand, making them want to buy the car even more. Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno are both key factors in source power, by using two celebrities to fight over the NSX, the car is seen as highly valued and demanded when two guys that have power and money have to plead and persuade (they are basically on their knees begging) for a car. As you can tell by using source characteristics the commercial will prime and cultivate the thoughts of the audience and prompt them to buy the NSX, especially the type of people who wants to keep up with everybody by buying the best of things and showing it off.

Message characteristics are present through out the commercial. In this commercial the characteristics are positive so the idea of the NSX is presented in the best possible way so that the audience will buy the car. At no point in the commercial is there a negative connotation related to the NSX. The car is always seen as a highly valued item, hence all the efforts that Jerry Seinfeld goes through to bargain for the NSX. By using Jerry to as a mediator to propose trade that could be equal or greater in value to the car, the commercial is in some sense comparing the car to other things to show its worth. For example Jerry offers an alien and a speed boat but both are denied showing that the car is better than that, but when a zip line system through Manhattan city is offered the trade was set. The main goal of this is

to persuade the audience to buy the car by showing them that the only thing that could match the car is an impossible imaginary idea of a zip line system or a flying jetpack squirrel suit. The car is seen as better than all these things and the only way you could even acquire these things is through your dreams. The commercial relates this back by basically telling the audience that the NSX is the car of their dreams. Another factor that cultivates the viewers to buy the car is attention- getting features like salience that influences impression formations. In the commercial the NSX is compared to objects that are unheard of and extremely valuable. By doing this, the NSX is presented at a level greater or equal to those that are offered as a trade. It is obvious that positive message characteristics along with salience cultivates the thoughts of the audience and encourages them to buy the new Acura NSX by showing that the car is without a doubt the most desirable car ever.

The use of a narrative or plot in advertisements is also a characteristic that can persuade the audience. According to lecture, a narrative is “telling a story, often with persuasive goals and a product as the key to a happy ending” (2011, November . The car commercial is about 3 minutes long and it is just Jerry Seinfeld trying to persuade a ordinary man with money, aliens, ziplines, and speed boats to give him the new Acura NSX and at the end when Jerry was about to get the car Jay Leno flies in with a jetpack and persuades the man to give him the car and Leno ends up flying away with the man and the car keys while they both laugh with joy. Since the car is the “happy ending,” the audience will have a positive view of the NSX and a better

idea of its value. Within the narrative, Monroe’s motivated sequence, a persuasibility theory compiled of five steps, is also present. The first component, attention, is accomplished through the dramatization of the cars value. Next, the need is stated because “a problem currently exists” (Tubbs, 2010, p. 397-398). The viewers are then satisfied because the car is finally acquired through trade after many ridiculous offers. Finally, the audience can act upon their new knowledge when they are informed at the end that the NSX is the next best thing. Also, “a strong conclusion can stimulate [the viewers] to act” (Ibid). Likewise, the commercial ends with both the men laughing out of joy. This is the last statement viewers will hear, so it will be more memorable than a statement said by one of the characters earlier.
In one study, Siew Meng Leong, Swee Hoon Ang, and Lynn Heng tested the effectiveness and degree of persuasion in drama advertisements, ads that tell a story, compared to argumentative advertisements. The participants in the study watched a number of commercials and then took a survey, responding on a scale from 1 to 7, their “expression of belief, expression of feelings, and verisimilitude” (Leong, et al., 1994). The results suggest that despite the contributor’s feelings of similarity with the advertisement, drama ads, are more persuasive than argumentative ads (Ibid). When applying this information to the commercial, it is evident that the narrative was purposefully employed to persuade the audience because a more argumentative approach would not be as convincing to the target audience.
Positive emotional appeal is a common element of persuasion, and in

advertisements it can make the audience associate the product with positive feelings. Two positive emotions hope and humor are produced in the NSX commercial. According to lecture, positive emotional appeal is only “effective if it can ‘condition’ a response and pair the good feelings with the argument or product” (2012, February). The hope of owning a NSX is present every time Jerry would try to initiate a deal. Although the story is fiction and only a false sense of hope is constructed, the viewers will still somewhat associate this feeling with the car.

The more effective emotion that the commercial uses to persuade its audience is humor. The car commercial is so overly dramatic, that it is funny. Although this ad is on the borderline of “vampire creativity,” which is when “the ad is so entertaining that no one remembers it,” NSX is integrated in with the storyline, so people will associate the good feelings that accompany humor with the car, therefore remembering the product (Mullin, 2011, February). The concept of associating humor in advertisements with the product is examined in a study completed by Madelijn Strick, Rick B. van Baaren, Rob W. Holland, and Ad van Knippenberg. They conducted an experiment in which half the participants were given non-humorous advertisements, and the other half, humorous ones. Their results suggest that the comical ads “enhance product evaluations and product choice in a way that is dissociated from the accessibility of the product in memory” (Strick, et al., 2009, p. 35). So although the humor in the FedEx advertisement will most like “enhance product evaluations,” it will most likely take away from the

viewer’s memory of the product. This relates back to “vampire creativity” and the viewers’ perceptions of the commercial, or in other words what they “choose” to focus on. Strick, el al., are suggesting that people will focus more on the humor than the product (2009). Acura realizes that this is a potential problem, which is why the commercial is told in a dramatization with a happy ending with the NSX as the solution. The limited product in memory is counteracted because the solution to the story is the NSX, so people have a reason to remember the product.

Another study, concluded by Moniek Buijzen and Patti M. Valkenburg, examines the different types of humor found in advertisements and how it relates to certain age groups. They conducted an experiment that aired commercials, the variables being the target age group, target gender group, and type of humor. Buijen and Valkenburg’s findings insinuate that specific types of humor appeal to particular age groups (2004). In the advertisement, the humor that is used, which includes absurdity, gross humor, and peculiar faces and voices, may appeal to adults, but specifically targets teens and college students (Buijen & Valkenburg, 2004). The significance of Acura appealing to people who wants to keep up with trends and buy the best luxuries which is usually the younger generation, from young adults to adults, is that they are ultimately influencing their future customers. If people start to become familiar with Acura at a young age, regardless if they have a need to use its services, they will have a positive association with the company that will influence them later on in their lives.

The commercial, through source characteristics: source credibility, source attractiveness, and source power, along with positive message characteristics like humor, a strong narrative, and attention- getting features like salience is significantly successful in persuading their target audience to buy the new Acura NSX. The advertisement avoids any problems that may hinder the viewer from forgetting the product and allows the humor in the dramatization to correlate with a positive image of the car. Acura wants the next generation to continue buying their cars before others, so although targeting younger people may not make the sales go up immediately, it will most likely help in the long run. Persuasion can be accomplished through many elements, and the Acura commercial effectively uses each technique to influence its target audience.

References
Bernbach, B. (1987). Bill Bernbach’s Book: A History of Advertising that Changed the History of Advertising. New York: Villard Books.
Buijen, M. & Valkenburg, P. (2004). Developing a Typology of Humor in Audiovisual Media. Media Psychology, 6, 147-167.
Leong, S. M., Ang, S. H., & Heng, L. (1994). Using Drama to Persuade: The Effects of Involvement and Ad Form on Persuasion. Asia Pacific Advances in Consumer Research, 1, 261-264.
Mullin, D. (2012, January). Verbal communication (language). Class lecture for communication 1, Department of communication,
University of California, Santa Barbara
O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication: An introduction.
Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s

Abstracts
Humor in Advertisements Enhances Product Liking by Mere Association Humor in advertising is known to enhance product liking, but this attitude change is often considered nonpredictive of product choice. Previous research relied exclusively on explicit self-report measures to assess attitudes and purchase intentions. The present research shows that unobtrusive association of a product with humor can affect persuasion through implicit attitude change. Participants viewed humorous and nonhumorous cartoons in a mock-up magazine. One of two products was consistently presented in the vicinity of the humorous cartoons, whereas the other product was consistently presented in the vicinity of the nonhumorous cartoons. The results of an evaluative priming task showed enhanced evaluations of products paired with humor (Experiment 1, 2, and 3). Furthermore, these enhanced evaluations mediated the relation between association with humor and product choice (Experiment 2 and 3). Paradoxically, products paired with humor were also less recognized than the control products (Experiments 2 and 3). In summary, the present research demonstrates that mere association with humor enhances product evaluations and product choice in a way that is dissociated from the accessibility of the product in memory. Using Drama to Persuade: The Effects of Involvement and Ad Form on Persuasion
This study examines how consumers of varying levels of involvement process information from drama and argument ads. Such indicators of persuasion as expression of feeling, expression of belief, and verisimilitude were examined. Results indicated that drama ads were more persuasive than argument ads regardless of the level of consumer involvement. Implications of the findings are discussed.

Developing a Typology of Humor in Audiovisual Media

References: Bernbach, B. (1987). Bill Bernbach’s Book: A History of Advertising that Changed the History of Advertising. New York: Villard Books. Buijen, M. & Valkenburg, P. (2004). Developing a Typology of Humor in Audiovisual Media. Media Psychology, 6, 147-167. Leong, S. M., Ang, S. H., & Heng, L. (1994). Using Drama to Persuade: The Effects of Involvement and Ad Form on Persuasion. Asia Pacific Advances in Consumer Research, 1, 261-264. Mullin, D. (2012, January). Verbal communication (language). Class lecture for communication 1, Department of communication,