' The Settlers: Satisfaction

“Don’t be a settler, get rid of cable and upgrade to Direct TV.” This phrase in the “The Settlers: Satisfaction” ad makes viewers question if they are not getting the most out of life. This ad begins in a regular urban neighborhood with one old time farm house situated in the middle. The family shown are old fashioned people who live off the land. The mother asks the father why they don't switch to Direct TV. The father insists they are settlers and, since they are settlers, it means they can ‘settle’ with cable. The wife begins to state the facts about how Direct TV satisfies its customers. Her husband answers with more reasons why they are satisfied as settlers which means there is no need to upgrade. The commercial then ends with the saying,
“Don’t be a settler, get rid of cable and upgrade to Direct TV.” In this ad, the unforgettable use of character, dialogue, and setting attempts to manipulate viewers to be satisfied with upgrading to Direct TV’s service. The characters in “The Settlers: Satisfaction” ad appeal to viewers’ humor, targeting people with cable and trying to persuade them to upgrade their service to Direct TV. The humor involved in the ad lightens the mood, and viewers may not realize the facts Direct TV is mentioning because they are enjoying the ad. The ad does not only target people currently using cable, but also people who are considering changing their television provider. The characters in this ad rely heavily on viewers’ sense of humor to make them question the fact that still using cable is silly. Does having cable really mean you are settling for less? The family seem as if they should be in the 1800s with their old clothes and homespun toys, living in an old cabin smack dab in the middle of the suburbs. The mother of the family suggests upgrading to Direct TV because she heard that they offer better satisfaction than cable. The father rebels against upgrading to a better service because he believes it is easier to settle for what he has known his whole life. The dialogue in “The Settlers: Satisfaction” attempts to persuade viewers by attacking what cable has to offer.
Direct TV implies that they are a step higher than cable. Direct TV is a very familiar company people can trust. In the article “When it comes to brands, anything is possible,” Alex Díaz quotes Juan Carlos Rodriguez as saying, “People like to be entertained. No one falls in love with a person who is continually reciting a bunch of facts and features about himself .… We fall in love with the one who entertains us, who tells us interesting or funny stories.” Direct TV’s commercial does just that. The underlying message is that trying new things is frightening, but stepping out of ones comfort zone is good. The Father, who is satisfied with his own foot stomping, gives examples of his boy being satisfied with his toy stick and hoop, the girl being satisfied with her doll without a face, and the wife with her cabbages from the garden. These are silly little things the commercial compares to cable. The viewers of this commercial may find these comparisons funny because in today’s world these things are not normally enough to satisfy people. A majority of people in America own a television and want the best service provider, whereas some people stick with cable because it is cheaper. Direct TV is indirectly implying that people who do not “upgrade” to their service will settle for less, like the children settle for poor toys and the mother settles for only the food she can grow in her
garden. Not having Direct TV in the settlers ad is comparable to being a low class hillbilly. People desire to have the best there is and Direct TV states that they offer the best television service. The commercial opens in an urban neighborhood with nice modern houses. The “settlers” live in a decrepit old house right in the middle of a modern neighborhood. This effects the viewers because it is a humorous analogy, but people who already own Direct TV probably think it is a relevant comparison. At the end of the commercial, Direct TV shows its logo and prices and those seem to be cheap, urging customers to look into upgrading and see if it is worth the cost. Nigel Hollis article, “Why Good Advertising Works (Even When You Think It Doesn’t)” states that advertising “creates positive memories and feelings that influence our behavior over time to encourage us to buy something at a later date.” This could convince customers they need a better service provider or even give first time buyers options for future reference. Direct TV’s ad leaves a memory in viewers’ minds that will not be forgotten. The unforgettable character left a sense of humor to the people watching. The dialogue persuades the viewers to consider what Direct TV has to offer versus what cable offers. Last but not least, the setting of the Settlers ad shows a comparison between life with cable and the life of upgrading to Direct TV. Direct TV does a good job of persuasion. Overall, the company uses logic and emotion to leave a place in viewers’ minds that may possibly one day be triggered, and push them to buy Direct TV.