Media Messages and Critical Pedagogy #2

Whose message is this? Who created or paid for it? Why?

This is a Chevy advertisement and possibly a sub-advertisement for Twinkies. General Motors Cooperation (GM) paid for this advertisement because they are the manufacturers of Chevy Trucks. They created this advertisement during the Super Bowl in order to appeal to a large audience.

Who is the “target audience”? What is their age, ethnicity, class, profession, interests, etc.? What

words, images or sounds suggest this?

The target audience is adult men, primarily from the ages 20-60. Working class men are targeted here. They are interested in trucks that are safe and dependable. The truck itself signifies a man’s vehicle. Also, at the end of the advertisement, three adult men are standing and discussing how Chevy is a dependable and long-lasting truck.  

What is the “text” of the message? (What we actually see and/or hear: written or spoken words,

photos, drawings, logos, design, music, sounds, etc.)

We see a man and his dog riding through a complete mess of debris, which signifies the end of the world. The man, along with his dog and truck seem to be the only thing that made it. We hear the song in the background playing, “Looks Like we Made it.” Later, the man finds his two friends, who are eating Twinkies. The man wants to find his friend Dave, but his other buddies tell him that Dave didn’t make it because he, “ didn’t drive the longest-lasting, most dependable truck on the road.” Then, we learn that Dave drove a Ford.

What is the “subtext” of the message? (What do you think is the hidden or unstated meaning?)

The subtext is stating that the “buy” is what is important. Is your truck dependable? What about long-lasting? General Motors, the cooperation that makes Chevy trucks, has been afflicted by controversy over its’ labor practices. “The General Motors plant in Colombia reportedly fired roughly 200 workers after they were injured on the assembly line, and in August 2012 negotiations refused to cover even the workers' medical costs or pension benefits” (Wikipedia, 2013). This controversy has deeply affected the GM cooperation. They know this protest, whether completely true or not, caused a negative outlook in the public eye. GM created this advertisement to show that they manufacture long-lasting and dependable trucks, and to them, that is what matters. They created this ad in hopes of downsizing the negative outlook on GM due to its’ labor practices controversy. 

What kind of lifestyle is presented? Technically, the lifestyle is in a bit of a wreck, seeing as the world came to an end! On another note, average working men seem to be presented in this advertisement.

What values are expressed? A dependable truck is being valued in this advertisement. As working men are the targeted audience, the advertisement values a truck that is sturdy and can handle a tough job.  

What “tools of persuasion” are used? The advertisement starts out by using the persuasion tools of association and timing. When this ad was released, the predicted Mayan end of the world was near. Audiences can relate to that feeling, therefore the timing was well planned. The timing was also well thought out due to the controversy at GM over labor practices. This ad came out around the same time that the public became aware of the labor issues, in hopes of giving a positive outlook on GM. The ad also used card stacking. They really talk Chevy up, and state how Ford is no comparison. Also, plain folks are represented in the ad, along with humor. In a different way, name-calling is also used in the ad when the man says, “Dave didn’t drive the longest-lasting, most dependable truck on the planet. Dave drove a Ford.”
 

What positive messages are presented? What negative messages are presented?  

The positive message that is presented is that if you buy a Chevy you will have a long-lasting and dependable truck that can basically make it through anything, including the end of the world! General Motors is trying to give off the positive message that Chevrolet is a reliable truck and that should be what matters. The negative message is that Ford cannot compare, and cannot survive the obstacles that a Chevy can.  

What groups of people does this message empower? What groups does it disempower? How does

this serve the media maker's interests?

This ad empowers General Motors, and more specifically, the Chevrolet brand.  The advertisement displays that no matter what controversies may be spoken, General Motors is still producing durable and reliable trucks. This advertisement disempowers Ford Motor Company. On a lesser note, other truck brands also will be disempowered, but since Ford is specifically stated, this ad could really hurt their interest. For Chevy, the ad really helped one targeted interest of more profit. People could relate to that ad and find it humorous. Also, the advertisement may assist the audience in developing a new outlook on the General Motors Cooperation. As described above, labor practices had been causing controversy for the General Motors Cooperation, and the public eye has become well aware. This advertisement helps serve the media maker’s interest by describing Ford and GM in a powerful light, especially when things have been negative for the business. 

What part of the story is not being told? How and where could you get more information about the

untold stories?

As explained earlier, there is a deep hidden story behind this advertisement. General Motors, the cooperation that manufactures Chevrolet trucks, had been recently plagued with many protests due to alleged labor practices. After 200 workers were fired due to injuries at the GM Plant in Columbia, their medical costs and pension benefits were denied. This claim has been causing many protests at General Motors, including a group of workers who have been living in tents outside the U.S. Embassy in Colombia since August 2011. General Motors still refuses any negotiations, and their spokesperson, Katie McBride, claims that they have been “very generous.” (Wikipedia, 2013) More information can be found about this untold story all across the internet. Chevrolet dealers may not be inclined to talk about this issue, but just typing it into a search engine will bring up many helpful results. 

What are the taken for granted realities? 

In reality, there is obviously an issue going on at General Motors. They felt the need to create this advertisement as a form of persuasion. They are taking the labor practices issue for granted. Their advertisement claims that the only thing that matters is a long-lasting truck, when in reality we care about the treatment of those who make our vehicles also.
 

What power relations are exposed as a result of your deconstruction? 

The powers of General Motors, the production company for Chevy, and Ford are exposed here. Both are massive businesses around the world. This ad and assignment allowed me to voice my own opinion and create a deconstruction that shows that I can break down media. No matter what they try to display, there is more than meets the eye.

Resources:

 General motors. (2013). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors