Bongo.. Always American Made - Analysis Of Bongo Jeans Ad :: essays research papers

BONGO.. Always American Made - Analysis of Bongo Jeans Ad     This ad for Bongo jeans is from the April issue of Seventeen magazine.The ad gives no written description of the product. Only symbols and hiddenmessages atomic number 18 used to draw in the reader and splash up interest in the product.     There is an attractive young couple engaged in what appears to be astrip-poker game. The man is obviously losing. He is plain nude behind acard tabulate, wearing only his shoes, with his jeans draped over him. His briefsare on the floor under the table, reinforcing the fact that he is nude. He has alook of disbelief on his face, but at the same time, he looks happy and content.It is almost as if he is thinking, "Oh no, now I am nude. What will I do now?".The young lady has obviously not lost a single hand. She is fullyclothed and seems to be in total control of the game and her life. This makessense since the magazine the ad appears in is geared towards teenage girls. Shesits in a somewhat sensual pose, listing forward, with a look of confidence andachievement on her face. She obviously knows that her hand is a winner, and thather companion will soon be without even his shoes.On the table are two glasses of milk. This is one of the most powerfulimages in the ad. I believe they are there to counteract the sexual overtonesand idea of risk-taking in the ad. Milk is included as if to say, "Even thoughthese two young people are probably going to have sex when the game is finished,they are wholesome, good people." Milk works much better than using soft drinks,for example. If the makers of the ad had used cola for instance, the readercould not have really cognise if the liquid in the glasses was cola, dark beer, orliquor. By using milk, the people who produced the ad made certain that thereader could make no fault about what the glasses contain.Surrounding the border of the ad are playing cards. I believe the yrepresent the idea of gambling and a "Devil whitethorn care" attitude. The cards conveyto the reader that its all right to gamble and take chances. They seem to say,"If you wear our jeans, you can take chances and still be in control." Teen agegirls are looking for this type of message, so this ad is very effective inrelaying this thought.