TOW #14- Precision Parking by Volkswagen (visual text)

 

This advertisement was published by Volkswagen. Volkswagen is a well-known, prestigious car company with a good reputation. Therefore, the advertisement does not have to do much to establish ethos, since Volkswagen already has automatic ethos as a maker of good cars. The advertisement was made to advertise the “park assist” feature in the Volkswagen cars. It does this by humorously comparing the ability of the car to a hedgehog and bags of goldfish. This humor appeals to pathos and catches the viewer’s attention. The use specifically of the hedgehog and the bags of goldfish emphasize the importance of the feature of the car to park accurately (it is implied that if the hedgehog is the slightest bit off from where it is “parked”, then it will pop the fish bag and the fish will die). The simplicity of the white background draws attention to the hedgehog and the fish (specifically the hedgehog since it is the one different object in the advertisement). Additionally, attention is drawn to the animals with the words being very small and out of the way (they are just on the bottom right corner, as opposed to being large in the center). However, the words are also very simple, only saying “Precision Parking,” as opposed to describing thoroughly how the hedgehog needs to be in the right place or else, etc. As a result, the words contribute slightly to the humor as well as give context to the importance of the hedgehog being in the right place (for example, one might just view the image as a hedgehog and some fish and be confused about why the car company is showing this picture). Therefore, the words provide context to the ability of the car that Volkswagen is advertising. The viewer is likely to be inclined to buy the car because of its amazing parking feature, as portrayed through the animals in the advertisement.