Learning to look

Volkswagen Van Advertisement Analysis Source The advertisement to be analyzed is that of the Volkswagen Van from theVolkswagen Company. The advertisement is to be found on the goldenbug. com website, which appeared in the year 2012.
Visual Analysis
This particular advertisement has very strong visual elements. The use of bright and strong colors ensures that the advertisement will capture the attention of all those who look at it or sees it. The advertisement also has simplicity, which allows the viewer to understand the exact and specific product that it seeks to market to consumers. Produced on the sixtieth anniversary of what was the original VW van, the advert seeks to portray VW’s sense of timelessness. This visual is particularly important since, while a lot has changed in American culture, the country’s heart still beats to this particular aspect of popular culture, which is related to visual literacy’s 7th principle.
The advertisement’s visuals also lead to an immediate and powerful response emotionally, particularly because of the picture of a vintage car with nothing else in the background. This pulls the attention of the viewer, especially those who were children during the generation when the car was released. Anyone who loves the VW van has an immediate feeling of remembrance and nostalgia, especially for people whose parents were owners of the VW van. It is possible to see the number of seats in the car, which gives a feeling of spaciousness. The caption below the advert that states that it is unusual to drive the car you were conceived in is written in bold, pulling the consumer’s attention and seeks to add on to the vintage feel of the car, as well as its nostalgia. Finally, the ad allows the viewer to see its interior, which could evoke memories of childhood with one’s brothers and sisters playing in the backseat.
Interpretation
While this advertisement acts as a fine example of how advertising can be effective, it is somewhat reliant on the viewer and the knowledge that he/she has of the car. The particular car in the advert, the VW van, was and still is a symbol for those living in the 60s. During this period, people preferred to paint and color their cars with flowers and psychedelic colors. It was also during this period, in the aftermath of WWII, that most people meant for their cars to represent love and harmony. This message, however, also translated into the sexual liberation movement, which can be seen with the caption below the ad that alludes to this sexual revolution. The VW van captures an iconic brand from a nostalgic period, which, it seems, VW was keen to utilize in that particular form in the advert in order to make sure that a specific pop culture aspect was able to stand time’s test. The advertisement is minimalistic, colorful, and bold, tending to rely more on the brand’s reputation among the consumers than other aspects.
Using this particular ad, VW sought to primarily market their product to all consumers who, either were born in the 60s or those who can recall the van as being driven by their parents. The potential success of the ad has its basis on the message it conveys and its simple nature. Consumers instantly know the product that is being marketed to them with only a simple glance. It also allows those who were children in the 60s to feel a connection with their parents.
(thegoldenbug. com 1)
Work Cited
thegoldenbug. com. Its unusual to drive the vehicle you were conceived in. August 2009. Web. 5 September 2013 .