Analyzing Ads: Socioeconomic Status

https://writingcommons.org/article/analyzing-ads-socioeconomic-status/

Who appears to be the target audience for the advertisement?

- The target audience for the Cheetos advertisement is heavily based on social class,
instead of age, race or gender. This is shown in the advertisements use of builders.
Typically builders are associated with lower or middle class, therefore putting the
target audience within this class.

What seems to be the general tone of the advertisement? Serious? Playful? Satiric?
- The tone of the advertisement is playful and humorous for the audience. The use of builders in
an unfinished home with no walls, dancing to music and then shutting the door when asked if
they are having “a party” in order to keep the inquisitive builder out. The comic element of
the advertisement is that the inquisitive builder is still both hearing and seeing them, therefore
closing the door has no effect. This can help make the advertisement more memorable to the
target audience and prospective consumers, making them more inclined to try the product.

How would you characterize the overall appearance of the models in the ad? If applicable, how would
you characterize their clothing? To what social class would you connect each model's attire? Are
brand names evident (e.g., Ralph Lauren, Ecco)? Are the models well-groomed or scruffy? Healthy
or unhealthy? Thin and fit or heavy and out of shape? Do the models' qualities suggest they are from
a particular social class? If so, how? Is the advertiser relying on stereotypical characterizations,
then? Why do you think the advertiser chose to portray them in these ways?
- The overall appearance of the characters in the ad fits with the job as well as the social class
of the characters. They are dressed in “comfortable” workman clothing such as jeans and
t-shirts giving a much more informal tone to the advertisement, their clothes are not dirty and
are seemingly in good condition, however they all look faded, hence alluding to a lower
economic background. The models are not well groomed, however they are not scruffy either,
they are dressed informally but still look presentable and well groomed in terms of facial hair.
The two workers who can be seen having fun, eating cheetos have a healthy appearance, they
are both quite built and muscled which emphasizes that the chips are more fun, and will come
with more benefits, while the one left out, not having fun seemingly looks more unheal;thy
and overweight, helping to highlight the difference between having and not having the
product subtly.

What would you guess the average income is of the individuals featured in the ad and/or of the
audience to which the ad appeals?
Around £20-30,000 a year
l​ ​Does the ad appeal to any stereotypes based on gender or race? On what evidence do you ground
your assumption? (Refer to the checklists in​ ​"Analyzing Ads: Gender"​ and​ ​"Analyzing Ads: Race"
for more specific questions on analyzing gender and race in advertisements.

If possible, what do you infer to be the highest degree of education that the individuals featured in the
ad hold? Also in terms of level of education, who do you believe is the intended audience?
- As the builders in the advertisement are workers, probably a secondary education. In terms of
the audience, this is a lot broader. The advertisement can appeal not only to a variety of ages
because of its comedic properties but also to a variety of levels of education. Nevertheless,
based on the simplicity of the message it can be inferred that the advertisement is targeted
toward people who have received a secondary education orr less.

​What is the setting for the advertisement? An elegant spa? A pizza parlor?
- The setting is a construction site of a house.

​If text appears in the ad, what level of language is used, and for what purpose? Slang? Other informal
language? Technical jargon? Standard American English? Dialect? With what class do you
associate the use of this level of language? What is the effect of language use in this advertisement?
- The only text used in the advertisement is at the end when it says “take a cheetos break, with
cheetos”. This use of simple syntax is straight to the point. It tells consumers that when they
are taking a break, cheetos are the perfect snack. It uses standard American English, legible
and understandable by all who are able to read, moreover, as the advert is targeted to lower
classes there is a voice over reading out what the text says, therefore simplifying the advert to
the point where one does not have to be literate to get the message.

l​ ​What appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos do you find? Are these appeals related to class issues? Do
you notice the use of any logical fallacies related to class issues (e.g., ad hominem, the slippery
slope)? How effective are they?
- The advertisement uses pathos to appeal to the audience emotionally. There is a sense of “us
and them” created in the advert, people who are fun and laid back eating Cheetos and the ones
left out. This use of bandwagon appeals to the audience’s fear of missing out, making the
advert more effective.

In what ways does the advertisement appeal to class? Is the goal of the ad to encourage consumers to
spend for the purpose of obtaining, or acquiring the appearance of, a higher socioeconomic status?
(Examples of such strategy might be ads for a BMW or a Porsche that suggest the consumer would
be more likely to attract members of the opposite sex if he or she were to purchase the advertised
car.) Or, does the ad urge individuals to pursue an elite status (e.g., an American Express credit
card) that will provide the illusion of upward class mobility.
- The advert appeals to class in the presentation of the ad, however, the advert does not try to
create the appearance of a higher class or pursue an elite status, it appeals through the
simplicity and ability to make the advert relatable, as people at work want to have fun, it
appeals through that.