Advertising Analysis: Contrasting Sony and Discover Rebate Cards
When a business endeavors to catch the eye of a consumer, it creates advertisements with identities unique to itself. In other words, the product advertised should have a unique identity that will set it apart from other advertisements. Given the simplicity of a rebate card, it is rare for a consumer to express a preference for a certain brand. Published in The Times, the Sony rebate card ad displays a joyous man with an easy smile, playing hopscotch as two little girls stare at him quizzically. Conversely, appearing in Newsweek, a Discover card ad shows a blue Discover rebate card emphasized in front of an open road. Collectively, the ads target audiences are young and old adults. By comparison, the Sony rebate card ad is more convincing than the Discover rebate card ad because of its radiant image and humorous and entertaining text.
The Discover rebate card advertisement fails to have a separate and unique identity; that is, nothing sets it apart from other ads. Quite frankly, the advertisement is visually unappealing. Firstly, at the top of the advertisement, the background of the open road with dead grass at its sides presents a bland image. A faded light blue sky hovers over the road, creating an even plainer appearance to the advertisement. Roughly aligned with the center, the blue Discover card, lined with an orange rim on its left and bottom sides, is emphasized against the open road. The way in which the card is situated presents it as insignificant. In addition, the ad lacks a variety of color or radiance. There are only a few colors present, and they evoke a sense of deadness and vacuousness.
Comparatively, the text lacks wit, cleverness, and emphatic colors or fonts. Placed across the center of the advertisement, the title, “Roadwarrior”, is the largest text on the page colored in orange and black. This phrase epitomizes the triteness and the lack of creativity put into...