Volkswagen Advertisement Analysis Essay Example

The advertisement is by Volkswagen. In the advertisement shown above, the headline is the most prominent and is directly addressing people who do not usually buy their cars. It is almost as if they are challenging the reader to read their advertisement further In a typical advertisement, the image of the product and the reason you should buy it is usually most prominent. However, in this advertisement, the headline is given the most meaning. The image of the product itself is not so large. The black and white colours used are very surprising because advertisements are usually very bright and colourful to attract the attention of readers. But, it also makes the advertisement further stand out from other advertisements and catch the reader’s attention. 

The beginning of the body says that if someone does not buy a car from their company because it is too ugly for them, they can't help them. If someone chooses not to buy a car because they have eight children, they once again will not be able to help them. If someone does not drive it because it is not stylish enough for them, they will not be able to help them. When they mention that it is because they have 8 children, they cannot buy the car, they are using a humorous tone because the probability of a family with 8 children is very small. They are using humour to highlight the size of their car. The special use of the number 8 also tells us that if you have seven or even six children they can still be seated in the car. Only if you have eight children they will not be able to fit in the car. The ad uses a triple colon to further emphasize its point.

In the next sentence, they say: “But, if you refuse to drive a Volkswagen because you’re used to an automatic transmission, listen carefully.” Their tone has changed from an arrogant one to a more imperative one. They are telling potential customers about a new option that they have added called the ‘automatic stick shift’. The device allows people to drive through town without having to change gear. In order to further sell their products. They then spoke about how their new car is more fuel-efficient (the car now goes twenty-five  miles on just one gallon of gas), cheap, and easy to maintain from a long-term perspective because they don't require using any antifreeze or water and use very little oil. It is almost as though they are stating that it is only those with as true knowledge and passion for cars will understand the significance of how the car works. It is almost as if they are baiting customers subtly, making it seem as though it will make one seem very knowledgeable about cars and show that they do not only care about cars based on their looks and size.

They made it well-known that they do not care about the appearance of the car, but rather the way it operates. Only those who are passionate about cars or have a decent understanding of them will understand their importance. They then returned to the arrogant tone in the second last paragraph. They claim that just because they make the car easier to drive does not mean they will make it bigger, more beautiful, or more stylish. This is their car and only someone who knows the importance of the running of the car will only buy it. They finish their ad by saying that if you don’t buy, they won’t bother because you cannot win every one. They know that they are an excellent company. At the end of the ad, they use the seal of the company logo, almost like how one signs their name at the end of a letter. It is like they are saying yes, we have said this, and we mean it.