Assessment One

1. Identify what you feel are the ethics of the presentation. What does the narrator lend to its ethics?

In order for a consumer to be able to identify with Dodge and their trucks, it is helpful if there is held belief about the corporation's ethics within the potential buyers. Dodge brings this kind of a feeling out by, first, using a narrative about a farmer. The farmer is one who is perceived as one who lives by the sweat of his brow and one that doesn't receive anything unless he works for it and earns it. He is thought of as caring and neighborly and as someone people can trust. There are ethical attitudes, beliefs and values portrayed in order to push the viewer toward the conscious choices the advertiser wants us to make. In this case, they want us to buy a Dodge truck.

Using Paul Harvey as the narrator of the commercial is definitely an effort toward trust and ethics. I grew up listening to Paul Harvey twice a day on the bus while traveling to and from school. This went on from the time that I was in 3rd grade till up through most of my high school years. There were times, even after I could drive myself, that I turned off the big-hair band music and listened to Paul Harvey simply because of the enjoyment and nostalgia that I partook of as I listened to the broadcasts. I'm sure that many others have the same type of feeling about him that I do. I have no reason to doubt his ethics and that fact lends itself to a feeling of ethics when I hear his voice in any kind of situation. This commercial is no exception. Dodge marketing teams are well aware of this.

2. Identify central and peripheral route attempts of the film.

There were definitely central themes evidenced by specific images and specific portions of the narrative. The ad showed hard-working farmers with beat-up hands, others working with various tools and implements and even sitting on the tailgate of a Dodge truck or pitching hay out of another. These speak to the type of work that could be done with the truck.

The peripheral route is apparent in images of the United States flag in the background through a window of one image. A Christian church is in the background of one of the first images and a farmer is seen standing among church pews in another. The narrative begins with the suggestion that God created a farmer on the 8th day, obviously referring to the creation periods contained in the bible.

These route attempts are directed toward core values that many Americans hold to be true and dear to them.

3. Define the proofs - pathos,logos, and ethos - that function in the narrative.

Pathos: Within this are the emotions of caring and family, patriotism and the feeling you get after a hard day of work.

Logos: Logically, one sees all of these images and listens to the narrative and thinks of all of the work and other good things that he could accomplish with a Dodge Ram. Even if the buyer was not a farmer himself, he could imagine himself being able to accomplish things in such a fashion with equal caring and ability.

Ethos: Once again, ethos is present in the ethical draw that comes from both Paul Harvey and farmers. Paul Harvey has his long-standing radio relationship with millions who trust and believe his words and stories. A farmer works honestly for all that he obtains. Nothing comes easily to him. He is one you can trust in so many ways as was expressed within the narrative.

4. Discuss the epistemic perspective of the proofs you've identified and how these function to reach the communicative effects of the film.

Even before watching the commercial we have knowledge of a farmer and some of his tasks and abilities. Throughout the commercial, we experience many other cognitions of things that, perhaps, we didn't know about a farmer and what kind of things that he is also concerned about and involved in. Many may not be aware of his dealings with death and heartache and also the care he must take. The commercial communicates to the viewer a better knowledge of the life of a farmer and endeavors to translate that into a knowledge about Dodge trucks and their capacity and capability.

5.  Discuss the narrative perspective of the proofs you've identified and how these function to reach the communicative effects of the film.

The narrative aspect of the commercial speaks so well to us via all three of the proofs. Effective communication within the commercial takes place with the emotions that are brought out when gentle things like meadowlarks and calves and colts, also family and religion are mentioned. Logically, a viewer may think that he could do his work better, just as a farmer, by owning a Dodge truck as the narrative suggests. The honesty and ethics are communicated just by using Paul Harvey as the narrator. The values and ethic of the farmer are reinforced simply by the content of the narrative.

6. Identify one of Reich's cultural parables in the social and cultural context of the commercial.

The parable that stick out to me as the one that is most applicable is The Triumphant Individual. A farmer is that "humble person who works hard, takes risks but has faith is himself or herself." The farmer may not have as lofty of goals as some as far as fame and financial success, but honor is definitely important and these other two aspects are important to achieve to a desired degree. He is possessed of guts and spunk, often willing to stand up for what he holds to be true amidst opposition and conflict.

7. Discuss how any of Marwell & Schmitt's taxonomy of 16 influences relate to the commercial's objectives. What are the objectives?

Positive Expertise is evident by the implication that rewards will come if someone buys a Dodge truck. Positive Self-feeling influences us by our thoughts of being more like the farmer; patriotic, hard-working, caring, competent and having faith.  Moral Appeal influences the viewer by causing us to think about the morals that farmers traditionally are believed to have and how we can relate. The farmer buying the Dodge truck and Paul Harvey's narration being a part of the commercial are examples of Positive Altercasting. Others may think of you as a hard-working individual with many of the other characteristics that a farmer has if you drive a Dodge truck. This is evidence of the influence of Positive Esteem of Others.

8. Apply how the motivational process premises (remember there are four) create the appeals presented in the commercial.

Needs: The commercial may appeal to varying needs within individuals. One may have the need of the vehicle to do work and the commercial appeals to them that a Dodge truck is the answer. Another may feel a need to be more like the farmer in his numerous abilities and core values and beliefs.

Emotions: Emotions are elicited through both the narrative and the images within the commercial. Some of these include: patriotism, love, sympathy, empathy and faith.

Attitudes: One may have an attitude toward the value of hard work and about the importance of the things that a farmer provides. Determination and the ability to accomplish hard things may also resonate with a potential customer who views the commercial.

Consistency:If the values and actions of the farmer that are portrayed in the commercial are consistent with the viewers' current values and actions or ones that they aspire to, the commercial may have sufficient appeal to them to motivate them to buy.

9. From a "Needs" premise, which of Packard's compelling needs best relates?

I think that the one that relates the best is The Need for Reassurance of Worth. So many of us are looking for success in our jobs and professions so that we can provide for ourselves and our families. Within this, we are often seeking for that reassurance of worth that comes through this type of success. Beyond that comes the worth of the things that are outside of most of our work environments. The narrative and images of the farmer brings to light those things that are compelling to us as things of worth. Most of us relate to faith and family and the care of living things. Some feel worth in their ingenuity and their abilities to adapt and persevere. Individual needs of feeling this worth is compelling to potential buyers.

10. From an "Attitudes" premise, what values are extorted visually to resonate within the attitudes, beliefs or opinions of the audience?

There are some stark attitudes that are extorted within the commercial. Religion is definitely used to resonate with viewers as is evidenced by the image of a Christian church and the farmer standing among the church pews. The U.S. flag is also an obvious example of a symbol used to resonate. There are images of children that play on the viewers' attitudes toward family. A person's love of animals could be used here as a softer side of farming is presented. One's attitude toward an honest day's work and the value of such things may be something that would resonate with someone who watches the commercial.