“BMW Texting and Driving Ad” Makayle Botts

Background Information The BMW company, the artist, launched an ad campaign against texting and driving. This image was originally released in 2011. BMW recognized this growing dangerous trend and decided to create a campaign specifically aimed at parents to scare them out of engaging in this dangerous driving behavior.

What is the message of this ad? What is the time of day portrayed? What seems to stand out in the image? What is your first impression of the ad?

Message: The message of this ad is to warn drivers against texting and driving. Also, to persuade drivers to discontinue this dangerous habit.

What is the foreground and background of the ad?

Foreground: The driver who appears to be solely focused on the phone. Background: The red ball in the street.

Audience Who is the audience of this advertisement Audience Who is the audience of this advertisement? Who would be most affected by this ad?

Audience: The audience of this image is directed for those who text and drive. More specifically the audience is parents who participate in texting and driving. Parents would be most affected by this ad because of the child playing in the street.

Symbolism What does the driver, image on the phone, and ball symbolize?

Symbolizes: The driver who is texting symbolizes a careless person, parent, who isn’t paying attention to the road. The image on the phone is a figure of a child looking as if he/she is going to pick up something. The red ball makes the viewer of the ad connect the image on the phone to what is happening outside of the car in the street.

Why is this ad ironic?

Ironic: This ad is ironic because the image on the phone is supposed to represent someone texting, but the text on the phone appears to resemble an image of a child. Not only that, but the image, the child, looks as if he/she is picking something up which then makes sense as to why there is a red ball in the street.

What does the image omit?

Omit: The ad omits the actual figure of the child in order to let the reader of the ad make sense as to what is occurring in the photo, making the ad much more surreal and affective.

Appeal? What is the ethical appeal of the image? How does the ad appeal to your logic? How does the advertisement make you feel?

Appeal: Ethos: The ad is credible because BMW is the creator of the ad, and by being a well-established car company they understand the dangers of texting and driving. Logos: The ad does an excellent job at making the reader see the dangers of texting and driving by illustrating a possible death of a child. Pathos: The reader should feel a mix of anger and sympathy. Anger for the carless driver, but sympathy towards the innocent child.

Bibliography BMW. BMW Texting and Driving Ad. 29 June 2011: 2. Additional research: http://autos.aol.com/article/bmw-texting-and-driving-ads/: http://www.modernmormonmen.com/2013/04/11-reasons-to-stop-texting-while.html