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Critically Analyze in Context the Advertisements of the Cultural History.

The advertisement is of a 1926 Chrysler Imperial Roadster from Chrysler Motors. The first noticeable detail in the advertisement is the image of the Chrysler, then the headlines at the bottom of the page and finally the writing in the middle. This essay shows the analysis of the advertisement in the cultural historical context taking into consideration the formal elements used.

Formal elements addressed in the advertisement are layout, lighting, focal point and tone (Lancey 110). The layout refers to the organization of the content of the advertisement. In this advertisement, the picture of the Chrysler Imperial Roadster is at the top of the advertisement, the content writing is in the middle of the advertisement and the headlines are at the bottom of the page. This composition is not very creative and does not endear the reader to the advertisement. Tone is grayscale as the advertisement is done in shades of black ranging from black to white. As the car is from the early 20th century, use of colors was not popular and most drawings and pictures were done in black and white. The use of this tone enables the reader to picture the car in its original setting. The main focal point of the advertisement is the Chrysler as it is the most prominent feature in the advertisement. Lighting has been used to show the shadows and direction of the light. It is especially expressed under the car where it is darker to show the car’s shadow.

The target audience of the advertisement is those who appreciate the value of the old fashioned car. These are mostly those who are from the high middle class and above as they can be able to afford the car. It uses the values held close by those who know about the Chrysler and appeals to them. For example, the message says the car offers the smooth and sparkling performance that is typical to Chrysler engineering. In addition, it describes the shape of the car in order to further evoke a desire for the car in the viewer. It says the sloping silhouette and the curve of the bar-relief modeling which sweeps with graceful flourish across the lower section of the body. These are described as the new features that are different from other Chryslers. Narration is used to bring this information to the reader’s notice. This style was popular and common in advertising during the olden days compared to the recent days where advertisements are more clear and concise and there is minimal writing. There is no time for reading such a block of text in something so unimportant as an automobile advertisement today, where as decades ago, it was perceived to be more worth one’s time to read the fine print (Woodford 1).

There are differences in the font size of the writings in the advertisement. The headline at the bottom of the page is large and solid while that below the car is also large but more stylish. The content in the middle of the advertisement has very small font and the reader has to be close to the advertisement in order to read it. This has less impact on the first impression of the reader as it is noticeable. In addition, it might cause the reader to be disinterested in the advert. The placement of the headlines is optimal because the reader will be able to see the rest of the content in the middle before they get to the headline and therefore cannot completely ignore the text in the middle of the page.

The picture used in the advertisement draws the reader to the advertisement as it is the focal point. It correlates with the headings as they are written in a stylish font and relay the same message of the car being ultra fashionable. The formal elements used in the picture are line, color, shape and space. Line is used in the drawing of the car and the trees to bring out their shapes. Line has also been used to show the horizon and the sky line. The color used is grayscale which incorporates black and white to bring the feeling of the olden days. The use of space in the picture is seen with the car being in the foreground while the tree is in the background. This shows that the car is the focal point. The picture is framed off from the rest of the advertisement with the car taking most of the frame to show its importance to the advertisement.

The subject of the advertisement is the Chrysler and its purpose is to draw people to buy the car. However, while one can easily see the kind of car being advertised, they are not able to read the specific details as the text is too small. The reader has to move closer in order to see the finer details and even the price. Picking key points from the advertisement such as the price and performance and using them instead of the small print would make it more endearing to readers and attract more interest.

Works Cited

Lancey, Nick. “Image and Representation: Key Concepts in Media Studies.” New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 1998. Print.

Woodford, Mark. “Rhetorical Analysis of 1971 Jeep Commando Advertisement.” Yahoo Voices, 10 April, 2007. Web. 8 October 2012. http://voices.yahoo.com/rhetorical-analysis-1971-jeep-commando-advertisement-283016.html