The advertisement for Spalding NEVER FLAT™ is analyzed in this text. According to Samuel, a promise is an integral part of any advertisement. This idea has been true for a long time, as it was written by Johnson Samuel in the 1700s. Even back then, advertisements had a significant impact on people’s lives, prompting Samuel to write an essay about it titled “Idler No. 40: The Art of Advertising Exemplified.” Nowadays, ads can be found everywhere, from TVs and radios to the internet and magazines. These advertisements have greatly influenced society by creating artificial ‘needs’ and setting social standards for fashion, beauty, fitness, technology, lifestyle, and more.
Currently, advertisements continue to exemplify this quote by making bold promises to entice consumers to purchase promoted products. An example of such an ad is the Spalding advertisement found in the July-August 2008 edition of Hoop magazine, an official publication of the NBA (National Basketball Association). Through the use of powerful promises, a prominent NBA player, and repetitive language, this advertisement effectively captivates basketball enthusiasts and persuades them to buy and utilize the featured product.
The advertisement features Paul Pierce wearing a green jersey and headband while holding a basketball with the brand name “SPALDING” and the words “NEVER FLAT” below it. On the left side, there is a light gray steel plate with embossed words that say “NEVER FLAT™. STAYS INFLATED 10X LONGER GUARANTEED*”. Below it is a smaller plate with a darker gray color and the words “NEVER FLAT™”.
Spalding NEVER FLAT™ balls are now available in basketball, football, volleyball, and soccer. Visit spalding.com to see images of the balls. The logo and brand name, along with the subtitle “TRUE TO THE GAME™,” are displayed in white at the bottom right corner. Stuart Hirschberg, an associate professor, suggests that the ad aims to establish the product’s superiority and create a distinctive image in the minds of the audience (290). The ad boldly claims “NEVER FLAT™. STAYS INFLATED 10X LONGER. GUARANTEED*,” effectively showcasing the two factors that a product in an advertisement should possess according to Stuart: superiority and a distinctive image. While it may seem impressive, whether this claim is true or not, it offers basketball enthusiasts who subscribe to the magazine a sense of “coolness” that they desire.
The advertisement includes a small-font note at the bottom, discreetly mentioning that the ball stays inflated ten times longer than traditional balls. Large numbers in ads attract attention and imply superiority. However, this can be somewhat misleading as the ad doesn’t explicitly state which ball it refers to. Despite this detail, many viewers will overlook it and focus on the product’s superiority, which is the ad’s intention.
The ad emphasizes the product’s level of superiority and aims to create a greater appeal to viewers by writing “10X” twice the size of the other words. There are three ways through which an advertisement can persuade target consumers to buy the advertised product. These include appealing to the audience’s reason (logos) through formal logic and citation of relevant facts and objective evidence, appealing to the audience’s emotion (pathos) by invoking fear, greed, love of comfort, and desire for status, and inspiring confidence in the audience (ethos) (Hirschberg 4).
The claim made by the Spalding ad incorporates three strategies. It effectively appeals to the reasoning, emotion, and confidence of its target consumers. By using the word “guaranteed,” the ad instills a sense of assurance in its audience, making them believe that the claims being made are supported by evidence and can be considered factual. This strategy is effective because consumers always seek security when purchasing a product. Including facts and proofs in the ad helps provide viewers with the desired sense of security.
The ad fulfills the desire for status and standing out amongst others by promoting a ball that is 10 times better than other balls. This leads individuals to feel that they are also 10 times better than other people. Additionally, the statement instills confidence in the target consumers, assuring them that the product will not become flat and allowing them to use it without worry. Feeling superior to others enhances confidence in one’s actions.
Another way to instill consumer confidence and feelings of security surrounding a product is by featuring a well-known celebrity as a model in an advertisement. In this particular publication, the Spalding ball being advertised is showcased by Paul Pierce, also known as “The Truth.” When this ad was released in 2008, Pierce’s team, the Boston Celtics, emerged victorious in the NBA Finals and he was honored with the NBA Finals MVP Award (Zillgitt). With such a remarkable achievement under his belt, Pierce is the ideal choice to be featured in this advertisement.
This method is frequently employed in advertisements where they feature a person (or people), often a well-known figure, endorsing the product to validate its claims. By doing so, it instills trust in the product (Spalding) among the target consumers (basketball enthusiasts) because the “idol” (Paul Pierce) also places trust in the product. This technique is referred to as “testimonials”. Utilizing testimonials proves to be a “powerful tactic for engaging and captivating the audience”, and for “establishing the brand’s identity and connection with the audience” (McNamara).
The advertisement uses a celebrity, Paul Pierce, who is a basketball player representing a basketball equipment brand. This choice of celebrity enhances the ad’s impact and captures the attention of the target consumers. Additionally, the ad employs a technique where Pierce appears to make direct eye contact with the viewers, creating an illusion of interaction and engaging them despite his static position.
This ad aims to elicit a stronger reaction from its intended audience than an ad showcasing a celebrity who is not endorsing the product. A key element of this ad is the repetition, which ensures that the brand or product remains highly noticeable in the minds of consumers. The advertisement uses repeated words to familiarize consumers with the newly introduced product or brand.
Spalding utilizes a technology known as the “Spalding NEVER FLAT™” which is the “first ever ball with Pressure Retention Technologies and is the only ball guaranteed to stay fully inflated for at least 1 year” (Spalding). This NEVER FLAT™ technology was introduced in 2006, making it relatively new to the public at the time of the ad’s publication in 2008. To introduce and familiarize the brand to basketball enthusiasts subscribed to the magazine, the ad employs repeated use of key phrases such as “Spalding” and “Never Flat”.
The phrase “Never Flat” is repeated eight times in total, while “Spalding” is repeated six times. This repetition serves to make viewers familiar with the brand. Additionally, repetition is used to emphasize the feature or quality of a brand. In this advertisement, the phrases “10 times longer” and “guaranteed” are repeated at least twice to convey to consumers that the product will stay inflated “ten times longer” than traditional balls, as guaranteed.
Excessive repetition of words in advertising can lead to “consumer fatigue,” where target customers become tired of the ad and do not want to continue reading or watching it. To prevent this, repetition must be done in the right proportion, according to Magloff. The effectiveness of repetition varies among different target customers. Some may find the ad too repetitive, while others may perceive it as just right. This ad effectively captures the interest of its target consumers by using impressive claims and repeated words, enticing them to give the product a try.
However, the ad utilizes one more element to enhance its effectiveness – the font. The phrase “NEVER FLAT” is always displayed in capital letters, emphasizing the brand’s unique feature. Additionally, the word “10X” is written in a larger font to enhance visibility and highlight its superiority. Lastly, the footnote at the bottom is written in a very small font, almost invisible, with the intention of concealing any weaknesses.
The use of small fonts is also applied to less important words or elements, such as contacts, legal rights, credits, disclaimers, or the signature of the advertising company. Its purpose is to draw customers’ attention to the actual product being advertised. This technique can be observed on the far left side of the ad, where the legal rights are positioned. Due to their small size and color similarity with the background, they are difficult to notice. Additionally, if the magazine is not stretched, they are often covered by the previous page.
Advertisements strive to swiftly capture the interest of their intended audience and trigger an instant response. These ads are crafted to seize someone’s attention within a quick glance. Typically, viewers allocate only a few seconds to peruse an ad, thus it is crucial for advertisements to capitalize on this limited time frame. The Spalding NEVER FLAT™ advertisement demonstrates this skillfully through its captivating, concise, and visually attractive image that is difficult to overlook. It confidently presents a commitment to exceptional quality and distinctiveness that resonates with its target customers.
The ad uses a well-known and trusted personality to capture the attention of its target audience, potentially comprised of Pierce’s supporters or fans. It also employs techniques and strategies to effectively showcase the brand and its impressive features. However, whether or not the viewer succumbs to the ad’s enticing power ultimately lies in their own hands.
Works Cited
- Hirschberg, Stuart. “Rhetoric and Persuasion”. Arguing Across the Disciplines: A Rhetoric and Reader. Eds. Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 3-5. Print.
- Hirschberg, Stuart. “The Rhetoric of Advertising”. Arguing Across the Disciplines: A Rhetoric and Reader. Eds. Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg. New York: Pearson Longman, 2007. 290-294. Print.
- Lynch, Frank. “Brief Biography”. The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. Magloff, Lisa. “Repetition as an Advertisement Technique”. Chron. Texas: Houston Chronicles, n. p. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.
- McNamara, Steven Lorin. “Advertising Technique: Testimonials”. AdCracker: The World’s Favorite Digital Creative Partner. N. p. , n. d. Web. 29 Sept. 2012.
- Samuel, Johnson. “Idler 040 [No. 40: The art of advertising exemplified]”. Read Book Online. Web. 26 Sept. 2012.
- Spalding. Spalding. com. Russell Brands, LLC, n. p. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.
- Spalding: True to the Game™. Advertisement. Hoop. July-Aug. 2008. Zillgitt, Jeff. “Pierce Takes Home NBA Finals MVP Award”. USA Today. N. p. , June 18 2008. Web. 27 Sept. 2012.
