Consumersearch.com created an ad to promote the use of their product research website before buying. There is no direct profit from consumers using the website; the website receives commissions for advertizing space on the website.
The target audience for this ad is middle-class suburban males, most likely college graduates whom are buying new homes. This ad is towards consumers who have some level of disposable income in order to desire expensive goods. The target audience must be pressed for money to need to research for the cheapest product. New homeowners typically do not have the ability to spend money on a whim.
A man is sitting on a couch eating popcorn in a dark room. Patterned wallpaper behind the man is illuminated from the glow of something in front of him. The man’s eyes are focusing on a wide image and are looking in opposite directions. There is another person in the room holding a sign above the man’s head that says, “Guess who bought a television way too big for his room?” The sign has an arrow that points to the man on the couch. The bottom of the ad reads: “why regret what you buy when you can love what you buy. Research your next purchase at ConsumerSearch.com.”
The ad implies the purchaser does not like the T.V. he bought. The man did not use the product research website that is being advertized. The man is foolish for purchasing a television that is too big for his room and not researching the product. The arrow on the sign singles out the man’s bashful actions as a warning to others. The wallpaper behind the man signifies that he has moved into his own residence.
The value of moderation is presented by the advertisement. The man purchased a television that was too large for his room. He could have saved money by researching the products and purchasing a more appropriate television.
Consumersearch uses the persuasion technique of name calling. The arrow above the man is similar to one used by an “I’m with Stupid” indication. The ad implies that the man is stupid for purchasing a television without researching it. Consumersearch uses fear to encourage the use of their website. The fear of purchasing an unsatisfactory product promotes the use of consumersearch.com. The ad underlines a simple solution to a complex problem. The Consumersearch website compares specifications of similar products. However, one cannot make the decision to purchase a product exclusively on specifications. The decision on how large of a television to purchase for a room is completely arbitrary. Everyone will have a different opinion on what constitutes the perfect television. One cannot determine with certainty the perfect sized television to buy by simply using consumersearch.com.