Green Ads Analysis

Toyota Prius Commercial

Recently, people are becoming aware of commercials judging them, forming positive and negative opinions about the product being advertised. This is the case for Toyota, and its latest marking campaign for the Prius Hybrid. This analysis will critique the advertisement of the Toyota Prius commercial. Raising awareness of persuasive techniques in their advertisement to further their green message of “Moving Forward”.

The Prius is a full-hybrid electric mid-size car. This unique car first went on sale in Japan of 1997 as the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. Similar to the actual car, Toyota Prius commercials are unlike any others. They present an interesting viewpoint that raises questions, typical ads do not attempt to consider.

Toyota’s logo is a symbol, a symbol representing expanding technology, advancement, and opportunities of the future. The theme of this commercial is “Moving Forward”. This campaign embodies each aspect Toyota supports. Which is advancement in lifestyle, technology that creates eco-friendly opportunities for earth.

This commercial was designed to target people, but it does much more than that. This commercial, aims at car consumers nationwide as it raises assumptions of global improvement, self-awareness, race and class. This commercial creates an atmosphere that inimiatlly gains your attention with the serious (tone) or voice of the narrator. His tone remains the same as he calmly appeals towards the logic of viewers. A logically assumption is present. This assumption questions transportation, and whether it has evolved or not. Thirty seconds into the clip the mood begins to shift from serious to light-hearted. Signals of this change is indicated from the increasing musical pitch and the image of the Toyota Prius weaving in and out of lanes, swiftly moving forward past the competition. The Prius is advertised as the answer to environmental improvement.

All major forms of ground transportation are evident in this commercial this includes walking, bicycles, motorcycles and trains. To understand the images in this ad you need to look beyond the regular people, cars, and cities. Gather all of those factors and think of the environmental cause each have. The people in this commercial appear to be all nationalities. Marking towards all races and classes. The people appear to be moving, but not going anywhere. Here is where the “Moving Forward” theme is happening. Which can mean a lack of advancement, similar to the car industry and the development of the world. The vehicles much be taken into context. They are shown in the most harmful manner. They appear at the beginning of the commercial stuck in traffic, but if you look closely you will see tires moving in a forward direction, symbolizing “Moving Forward”.

“One small step on the accelerator,equals, one giant leap for mankind”. The use of words is essential to this ad. The words can get easily overlooked due to the dominating images. Towards the end of this campaign is where the Toyota Prius is actually described. Giving us the perception that the Prius can change the world by reducing carbon emissions, being gas electric, all elements to moving forward. After watching this commercial I still wonder, is this car really eco-friendly? Are we improving the earth by purchasing the Toyota Prius? These are the type of question the commercial assume to answer, but never really do. Despite, the creative effort of Toyota, wouldn’t the best way of moving forward consist of walking in order to completely reduce carbon emissions from cars?