Blog post for 8/31

So of course as I'm looking up ads to analyze for this blog post, I came across the show Mad Men's ads. After all, the show is known for being about ad executives from Madison Avenue. As I looked at the ad for this renowned TV show, I could easily point out the ethos, logos, and pathos present in the picture.

Just looking at the colors in the ad gives you the sense that the show has a dark side to it because of the grey, black, and red. The two lines at the top of the ad help to establish the ethos, or credibility, of the show. Notice how The Sopranos is written in red just like the word mad in Mad Men. One could infer that Mad Men may have some gory scenes like the ones found in The Sopranos. One could also infer that if you like The Sopranos then you will like Man Men because the same person wrote and produced the two shows. The creator of this ad is obviously trying to make a connection between the two shows.

The logos present in this article is stated right under the show’s title. “Where the truth lies” is a strong statement for this ad. It is written relatively small compared to the title’s size, but I believe that was done on purpose to emphasize how difficult it is to find the truth in ordinary people’s lives. I think the masculinity of this ad and the statement it gives attracts and convinces the audience to watch Mad Men. There isn’t much to it because it is straight forward.

Establishing an intimate connection is not the intention of this ad. Notice that the man in the ad is not facing forward, however he seems very relaxed. The cigarette in his hand and the word men are colored white. This coincidence suggests that the time period may be the 1960’s. Racism was rampant throughout this decade. White men were supreme, which is probably why the creator of this ad chose the color white for men. Perhaps the creator wanted to create a connection, or establish pathos, with people who lived during the 1960’s. The man in the suit on the ad could be appealing to potential viewers who are businessmen.

This is where kairos comes into play. In our modern world, it is easy to forget about the past and to keep seeking the future. This ad is refreshing because it does take you back to the simplicity of the 60’s but is relatable in the sense that there were “mad men” decades ago and there are “mad men” today.