Ad Critique Reaching for a Broader Market
The color ad chosen from People Magazine advertises Thai Airways Southeast Asia Silk Express, the "fastest service from New York to Bangkok." The headline reads, "Less time flying, More time exploring Asia." What catches the attention is the very strange, actually laughable, juxtaposition between the photograph of the ancient spires of what appears to be the Grand Palace on the left frame and an attractive Caucasian woman with her palms pressed together in Asian form and a gold headdress on the right. Whether or not the marketing department wanted this to appear straight or humorous, it draws the viewer. There is very little white space, with the photographs and copy covering most of the page. The signature THAI: Smooth as silk, runs at the end of the page. The 30-year-old People magazine claims 9.8 readers for every issue printed. Circulation is over 3,600,000, and readership is 66 percent female and 34 percent male, with a median age of 40.8 years and a median household income of nearly $62,000. The woman and man pictured in the ad are in their late 20s, early 30s, which is in the age demographic. The woman, with her perfect makeup and oriental dress looks very fashionable.
Most probably, People charges a great deal for a full-page ad. This is the special double issue of "50 Most Beautiful," so there is increased readership and most likely higher ad costs. There are two other ads for an upscale audience, Carnival Cruises and Buick Lacrosse, but the rest of them are the standard "female-oriented" for toiletries, perfume and cell phones. Perhaps that answers the question as to why People and not a broader publication: That this ad is directed to the young woman reader who will be making the decisions for her and her partner (she has no ring on her finger) of where to go on the next trip and just may be enticed to go to Thailand. The advertisement connects with the reader in both emotional and rational ways. The emotional is, as noted above, due to the response to the attractive Caucasian woman. Despite her bizarre look, she draws the reader with her calm appearance and alluring smile. Overall the ad is warm and inviting. All the gold in the spires and the woman's headdress also add to this positive feeling. The composition attracts one in as well. At the same time, the advertisement is rational, since it is saying, "here is a way to save flying time for more exploring." Since the airl
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Approximate Word count = 827
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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