Any driver will testify that they want to feel safe in their cars, motor oil and gasoline advertisers argue that each product is important to the driver while striving to accomplish the goal of making this feeling a reality. With drivers being put through more and more rigorous conditions on this nations roads and highways, how could anyone not want to feel safe in their cars? Travel by automobile has become increasingly viewed as one of the safest modes of travel. Automobile travel has continued to increase - a testament to its growing status as the leading mode of travel within the U.S. Gasoline and motor oil advertisers have sharply tuned in to this trend. The advertisers must decide on how to use the statistics to their advantage. They need to decide what types of people they want to target with their ads - the old? young? male? female? - and what values and desires this group may share. Two uniquely different targets are apparent in recent newspaper ads for Amoco Ultimate gasoline and Quaker State motor oil.

The ad for Amoco Ultimate gasoline consists of a picture of the Grand Canyon with the Amoco Ultimate sponsored race car heading right for the cliff. The main picture o

f the Grand Canyon shows the wide gaping gorge with a beautifully colored sky overhead. With dust flying behind it, the race car appears to be speeding towards the cliff. The car is painted red, white and blue. The advertisers have typed "ultimate car", with the word ultimate bold faced, in the upper left hand corner of the page with a line drawn to the car. Underneath the photo is the slogan " You expect more from a leader. And you get it."

What is the target audience for these two ads? What characteristics might someone find appealing about these ads? Clearly the Amoco Ultimate ad is aimed at the younger, faster, wreck less driver, especially the racing fan. As NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) has shown lately, the age of race car drivers has become increasingly younger. Amoco is focusing in on this fact and using it as a sales technique. My perception of the Amoco Ultimate ad is that it is targeting those drivers who tend to feel the urge to drive fast. The ad is telling them " Be free, driving fast is not only for race car drivers. Have faith that no matter how fast you drive your car; we will still keep it purring like a race car.

race cars, and showing that people who drive fast can feel safe and secure. In contrast, the

What were the advertisers choices in making this ad to portray this message? The Grand Canyon - with its auburn colored walls and crevices, its cloud cover with the purplish tint - creates a sense of comfortable, pleasant, lovely, and calm environment. Figuring out the rest of the

Some common words found in the essay are:
Amoco Ultimate, Grand Canyon, Re-Formulated Quaker, Motor Oil, Ford Taurus, Auto Racing, motor oil, race car, amoco ultimate, 3000 miles, amoco ultimate ad, protection beyond 3000, protection beyond, beyond 3000, beyond 3000 miles, ultimate ad, grand canyon, feel safe, quaker motor oil, change oil, picture grand canyon,
Approximate Word count = 1039
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)