Bigfoot And The Jerry Springer Show example essay topic

818 words
Camel Advertisements It's no big secret, the producers of the Jerry Springer talk show knew exactly what would happen when they put the Ku Klux Klan and the Black Panther Party on the same stage. The two groups started fighting and much of the nation tuned in to watch it. In the same manner, Camel Cigarettes Company released an advertisement that parodied that kind of TV program. The advertisement, titled "Bizarre Bigfoot Love Triangle", shows the kind of scene that would be typical in a Jerry Springer episode. The characters consist of Bigfoot in the middle, two women fighting with bouncers attempting to hold them back, a host who pretends to look confused, and a cheering audience. "viewer discretion advised" label that is put on Camel advertisements. This is also a parody in itself of the new rating system that has evolved for TV, movies, and music recently.

One of the abbreviations listed is BR which stands for "Big Ratings", another comment that applies to Jerry Springer. Anybody who has seen "Jerry Springer" knows the true reaction of most of the audience. Many people think that the show is funny, outrageous, and sometimes obscene. Sometimes, it is even considered comical, and that is what this ad is doing; it is appealing to people who are familiar with Jerry Springer and his show. When people see this ad they immediately think about the show, and that is what makes it work. It has little to do with the cigarettes; and except for the fact that Sasquatch is smoking one, there is no relation between the Jerry Springer show and the experience of smoking Camel cigarettes.

There just isn't a correlation. One thing it could be implying, however, is that if one smokes Camel cigarettes, that person will have scantily clad women fighting over him. As for the target audience, it is directed primarily at men who like to watch or see stuff like the Jerry Springer show. In reality, this includes the age group that are younger than 18. In fact, this age group is indeed a big part of the target audience whether or not cigarette companies would like to admit. Many teens like Springer's show and since this ad is similar to that, it causes the reader to be amused.

In a way, this amusement causes the reader to not think about all the negative aspects of smoking. Yes, there is a warning from the Surgeon General, but most people read it and don't think about what it is really trying to say. People don't think about what it would be like to have lung cancer, or emphysema, or heart disease. They see Bigfoot and the Jerry Springer Show, and they laugh. Another ad that Camel put out works similar to this one. The ad takes place in a jungle and it shows two men in a boiling pot of water being massages and caressed by two women.

One of the men looks like he is enjoying it quite thoroughly, but the other man has a look of suspicion on his face. In the background there are three more women who are either chopping up carrots or dumping vegetables into the pot. Closer inspection shows that the men are really the main ingredients in a stew that these cannibal women are about to enjoy. In reality, the thought of cannibalism is disgusting and forbidden. However, Camel cleverly disguises the true affect and makes it seem enjoyable. The women in the picture have smiles on their faces and so does one of the men; of course this is because he is not aware of his situation.

Really, this ad is like the other one, it is humorous and it has some tempting aspects. Both sexes can appeal to the situation of the characters. Women who like to control would love this because these women are in control over these men. Men who like women would love this because these women are caressing them and they are in a hot tub.

This is a very strange ad. Just the fact that this is so improbable and disgusting makes it strange. On top of that, this ad has nothing to do with cigarette smoking, again. The reader gets no indication of what smoking their cigarettes is like. On a last point, one of the women in the back seems to be looking straight at the reader. The look she gives makes it seem as if she is telling the reader that they are next.

Clearly, Camel is using this strange and humorous situation of "man stew" and is making it seem as if smoking is as fun as cooking people.