Oil Help You Out

I found this ad in the back of an old National Geographic magazine. The first thing that caught my attention was the coloring, especially considering it was next to a black and white spread. The blue was very striking, and the layers of...something...caught my attention as well. And, of course, in the center of the ad was a woman in a bright yellow sweater that quietly proclaimed, "Look at me!" I think the woman's sweater served as more than an attention-grabbing piece of clothing. Yellow is usually associated with some form of happiness, and between the sweater and the little sun at the top of the tank, it gives the impression that the whole situation is a happy and helpful one. I don't exactly know what's happening with the tank, but it seems like a good exercise in science. 

The next thing I noticed were the little details included. However, these details confused me rather than clarified what was happening. In the top of the tank there's an oil tanker, and since the ad is about an oil company, that makes sense. Flying around the boat is a helicopter. What. Just...why? Tell me, oil ad! Tell me! And the man to the left on a step ladder is pouring in...something. Fish food for the little shark that is also in the tank? WHY? Well, actually, I assume it's to show how much the oil company cares about preserving the environment. Not only can the ecosystem thrive while the company is drilling, but they'll take special care to ensure that. Or maybe that man just is just confused about his job.  

Speaking of the man and the woman in the sweater, I believe the ad uses the "Plain Folks" technique. These scientists aren't wearing lab coats, they're dressed like normal people. They're normal people who just want to keep the environment safe while doing their jobs. Nothing about this ad even whispers "I'm better than you." The man on the step ladder is bald! If that isn't trying to connect to the common man, I don't know what is. And the ad isn't set in a fancy laboratory - it looks like it could just be a warehouse. Besides from the tiny flying helicopter and the tiny shark, there's nothing extraordinary about the scene being set. 

The ad appeals to one's need to satisfy curiosity. Because there's so much happening in such a small space, you almost can't look away from it. And the more you look, the more you find. And immediately under the eye-catching photo is text about the company's mission. The bottom of the ad was cut off in my picture, but it has the logo, which is a pink design with the name Statoil next to it. Their little motto is included also, which is "Always exploring, never satisfied." Because of the text, I believe the ad also appeals to one's need to feel safe. It says that the company is focused on keeping people and the environment safe, so there you go. 

Overall, I feel the ad was sort of effective. It was attention-grabbing and very detailed, but it didn't necessarily get me to believe that the oil company was focused on the safety of the environment during drilling expeditions. Even the bald man couldn't convince me of that.