Keep Good Going

If you have ever watched an Indian-American program on channels such as Crossings TV, chances are you have come across this ad for New York Life Insurance. If you have not, then I highly recommend watching it.

The advertisement tells the tale of an typical Indian family in (of course) India. The focus is mainly on the father, a policeman, who is featured as doing everything for his daughter, including helping her study by lamplight, caring for her while she's sick, and rejoicing in her successes. At the end of the commercial, the daughter is depicted as returning to her home village, now an elite IPS Officer. There her father salutes her, as she is now his superior. She then lowers his hand and returns the tribute.

I really like the story this ad tells, and how it reflects family relationships nicely. Even though it has almost nothing to do with what the company is actually trying to sell, it reflects the importance of family in  the Indian culture. This implies that the advertisers are trying to associate their brand with relationships and caring, and therefore, is narrowcasting to the South Asian community, which is known to emphasize such values.

And obviously all this is tied into pathos, the main appeal being used by the marketers within this commercial. They are trying to grab the audience's emotions, and convince them that New York Life understands why all that is depicted in the commercial is important. And that they, like the individuals in the advertisement, will uphold those traditions and values. After all, "We are a reflection of the good that comes before us."

Even the company's slogan,"Keep Good Going", though a bit vague, is effective in conveying the point that it has been trying to broadcast the entire time. It keeps with the theme of evoking emotional responses from viewers, although this message isn't as effective as any of the visuals portrayed in the advertisement.