TOW #13: Visualization: Volvo Truck Commercial

    As part of the audience, my jaw dropped as my first reaction to this commercial. I was not sure what to expect from the image that appears before pressing play, for all I was able to see was a man wearing a denim jacket, black gloves, and a straight face. Behind him obviously there were two trucks of some sort, turning out to be Volvo, but I thought the trucks may have just been a part of the background scene. His calm yet empowering accented voice grabbed my attention as well, and really drew me in to the commercial. After he had my attention, the camera zoomed out. I realized the man was going to complete a full split up in the air, with each foot balancing on a different truck. While watching this commercial, I wondered what it was for. Turns out, Volvo used this man for a stability test. "This test was set up to demonstrate the stability and precision of Volvo Dynamic Steering". Therefore, Volvo's purpose of showing the most "epic of splits" was to prove the stableness of a Volvo truck. By appealing to the audiences emotions, Volvo was able to achieve its purpose. Audience members may feel shocked or surprised or impressed while watching the commercial. It immediately draws their attention and keeps their eyes on the screen. While watching in awe, the line about the stability of volvo appears on the screen. Volvo provides the direct message their trying to send, while giving the audience something to enjoy. By appealing to the audiences emotions, Volvo is able to demonstrate the stability and precision of Volvo Dynamic Steering. The audience may be anyone of any age watching TV, and as an audience member, I believe that Volvo did achieve its purpose. I along with my family were certainly impressed!