This advertisement argues that using Old Spice deodorant will make a man more desireable, enhancing his social life and putting him on the same plane as a model. It targets an audience of younger men interested in attracting women; the advertisement depicts a man in his late teens or early twenties engaged in a flirtatious conversative with a girl (he is, in fact, getting her number). Young men who envision themselves doing something like this are in the crosshairs of this Old Spice ad.
The goal of the advertisement is to persuade the audience (young men interested in young women) they should use Old Spice, because it will “add spice” to their lives and help them meet and date women.
The argument that he should buy it is made largely with a blend of pathos and logos. The girl tells the young man, “Well, I don’t usually date models, but okay, here’s my number.” The audience may or may not be male models, but that doesn’t matter. According to this advertisement, if you wear Old Spice you’ll be on par with one and will be assured the same success achieved by the young man in the ad. This is poor logic, however (it requires a lot of imagination to take it from an A to an A1 argument), and needs a little pathos to push it along. This comes in the form of the tag line, which is, “Add some Spice to your life.” The red background, while the trademark color of Old Spice deodorant sticks, is also the color of passion, playing into the idea of the pursuit depicted in the advertisement.
These both appeal to the emotions, and could probably net the audience (girl-crazy teenagers and twentysomethings). This renders the advertisement effective, though when one thinks about the logic behind the argument, it is a ridiculous concept.
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