iPad Promotional Video - Media Meditation #4

INTRODUCTION:

Apple’s iPad was recently released early this month. Upon returning from a trip to MD, I came back to school to find that my roommate went to the Apple store on the release date and bought him self the most basic model for just $499. Now, I can see the appeal, and apple does a damn good job of convincing the people paying attention that there newest device truly is a valuable piece of equipment. After watching the 8 minute promotional video, I’ve concluded that the iPad may actually be as kick ass as Apple is billing it to be.



TRIUNE BRAIN:

Neocortex: they lead off the video with an interesting quote, "When something exceeds your ability to understand how it works, it sort of becomes magical. And that's what the iPad is." At first what I took this to mean was, “This is a very complicated piece of technology.” Then I thought about it further and concluded that the statement really means nothing at all. They want this statement to hit you in the limbic brain, because at first glance it’s a convince bit of poetry that helps the buyer in vision the magnitude of how powerful the machine must be, and must the people who built it be. But in the end, the statement just says, because you can’t possibly understand how this thing works, it must be “magical.” Why on earth would Apple start a promo add with a statement as meaningless as this? I’m perturbed.

MEDIA CONVERGANCE:

I watched the promotional add on YouTube, which remains a library of promotional videos and other advertisements.
Engadget.com (a technology/gadgets blog) posted about the iPad announcement and from there the info wound up in my RRS reader, Newsfire.

EIGHT SHIFTS:

Technological shift- This is Apples most recent technological development.

Aesthetic shift- the iPad brings together hundreds of computing applications to run smoothly in one compact device.

SEVEN PRINCIPLES:

Individual meaning- the promoters made sure to include descriptions of many different uses of the iPad. From browsing the web to editing video with professional programs, the iPad is fully capable.

PERSUATION TOOLS:

Hyperbole- “iPad is the best way to browse the web.” These exaggerations continue throughout the promo.

Repetition- they repeat throughout the video that they’re product is the “best web browser,” and it provides, “The best way to view your photos.” Claiming you’re the best at something is almost always an exaggeration.

Plain folks- I’m not sure if this is classified as a “plain folks” persuasion technique, but I’m sure this statement would appeal to most plain folks. During the video, a promoter says, “I don’t have to change myself to fit the product, it fits me.” People often don’t want to have to relearn how to use basic computing applications when they update their hardware, this statement appeals to those people.

THESIS:

The iPad is a very powerful and complicated computing device that has the ability to appeal to a vast percentage of consumers. But don’t fall for the advertisements, go to the store and find out for yourself what use the iPad may be to you.