The commercial I decided to use starts out with a German Coast Guard officer training a newcomer. It shows the instructor giving the trainee instructions and showing him how to use the different tools. Soon after the instructor leaves there is a call on the radio that says “mayday mayday we are sinking, I report we are sinking.” The German officer responds “This is the German Coast Guard, what are you sinking about?” A white screen than appears that says “want to improve your English?” And then lists a company called Berlitz.
The speaker is Berlitz English Company. The audience is people who want to learn better English. And the message is give us your service to learn how to speak better English.
Pathos- Some of the emotions that this commercial can bring out are humor, nervousness, insecurity, pity, and fear. I thought that this commercial is really funny. The fact that it is funny would help make it stick out in people’s memory. When in a position where you need an English Company you might remember Berlitz English Company because the commercial sticks out in mind. While I was watching this commercial I felt pity for both the young officer and for those sinking. I can relate to the officer thinking about the first day of work at a new job and the first time you’re “alone” without the trainer. It’s a scary experience. He comes off as unsure as to what to do so he just responds to what he thinks that the “caller” is saying to him. On the other hand you have the caller who is in a scary situation. When you call for help because you’re sinking and might die you would hope that the person that you call can understand you. Otherwise tragedy might strike. This commercial might also conjure fear into somebody with poor English. Nobody would ever want to be stuck in a situation where somebody’s life is in your hands and you can’t help them because you’re English isn’t up to par. It might make them think shoot, I better get better at English just in case I’m ever in a situation like that.
Logos- The logic behind this is to go to Berlitz and learn how to speak English better so that you will never be in a situation where you don’t understand somebody, or get made fun of. The guy in the commercial wasn’t really anything special or anyone of significance just like most of the people in the world. If this could happen to him it could happen to us too right?
Ethos- They instead of showing authority by good things that you want to be like they portrayed the opposite. The officer in the commercial instead of being confident and helpful was the opposite. Although he worked for the Coast Guard where usually you have to be pretty smart he still was lacking the things to make him in a desirable circumstance. If he as somebody who works for Coast Guard could get mixed up it could happen to many other smart people. Aka- even if you are educated and have a good job you might want to invest in bettering your English.
I think that this commercial was effective. It made me laugh, and it brought across the point well.