The Target Audience for This Specific Advertisement

Bharat Pulgam

Mr. Schumacher

Composition and Grammar

3/25/16

Black. Blue. White. Gold.

Advertisements and Marketing campaigns do not always have to be product centric. Many social movements have strong marketing campaigns that can resonate with the population as a whole. The recent dilemma over a blue and gold dress attracted the attentions of millions across the globe, and the Salvation Army put a clever twist on the growing social trend by making It the center of an anti-abuse campaign. By referencing a growing trend, utilizing certain colors and providing supporting text the Salvation Army can convey a powerful message in an efficient and meaningful manner.

The target audience for this specific advertisement is heavily dependent on the types of people that would catch on to the reference it provides. The blue and black/white and gold dress dilemma was started heavily on social media and carried through the medium at an alarming speed. Anyone who was active on social media platforms would most likely be able to pick up on the metaphor posed by the advertisement. Also looking at the woman in the ad it is easy to infer that she is in her 20’s or 30’s which can be led to support that the primary demographic of interest for this particular ad is individuals in their 20’s up to their 30’s. The secondary target population could be individuals outside of the age range who are utilizing social networks but not as much as individuals within that segment. According to The National, Domestic Violence Hotline states 76% of females ages 18 to 34  are victimized by domestic abuse further supporting the claim for the intended primary demographic.

The Black and Blue Ad embodies a pop culture reference and relies on the viewers understanding of the text to make it an effective ad. This type of ad that depends on a pop culture reference is, according to Donald Gunn & Slate magazine a Parody of Borrowed Format (#12) type ad. This ad mimics the blue and black dress dilemma by placing the model in the same dress but then displaying bruises providing the viewer with enough information to infer she is a victim of domestic abuse. The text on the side is saying “why is it so hard to see black and blue?” provides a further affirmation that the media is a direct reference to the social media dilemma as in the actual blue and black image viewers found it tough to differ between the two varying colors of the dress. However in the advertisement, it is very clear although the woman is wearing a beautiful dress she is an apparent victim of abuse. The text asks the viewer why one chooses to ignore the obvious even though it is much easier to decipher than the color of the dress which puzzled so many. Given the direct reference in the imagery and supporting text this ad certainly qualifies itself as a parody of an existing pop culture trend and as a result provides an active medium of connection for the end recipient of the advertisement message.