The Guidance of a Smart and Sassy Baby

Thesis:

Using E-Trade to manage your investments is so fun and easy, even a baby can do it!

Triune Brain:

Neocortex – The neocortex is being activated throughout this video to process the dialogue as well as the writing on the screen.

Limbic – The limbic brain is activated throughout this video to process the baby singing as well as the brief musical interlude at the end.

Limbic – The limbic brain is also activated when you see the baby talk and be humorous because it triggers the emotional brain and it just makes you happy inside.

Trends:

Technological shift from analog to digital because you can access this video on YouTube from many different places like your computer, smartphone, iPad, etc.

Personal shift from mass to participatory because you are able to interact with the video on YouTube by rewinding, pausing, or fast-forwarding.

Cultural shift from private to surveillance because once the video is YouTube, the viewers are able to be tracked and logged.

Facts:

• Riding the dog results in a time out

• On E-Trade you can check your investment portfolio and research stocks

• E-Trade allows investments to be unleashed

• There is an e-trade ap for smartphones

• Babies can apparently speak in full coherent sentences while making their own investments

7 Principles:

Emotional transfer – You feel really happy and smiley throughout the entire video because there is a baby to make it cute and funny.

Production techniques – The simplistic filming of the E-Trade commercials is a clear production technique because it represents the fact that it is supposed to be documenting the life of a baby. There is also no real change in lighting or camera angles which make it feel like the baby turned on the camera himself and is complaining to it rather than it seeming like a commercial.

Ownership – It is relatively clear that this is an E-Trade advertisement, but you are more focused on the funny talking baby making witty comments rather than the owner of the commercial until the very end when the large logo appears on the screen and an unknown man recites the slogan.

Persuasive Techniques:

Humor is clearly used in this commercial because seriously, what is funnier than a cute talking baby with an attitude?

Warm fuzzies is obviously a big part of this commercial since they use a cute baby as their spokesperson.

Symbols are also seen in this commercial with the E-Trade logo at the end of the video.

There is also one big lie in this video…babies don’t talk or make investments (at least not very thoughtful ones).

*Videos taken from YouTube and photos taken from Google images*