The Chase

 As the previous explanation states the advert explicitly demonstrates the benefits of Intel Core i5 processor. It shows ease and availability in using multiple applications at once; allowing the consumer to multi-task. Through Goldenberg et al’s (1999) “Interactive experiment template” it is explained how the consumer becomes aware of the benefits by interacting with the advert.

However it appears that this explanation lacks analysis of how the advert portrays a relatively “boring” product as one of excitement. The benefits of the product are emphasized through telling a story. The advert tells a story of a chase, in which each scene is cleverly portrayed by a different computer application. Pennington (1992) found that jurors were more likely to have a verdict if the case was described in a story format, rather than as a list of facts. For this reason the story telling technique implies that the exposure to the variety of applications available, and speed to which they can interchange will appear more effective to the consumer, as it has been portrayed in a story format.  

Could the gold envelope be a representative of the Intel Core i5 processor?

 YES! Two persuasive mechanisms are used within the chase story. The rule of scarcity states that when objects are rare and in high demand they appear more attractive. For example Worchel et al (1975) found that when participants saw cookies in scarce supply, they were rated as more valuable and delicious, than if there was an abundant supply. The advert shows the gold envelope as an object of scarcity; the “chasers” seem to perceive the envelope as something of very high value, due to the determined efforts they are making to get it. It appears the woman being chased is the only person that has a gold envelope, emphasizing rarity; increasing the chasers desire for the object. 

In conjunction with this, at the start of the advert the men are not as resolute to get the gold envelope as they are at the end of the advert. Throughout the story a lot of obstacles arise that the chasers have to overcome. The more they go through to get the object, the more the object is perceived as one of value; resulting in an increase in determination and desire. This is a technique called effort justification, shown by Mills (1967). Participants that endured severe initiation rituals into a society reported more enjoyment at a society conference, than those that did not experience any rituals; this emphasizes how attitudes can change due to the mere experience of effort.

Both scarcity and effort justification induced the two chasers to fight for the object more than if these mechanisms were not present; to the viewer this enhances the perceived value and desire for the gold envelop; which is transferable to the product

References

Goldenberg, J., Mazursky, D., & Solomon, S. (1999). The fundamental templates of quality ads. Marketing Science, 18(3), 333-351.

Mills, J., & Jellison, J. M. (1967). Effect on opinion change of how desirable the communication is to the audience the communicator addressed. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 6(1), 98.

Pennington, N., & Hastie, R. (1992). Explaining the evidence: Tests of the Story Model for juror decision making. Journal of personality and social psychology,62(2), 189.

Worchel, S., Lee, J., & Adewole, A. (1975). Effects of supply and demand on ratings of object value. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32(5), 906.

Katie Mullord