The Deaf Connect with Manly Men

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Derrick Coleman is a deaf NFL superstar. The NFL created a commercial to celebrate his life and to show people with a hearing disability that they can still follow their dreams. The commercial shows Coleman as a child when the other children would make fun of him because he had hearing aids. By the end of the commercial, viewers see Coleman in his number 40 Seattle Seahawks jersey, letting hearing impaired kids know that they can do anything “normal” kids can do. This commercial connects with people with a hearing disability and NFL fanatics by making viewers feel sympathy, the mans man, and by sharing a success story.
The first way that the Derrick Coleman commercial connects with the audience is by making them feel sympathy for Coleman. At first you see a young African-American boy with hearing aids in both ears. Then you hear the other kids start to tease him and pick him last for all of the games. This helps to connect to the audience because every person can relate to sadness. Hearing disabled people know first-hand what it is liked to be looked at differently and to feel singled out, all because they are just a little bit different than others. Disabled viewers can also connect to him being left out. Hearing disabled fans and NFL fans can remember a time when they were a child when they were either picked last or told they were not allowed to play. Coleman used this to motivate himself to work even harder because he knew that he was a great athlete and he wanted others to know as well. Lastly, most people just enjoy a good sad story. The sad music played throughout the commercial helps to let people know how Coleman felt and sets the mood for the entire commercial.
The second way that the Derrick Coleman commercial connec...

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...ing from the child picked last to an NFL player with an abundance of money and living his dream.
Derrick Coleman began the commercial a young, deaf African-American boy who was constantly made fun of and picked last for everything. At the end he was wearing his Seattle Seahawks jersey and making great money. The commercial takes viewers on an emotional roller coaster by starting out sad and ends by leaving the audience with great joy. The commercial connects with the audience by using emotion, the man’s man, and by sharing a success story.

Works Cited

Craig, Steve. “Mens Men and Womens Women” Signs of Life in the USA. Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon. Seventh Edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 187-98. Print.
“Derrick Coleman, Deaf NFL player.” Youtube. 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Jan. 2014.

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