Advertisements - The F-150 SuperCrew Pickup

The target audience throughout the 129-year history of Popular Science magazine has traditionally been working age males. The advertisements within the magazine reflect the audience in whom they are attempting to reach. From new technological gadgets to old-fashioned tools, the advertisers know what will be attractive to the reader, and to the reader’s wallet. Of these advertisers, the most popular by far have been those from the automotive industry. The Ford Motor Company has chosen to strategically advertise within the pages of this magazine on numerous occasions and with various ads that were meant to lure new customers into buying Ford vehicles. It is interesting to notice that the styles of these advertisements are schemed with just the right qualities to attract as many male consumers as possible.

The January, 2001 issue of Popular Science depicts a classic, two-page advertisement from the Ford Motor Company displaying its new F-150 SuperCrew pickup truck. From the colors of the ad, to the write-up found on the pages, it is very clear that the purpose was to attract males by using some of advertising’s basic appeals.

The advertisement appeals to men by providing an outlet for their need for affiliation, the need to aggress, and the need to dominate.

One of the most common appeals toward men in advertising is concerning the need for affiliation among men. This advertisement depicts a photograph of six hard-working men performing various duties – all around a brand new Ford truck. Above this photograph is another picturing six empty styrofoam cups of coffee. These subtle innuendoes are intended to support one of the major themes of the ad – that this particular truck provides seating for six. The way the cups are pictured, lying atop of one another supports the idea that many men hold that friendship and comradeship is greatly important to the success of their lives. Another detail supporting this idea is the fact that the men in the picture are dressed primarily the same. They all wear dark jeans, dark work shoes, and white tee shirts. This gives an impression of uniformity, and of the need for affiliation with friends and co-workers. The advertisement inconspicuously displays a sense of belonging – if the reader decides to buy a new Ford truck!

The need to aggress is depicted by quite a few aspects of this ad. First of all, the strong lettering at the tops of both pages of this advertisement depict a sort of cynicism toward mainstream thinking – a sort of “go against the flow” mentality.