Jerome Singer Origami Analysis

Emotionally Bound

In today’s media advertisers are always trying to connect to the viewer as much as possible. In Extra’s “Origami” commercial the advertiser certainly connects to the viewer by pulling on their heartstrings. They also try to make the viewer feel as if they are in or how it would be like to be in the position of the characters in the commercial. The advertiser uses emotional settings that many people can imagine happening to make the viewer think about what they would do or what it would be like, as well as get a physical reaction from the viewer. With this in mind the two-factor theory, proposed by Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer, is what occurs with the viewer throughout the commercial. According to this theory, our emotions are created by our physical reactions combined with our cognitive

thoughts (p.399).

Throughout the commercial, the viewer may have physical reactions such as tearing up or getting the chills just by imagining being in the fathers’ or daughters’ position. However, the advertiser isn’t trying to elicit only one emotion from the viewer, but many emotions to have a greater effect.

As the commercial goes along, the actors portray a variety of faces leading the believer to feel a certain way. This is the best way to pull emotions from a viewer’s point of view because all around the world people use the same facial expressions (p.411). Therefore during the commercial the viewer has the opportunity to connect with the characters through their facial expressions. As the daughter grows up the viewer can feel nothing but happiness as she is smiling or is cheered up after her father gives her a swan he made from the gum wrapper. According to the spillover effect, the viewer feels happy because they are catching the happy emotion from the daughter (399). With this in mind the smiles from the daughter would create a physical reaction and pleasant thoughts from the

viewer about the events taking place. However, after realizing how content the daughter is in her father’s presence, the viewer starts to see the battle the father is fighting with his daughter growing up. As the viewer begins to connect with the father emotions begin to change. The father realizes his daughter is growing up and growing apart from him which the viewer can imagine because they have gone through that situation or can imagine going through it in the future. However, there is a sense of hope between both characters when the father spills the shoebox full of swans and the father and daughter come together and hug. The advertiser creates this moment because they want the viewer to crave this moment and it works because the viewer wants the love behind the moment. As this is happening the viewer could experience a joyful and tearful experience. However, that is all a part of the two-factor theory, thinking about the situation as well as having a having the tearful bodily arousal. With all of the emotions connecting, it’s hard for the viewer not to get emotional and feel what the two in the commercial are feeling.
The advertiser does bring out emotion from the viewer, which makes the viewer want the product because they want the feeling behind the product. The viewer can feel the love behind the product and think that the product will bring that to them. With all of the emotions put together throughout the commercial gives the viewer physical feedback and creates thoughts the viewer has to process. This is the strongest because as the viewer thinks about the bond between the characters, they also believe they form a bond with the characters. When this occurs they are more likely to buy the product because they feel connected with the characters advertising the product.