Video Analysis: Chevy Runs Deep

In the “Chevy Runs Deep” commercial, I would consider the central message to be that Chevy is a reliable and long-lasting company which manufactures a dependable line of vehicles. Though the truck in the video is old, it seems to have remained reliable, as it was used often by a man and then by his son. Due to the element of family memories in this video, my position as an audience member is sympathetic, simply due to witnessing a similar situation. My father has had the same old Chevy for over twenty-five years, yet he holds on to it because it still runs great and is full of wonderful memories. However, I believe that the creator of this video is trying to reach a neutral audience who may not yet have a firm opinion about Chevy or their products. It

appears that the author is trying to use the aspect of family to prove that Chevy manufactures a genuine product. This is apparent in the scene where the man is looking at an old photo of himself, his father, and the truck. He then glances up at the rear-view mirror to see his own son looking at him.

Shortly after, the man is shown writing a check to make the old truck reliable again, perhaps so he can pass it down to his son as well. Clearly, the appeal being used in the commercial is pathos, because it uses a great deal of emotion to drive viewers to feel a certain way. This is notable when the owner of the truck decides to have the truck fixed. In spite of what the mechanic said about its worth, the man knows the truck is dependable and that the memories tied to the truck are worth the cost. Despite the authors' decision to use the aspect of family as an attempt to connect the audience, while trying to convince them into thinking that Chevy and its products are great, I did not find the commercial persuasive at all. Though the author was successful at making the commercial emotionally touching, it did not represent the actual product well, as I felt the commercial was too focused on family. Personally, I would keep the element of family intact because it is relatable to most people, but I would primarily focus on the dependability of the truck. The clip merely shows a truck being worked on, but for what reason, the viewers do not

know. It is easy to presume that it just broke down, thus making the truck seem old and unstable. I imagine it would have been more effective to have shown a truck with a smashed front bumper being worked on, in hopes to illustrate that the truck has always been reliable up until it was in an accident.