It was a BMW add...gosh i wrote so horrible a year ago...lol...i got full marks for this..its gold lol
I chose this text, found in the Drive Weekend edition, January 14th-15, 2006, because it depicts an imaginative journey in process. The visual advertisement for the BMW 530d Diesel luxury car shows the grand-looking car traveling smoothly down the road undertaking an impressive trip. The ability of the image to catch the attention of the viewer forces us to imagine ourselves behind the wheel of the car, leisurely journeying down the road to the destination of our dreams. Therefore, the text is not just drawing us into an imaginary journey, but also takes us on a dream ride in the ultimate vehicle to transport us to our ultimate destination.
The text represents the physical journey of the BMW driving down the road. Through this visuals representing the physical journey we are pulled into an imaginative journey down the road as an exhilarating car trip. The fantastical element is amplified by not knowing our place of departure, and not knowing our final destination. The visual text has simply led us to the midst of traversing an illusory physical journey where nothing else is for certain.
The intended meaning of the text is to advertise and promote the BMW 530d. The text not only aims at selling the car, it also attempts to increase the image of the car as one of luxury and quality in the growing market. This is evident because the car zooming down the road is made the salient feature in the image. It fulfills this meaning by illustrating the vehicles wonderful features through an imaginary test drive to the aspirations of our imagination.
This text radiates a meaning of how the car is pleasurable to journey in because of its luxury features and qualities. Therefore the text communicates that imaginative journeys can be pleasurable. The image attempts to emphasise the qualities of freedom and enjoyment that can occur while traveling the stretch of road. The text endeavours to promote that the journey that you undertake in the BMW is one that will be as enjoyable, if not more, than the ultimate destination.
The vagueness of the scenery allows our imagination to voyage without limitations, emphasising the invigorating sensation of the journey. Due to the tinting of the windows and shadowed interior it appears to the responder that there is no driver possessing the seat that can be theirs if they purchase the car. The effect of this is that we can imagine ourselves as the driver and are therefore further drawn into the journey. The background of where the car has come from is blurred and indistinct, because of this we do not know where the BMW has come from so our mind is free to wander and speculate on the final destination. Just like there is no definite starting point, the destination of the road is cut off as the car is heading beyond the frame of the foreground. The overall effect of this is the that we are able to speculate the entire journey from beginning to end, while imagining ourselves as the driver to the destination.
The winding road in the top right hand corner of the background. The road is an example of symbolism used in the text to promote the representation of journeys. The association of cars traveling on roads is drawn on in this text. The road symbolizes a set path for the car to travel on, hence everything is in control and we become confident and safe travelers inside the car. The sharpness of the turns in the road indicate the rapid pace of the car, and the exhilaration and excitement involved as well as the competence and quality of the BMW. As the viewers eyes follow the vector of the road further into the background we notice it becomes thinner and windier. This emphasizes the fast pace the car is travelling at and the mass distance it has covered on its journey. As our eyes reach the end of the road we see that not the road ended but our limited view from our preset angle. The road disappearing behind the hill symbolizes that the starting point of the destination is lost and there is no turning back, this forces our imagination to continue traveling the journey. The hill also represents an obstacle that has tried to inhibit the journey of the car. The car already having passed, and therefore conquered, the hill shows the durability of the car and how it can tackle any challenge.
Contrast and light manipulation is used in the visual image to emphasise the salient features of the advertisement. The image of the car in the foreground is radiating reflected light. This emphasizes the grandeur of the car and increases its visibility to a viewer quickly browsing a newspaper. The light reflecting off the drivers-side window and windshield attracts the viewers to notice that there is no driver and, as mentioned above, draws the responder further into the realm of the imaginary journey. The bright light reflected off the car is contrasted to the dull and matte background. This again emphasizes the importance of the car as the prominent image to be noticed.
The blurring of the immediate background that the car has passed, and the radial blur on the wheels symbolizes that the car is currently traveling at high speeds. This is emphasized by the contrasts in scenery where the solid lines of the car differ to the stretched lines of the passed background. By accentuating acceleration and agility, the sense of excitement of the imaginative journey is further illustrated.
The most obvious way in which this text is valued is to advertise the BMW 530d Diesel car. It not only attempts to increase sales but it also intends to create a stronger image for the car manufacturer in the market. Car enthusiasts, or anyone in the luxury car marker, are enticed to purchase the breathtaking car, and experience the ultimate journey it can take them on. Others just might view the text as an everyday sort of ad that they, without much enthusiasm, can view in consideration of buying their next car.
This text can also be valued for its attempt to educate audiences on the differences in quality of cars. In the context of the newspaper in which it is found, it placed next to a Toyota dealership advertisement. The contrast and clashing of the images potraying the cars is clearly noticeable. Where the BMW ad takes on a simple and grand layout appealing to the older audiences the Toyota ad with its bright colours appeals more to the younger audience.
This text can also be valued as an example of the technology possessed by today’s society while reflecting the wants of it. The car is an example of a product created by today’s high standards of technology today and is emphasized by the fast speed the car is traveling at along the road. In terms of reflecting the society we can see that our culture is one that demands luxurious goods and enjoys exhilarating speeds.
