TOW #2: Visual Text (Progresso Commercial)

This commercial was first aired in 2009, though I believe it still airs occasionally. Weight Watchers had recently partnered with Progresso to make a slightly more healthy soup that would fit in the Weight Watchers diet. As is the goal of any advertisement, Progresso's purpose in producing this commercial was to sell more of its soup.

The commercial follows the typical format of the Progresso commercial; a chef is working in the kitchen when a distressed customer calls over the can phone and complains about some sort of problem they have that is caused by Progresso soups' excessive superiority. Because Progresso is already well-known for marketing in this way, the advertisement is easily recognizable, allowing the audience to focus on the specific product because tit already knows the brand.

In a span of thirty seconds, the commercial appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. Due to the formatting of the commercial, ethos receives a slightly unconventional appeal. Progresso wrote and produced every part of the video, but created a relatable character to speak as though she were an actual consumer, showing how much "real" people enjoy Progresso products. This woman caters specifically to the target audience, which consists of middle-aged women who have families, shop for groceries, and would like to lose a bit of weight.
She makes us laugh at her husband's expense: a slight appeal to pathos. An appeal to logos is cleverly slipped in without being explicitly stated. The main character makes the claim that those who eat Progresso's Weight Watchers-endorsed soups will begin to look like they did twenty years ago.

I believe Progresso's purpose was well achieved. The few seconds of humor with the husband allows viewers to see the commercial many times before getting bored and changing the channel, and more views leads to more product purchases.