The selected advertisement for this report is the 2021 Kohl’s “Spring into Action” clip. The video features an employee delivering a package to the house of a family, outside a young girl is drawing on the sidewalk with chalk (King, 2021). The clip depicts neighbors playing and jumping through the hopscotch drawn by the girl. In the finale, the delivery employee approaches the drawing and proceeds to jump. The narrative illustrates a tone focused on positivity, familial themes, and life within more suburban areas. The mood can be described as friendly and warm.
The theme of the advertisement is connected with the mood and setting of the video. Kohl’s is a large retail store that sells a diverse range of products. This suggests that Kohl attempts to sell the appeal of their firm more than any specific product produced by or sold at the company. As such, Kohl targets its primary consumers, families, through thematic allusions. The setting of the advertisement illustrates to the customer that much like the family themselves, the brand values safety, positivity, supportive approaches, and a connection with others.
The film illustrates writing techniques that provide the video with a short but direct allusion to the company’s brand identity. The video employs a diverse cast of characters in relation to race, gender, and age. A more diverse casting allows customers to perceive the symbolism of family and community more clearly. Similarly, the advertisement presents an effective narrative within thirty-three seconds by removing dialogue and inserting gestures such as thumbs up, smiling, and the expressions of the actors. Certain archetypes can be noted such as those of a middle-aged man as the delivery employee and the young girl that leads the narrative. However, these archetypes are not offensive or limiting which presents a more interesting format to the audience.
Imagery is the fundamental element of this advertisement as there is no spoken dialogue, monologue, or written text throughout the video. This results in the ad being more universal but may have also caused it to be less clear. However, the elements of imagery efficiently depict the necessary themes to the audience. The setting is sunny and middle-class and the individuals within the video are content or happy. Color is a secondary element that is important within this specific advertisement as it appears when the girl creates the hopscotch illustration. The transition to increased color suggests positive emotions, diversity, and a friendly environment.
The editing within this advertisement is primarily focused on timing. The instance during which the delivery employee hesitates before also partaking in the hopscotch is the central piece of editing that allows the advertisement to deliver the thematic message. His hesitation and the girl’s unsure expression build a short-lived tension which is removed when he also hops. This small pause is vital as it disturbs the prior pacing which was much faster. As such, it highlights the importance of the slower scene.
Sound is the final component within the work that is incredibly important. The video opens with a milder melody played on piano but is followed by a cheery song as the characters come across the hopscotch drawing. There are additional sounds, such as the scraping of the chalk and birds singing. The tempo also picks up when the delivery man comes across the drawing and is quickly much more energetic. The ad closes with a number of musical instruments followed by the singer’s closing lines. It is effective as it maintains a simple format that compliments the visual narrative.
Work Cited
King, Michael. “Michael King – Kohl’s “Spring Into Action.” YouTube, uploaded by Michael King, Web.