Brandon Tisdale

Professor Collins

ENGL 1301

12 April 2017

Symbolism, pathos, and logos in Volkswagen Eyes on The Road,

communicates, that texting while driving is an increasing cause of death

behind the wheel by displaying how quickly an accident can happen if you

check your phone while driving.

The emotional appeal is gained in the advertisement through

excitement, shock, and guilt. The audience attending the movie theatre

displays excitement through the expressions on their face. The movie goers

have bright smiles, rapid movement in the chairs and have their eyes wide

open, so they do not miss anything. As the advertisement plays the audience

is excited for the movie presentation that they are about to watch. They

have recently left the vehicles that transported them to the movie theatre,

getting excited for this motion picture that they have been waiting to see. As

the theatre room darkens, excitement is running high as the audiences faces

are captivated by the visual advertisement that is starting to play. The

audience members are clinching tight to their chairs, while they devour some

of their popcorn. As the advertisement plays, the audience is sent a sudden

mass group text message, causing them to look away from the screen and at

their phones. A sound screeching sound, followed by a bong, returns the

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audiences attention back to the screen. Excitement is immediately replaced

with shock. Everyone is the crowd has a horrified and unbelievable look

amongst their faces. The advertisement now displays a car wreck caused by

a text message. Only seconds after the audience is able to process what has

happened, do they now have a look of guilt upon their faces and body

language.

The logical appeal is used in the visual argument by displaying that if a

driver takes their focus and concentration off of the road, the chances of

wrecking are almost inevitable. People are obsessed with their cellular

devices in todays society. We check them constantly no matter where we

are. Especially while driving. The advertisement shows just how quickly

taking your eyes off of the road can be through a simple experiment. As

previously mentioned, the mass group text message proved just how

obsessed we as a society are with our cell phones. If you have seen a movie

recently, before the motion picture plays, the theatre asks that everyone

silence their cell phones, and if you have an emergency step out into the

hall. What the theaters message is saying, is do not get on your cell phone

while watching the movie. The movies are not a place to be on your phones,

just like driving a car.

The ethical appeal is used in the advertisement by displaying a

Volkswagen vehicle during to show the audience that in the event of a wreck,

you will be safe in their cars. In Volkswagen Eyes on The Road, as the

driver loses focus of the car, he crashes into a tree going at a considerable

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decent speed. The visual argument shows us that the driver is still alive

when he registers what has just happened. We see that during the crash, the

airbags have deployed, the seat belts successfully accomplished their job,

and the structural integrity of the vehicle is still intact more or less. The

other use of persuasion in this advertisement, is to raise awareness about

texting while driving. This ad successfully demonstrates the dangers of

texting while driving, by showing us how quickly a accident can happen.

Volkswagen wanted to help raise this major safety concern about todays

drivers. Therefore they expressed their concerns in this short film. According

to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), disgraced

driving claimed 3,477 lives alone (NHTSA).

The visual argument Volkswagen Eyes on The Road, uses ethos,

pathos, and logos; to successfully deliver its message to the movie goers.

The advertisements main purpose is successful. The purpose of the short

film is to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving. We can

visually see the proof that this advertisement accomplishes the purpose it

was made for, due to the audiences reaction before, during, and after the ad.

The other message that is successful that Volkswagen delivers in this visual

arguemtent, is that in the even of a car accident, a Volkswagen will keep you

safe. Again, we can visually see this proof as the driver crashes the car into

the tree. The safety features of the car have all successfully operated in

keeping the driver alive. The air bag keeps the driver from slamming into the

steering wheel and suffering a concsuion. The seat belts keep the driver safe

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from flying through the windshield and sustaining severe injuries, possible

death. The car has slammed into a tree and yet, the car did not crumple into

a tiny piece of trash. This shows the audience how durable and tough the

structural integrity of the vehicle is.

Works Cited

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/ distracted-driving.

Accessed April 14, 2017.