Advertisers know just what buttons to push to get their desired reaction, and the creative team for Tecate’s “Domestic Violence” ad provides an excellent example. The commercial begins by stating different characteristics of masculinity and that they do not define a man, as different men are shown personifying those aspects. The mood suddenly shifts with a sudden drop of the music, and the narrator says, “A man is defined by how he treats a woman”. The ad concludes by making the company’s stance clear stating that domestically violent men are not real men and are not welcome to Tecate beer. “Domestic Violence” uses symbols of stereotypical masculinity, repetition, and dramatic use of music to persuasively …show more content…
As the narrator repeats the phrase, “A man is not defined by…”; the commercial shows a man who represents the ideal of masculinity uttered at that time. For example, “A man is not defined by his strength” is accompanied by a shot of a man with large muscles. This tactic is very important in having Tecate’s message appeal to the correct audience of beer-drinking and soon-to-be-beer-drinking men. Those with traditional views on macho masculinities are particularly targeted for this message as there is a strong association between those views and domestic violence (Chase, Parker, & Towns. 2011). The research conducted by Chase, Parker, and Towns goes on to show that alcohol advertisements have been found to “articulate a ‘manual of masculinity’, or what it is to be a man” and in turn, young males unknowingly draw insights from these commercials (2011). It would appear the creative team for “Domestic Violence” exploited these findings to their advantage by making a masculinity-driven emotional appeal. The emotional appeal, known as pathos according to Rosenau, drives at male pride (2012). If one wants to be a real man and drink beer as real men do, he will never hit a