It may not have been as dramatic as the stadium blackout that stopped play for more than a half-hour, or as exciting as the game, but for many viewers of Super Bowl XLVII, one of the standout moments was a deceptively simple ad for the Dodge Ram called "God Made a Farmer." This ad has a total run time just above two minutes which showed beautiful pictures from ten well established photographers. The photography was tough to beat, but the ads true power is dedicated to the voice of the narrator, Paul Harvey, who passed away in 2009. Harvey was followed by millions of Americans during his broadcasting life, and one of his most memorable moments was his broadcast to the Future Farmers of America in 1978.
The Power of Words …show more content…
Dodge stated they have dedicated the year of 2013 as the “Year of the Farmer,” and this commercial was the start of a year long dedication towards bringing national attention towards the importance of farming in America. The National FFA association teamed up with Dodge to support, raise awareness, and celebrate the agricultural world in the US. The Future Farmers of America were formed in 1982 by a group of young men that wanted to prepare and educate the future generations of farmers. Their goal today is still the same, but the organization has expanded their interests far beyond agricultural …show more content…
The audience has just witnessed how hard a farmers job is, built an emotional connection, and now have a new level of respect towards them and their way of life. The commercials next goal is to make the farmer appeal to the audience through pathos, which could bring both tears of joy and sadness. This is successfully done by using both positive and negative emotional appeals. The first example describes the humility and pride of a farmer because they are, “somebody...who would laugh and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life doing what dad does. So God made a farmer.” This brings tears of joy to the audience because most people can relate to the emotional situation. There would be no better feeling for a farmer than to hear these words from his child, and knowing he has been a successful role model for his kid. The other apparent use of ethos targets the opposite emotion, sadness. Harvey wanted the audience to understand the sadness and sense of loss farmers go through regularly. “God said, ‘I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt. And watch it die. Then dry his eyes and say “Maybe next year”’...So God made a farmer” (Harvey). Farmers are constantly battling with life and death, which is an emotional aspect of farming that will never change. Regardless of the audience member’s profession he or she