JELL-O Chocolate Sugar Free Pudding

Word Count : 393

1.      1.    Argument:  JELL-O sugar-free chocolate pudding is a healthy dessert choice because it is low in calories.

2.      2.    Audience:  This ad is aimed toward an audience of weight-conscious women.  These women are probably between the ages of 18-50 and are either currently overweight, or are concerned with becoming so.  More specifically targeted are women who are currently dieting and not enjoying it.

3.      3.    Goal: To get the reader to buy JELL-O sugar-free chocolate pudding

4.      4.    How:

-          Ethos:  There is not a strong element of ethos in this advertisement, however JELL-O is a very well known brand and most people will recognize and trust the JELL-O name.

-          Logos:  Showing the calorie count and corresponding portion size gives a compelling visual comparison of the two dessert options.  It makes the pudding seem like the obvious smart choice, since you can eat so much more of it for the same amount of calories.  The ad also mentions that the pudding is “loved by lips and hips alike.”  This implies that it is delicious and will not make you gain weight.  Although this claim is not backed by any concrete scientific proof, it does reinforce the calorie count shown above and will probably be enough to convince a chocolate starved woman to buy the product.

-          Pathos:  The ad uses words and phrases like “milky smooth to dark and decadent” to describe their product.  These words imply a luxurious experience that would be very appealing to women who are dieting and feel like they have to deny themselves such experiences.  This idea is enforced by using the word “denial” coupled with a tiny chocolate ice cream cone to show the alternative.  This evokes feelings of dissatisfaction and possibly hunger.   

5.    5.      Effective or not:  I think this advertisement is very effective for women who are on a diet and struggling with it.  These women are all too familiar with the negative feelings of hunger and denial and would be excited to find a delicious dessert that would let them stay on their diet and still feel satisfied and luxurious.  I think the ad would also be somewhat effective on women who are eating a healthy diet and enjoying it, because although they don’t have the same negative feelings about denying themselves delicious food, they could see the pudding as another healthy option for them to consider.