Back to the Future: DeLorean Ad Analysis

It's hard to read the text on the right side of the page, so I'll give it to you here:

"John DeLorean was on the way to the presidency of General Motors when he quit to build his own car company. In his 17 years with GM he helped quadruple Pontiac sales, build Chevrolet into a 3-million seller and was awarded 44 automotive patents. While his bosses railed at him for wearing his hair too long.

Now his stainless steel DeLorean Sports Car is here. Designed to last rust-free for 20 years. And the first year's production is sold out.

John Delorean anticipates the needs and wants of car buyers. He does no less for the scotch-drinkers he invites home. That's why he selects and serves the impeccably smooth Cutty Sark."

Add this text to the banner at the top: "One out of every 100 new businesses succeeds. Here's to those who take the odds." And along the bottom edge of the frame the Cutty Sark logo, and the words, "The Scotch with a following of leaders."

Granted, I was mainly attracted to this ad because of the use of a DeLorean in the "Back to the Future" movies (shows what product placement can do). Cutty Sark are using an innovator, a risk-taking business man to sell their product. The appeal is being made to others working possibly for corporate America (others being hassled for wearing their hair "too long"), who want to strike out on their own. DeLorean's image stands for risk--this is emphasized by the banner at the top of the add. The ad isn't really selling the scotch at all, it's selling this image of risk that leads to success.

It strikes me that this ad is very much like the current series of beer commercial that ends with the line, "We salute you _____ man." Here the toast is made to those who will risk it all for success, complete with a raised glass of scotch in the bottom middle of the frame. The difference between this ad from 1981, and the contemporary version is that this ad is intended to be taken seriously, and the contemporary version is a joke.

In order to take this analysis further, I would have to see the types of publications that it appeared in. It strikes me that this is a lot text--current advertisements wouldn't run so many words. Although, I guess I have seen advertisements for investment or insurance companies that run this long.

I think the big lesson learned for me, is to begin to think more intentionally about what it is that an advertisement is really selling--risk/adventure, versus what it appears to be selling--scotch.