A Rhetorical Analysis Of A Six Flags Commercial

Lindsay Connell
Shelia Odak
Composition 1 Section 49
October 6, 2014
Six Flags Commercial Analysis
What makes certain commercials better than others? The key to making an advertisement that stands out to all audiences is to make them understand the purpose of the TV ad, while making it interesting. Most aspects of today’s commercials include catchy tunes, interesting storylines, famous mascots, and logos that catch our eye and make us want more. Six Flags commercials include all of these. Many people have seen a Six Flags commercial before and are able to recognize it even without physically looking at the TV. Why is this? Six Flags commercials include all the key points in engaging an ad to all
It begins with the scene of a dad looking extremely overwhelmed by his young, overly active son. The dad’s facial expression is priceless! His face describes complete horror and defeat as he is lying on the couch while his son continues to beat his head with a plastic baseball bat. After watching this scene for a few seconds, Mr. Six then appears saying “One flag.” The commercial then changes gears by showing riders, who seem to be having endless fun, on one of the roller coasters at the park. Mr. Six appears once again saying “Six flags. More flags, more fun.” The story of the ad is very important because Mr. Six is implying that you should not just settle for your boring life at home, but instead experience an exciting, unforgettable day at Six Flags. This is portrayed when the storyline changes gears from the chaotic house scene, to the exciting roller coaster scene. The story in the commercial works, while it may be a little overdramatic, it makes the viewers believe what the ad is
Notice that when the music is played, it’s only at the most exciting part of the ad, which is when it shows the entertainment that the park has to offer. However it is not played at the beginning with the dad on the couch with his son. Why is this? It goes back to the argument. Six Flags wants you to believe that their parks can cure your boring home life. Since the music is upbeat, it is connected with the upbeat feeling of the park. The use of the tune helps the story even more because the scene with the dad and son now seems completely dull and in turn makes the theme park seem even more amazing. Also notice what else is going on while the music is playing. In the commercial, Six Flags is trying to persuade you to purchase a season pass so that you will save money, while having endless fun at the park. This is a very clever technique because once again, the music helps the persuasion. The ad already has you in a stimulated mood making it easier for you to make that purchase of a season pass. Tunes in advertisements really do make an impact on the audience one way or