Not Societal Norms

bly purchase it. When people drop their guard, they become vulnerable, which means that Amazon can make a move by having Clarkson mention to purchase Amazon’s product. In result Amazon will not lose money and will gain back the money they spent on the ad. While watching this ad Jermey Clarkson immediately made me drop my guard and in that case it will get stuck in your head and make you think about buying it and you will eventually buy it from thinking about it so much. is is not a problem for me because I have a Roku stick which is the cheaper alternative to Amazon Fire Stick and works just the same. If you truly want the real deal product then purchase Amazon’s product, but if you want a cheap option look no further than a Roku stick.

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Subscribe to Apple Music, Not Societal Norms

Jana Fladd, Scout Porschet

Apple Music, a streaming platform that emerged in 2015, facilitates on-demand listening of an extensive collection of music. Apple Music’s collaboration with famous rapper, Drake, in their “Drake vs. Bench Press” advertisement aims to sell Apple Music’s services through a variety of appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. Apple, a technology brand that earned the title of the world’s largest technology company in 2021, has begun to branch out and o er di erent streaming services that cater portability and convenience. e advertisement explicitly sells Apple Music, but implicitly sells motivation, con dence, and individuality to adolescents seeking a new perspective that previous generations have resisted to adopt. e advertisement begins in a gym with Drake lifting weights. His face of focus and determination takes up the entire screen, almost as if to create a jumpscare. As the video progresses, the trainer leaves for a phone call, allowing Drake to let his true music taste shine. e mood shifts from serious and masculine to upbeat and free as “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift plays loudly and Drake enthusiastically lip syncs the lyrics. He feels a renewed sense of inspiration to work harder and con-

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tinue lifting until the advertisement closes with a failed bench press; Drake struggles and falls o the bench due to distraction from the tune. “Distractingly good,” followed by Apple Music’s logo, both glow white on a contrasting black screen.

Apple strives to be a modern, diverse, youthful brand that challenges social norms. By including hit pop songs most are familiar with such as “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift and “‘Sneakin’” by Drake, the advertisement appeals to a variety of ages. Specifically, however, Apple’s appeal to young people is explicit when the advertisement shifts from a serious mood to a lighter, more energized mood after Drake changes the song that plays. ey appeal to generations such as Gen-z and millennials because they entertain the idea of using music as an escape from society’s norms, a theme common among today’s youth. A male crushing a heavy and intense workout would be expected to listen to rap or other music conventionally considered masculine, but instead he switches to a pop song by a prominent female artist and feminist.

Apple appeals to ethos through astonishing statistics that create a credible image of the company and product. e rst message following the end of the acted scene is “40 million songs”, which is a number beyond our daily uses, indicating a legitimate and substantial company that will surpass expectations. Apple strives to be the leader of the music streaming industry, and the statement, through an appeal to ethos, inclines the viewer to subscribe because the statistic validates Apple as a versatile company that can t all music needs. Apple also creates a clean, modern image for itself by illuminating the message in white letters on a black background. e white and black colors keep the closing messages fresh and simple. People trust a modern, large company with resources because they tend to have better products they can count on. Apple’s large following persuades people to join, as it gives them reason to believe they will be another of many satis ed customers.

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Part II: The Advertisement Analysis

What goes unsaid in the advertisement is the fact Apple is an enormous corporation with an immense following, generating 274 billion in revenue in 2020 alone. is makes for a great chance the viewer already has an iPhone, iPad, iMac, or any one of the other countless products sold. Everyone has heard of the brand or is a part of its cult following; people know and love their products and can expect the same quality from Apple Music, the promoted streaming service. Apple appeals to ethos through its trustworthy, classic brand name and strong standing with forty million songs while simultaneously implying its solid fanbase and foundation rather than explicitly stating it. e appeal to ethos doesn’t stop at the well known brand name. Drake has built an empire around his music, always making the renowned “Hot 100 Chart” by Billboard with every new release, currently holding seven songs on the list. With a fanbase nicknamed “Team Drizzy,” he is ranked to be the second most popular artist worldwide, currently tracking 4,233,250 fans. Drake has even propelled to Spotify’s “Billions Club,” featuring four songs that have each reached over one billion streams. Drake’s determined face is the rst image the viewer sees. For many, especially Apple Music’s target audience, this familiar face compels them to keep watching. Once Apple has hooked them in, they proceed to sell their service. Drake as the face of the advertisement gives the production more credibility: people feel comfortable buying from a famous name because it makes the product in question more credible and trustworthy. is name brand endorsed by a famous musician is the ultimate ethos combination that compels the buyer to invest in the streaming service.

Drake, the recipient of four Grammy Awards and forty-seven nominations, appeals to the emotions of the viewer by radiating astonishing feelings of joy and excitement, along with more subtle messages about masculinity and music. e juxtaposition of Drake’s hyper-masculine persona grunting and

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lifting weights while proclaiming “No mercy!” and his a nity for Taylor Swift, whose fanbase is primarily teenage girls, reveals that Apple Music facilitates personal expression without judgment. rough this appeal to pathos, Apple Music demonstrates that its streaming services are for anyone, regardless of taste, whether a potential consumer prefers Drake’s track at the beginning or Taylor Swift’s revenge anthem at the end. When Drake’s trainer, who serves as an allegory for the male gaze, leaves, Drake becomes noticeably more energetic and motivated while bench-pressing. is portrayal of Drake’s joy when he becomes free of the pressure of gender norms and societal expectations prompts consumers to inquire how they have been forced to repress elements of their personality and identity, and how Apple Music could help remedy this.

Apple’s advertising appeals to logos through its implied bene ts: the service will surpass the subscriber’s expectations and therefore lead them to a ful lling life. When Drake opens the Apple Music application to discover his personalized playlist, the viewer catches a glimpse of Frank Ocean’s latest album, as well as a personalized ‘Pop Workout’ playlist, highlighting the wide variety of genres that are available to stream. By explicitly featuring three prominent artists that occupy di erent musical niches, Apple implicitly assures their future customers that of their 40 million songs, they are accommodating of all music tastes. As Drake switches from music meant to appease his trainer to music he truly enjoys, he becomes noticeably more energized and enthusiastic about his workout, underlining that with Apple Music, any consumer can increase their productivity and even quality of life. e closing statement of the advertisement asserts that Apple Music o ers forty million songs, demonstrating that it is a practical option likely to have all your favorites while even being endorsed by reputable, award-winning music artists.

On the surface, Apple’s advertisement sells a product solely

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Part II: The Advertisement Analysis

for its corporate growth, but beyond that, it promotes change to inspire its young viewers to be secure in their identity in today’s male-dominated society through Aristotle’s three appeals. e short lm challenges the notion that men must strictly adhere to the stereotypes surrounding music: rap is hardcore and motivating while Taylor Swift and other pop artists, especially the female, are vapid and designated only for the feminine, weak, and unambitious. Music should not be another vessel for humanity’s con nement within gender norms, but rather a way to free people and expand their bounds: music is an escape, not a perpetuation of toxic masculinity. e future is headed in this direction and Apple intends to be a leader. rough Apple, music is ultimately utilized as a catalyst for future change, uplifting marginalized voices.

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