TOW #2 - Visual Text/Media: GEICO Hump Day Camel Commercial

Wednesday's will never be the same. GEICO is known for their humorous commercials with the gecko and the iconic caveman. This particular commercial follows a camel in a generic office setting prancing around, gleaming with joy, asking worn-out, impatient co-workers what day it is. The camel's question remains unrequited until one blank-faced woman replies "It's Humpday." The camel hollers with excitement and trots around the office with pride. 

The author's ethos is not established until the end of the commercial when it is stated that the advertisement is for GEICO. This allows the audience to connect through the commercial's humors appeal to pathos. However, the author understands that in order to establish credibility, he must demonstrate who the speaker is. That is why only at the end of the commercial do the two singing men reveal the speaker is GEICO.

The purpose however comes at the end of the commercial, where two guys are standing, playing guitar and relay the message that those who switch to GEICO insurance are happier than a camel on a Wednesday. The context of this commercial is and advertisement for a famous insurance company with a reputation for comical commercials. Used to please all TV watchers, the commercial caters to a broad audience of anyone watching TV, but more specifically to those 18 or older and in the market to buy insurance. Personification is used as a device to give the camel the ability to speak as well appeal to ethos by connecting with the audience through humor. 

Their purpose is clearly to get people to buy GEICO's services through making their audience laugh. In saying that, this commercial is extremely funny and certainly grasps people's attention. However, whether it effectively acquires more customers to the GEICO product is debatable. Humor may attract people but it can also give off the impression that GEICO does not take their service seriously. GEICO has undoubtably achieved the purpose of making their audience laugh and spread the popularity of the GEICO brand by playing the commercial on various national networks.