Key Concepts Test Rewrite

B: i) Media construct reality:  This Cadillac advertisement shows two white, good-looking males driving a Cadillac car. This shows an ideal version of the `American Dream`. The conclusions you can make from the two men driving that car promote that you need wealth, and happiness to live the good life. The man driving the car is white and attractive showing that these are factors that will help you live up to the dream. The men also look as if they are driving quickly, and are dressed for some sort of social event. They look as if they have somewhere to go; that they are not going to just sit at home, especially if they have this car. Cadillac is trying to show that with this car, you are living the good life of wealth, freedom, and happiness. The attributes of the these men (white, attractive, well-dressed, wealthy) show that if you carry these attributes, you have the potential of living that American Dream, to fulfill that wanted happiness. Overall, Cadillac is also trying to share that with this car, and the potential wealth that you carrry, you also carry the power of being somebody in society.

ii) Media contain value messages: The value messages of this advertisement shows that Cadillac can give you the good life, along with the values of carrying the American Dream. One message shows that if you own this car, you have class and wealth. You can tell by the portrayal of white, good-looking, well-dressed men that these are the attributes to live the good life. It is a dream that many people would desire to live, and Cadillac is trying to show that they can give you this dream, if you can afford it. The target audience here can vary; it may be wealthy young men who are in the pursuit of happiness, wanting to go out and met new people and women. However, the fact that their are two men may also attract the idea that these two people are going out as a couple, kind of proving that Cadillac also supports homosexuality. To women, there are ways of interpretting this advertisement differently. They may feel as if they are not as important because they are not the ones who can drive Cadillacs, or being the ones in control, as shown in the advertisement. Women may also interpret it as wanting to be the wife, girlfriend, or partner of the man in power of this car. It shows that the good life, and the American Dream have expectations, and Cadillac may be able to help you with that pursuit.