Prewriting Checklist
Commercial 1: freecreditreport.com Pirate Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMXv0__CYSU
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Content – The ad is trying to sell a “Free Credit Report” and the idea that if your credit is monitored, there
is less of a chance of someone stealing your identity and ruining your good name.
Message – The ad is using music and humor to catch the audience’s attention while showing a possible
scenario when one’s identity is stolen. The ad says “You don’t want this to happen to you, do you? Then
if you go to our website for a *FREE* credit report we’ll make sure that it doesn’t.”
Character and Setting – This commercial features young (25-30) adult, male band members rocking out
about their downfall after their identity was stolen. There is also an elderly couple shown eating dinner at
the restaurant where the commercial is set. The old lady seems to be enjoying the rhythm of the music as
she eats her lobster. Towards the end, there enters a middle age couple. The two couples in the
restaurant add to it’s ‘tourist’ flavor. The singer implies that this is not the job that he ever intended to
have. But since his name has been ruined by the treacherous hacker who breached his personal security,
he now has to waste his days away working in a possibly seasonal restaurant environment.
Story – The singer is bemoaning his stolen identity through costume and upbeat melody.
Theme – There are creeps out there trying to take advantage of the good reputations of good people. But
there is a means to protect yourself, and it’s *FREE*.
Medium – Television was used to visually capture the audience’s attention. Not only was the jingle lively
and upbeat, but the characters were dressed up as pirates to draw in people’s curiosity. If I had never
seen the commercial before and the television was muted, I would un-mute it just to see what they were
talking about.
Historical Context – This advertisement takes place in a current historical environment. One of the major
trend that it rides upon is the fact that today there are many ways for some outside source, normally
electronic, to compromise vital identity information such as social security numbers and credit card
numbers.
Word and image – During the entire ad “freecreditreport.com” appears in small font at the lower right
corner of the screen. The main focus is the singing pirate and the touristy atmosphere of the restaurant.
If a viewer doesn’t understand what the commercial is about, they can always refer to the writing at the
bottom of the screen.
Layout – The viewer is brought through the little ditty, reflecting scenes from a beachfront vacation. This
breeds a feeling of familiarity with the setting.
Design – A small white typeface is used to portray the ad’s name/website. Though this is not visually the
center of the commercial, the singer wails “Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeecreditreport.com, I coulda seen it comin’
at me like an atom bomb.” This gives the name of the company, website, and what they do, all in a few
simple words.
Voice – The voice is comical.
Imagery – Though the band members are the central focus, they’re paired in some scenes with tourist-ish
scenes. Of course, the old lady enjoying her lobster while bobbing her head to the music gives the
audience a sense of ‘elder-authority’ (such as the commercial where the old lady squeaks out in her
elderly voice “What Grandma says, Grandma does!”)
Rhetorical Appeals – I believe that the appeal was to give the bad news of identity theft in a familiar
environment, such as a beach vacation, in order to give the viewer the notion that it’s not all that bad if
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you just monitor your credit. You would probably never end up working somewhere that you would
much rather be vacationing at.
Strategy of Development – The ad relies on the illustration of the man having to take a lousy job because
of his identity being stolen.
Cultural Resonance – The ad did not use famous people or places, but rather a type of familiar place.
Commercial 2: freecreditreport.com Renaissance Fair Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zePROTV4_9o
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Content – The ad is trying to sell a “Free Credit Report” and the idea that if your credit is monitored, there
is less of a chance of someone stealing your identity and ruining your good name.
Message – The ad is using music and humor to catch the audience’s attention while showing a possible
scenario when one’s identity is stolen. The ad says “You don’t want this to happen to you, do you? Then
if you go to our website for a *FREE* credit report we’ll make sure that it doesn’t.”
Character and Setting – The primary characters of this commercial are the same as the previous one. The
setting has changed, however, and instead of being in a seafood restaurant the band has come to the
renaissance fair. It seems as though the only place that doesn’t reference your credit report for
something is the same place where they live life pre-technology and pre-credit score.
Story – The band has come to the renaissance fair to escape the unsavory opinions of employers,
creditors, etc. about his their credit score.
Theme – There are creeps out there trying to take advantage of the good reputations of good people. But
there is a means to protect yourself, and it’s *FREE* (for the first 7 days).
Medium – Television was used to visually capture the audience’s attention. The jingle that was used was
the same kind of upbeat, rhythmic tune from their previous commercial.
Historical Context – Though the setting of the commercial was that of the ‘now’, the reference was to a
time in the distance past where there was no such thing as a credit card or credit score. In another twist,
the singer referenced the previous commercial saying that, generally, people have been singing their
songs ‘Since we first showed up with our pirate hats on!’
Word and image – During the entire ad “freecreditreport.com” appears in small font at the lower right
corner of the screen. The main focus is the lead singer and his new credit-less culture that he has been
forced to be a part of since his identity was stolen and credit score was messed up. If a viewer doesn’t
understand what the commercial is about, they can always refer to the writing at the bottom of the
screen.
Layout – The viewer is brought through the ad with small snippets of life during the renaissance, making
them think about how far technology has come and how the swashbuckling defense of a swordsman is
unable to vanquish the evil-doers of modern society.
Design – A small white typeface is used to portray the ad’s name/website. Though this is not visually the
center of the commercial, the singer makes reference to freecreditreport.com as one of his band
members blows a horn at the beginning of that part of the song. The horn, historically, has been blown to
get people’s attention. I believe this commercial is attempting the same thing.
Voice – The voice is comical.
Imagery – The setting is very useful in defining the situation that the young, aspiring singer has got into.
Him or his band members are normally the central focus, but during the shots there are several other
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things going on. There’s a devil-stick juggler, a knight, chickens, goat herders, sword fights, and minstrels.
The focus is on the ‘old days’ before technology and techno-crim.
Rhetorical Appeals – I believe that the appeal was to give the bad news of identity theft a comical way in
order to comfort the audience that even though it is a very serious issue which can lead to dismal
consequences, there’s something easy that you can do to prevent it from happening to you.
Strategy of Development – The ad relies on illustration in that the man has to move away from our normal
society and into a primitive culture in order to avoid rejection due to a poor credit score.
Cultural Resonance – The ad uses ethos in the form of the same band members that had previously
purported another illustration of what could happen if your identity has been compromised. The mention
of the pirate hat from the previous commercial is a prime example.