Guitar Hero World Tour

Visual Description- This ad starts out with four well known athletes sliding out of the hallway in their underwear and socks, paying tribute to the well known scene of Risky Business. Tony Hawk, Michael Phelps, Alex Rodriguez, and Kobe Bryant are each on a different instrument, to portray a “rock band.” Even though they are one band, they still have individual accessories tying them to the sport they are famous for. Tony Hawk has a skateboard and helmet, and Kobe Bryant is wearing basketball shorts instead of underwear. When they first slide out of the hallway, the cheering and camera angle lets the audience feel like they are at a rock band concert.

Meaning of the Ad- This parody is designed to let the audience visualize themselves as “rock stars” in their own living room. Seeing four professional athletes lip synch not only provides humor, but also portrays them as every day people who like to have fun and play a video game. Guitar Hero’s brand statement “unleash your inner rock star” is represented with the four famous athletes having fun on the instruments. Other commercials in this Guitar Hero campaign include Heidi Klum, David Cook, and David Archuletta, showing that even the most famous of people want their own rock star moment.

Target Consumer- Even though most video games are for children to teenagers, this commercial mainly appeals to males between the ages of 15-25. Because of the famous athletes and the iconic scene used, this ad can be recognized and appealed to by many generations. Guitar Hero is less a video game and more of an experience, which is another reason for the wide range of fans.

Product Benefit- Not only will Guitar Hero provide entertainment, it also improves hand-eye coordination.

Consumer Benefit- Guitar Hero World Tour will bring friends and family together for entertainment and fun. Normal people will have a chance to become a temporary “rock star.”

Tone and Voice- The tone of this commercial is humorous, but still lets the audience understand the message. It reaches and emotional level with the audience because most people want to become famous during at least one point in their lives, and this game comes close to that. While playing these instruments, the audience can step outside of their daily routine and let loose.