mustang

i have chosen this mustang ad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZzXHq7gKN8

as it is a car add it has to do all it can to promote the cars image and to make it seem as cool as possible. This advert does this through a fantasy story line,

it starts with

"if you build it, he will come" being whispered to generic looking man, who then goes on to build a racetrack in a corn field, which then is joined by the ghost of Steve McQueen. The first inter textual reference is a nod to the film "field of dreams" staring Kevin Costner. In the film Costner's character hears a voice that tells him to build a baseball pitch to which he is then joined by his favourite dead baseball players, a strange concept, but considering its success at the box office of $64,431,625 the synopsis was appealing to an American audience. Those who have seen field of dreams would make the link between the advert and the film

The second intertextual reference is the fact that Steve McQueen drives the Mustang. Steve McQueen is well known for driving a later model of the Ford Mustang in the film "the getaway". The way in which the ghost of Steve is seen climbing into this mans newer version of the Mustang says to the audience that - if Steve McQueen were alive he would be dying to drive this car. Steve helps sell the car through idolisation as many men would dream of having a Mustang with the thought that they might become like Steve by buying it, or that they aspire or fancy themselves to be Steve McQueen. American adverts often use idolisation and companys pay big money to use stars in their advert.

The advert is clever as it uses old footage of Steve McQueen from films. the add shows Steve interacting with the man and then climbing into the car, this is achieved through special effects and clever editing

this advert works well as it uses other media texts and references to sell the product. The films it nods towards are helpful and confirm The Mustang as a classic and established car. The film the getaway is more or less a add for the Ford mustang anyway and by making an add that incorporates the film, makes the brand more desirable.