Effective Selling Without Advertising

Often times in media, certain social classes may be represented a certain way in order to prove a point or make a statement. They usually rely on stereotypes or over exaggerations of the specific type. In a True Corporation television commercial, the way that the different social classes are represented, viewed, and treated help to tell a story as well as add meaning to the situation when these patterns are broken.
This commercial tells an inspiring and heartfelt story in just three minutes. It begins with a boy being chased out of what is presumed to be a store, by a woman. He is then scolded by the woman for attempting to steal, this is when a man comes and tries to find out more. It is revealed that the boy stole the supplies for his sick mother; the man pays for the products and gives the boy a bag of soup. The boy takes the soup and runs away, the video then progresses thirty years. The man is still in the little restaurant cooking, when his daughter notices a (presumably) homeless man, which she brings to the attention of her father. He gives the thankful man soup, but immediately stops and appears to be experiencing a medical emergency. Suddenly he collapses as his daughter runs to his aid. Next, he is seen on a hospital bed, in what appears to be critical condition. His daughter is tearful and is handed a bill for the medical expenses which amount to over $23,000. She sits at a table in the restaurant staring at her dad’s cooking equipment. After talking with the doctor, she wakes up to find that the medical expenses have been paid off, with a note saying “All expenses paid 30 years ago with 3 packs of painkillers and a bag of veggie soup”. It is at this moment that the daughter, as well as the audience re...

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...amination, it is seen that he actually has only good intentions. In Heart of Darkness, the natives are seen as ‘savages’ who are worthless and not even considered humans. In reality however, they were the most human, even more than the ‘white people’ who judges them. It just goes to show that you never really know the entire picture unless you personally attempt to discover the truth. Then, situations can completely improve, views can drastically change, and people can seem different. The True Corporation knew this to be true, and utilized it to tell a story in their ad. They wanted to grasp the viewer’s attention, melt their heart, and ultimately get them on their side so they could sell products. The stereotypes, attitudes, and treatment of different classes, even similar ones, all contributed to how the commercial played out, and eventually told its story.