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The, An Italian Automobile Maker Essay

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Fiat, an Italian automobile maker, reentered the American market in 2009 when the automobile group purchased the majority of Chrysler’s assets amid the aftershocks of the recession (de la Merced and Maynard). Fiat had departed from the United States in the early 1980s as a result of their cars’ widespread problems with quality (Schwartz). After Fiat’s 27-year absence, the company introduced their Fiat 500 line, including the new Fiat 500 Abarth, a sportier and more powerful model of the compact hatchback (The Richards Group). However, Fiat had to combat a lack of brand awareness as a result of the company’s absence from the American market. In order to create awareness and promote Fiat’s line, the company released a commercial for the Fiat 500 Abarth, titled “Seduction” (Page). The commercial’s use of sex appeal, rhetorical strategies, and a peripheral route of persuasion contribute to its overall success. “Seduction” is effective to the extent that it successfully relates the message to the intended audience, engages the audience, and establishes the Fiat 500 Abarth’s credibility through a humorous and entertaining, albeit sexist platform; however, the commercial merely gets the audience’s attention, it fails successfully motivate the purchase of a car. For Fiat to win over the American market, the company had to appeal not only to American women, but also to American men. However, the small size and appearance of the Fiat 500 Abarth presented the company with a problem in

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