While watching this week’s two-hour season premier of Grey’s Anatomy, I was bombarded by various commercials that were rooted in the methods of interpellation. From iPod nano commercials to the news, it was apparent that the viewer was being addressed. A repeated headline for the 11pm news announced “Find out what they are doing before it makes you sick”. Given little information regarding the “it” in the headline, the news attempted to draw us in. While my roommate and I were not really alarmed, we were curious as to what the it was and what viewer would really be affected. The use of the word you transforms the audience into the singular individual.
One of the commercials that stuck out for me was the Special K commercial. After the show was over I tried to find the commercial online, but I was unable to find it. However I did come across the Special K website.
From the moment I opened the website I was inundated by yous. “What’s your food personality?”, “Design your plan”, “Kick-start your Special K challenge”, etc. The website and commercials promote customization. The viewer is provided “tips of the day”, specialized diet plans and success stories. While the producer and viewer are not directly engaging, Special K attempts to make the experience for each viewer a personal one. In this case I believe Special K wants to stress that everyone, in his or her own way, is “exactly the subject for whom the message is intended” (Practices of Looking, p. 51).
Here is another Special K commercial from earlier this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiU9DMAW1Dg&feature=related
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