*bleep bloop!* Star Command, I've landed on what appears to be the Happiest Place on Earth...do you read? :)
In Disney Theme Parks' latest ad for one of their California-based theme parks, Disney's California Adventure, the classic and lovable PIXAR character straight out of Andy's toy chest, Buzz Lightyear, has come upon the theme park to explore what's new! The theme parks' advertisers took it upon themselves to use this beloved space ranger to show the true "heights" of what's coming up this summer for California Adventure, and help create that feeling of how big and grand some of the new attractions are going to be. In the commercial, Buzz contacts the Star Command Force, logging that he reads and detects "high levels of happiness" in this strange new world. He then goes off and ventures around the park, including discovering the newest part of California Adventure, Cars Land which is dedicated to remaking the Radiator Springs set of the PIXAR's film, "Cars", riding the new The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure ride, flying through California on Soarin' Over California, and of course, being amazed and entranced by one of the park's most spectacular night shows, World of Color. Through Buzz's adventures and his perspective, we can see that this summer, California Adventure is going to be "bigger than life", and better than ever.
Disney's greatest assets is making people happy, and their entire company is based off of the ethics values within Utilitarianism. They really project this idea of "promoting the greatest general happiness" with Buzz's adventures and seeing the many families and people around the park enjoying themselves. By seeing how much not only Buzz Lightyear, but every person in the park is having huge smiles on their faces and really having the best time, it shows how by being in the Disney theme parks, you can be at your happiest.
We can all tell who Disney is directing their commercial towards: kids! By using bright colors and fun music, it intensifies the commercial and makes it seem really exciting and fun, and by using a toy running around and seeing the park as "larger than life", Disney hopes to make kids feel that by going to the park this summer, they'll have that kind of experience. Disney wants us to have a magical time, and showing that Buzz Lightyear is, we might too! Disney also is appealing towards a little older generation of kids that grew up with the first "Toy Story" movie--around 18-24, and kids that grew up with the other films, which around our age of 16 and younger. But, it also appeals to the parents that watched the film with their children, and families with younger kids who love to have fun and love cartoons or who have kids who grew up with the films.
There's definitely specific uses of advertisement techniques to really get that "promotion of happiness" across to viewers, one way being the use of Buzz Lightyear as a testimonial. Although Buzz isn't a live celebrity, he is one in the hearts of many as the beloved character of the classic Disney "Toy Story" films trilogy. Would this also be seen as an appeal to tradition fallacy? Possibly, as the "Toy Story" movies can be considered classic films in many teens and adults' childhoods today. By using one of the main characters from the movie where toys come to life and have the most amazing adventures and having him have another out-of-this-world adventure in the Disney theme park, it helps sell the idea that you can be like a toy from Toy Story, and have the same "out-of-this-world" adventure like Buzz did and feel "larger than life", just like the toys in the films. Now, looking at the intensity of bright colors and lights, and especially the camera angling and how we're always looking up at the park and seeing how big and spectacular it is, we can see the use of gestalt. By always looking up, it exemplifies the idea of how the park is now much bigger and looks more amazing, especially looking from a toy's point of view. And, by having plain folks and ordinary people having as much fun as a toy that's come to life, we feel we can have as much of an adventure as the Toy Story character had if we go to the parks this summer! The "need for escape"? Of course; we all want to get out of school and have summer hurry up and arrive, and by going to the Disney's California Adventure park this summer, it brings us that much closer to that summer fun most kids have been craving.
Towards the end of the summer, my family and I are going back to Disneyland for our annual trip when we take my sister to college, and really see the new California Adventure park and explore its newest features! If you're going to the parks, maybe you'll shrink down to toy size and have your own "larger-than-life" adventure like Buzz, to infinity and beyond!
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