The Life Call Commercial, I’ve Fallen, and I Can’t Get Up, began running in 1987, targeting elderly individuals. Because of their age, such people may find themselves in medical danger yet have no one to attend to their needs immediately because they may be the sole house occupants. Hand-held cellphone devices were nonexistent at the time. They would wear the LifeCall device around their neck to help them contact a dispatcher (Hauntedgeorge, 2007). The ad uses various persuasion techniques, but the audience does most of the job because of the relatable themes in it. It targets a specific demographic – the elderly and various persuasion theories manifest, as this post shall demonstrate.
Firstly, the commercial targets older adults, who are likely to develop health issues because of their advanced age. The body’s wear and tear generally leads to health complications. Bones and other parts are unlikely to function as effectively as they did in one’s youth. The ad uses older adults to make it realistic, the most outstanding of whom is the narrator. Generally, such individuals may find themselves in hospitals because of their failing health. The commercial creators consider this aspect; they show them falling and lying on a hospital bed (Hauntedgeorge, 2007). Both incidents tend to occur, risking older people’s health. Besides the older people prevalent in the ad, a middle-aged gentleman and doctor also feature; neither is remarkably young.
Secondly, the commercial motivates me to change my beliefs, irrespective of my comparatively young age. According to the theory of reasoned action (TRA), people may change their behaviour if they are convinced of the intention to perform the behaviour (O’Keefe, 2015). Social-normative considerations arise in the commercial because one is likely aware of older adult experiences. Declining physical and mental function characterizes old age, which most of society knows. Personal attitudinal judgments are also present. My attitude whenever I see an older person suffering is the willingness to help alleviate whatever challenge may be bothering them. Therefore, the ad convinces me of the LifeCall device’s importance because it aligns with my ideas about the most reasonable action when an older adult suffers. The commercial does not motivate me to change my beliefs per se; it reinforces my preexisting credence about older people’s suffering and the need to enhance their health, even if to a minor extent. Briefly, LifeCall acts like I would if I saw an older person suffering.
The commercial further captures my reasoning and thought process. The theory of elaboration likelihood model (ELM) posits that particular messages may influence varying processing techniques. Low elaboration means that one may not consider the message much, while high elaboration implies the message has a strong impact (O’Keefe, 2015). The older people present in the commercial trigger strong reactions because I have a grandmother in her 70s. Although she has not had significant health complications, she struggles with physical strain whenever she needs to rise from a seat and clearly works and walks slower than people who are decades younger than her. Based on this premise, the commercial sparks high elaboration because it makes me think of ways to help her if she ever encounters a health complication, however minor. My exposure to her experience makes me consider such a possibility every day. Consequently, the ad has motivated me to consider purchasing the LifeCall device because of the benefits my grandmother would accrue. The ELM suggests that the high elaboration thoughts require intense mental considerations, such as cognitive response processes and expectancy (O’Keefe, 2015). I consider my grandmother’s well-being paramount because of the close relationship I share with her, and I would do whatever it took to promote her health. Therefore, the commercial has motivated me to change my belief, only in regards to considering my grandmother’s health more than I otherwise would.
For most of American history, younger families have placed their grandparents in elderly homes because they believe they would receive they would receive the best care there. Parents who are predominantly out of the house for work engagements may only sometimes be available to attend to their older counterparts’ health issues. The social judgment theory (SJT) suggests that people typically compare their behaviour and ideas with existing attitudes (O’Keefe, 2015). The commercial has encouraged me to consider what would happen to my grandma when her health starts to fail, and she needs constant supervision. The ad has made me rethink my longstanding notions about elderly homes being best suited for my grandma. The LifeCall device can alert medical practitioners to address old adults’ concerns, whether anyone else is at home or not (Hauntedgeorge, 2007). Subsequent developments since the device’s initial invention now enable it to differentiate physical actions, such as sitting down and falling. Therefore, the device assures me that my grandma will be safe even when alone. Using the SJT, the commercial has persuaded me to assess my preexisting beliefs while imagining the possibilities the technology brings. This idea, coupled with the likelihood of having grandma at home for a longer time than would otherwise be possible, demonstrates SJT’s benefits.
Reflection
The most important lesson I have acquired from conducting this assignment regards the audience’s participation in their adoption of particular messages. All media seeks to connect with their audience by finding their pain points or other issue that would resonate with them. This notion portrays the audience as passive. However, the assignment has made me think that the audience plays a more active role than may appear. For instance, I compared my attitudes about elderly homes with social norms and considered the possibility of avoiding it, even if for some time. My replacement is the LifeCall device, which would help my grandma receive the medical attention she needs with no one close to call representatives. Therefore, the commercial is a persuasion success.
References
Hauntedgeorge. (2007, August 10). Life Call commercial: “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up!” [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQlpDiXPZHQ
O’Keefe, D. J. (2015). Persuasion: Theory and research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
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