Dropped Calls-Cingular

When I began to think about the different advertisements around me, I noticed they are everywhere. Advertisements can promote products, clubs, people, companies and even sports teams. They are put in place to help inform society, and even to raise awareness of issues. I thought of all the ads I come across everyday and the one’s I enjoy most are those that capture my attention. I came across a billboard for Cingular that was like no other. This massive billboard immediately draws you in. The big, gaping hole in the billboard brings your eyes to the ground where the word has been “dropped,” insinuating a dropped call. As seen in the pictures below, this also  caught the attention of many passerbys. The ability to draw people to this billboard and to have it make a lasting impression, is very powerful in promoting Cingular.

This billboard was intended for all cell phone users in society. It captures this audience by promoting the fact that they have the fewest dropped calls. The clever display draws people in while providing the viewer with the persuasive information, comparing them to other phone companies, therefore, claiming themselves as the best. The technique of using a simple three word question, “Hate dropped calls?” is all that needs to be said. Everybody has experienced a call being dropped because of a loss of service, and this can become very frustrating. The incentive that with Cingular you will be less likely to lose a call is extremely appealing to many people. The big, orange billboard with large letters is easily seen and the creativity of the “dropped” call is likely to make a lasting impression in the viewers mind. Cingular hopes to gain customers who are unsatisfied with their own service provider. The clever billboard is a great way to entice their audience, and has become a famous picture spot, allowing for more promotion. This is a very successful visual rhetoric.