Proactiv Rhetoric - Grade: A PDF

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Essay on how Proactiv advertises...

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1 Is Proactiv Practical? With thousands of products on the market, teenagers and even adults that struggle with the burden of acne have a difficult decision to make when shopping for treatments. As a victim of acne, I know the colorful aisle of acne products like it is my own backyard. Each brand has their own trademark that appeals to the consumers’ eye. However, the company Proactiv has risen to the top of the acne treatment empire. Developed by dermatologists Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields, Proactiv’s three-step acne treatment has sold billions of dollar’s worth of medication. Proactiv advertises primarily on television which then directs the viewer to purchase through telephone or online. But what is it about Proactiv that draws the consumer’s attention? Over twenty years of television advertisements have all been geared toward one type of consumer: “the insecure acne sufferer.” Each commercial follows the same structure featuring a celebrity that tells his or her own acne story and exciting lingo that captures the viewers’ attention. Judging by my own knowledge and experience with the product, Proactiv’s advertising methods are extremely effective but the product is not. First impressions are priority in the world of advertisements. Proactiv commercials all initially state that acne is the root of insecurity, which draws the eyes of many teenage boys and girls. As a teenager, hormones are rapidly being tossed around and those who have clear skin are envied. In three different commercials the spokesperson each said, “…we would play these shows and I had acne. It was terrible. I would always feel insecure going up there,” “There are just some things that come with being a teenager. Your feet grow like crazy, … and then there’s zits, I can stop that…because there’s no way I’m going to let a bunch of zits get in my way,” and lastly, “Yeah you think I would be the most confident person…and a lot of my most insecure moments were related to my face.” Catching the attention of viewers by relating to insecurity

2 issues is quite cynical but effective. Proactiv knows that most teenagers that have troubled skin are embarrassed and insecure about it. By addressing insecurity in the initial point of the advertisement, it reels the acne-struck victim into the land of clear skin. By using up and coming celebrities in all of their advertisements, Proactiv reaches out to the younger population. Hiring spokes personal is a great marketing strategy that seems to be working for Proactiv. Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Adam Levine from Maroon 5, Katy Perry, Julianne Hough and many more are featured in commercials, all explaining the reason behind why they use Proactiv. Celebrities rave about how the product changed his or her life and increased their self-confidence. Viewers will never know if the celebrities are actually using Proactiv or if they are just being paid to be a spokes person. Despite the situation of the celebrity, viewers are only responding to what is being said directly in the commercials. I personally do not appreciate when celebrities abuse their fame to increase their fortunes. Teenagers, on the other hand, admire the celebrities and wish to have beautiful skin like them. Celebrities are paid millions of dollars and are envied for their flawless appearances; any teenager would kill to be able to look like them. A celebrity who says, “this product changed my life” is much more believable than a common plebian. As touched upon briefly, Proactiv targets and hunts down its customers primarily on television. However, commercials do not air on any television network. The company Proactiv strategically airs commercials on childrens’ television networks such as Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and ABC Family (now Freeform). In addition, commercials are aired whenever Erated or PG-13 movies are playing on other networks. This is a deliberate way of targeting the more gullible population. Kids are more likely to be convinced to buy the product than adults are.

3 Once the viewer’s attention is drawn, each commercial goes in depth about how Proactiv products work their magic. Commercials focus on how fast and easy the cleansing routine is by stating, “Proactiv is an easy three-step system that works for all ages, all skin types,” “It’s our smartest, most effective solution ever because it heals acne even faster,” and finally “Step 1 the renewing cleanser reveals clearer skin, Step 2 is the alcohol free revitalizing toner with botanicals, finally step 3 the repairing lotions. Your skin starts to heal, your confidence grows.” Each of these three different commercials aim to inform the viewer that a three step cleansing process is not as tedious as it sounds. Trying to make a three-step solution look easy and painless is something the Proactiv commercials do successfully. Athough, in my personal opinion I am not convinced. The use of exciting words and tone of voice in the commercials covers up the actual dilemma at hand. Proactiv needs to convince viewers that their three-step solution is better than an all-in-one product; they do this by showing smiling faces and using an upbeat tone of voice. The actors in the commercials seem to be putting up a façade of happiness that, to me, is unrealistic. After unrealistically portraying ecstatic face washing, Proactiv continues to discuss the benefits of buying their products. With every purchase, customers receive a complimentary gift. Gifts vary from refining masks, “guides to beautiful skin,” re-texturizing toners, correcting serums, and cleansing brushes. If the convenience of Proactiv did not convince viewers, a sample sized gift sure will. The commercials advertise a payment of $19.95 with free shipping however multiple expansion packs are available costing as much as $39.95. Customers are then charged the same price again monthly for refills and shipping costs. All the hidden costs come to a surprise when customers checkout online or by phone. Well who would not want to pay $19.99 for gorgeous skin? Little do customers know that they are being scammed into a monthly

4 resupply and shipping/handling fee. Knowing this drives me straight to the nearest drug store to buy a cheaper, more effective product. Another mechanism Proactiv uses to convince viewers is showing before and after pictures of users of the their system. Users rave about how Proactiv “changed their face forever” and they “never thought their skin could look so good.” In my opinion, the before and after pictures look completely edited. The blotches shown on the before pictures do not resemble real acne. Proactiv does not even bother to use two different photos! The resolutions of all the pictures shown are very low as well. Real testimonies are a great advertisement strategy but Proactiv butchers it by faking positive results. To an oblivious youngster, the pictures certainly can convince him or her to buy the product. These before and after pictures only provide a false hope for confidence seeking buyers. Out of an entire market of acne products, Proactiv continues to be a common household name. In every commercial break, a Proactiv advertisement is played on children’s television channels. These advertisements draw the eyes of insecure watchers, but in all reality, Proactiv is creating a sense of false hope. Customers are promised clear skin in three easy and fast steps. The photos used in the before and after comparisons are clearly edited to fake results. By hiring celebrity spokespeople, Proactiv targets the insecure viewers that dream of having crystal clear skin. All in all, Proactiv is hungry for sales and they sure do know how to catch their prey. I was one of the unlucky victims that fell for their tactics and was disappointed with the results....