Can't Find Your Team? Finish Line Ad Reversal

Can't Find Your Team? Finish Line Ad

1. There is no setting in this ad, just a white background with the team logos present underneath the text. Since all schools are currently open for academic enrollment, the assumed time is now.
   
2. There aren't necessarily an "who" subjects presented in this ad, as much as there are "what" subjects presented, in which case, the subjects would be the universities shown.


3. There are no other images present in the ad outside of the school logos.


4. The story/meaning behind this ad is that as a consumer, if you can't find the sports team sweatshirt you are looking for in the catalogue, you can either go online to Finishline.com or into one of the stores to find the sweatshirt you want.


5. Copyright of ad - 2009. Publication: 2009 Finish Line Holiday Catalogue


6. The relation between the audience and the ad is that the ad is suggesting that by shopping at Finish Line, they will do whatever it takes to find the school you are looking for, making your holiday shopping a lot easier with a lot more options.


7. The kind of person that is meant to see this ad is someone who is one of two things: an alumni member of one of the various schools, or more likely, sports fans. It is assumed that if you are shopping in the Finish Line catalogue, you enjoy collegiate sports.


8. I don't believe that the makers of the ad are trying to draw any different kind of consumer, because they target mostly sports fans, as they are an atheltic shoe store. They carry atheltic shoes, apparrel, and accessories, and I think that they are trying to "add on" to what they carry by promoting the NCAA merchandise.


9. There aren't any markers of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, class, or sexuality presented.


10. The relationship between the text and the imagery is vital to the ad, because the text is a direct response to what you see in the ad. There are many different school logos presented, but not every school logo in the nation, or Division I sports for that matter, so the chances are many of the schools actually AREN'T on the ad. The object is to try and find your favorite teams logos, and when you can't, rely on the text to help you out.


11. There really isn't a relationship between the ad and the product. The product is not shown, but the ad doesn't promote a lifestyle either. The only mention of the actual product being a sweatshirt is in passing during the beginning text of the original ad.
    

CONSUMER COMMENTS: This ad worked on me, because as an Ohio State football fan, I didn't see the Ohio State logo, and then relied on the text to know what I should do when I really can't find my team. Finish Line isn't the only store to use this type of ad either. When Victoria Secret started carrying an NCAA line of pajama's and shirts for women they did the exact same thing in their fall line catalogue for dorms.