The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

     I was on my phone during a commercial break, and I heard a song in the background that made me look up to see what commercial was showing. I didn't really know what to expect. At first look, I saw checkerboard floors, women dancing, and maids pouring milk into what I can only guess to be a bathtub. It also shows a women playing the drums, a young woman and an older man playing chess on the ground, a suspicious-looking young man reading a newspaper, and a lowering chandelier. All of this is going on in a retro checkerboard floored setting. At the end the commercial quickly smacks down the words "Just the Right Amount of Right Wrong," which is followed by a second of cosmopolitanlasvegas.com.
     This commercial made me do a double-take, because it made no sense to me. Nevertheless, I was confused enough to search the commercial on YouTube.

     If I was confused watching this commercial, it must have had the same effect on everyone else who watched it. That was probably the impression that the director and writer of the commercial intended from their audience. This being a commercial for the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the target audience are adults in the prime of their life--from 21 to their early 30s. 

     The commercial appeals to its audience with the need for prominence. If young adults go to the Cosmopolitan, they will become part of an elite group who will party with them all night and they will have have a good time. The commercial makes it seem like the Cosmopolitan will offer its guests everything they need to feel at the top of their class. I mean, they must feel pretty high class and fancy with that giant chandelier they've got going on. The way that the people in the commercial are dressed even show that they are to be admired. This need for prominence also goes along with the advertising technique of snob appeal. Cosmopolitan will make its guests part of an elite group of people. They show this through the classy and glamorously-dressed people. I must mention the chandelier again, because those always seem to make people look and feel wealthy and important. 

     This also appeals to the audience's need for attention. This is especially shown through the woman walking across the floor like a model. Putting the spotlight on her gives the audience the impression that they too will feel noticed while on visiting the Cosmopolitan. Even the lighting of this whole commercial focuses on each of person, while making the rest of the footage dark. This brings attention to the people, and we can be just like them--feeling important and being noticed--if only we go the the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. 

     The thing that was most confusing to me was the ending line "Just the Right Amount of Wrong." The word "wrong" has a negative connotation, and I don't think I want to be involved in anything that I shouldn't be doing. Just that one word can discourage its audience. But then again, there are a whole lot of people who choose to live dangerously, and in that case, the Cosmopolitan would be the right fit. I also thought that the last line was really vague. What exactly has the right amount of wrong? And what do they mean by "wrong"? That line brings up a lot of clarifying questions.

     Overall, this commercial is effective in trying to reach out to its target audience by showing them another life they could have.