Is running really that serious?

I’ll have to admit, the “spotting a dead body whilst running” ad interested me before I could realize what the ad was suggesting. Anything with a “dead body” is bound to draw anyone, no matter how morbid and disturbing the subject. The dark colors of the background with the frayed, dingy track shoes soaking in the light creates a nice tone; it conveys power and purity; it says that runners are tough beings who don’t mind getting a little dirty as long as they get their thirty minute run around the block. The ad referencing to prime time forensic analysis dramas was a good idea; many people can visualize an unsuspecting runner weaving in and out of a secluded park until he or she stumbles upon an abandoned body behind the trees. The plot has been done five million times before. I decided to check out the entire ad campaign, assuming that Pearl’s wittiness would make for a reasonable shoe ad. To my dismay, I was left with the impression that Pearl Izumi was completely biased and more of a bully than she probably wanted to appear. According to the store, Joggers set the sport two steps back, are weak, and weren't born with the backbone that runners are given. If that's the case, then Joggers shouldn't even bother with living.

Truth is, I don’t run. I despise running with a passion, and I prefer to find other methods to work out. The fact that I don’t even care for running has made me dislike the ad more. A large population of the country doesn’t run on a daily basis; morning workouts are usually accompanied by mild jogging. So, my question for Pearl Izumi is, “What gives you the right to put down individuals who prefer not to run?”. You can’t nonchalantly tell a person in a wheel chair that he’s below a person who can actually run. If Pearl Izumi really wanted to sell shoes, the company should reevaluate how it approaches its ads; instead of sensing the wit and humor the ad was probably trying to go for, I only noticed the ignorance and the insensitivity.

When I analyze the Pearl Izumi ad, the first thing I notice is how dark it is. Literally, poster is black; although, this gives me the impression that the black background represents a dark area, pathway, or idea. This definitely plays to the ad’s idea of a runner finding a dead body; a runner can find a dead body on a dark path in the morning or in the night, and dead bodies are always a dark subject matter to begin with. The shoes in the poster are dirty and have obviously been used. The dirty shoes give the impression that a runner is tough and someone who doesn’t mind a little mud to get the job done. Also, the ad mentioned that runners are more willing to run off track into the woods, which would explain the massive amount of dirt. What’s interesting, though, is that there is a single flood of light engulfing the dirty shoes; this can mean a couple of things. I mentioned before that the dark background could mean the runner always runs in the early morning; the light could be the early sunlight that is just visible as the morning really breaks in. From a lot of television shows that I’ve seen, the runner who finds the dead body always runs at a time when the sun is just rising, and it is light enough for the body to be visible. The flood of light also gives the impression that the shoes are angelic, the divine shoes of runners, or that running alone is in another league compared to jogging and that running is the only method. Either way, the light in that context is a little arrogant. The text in the ad is clear and white, so it’s very easy for anyone to read, and the way the text is formatted is appealing. In fact, the composition of the entire poster is appealing; it is clean, crisp, and the juxtaposition works well for the poster. Someone walking down the street would be more persuaded by a poster that is organized opposed to one that is cluttered and with a message that is not easily conveyed. The poster also does a good job of making black more appealing rather than a rainbow of random color. The pop culture references to the forensic shows was probably the best thing the poster did; society may not be able to relate to a dead body in the middle of a park, but it can relate to a dead body in the middle of a park on a television show. This is probably where the ad struck gold (if not the nerves of many people).

The ad seemingly promotes running and a healthy lifestyle. This might be a stretch, but the ad gives running a sort of attitude and confidence that jogging apparently doesn’t have. To me, the ad says to not be modest or meek, but to run and be a confident person about it. Runners take control of their lives, while Joggers continue to have life step all over them. Perhaps the shoes give a runner the attitude and confidence because the runner looks good while he or she runs a course. None of this may be true, but that is what I get out of this ad campaign; a confidence that has stepped over the very tall line into arrogance.

The Pearl Izumi ad literally discourages jogging. In fact, the entire ad puts down jogging so much that I couldn’t look past that to see the good of running. The ad alienates anyone who doesn’t want to run, but it focuses entirely on Joggers alone. Apparently, the Runners are the Goliath to the Joggers’ David (or vice versa depending on how one looks at it). I tried to find the marketing approach in putting down jogging, but it seems pointless. Runners and Joggers are doing the exact same thing; the only difference is that runners happen to move a faster and sharper pace. I could say that the idea of runners moving faster could be a clever way of conveying that they do get through life far differently than joggers; however, it’s idiotic. A jogger can easily increase his speed to a run, and a runner can slow down a little to jog. Either way, Izumi could have explained the Running v Jogging ad without the insensitive and ignorant approach it gave. If I’m going to run, I’m certainly not going to need her shoes to do it.

Despite how I feel about the ad, when I look at it, I can’t help but be attracted to the entire look of the poster. Aesthetically, it appeals to my eye, and whoever thought of how to put the ad together was very smart in his or her choices. While I can’t relate to finding a dead body on the ground, I do like the ads approach of using Television to connect to the power of running. As pretentious as the ad is, I can understand how running is so intense because of the visuals that the poster provided. The look of the poster and the pop culture reference are the only things the ad has going for it, unfortunately. I can’t connect to it logically, and since I don’t run on a daily basis, I don’t have a lot of experience or credibility to agree with the power of running. In the end, Pathos is the only.

When I look at both ads, the Pearl Izumi and the “I am what I am” ad, I regrettably like the first one; aesthetically that is. I had explained earlier how the first ad appeals to my senses, and it definitely continues to appeal to my sense more than the second ad. I don’t’ really want to see a man vomiting onto the hard concrete as he is stumbling over his steps. However, when I look past the initial visuals, I realize that I prefer the second ad to the first. Finding a dead body in an off-road run can be intense, but I find something more incredible about the idea of a man’s body literally shutting down because of how much work he’s forcing onto it. While pain is not necessarily a good thing, there is a power behind it that screams so much louder than pop culture references. Still, for the market, the first ad takes the win.