The Super Bowl is a grand stage to determine the champion of the National Football League. Today, millions of people gather with their friends and families at viewing parties to share in the experience. Some come for the game, some for the food and refreshments, and some, most importantly in this case, come for the commercials. With the astronomical amount of expected viewers for this event expected to rise from the 114.4 million tallied in 2015, advertising companies drool at the idea of producing a commercial that entices the audience to buy their product or use their service. German automaker Audi decided to use their TV time to advertise their new model, the R8. Their commercial features an older man, who appears to be suffering from dementia or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, stuck reminiscing about his days as an astronaut. Everything points to the lack of excitement in his post-astronaut days. When his caretaker, likely his son, offers him the keys to his new Audi R8, the Commander lights up and suddenly feels the excitement he felt as a youth. Audi has been a well-known competitor in not only the luxury department but also the sports department, establishing themselves as one of the premiere companies in the industry. Much of this pitch plays on the viewer's emotion; with the somber living room setting, the static voice over the transmitter, the adrenaline in the older man's face, and even the music attempting to build an emotional bond with the viewer. The top-of-the-line automaker uses its prestige along with a strong emotional appeal in this advertisement to promote their new model.

There is little debate about Audi as one of the premier automakers in the industry. They have remained a fixture in the industry throughout the twenty-first century. In fact, Consumer Report ranked the German automaker 4th out of 28 brands in its 2015 assessment. Their credibility alone provides a strong argument for consumers to look to purchase this car. Audi does a great job of recognizing their stature and humbly promoting their car without the use of exaggerated statistics or slander of other automakers. This confidence in their product can give the viewer their own sense of confidence, as if to say, "If I buy this Audi, I know I'll have the best car on the road". The fact that this commercial aired during the big game only further helps their persuasion. The viewer knows that if this company is prominent and financially strong enough to air this commercial on the most competitive advertising day of the year, they must be trustworthy and reliable. All of these subtleties play a major role in building trust and reputation with the consumer.

Recognizing that consumer emotion plays a massive role in advertisement, Audi does a great job of manipulating the emotion of the viewer in order to promote their product. Using the setting to their benefit, they give the viewer a particular feeling. For instance, a funeral or church is not the best place to burst with laughter, whereas a comedy show would be. The commercial is set at night in a small, dimly lit living room. Everything about the room seems lifeless, from the black screen of the TV to the dim lighting and the stoic look on the old man's face. The company wants the viewer to experience the lack of excitement in the Commander's life and to imagine themselves in this scenario. As the viewer gazes into the life of the seated man, voices can be heard trying to cut through the static sound of a radio transmitter. Accompanying the voices are a series of old photographs, depicting the man's previous life as an astronaut. These photographs, along with the voices on the transmitter, are evidence that the memories the man is having are that of a good time in his life. Today, all he can do is think back and remember when he was full of life.

 The reminiscent scene ends with a shot of the man's apathetic face, as well as his untouched dinner plate. As his son pulls into the driveway, the man doesn't give a thought to what is occurring in the outside world. This display of the man's emotion, or lack thereof, perfectly sets up the audience; lulling them into the monotony of his life, allowing them to give sympathy to the lifeless man who once traveled into the vast unknown of space. The music that begins to play in the background throughout the ad is very significant in playing on the emotions of the viewers. As the Commander lays his eyes on the Audi R8, David Bowie's "Starman" begins to play in the background. Upon starting the car, the music enters the foreground and plays a main role in drawing the emotion from the viewer. Music in general is one of the best ways to not only display emotion, but to create an emotional bond with the listener. The music in this commercial may go much deeper than that, however. The passing of David Bowie on the 10th of January, less than a month from the airing of this commercial, is still fresh on the minds of viewers. Whether intentional or not, the David Bowie music featured in this ad serves as a great tribute to a great artist, displaying how the art of a man who has died can live on and serve as life for others.

It is tough to draw a logical appeal to the viewer with this advertisement, along with many other car advertisements, because of the lack of concrete evidence. There is only so much to be said about a Consumer Report ranking or highway safety ratings. Automakers can go to the end of the world providing gas mileage, safety ratings, technology, and 0% APR in their commercials. But there is no number, no percentage, and no "deal" that can describe how a car makes the driver feel.  In the end, it is the duty of the buyer to find a car that suits their needs while giving them the "feel" that a new car should provide. With that being said, this advertisement doesn't do what most car ads do, giving quantitative data on why their product is the best. This advertisement is effective because it focuses on the feel, the emotion behind the machine. Few people are going to see the plug at the end stating "the new 205 MPH Audi R8 is here" and purchase the car for just that reason. Instead, they'll purchase the car for the adrenaline, the elation seen on the man's once lifeless face. They'll purchase the car so they can feel like "The Commander" once again.

