Sony Bravia: High Def or Highly Distorted

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

download word file, 2 pages 0.0

Downloaded 1188 times

As the world of technology continually changes, the expectations of the consumer are constantly on the rise. Sony, one of the leaders of today's technology, has developed a product designed to appeal to both men and women equally.

The Sony Bravia is a television that they claim was made to appease to both genders. They imply that between the sleek design and the "Sony Full HD" feature, that no matter who you are, this is the television for you. No more disputes with the wife/girlfriend because they want something that looks nice in the entertainment center. No more arguments from the husband/boyfriend because he wants the latest technology has to offer. Sony has claimed to bring the best of both worlds into one marvelous package…The Sony Bravia.

This particular ad, published in Maxim, immediately catches your eyes by using the colors blue and pink together. Each color covers half of the page horizontally with the picture of the ad tying them together.

Initially, your eyes are drawn to the contrasting colors but you quickly notice the stylish television gracing the page.

One of the phrases they use, "The world's first television for men and women" suggests that TV is a must have in your home. That it will satisfy the desires of everyone who gets enjoyment out of watching television. When in reality, it isn't any different than other TV. Of course the appearance may vary but it really doesn't offer anything that another brand doesn't offer. They use the words "World's first" to give a false sense of being different and unique. I think they are targeting the men that are compelled to have the newest, top of the line products. Men for the most part, are very competitive in nature and love to "one up" their buddies, which is why I think Sony designed this particular ad to put in Maxim.

In my opinion, the claim of "Full HD" is preposterous. High Definition is a fancy name for high resolution. Not only does HD require a certain component be included in the TV but the source of the program you are watching also has to broadcast in HD. There is no Half Definition or Partial Definition. Either you have High Definition or you don't. And even though they make this a selling point, the fine print at the bottom reads: "Sony Full HD available on select Bravia models" I find this to be very misleading.

Sony has a reputation for producing quality products, and I think that in itself is the best form of advertising. It is appalling to me that companies lead you to misinterpret ads for the sake of making a dollar. I understand that the ultimate goal is to entice the targeted group but putting emphasis on a feature that is only equipped "on select models" is very deceptive. So, to represent that the Bravia is superior based solely on this one attribute that isn't even included in every television is absurd.

In conclusion, I have come to the realization that while the Sony Bravia sounds very appealing, after consideration of all the facts and features represented in this ad, I do not agree that it is quite the superior product it claims to be.