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(Robert) Curtis Lambert
English 101
Professor Bolton
13 June 2012
The Hyundai Hybrid Hype
ROUGH DRAFT EDIT 1 06.07.2012
“New thinking for new possibilities.” The advertisers for new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
have tucked this caption on the line following the company name and the make and model of the
automobile. In very small fine print, almost subliminally whispering to the reader from the
corner of the page, it says, “New thinking for new possibilities.” The ad graphically depicts a
pastoral landscape of beautiful trees softly backlit by the golden glow of sunshine. In the middle
of the page there is an image of a man dressed in a suit and tie with a jet pack on his back flying
through the sky on his way to work or an important meeting. An androgynous figure of what
could presumably be his spouse waves good bye to him from the balcony of a very large,
architecturally modern, 3 story glass and steal beamed home. In the foreground of the ad is the
star of the show; an icy blue Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The Sonata Hybrid sits on a drive way bed
of tiny peat gravel with a border of bricks or stone. Coupled with the statement, “New thinking
for new possibilities,” and the image that accompanies it, there leaves little room for doubt that
the ad for the Sonata Hybrid by Hyundai is designed specifically to appeal to the reader’s pathos
and ethos, while the use of logos in this ad is questionable.
PATHOS PARAGRAGH: Hyundai is relying on our pathos, or sympathies, for the well-
being of the planet in this Earth conscious, eco-friendly, age of the 21st century. The overall
intent of the pictorial image of the ad, as a whole, is to play to our presumed understanding that

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since we are now living in the “modern” age of hybrid vehicles it will not be long before we will
all be flying off to work with our jet packs and using our hybrid vehicles only for trips with the
family or other groups of people. But, for now, if we care anything for the environment, the very
least we can do is buy the hybrid.
ETHOS PARAGRAPH: Ethos plays a moderate role here by asking us to trust Hyundai
because they have our future and our best interest at heart by hybridizing one of their standard
vehicles. Americans have long been targets of the wizards of the advertising world of Madison
Avenue and their attempts to play on a company’s trustworthiness. This especially holds true
when dealing with our ever changing obsession with saving our planet and our need to nurture
the environment. Whether Global warming is real or imagined is irrelevant in today’s advertising
market. The agencies responsible for mass marketing the global warming phenomenon have
found willing participants in the American public. Hyundai is only the latest automobile
manufacturer to use this approach with their new hybrid, the Sonata. The trust factor here is
directed at a select few since we can all probably acknowledge that those who will buy the
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid are going to be limited since hybrids are not the most cost efficient
vehicles to purchase. Hyundai had to spend a few million, if not tens of millions, of dollars
researching and developing this product and compared to the standard model it isn’t cheap. The
market will be fairly small for those that will spend more on a hybrid than the identical non-
hybrid vehicle simply to be eco-conscious and Hyundai knows that. The ethos here is for a
specific target group that is looking to buy a hybrid, Hyundai or not.
LOGOS PARAGRAPH: It would be difficult to make the argument that this ad depicts
much, if any, logos. There is not much logic involved, at least not yet, with the imagery of a man

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strapped with a jet pack on his back flying through the air in a suit and tie, off to a business
meeting or to work. We do live in a modern age, but jet packs speak to a more futuristic society
than contemporary. This is a prime example of advertisers utilizing forward thinking to capture
our attention and it certainly does just that, but no real logos in the true definition of that word.
The logical fallacy here can be found in the fact that although we may have the knowledge to
build and utilize jet packs, we do not use them in the general public on a daily basis as an
accepted type of transportation.
CONCLUSION: The real thrust of this ad is being played strongly on our pathos by
relying on our modern sympathies to be eco-friendly and take responsibility for our planet. In the
advertising world any product that people are convinced of as being “good for us” is almost a
sure thing. Just look at the booming vitamin supplement industry if there is any doubt.
Advertising agencies are paid to find a sympathetic approach to peddle their client’s wares and
we are all too eager to give them a chance, especially if we believe they have our best interest at
heart, but moreover if it pulls on our heart strings. Sometimes it doesn’t even matter if we can
afford it if the ad agency can accomplish these two feats. After all, we are modern Americans, it
is the 21st century, and we are called to do our ecological duty by driving a hybrid and thus
reducing our “Carbon footprint.” Why wouldn’t we want to? We should. Any little bit will help.
Hyundai is counting on our sense of adventure and more importantly our sense of responsibility
and driving a Sonata Hybrid by Hyundai will do just that! Remember: “New thinking for new
possibilities.”

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Works Cited
Sonata Hybrid by Hyundai. Advertisement GQ 12 (December 2011): Print.