Assignment 1

Tabasco Sauce Advertisement

‘Beware the Heat’ is an ad created by the McIlhenny Company promoting their signature Tabasco Sauce. I selected this advertisement due to its clever approach, simple design, and attention grabbing subject matter.

The purpose of this design is to grab the attention of those looking to add some spice into their diet. The ad contains a simple gradient red background that encompasses a powerful image and simple white text. The image is depicting the recognizable Tabasco logo and bottle form, but transformed into a fire extinguisher. The purpose of Tabasco sauce is to provide a spicy/hot oral sensation. The advertisement implies the level of spice is so strong you will need a fire extinguisher to eliminate the burning.

The audience pertains to a large variety of consumers. The ad is so simple and uses such recognizable symbols, that most any consumer defined by age, ethnicity, or region would find the concept and product clear and concise.

The word and image correlation go together very well. Fire extinguishers are associated with caution due to their ability to extinguish flame during emergencies; turning a bottle of hot sauce into such a recognizable image and putting the words “Beware the Heat” only ties the symbolism behind caution and their product. The ad is very playful and clear.

I personally find the humor and content of the ad very appealing. It draws me in and causes me to have the response of “how clever”. The color scheme works very well with the product and introduces the product in a way that makes it more desirable.