Chinese vs. American Views on Soccer

Erin Rickert

English 250

Visual Analysis

Paper

Chinese vs. American Views on Soccer

In my visual analysis I compared two advertisements for soccer brands from China and the United States. The Chinese advertisement was for Adidas sponsoring the National Team for the 2008 Olympics, while the U.S. advertisement is Matt Reis endorsing Puma soccer equipment. These two advertisements come from very different cultures and showcase the different opinions on the sport from each country.

The Chinese advertisement appeals to pathos because Zheng Zhi (郑智) is being held up by thousands of his fellow countrymen. He is significant because he is the team captain for China’s national team and plays for England’s Charlton team during the regular season. China’s National Football Team is not known for doing well at tournaments or competitions such as the World Cup or the Asian Cup. Since the country

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Note how they are helping him reach the ball.

has the largest population on earth, the advertisement is trying to show the country banding together to help Zheng Zhi reach the soccer ball. The advertisement shows that the country is behind the national team’s efforts to do well in the 2008 Olympics, which is being held in China. It is a group effort for the team to do well. By having the thousands of Chinese natives in it, the advertisement is able to reach its intended audience of the Chinese population. Also showing thousands of people helping Zheng Zhi, it emphasizes that Adidas is using the advertisement to promote their brand and not a specific product.

The advertisement has the phrase “Impossible is Nothing” next to Zheng Zhi’s name and the number 2008, the year of the Olympics. This appeals to pathos by suggesting that the Chinese team will overcome the impossible and claim the title of being the best. The phrase also implies that the team will redefine Chinese soccer in the international soccer world despite their past performance.

The...