Learn to Translate Print Advertisements with Rosetta Stone!

First, a reminder: Rosetta Stone is the language-learning software that they sell in airports and shopping malls all over the world. This particular advertisement for the software appeared in an issue of National Geographic. That being noted, the most important part of this ad is the image. Advertisers in National Geographic often use the tactic of placing picturesque pictures of nature in their ads both to mimic the style used by the magazine itself and to appeal to certain needs of the viewer.

Before we address any needs to which this advertisement appeals, let us discuss the target market at which this ad is aimed. A good place to start would be National Geographic readers. The stereotype is middle-class young to middle-aged men and women who enjoy outdoor activities, have kids, day jobs, spouses, and are generally more liberal in their political views. They like to travel, and are culturally adventurous. This is a perfect target market for a company that teaches people languages.

The picture in this ad features a person rowing in a picturesque lake in the early morning. This picture is aimed at the consumer's need to escape. The exotic appearance of the image conjures ideas of travel to a tranquil, peaceful place, far from the business of their everyday life, going to work, transporting children, and worrying about a plethora of things. They begin dreaming of rowing calmly across that lake, walking along its shores, and, in a trance of desire fueled by stress and subtle manipulation, they decide to learn Finnish and order a set of Rosetta Stone disks. Well, maybe not, but the advertisement makes the product seem more appealing by putting images of that escape from their normal lives in consumer's minds.

This advertisement uses several common techniques, such as simple solutions and association. The simple solution in this advertisement is implied. Rosetta Stone wants you and me to believe that we can learn a new language well enough for everyday use simply by using their software. While that might help, to really become versatile in a new language one must interact with others in that language on a day-to-day basis, thereby acquiring fluency by daily real-life exposure. But to consumers, just being able to sit in front of a computer for a few minutes each day and learn a new language so that they can travel to that pretty lake is very appealing. The second technique is association. By using that picture, Rosetta Stone associates itself with the idea of escape and the ability to do so. The goal of this ad is that consumers will think "pretty lake" and "I want to go to the pretty lake" when they see Rosetta Stone, subconsciously persuading them to purchase some software.

This simple, seemingly unobtrusive advertisement really is full of parlor tricks and subtle manipulations that advertisers use all the time. It taps in to our human need to get away from it all, it gives us an easy solution, and it associates itself and its product with all of the positive things in the ad. Genius, really, and maybe a little bit terrifying.