Spartan Race™ is a world renowned obstacle race. Named after the Greek warrior tribe, the title “Spartan” evokes visions of elite warriors that would stop at nothing to be victorious. The advertisements themselves are without words. They appeal to primal urges and desires of greatness and exceeding limitations. Participants do not know exactly how long the race is or what to expect. There is a clandestine appeal and assurance of a great feeling of accomplishment. Through portraying competitors enduring treacherous obstacles and miles of adversity, Spartan Race™ challenges athletes to test their fortitude and see if they have what it takes to be called a Spartan.
Spartan Race™ is globally ...view middle of the document...
The commercials do not use speech to portray their message. Instead they use dramatic music and display athletes struggling over walls and under barbed wire. They show contestants being hauled off in stretchers and pounded with pugilist sticks. There are scenes of people helping each other over walls and up ropes. They exhibit teams of amputated and disabled veterans, struggling through the obstacles. The images shown are inspirational. The ads seem to make you question yourself and your abilities, without ever asking a question. They depict relatable human struggle and our power to overcome overwhelming odds. The advertisements do not need words, they speak to viewers with universal expressions and sentiments.
The commercials appeal to primitive impulses. They evoke desires of eminence and make audiences aspire to surpass limitations. Watching people run, jump, and crawl through the mud entreats a primal nostalgia inside of the viewer. After seeing a man wearily cross the finish line, and his medal placed around his neck, the audience unconsciously begins to sympathize with his feeling of accomplishment. They show footage of an exhausted competitor, forcing himself to his feet. This inspires the observer to want to push past their own limits. These advertisements are designed to appeal to the onlooker’s primeval desires.
Participants do not know exactly what they are getting themselves into during a Spartan Race. The actual distance of the race is not disclosed. Contestants are only given the minimum distance, depending on the level of the race. Not knowing what is to come gives competitors a nervous excitement. The obstacles that racers will face are not disclosed. The hurdles can be man-made or natural hurdles. Participants never know what they have to do to finish a race until the race is over.
There is a surreptitious allure given off by the advertisements. The mysteriousness of the race is part of what draws people to want to find out more. The creators of these advertisements use this sense of wonder to keep people thinking about the ad long after they see it. Persons wanting to enter these...
