Step Brothers

Step Brothers

            Step Brothers has many advertisements throughout the entire movie, each one presenting a different argument.  There were two in particular that really stool out though.  The first of which is when Dale plays the infamous video game Guitar Hero.  The second scene is the closing scene when Dale and Brenan are both wearing the Chewbacca masks, referring to the very famous movie series Star Wars.  Both of these scenes show examples of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.  Although having these advertisements in the movie is beneficial for Step Brothers, this may be hurting the topics that are being advertised. 

            In the opening scene of the movie they show short clips of each main character and try to sum up their personality in that small span of time.  The name Guitar Hero is never mentioned, but the game layout and guitar in Dale’s hand is pretty recognizable.  It is implied in the small clip that Dale still lives and home, and still needs his father to provide for him.  The reason that this is not beneficial towards the brand Guitar Hero is because people might associate that game with losers, or the geek type.  This is an example of Pathos.  Dale is a 31-year-old child still living at home wit his father who supports him, and plays Guitar Hero all day.  This is the first impression of Dale and doesn’t shine Guitar Hero in the best light.  The reason that this advertisement is so beneficial towards the movie is because of the Ethos and Logos present.  The game Guitar Hero is a very well known game; it made a lot of money selling to kids of all ages.  Step Brothers is “making an argument based on the character of the company” is this case”(53). This game was immediately recognized without it ever being name-dropped, giving credibility to the situation.  And finally because this game can be played by any person of all ages, it is very logical for Dale to be rocking out to Guitar Hero, presenting Logos.  Step Brothers is a movie geared toward age groups from young teens to old teens.  It makes sense that Guitar Hero would be advertised because the age groups that this game is geared toward are similar.  

            In the very last scene in the movie, both Dale and Brenan are shown wearing a Chewbacca masks.  This mask was featured throughout the movie as a symbol of maturity.  At the beginning of the movie, while Dale and Brenan are still their immature selves, Dale wears his mask when he things.  But later in the movie, when they begin to become mature, boring adults, Dale makes a point to through off the mask while he is doing his taxes.  Then again at the end of the movie when Dale and Brenan are back to being immature, the movie ends with both of them wearing Chewbacca masks.  This is bad for the movie series Star Wars because it is saying that only immature people watch those movies, and all the real adults who are responsible are too good for such fantasy.  Star Wars wanted the to get their name out there with Pathos but it ended up shining a bad light on the movie.  It ended up being a positive advertisement for the Step Brothers because the Star Wars series has a lot of Ethos.  Everyone knows the series very well, as it was very popular to kids of all ages.  With bringing this advertisement up in the movie it is referring to a very popular and well known movie, implying that Step Brothers will be equally successful. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2opkAxKgAeA

             I am giving this movie three pickles because the advertisements did really well for the movie, but at the same time the movie shed a bad light in the products being advertised.    The Ethos, Logos, and Pathos are stronger with Step brothers and that is why I give the movie three, not two.