First Essay- Entry #2

The WeightWatchers campaign featuring Jennifer Hudson is mostly effective and mostly positive. She has a powerful voice that keeps us from changing the channel when it comes on, and the dramatic lighting in the commercials add a cinematic flair. Ms. Hudson has been the subject of a lot of public attention between her American Idol run, her family tragedy when her nephew, mother, and brother were killed by her brother-in-law, and her movie career (which earned her an Academy Award). Always a figure of strength and composure, she is someone we generally trust and like as the public. Add the fact that she lost 80 pounds and she becomes a woman that other women can follow as an example; a real role model. In terms of star power, a better choice couldn't have been made.

In terms of positivity, the ads seem to be innocent and get the job done. There is one quality to them that I find a bit iffy, and that is the lack of speaking. Ms. Hudson spends most of the ads singing and showing off her body which is fine, but she never speaks about the power or effectiveness of the product. Moreover, the songs she sings are generally inspirational with no specificity whatsoever. One of the most popular has Ms. Hudson singing "Believe" and the audience is meant to construe the message in relation to the goal of WeightWatchers as an organization. While it isn't hard to figure out, it is interesting to see that WeightWatchers isn't even trying to convey the message. The ads may be more successful if she shared a testimonial, or sang a song written for the commercial itself.

In terms of her race, I don't find it to be an issue. The fact that she is African American might draw more African Americans to the company, but her race is hardly the motivating force to make her the spokesperson. Instead, it is her storied and accomplished past with a tragedy she has overcome that makes her an effective and positive spokesperson.

First Essay- Entry #1

Jennifer Hudson has been a figure in the public eye for many years. After getting voted off of American Idol in seventh place, she went on to record several commercially successful albums and find her fame on and off the track. Her greatest accomplishment came, perhaps, in 2007; Ms. Hudson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress after delivering an incredible performance in Dreamgirls. While she's stayed away from mainstream hits on the big screen, her presence has been gracing televisions for the last few years and in a far different manner.
The comments below bring up interesting questions: is the ad race neutral? What is the ethnic breakdown of WeightWatchers customers? The question of race is an interesting one, and I thank the commenters for their insight. While one site claims WeightWatchers has over 763,000 subscribers, I have not found an ethnic breakdown of said subscribers. The question of race neutrally in the ad campaign is an intriguing one. It would appear the the content of the ads is race neutral, but knowing Ms. Hudson's past suggest it might not be. She was in Dreamgirls, a film based on the landmark African American broadway show, starred in The Secret Life of Bees which is known for its strong female African American characters, and even this past winter was a lead role in the film musical entitled Black Nativity. Her audience has seen her predominantly in strong African American roles.
Of late, Ms. Hudson can be seen predominantly as a spokeswoman for WeightWatchers. She has lost a substantial amount of weight since her American Idol days and these commercials showcase her slim physique, incredible voice, and charismatic confidence. Please find one such commercial below.