On the surface, the Volkswagen ad in Figure 14.6 is simply an attempt to sell a car. But its message might be interpreted to mean “scale down” — lead a less consumer-oriented lifestyle. If Volkswagen had distributed this ad in the 1970s, it would have been unremarkable — faced with the first energy crisis that adversely affected American gasoline prices, many advertisers used ecological consciousness to sell cars. In 1959, however, energy conservation was not really a concern. Contrasted with other automobile ads of its time, the Volkswagen ad seems somewhat eccentric, making the novel suggestion that larger cars are excessively extravagant.

Whereas the Volkswagen ad suggests that “small” refers to both size and affordability, the Chevrolet ad in Figure 14.7 depicts a large vehicle, “stealing the thunder from the high-priced cars.” Without a large price tag, the Chevrolet still offers a large lifestyle, cruising in a convertible or vacationing at the shore. Figure 14.12 deliberately contrasts presence and absence, projecting a possible future scene — without the bear — to bring home its message about the need to protect our national parks and their residents. What’s missing also may be more subtle, especially for viewers who wear the blinders of their own times, circumstances, or expectations. For example, viewers of today might readily notice the absence of people of color in the 1955 Chevrolet ad. An interesting study might investigate what types of magazines originally carried this ad, whether their readers recognized what was missing, and whether (and how) Chevrolets were also advertised in publications aimed at Asian, African, or Spanish-speaking Americans.