TOW #15: The Golden Globes Promo (Visual Text)

      Tomorrow night, the red carpet in Hollywood will be filled with various television and movie stars who come together to celebrate their successes in acting, writing, and directing. The 71st annual Golden Globe awards will be held at 7pm ET/4 pm PT on NBC and will be hosted by actresses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for the second year in a row. An assortment of promos have been aired on the Internet and on TV for several months. These promos show Fey and Poehler goofing around together and having a good time. The comedic affect of these promos really appeal to TV-watching audiences, because who wants to watch an award show hosted by dull, boring characters? Particular promos (posted below) depict Fey and Poehler in a very formal setting, which contrasts with the somewhat unserious nature of the two. The Golden Globes were created by the American Foreign Press Association in order to recognize achievements in television and film, and these entertaining promos were created to pull audiences into watching the program.
     These promos are effective in achieving the American Foreign Press Association's purpose because they take the name of a very well-known, glamorous award show and make everything seem so much less elite and elaborate; the use of humor reaches out to audiences and makes them feel like they are a part of the celebration. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are definitely the right people to be hosting the Globes because they are very well-known comedy actresses (who, I might add, both star/starred on two of my favorite TV shows) who add a more welcoming feel to the otherwise seemingly exclusive award ceremony. Promos portraying Fey and Poehler also reach specific target audiences of comedy-lovers and women. If someone hears that the actress from his or her favorite TV show is hosting an award show, they are more likely to tune in, even if they don't really care about the actual awards. Women are also a target audience; they are also more likely to watch the show because it is being hosted by two successful, hard-working women who serve as role-models for girls everywhere.

The Biggest Hollywood Party of the Year

Watch the Golden Globes tomorrow night, January 12, at 7pm ET/4pm PT on NBC!