Originally posed as a joke by Benjamin Franklin as a way to sleep an extra hour each day, the idea of Daylight Savings went a little too far. It spread throughout the states, but it was not accepted by all. Indiana is one of four states who have not implemented Day light Savings Time. Contrary to its purpose, Daylight Savings Time is not providing farmers a way to gain time; they are losing it instead.
The first noticeable aspect of this advertisement is its color—a harvest yellow-orange. It not only relates to the actual harvest season where crops change their colors from green to tan, but also to a sunset which signals a starting day. The outline in the background is unmistakably Indiana. Anyone living in Indiana can identify with it, it also shows which state the ad is focusing on, being that there are four other states who are not using Daylight Savings Time.
The Clock numbers inside the outline are in green, the color of growing, ripe clocks. Only two of the numbers are actually visualized, the others are made dashes. This is so there isn’t too much attention focused on the clock so much as the message. However, the two numbers which are visualized, the 12 and the 6, are made out of cornstalks, one of Indiana’s major crops grown by Indiana farmers. It also symbolizes that in Indiana time is not run by city or business life, but by a farm time, which involves the crops and animals of a farm operation.
The statistic is in larger font so it’s easy to read and directly out there and is written in black, a bold color. It is centered so one’s eyes aren’t wandering. It’s a simple statistic, not a lot of numbers as opposed to how many farmers there actually are in Indiana. Any resident in Indiana can identify with the label “Hoosier.” “Hoosier” and “Farmer” are both in all caps. This suggests a relationship between the two even if all Hoosiers aren’t farmers. This relationship unifies all Indiana residents and farmers and makes the implication that Hoosiers should be concerned about their farmers.
The next phrase “& their roosters don’t change their clocks” is the pun or witticism. This lets the reader know the ad is opposed to something. Whereas before there was merely a statistic, now one knows there is an argument or a promotion of something. This too is in black, but has a red shadow which deserves a little more attention.
Finally, off to the side on the lower corner are the words “we’re not gaining time / were losing time.” This further established what the argument is about—the establishment of Daylight Savings Time in Indiana. It uses “we’re” instead of “I’m” to unify residents together and suggest this is important to everyone. “Losing” is in bold to focus on a negative aspect of Daylight Savings time, suggesting people will respond more if they feel threatened as opposed to when they feel comfortable.
The effect created is a focus more on the black words which contain the setting, argument, and reason to care. The next factor seen is the outline of Indiana, although we know already the ad deals with Indiana because of the use of “Hoosier.” Next we see the small embellishment, such as the clock in the background of the Indiana outline and how the numbers are made of cornstalks. The color of the ad in general may consciously be taken into account at this point. The idea taken away from this ad is Daylight Savings Time is bad for the people of Indiana.