Transcript Advertising: How It Works--

Using Rhetoric to Analyze Advertising-
Goals of this ppt
• Practice more visual analysis, as you need to include
at least 1 visual with your analysis in Writing Ass’t #2
• Practice using rhetoric for your journal/portfolio
• Analysis is always good for critical thinking, and it
helps us become wiser about the consumer culture
we all live in.
How do ads work?
• Advertising presents an argument, designed to persuade
us to buy something.
• Most often, the way advertising works is implied, or not
literally stated in words. Rather it works through the
power of suggestion and unstated meanings.
Visual
Metaphor
Alert:
Let’s use RHETORIC to analyze ads
• According to Aristotle, rhetoric is “the means of
persuasion” in any stated argument or case.
He cites 3 types of persuasion:
• LOGOS: logical appeals, or reasoning
• PATHOS: emotional appeals
• ETHOS: the credibility of the speaker
*Some ads use a combination of these and not just one.
Let’s use RHETORIC to analyze ads
• In “The Rhetoric of
Advertising,” Stuart Hirschberg
argues that examining the
rhetoric of ads helps us find
deeper meanings.
• In doing so, you notice what
the ad says about culture,
social values, gender roles,
identity, politics, and of
course, our wishes and
dreams.
How do you analyze ads?
CONSIDER:
• Who is the target consumer: Age group? Men or
women? A certain personality type? Income bracket?
Race or ethnic group?
• How is the ad persuading this target group? Look at
*LOGIC: reasons to buy this product?
*EMOTIONS: what emotions are brought up?
*CREDIBILITY: how does the ad establish its credibility?
• Also, pay attention to the details in ads. They may be
surprising…
LOGOS: or, reasoning…
The ad states,
“From the
Mercedes-Benz
Dream Factory.”
Why dream
factory?
What are the
reasons
to buy this car?
What is the reasoning here?
This is a Nike ad from a men’s magazine. Why buy the shoe? Go
beyond the cliché, “sex sells.” VISUAL METAPHOR ALERT—why is
the shoe on her knee?
An earlier version of that ad with the same idea:
What is the logic here?
--James Bond film posters
MOVIES also use the same strategies
--James Bond film posters
This ad targets
women who drink
excessive alcohol.
What is the
logic used to get women
to stop drinking?
What does this ad
presume is very
important to women?
PATHOS: emotional appeals-• Ads play on our emotions to make us “feel” something
about a product. It is manipulative, but very effective.
• Writing in the Journal of Consumer Psychology, University
of Michigan professor Scott I. Rick did a research study,
finding that 79% of shoppers felt “more in control” and
“less sad” when making a purchase (“Shopping to Be
Happy” 2 and 3).
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
In advertising,
shopping is the
happiest activity
that you could
ever do (says
the companies
taking all
your money.)
Negative Emotional Appeals-• Sometimes, ads creating negative feelings. They make us feel bad
about ourselves, or inadequate; they prey upon our fears or
insecurities. So, we will buy something to fix the problem and feel
better.
More body shaming ads
ETHOS—credibility
• This rhetorical technique functions on the ad’s
trustworthiness.
• Ads often use celebrities and other successful
people.
• We purchase products because we believe and
trust in that person, or we want to be like them.
Based on this ad, why buy Nikes?
More ETHOS examples:
Start them early! According to Consumer Reports,
we see some 300 ads per day, starting at a very young
age. Do ads have an effect on your behavior?