Mahesh - Week 12: Rhetorical Manipulation
Mahesh - Week 12: Rhetorical Manipulation
Language can influence every one of us daily—not only through public discourse—but also through the banal and commonplace advertisements that are apparent in promoting food items at McDonald’s to the newest Apple iPhone. Successful advertising appeals to the audience’s credibility in the brand and incorporates a sense of visual appeal. Advertising itself can be described as a form of argumentation in which the advertiser creates a catchphrase that possesses anaphoric qualities that enable the catchphrase to become popular. Then, the language and rhetoric behind the catchphrase build the brand’s reputation as more individualistic components to the advertisements are added, creating audience relatability as the main focus of advertising.
Rhetorical questions can be a useful tool in inspiring audience reflection on how the product being advertised may be relevant to their lives. Oftentimes, advertisements utilize rhetorical questions negatively to emphasize the loss that the audience must endure if they ignore the sale of the product being advertised. Such intricacies in wielding language as a sword act as a major point of contention between various advertisements. Knowing the needs and wants of the audience can act as crucial knowledge to form different combinations of the three appeals to approach different audiences in unique manners. The right balance between using language and graphics in an advertisement creates the most persuasive of tone, introducing the audience to the material in a visual sense forms an environment that may aid the audience’s comprehension of the message and the overall purpose of the advertisement.
The most effective methods of advertisement use language as a tool to create a dynamic narrative that encompasses the elements of fictional storytelling while employing a real-life example in an objective tone that inspires further consideration into the advertisement. Although the language and visual elements used in the advertisement may be short-lived, a successful advertisement raises thoughtful questions that cause spiraling questions and then discussions; therefore, reinforcing the importance of the product in the audience’s minds. Many businesses use such techniques to build their reputations in their respective communities, as reported in this article: smallbusiness.chron.com/ways-increase-perceived-quality-60414.html
studiobinder.com, 12 January 2023, www.studiobinder.com/blog/ethos-pathos-logos/. Accessed 21 February 2023.
Hi Mahesh! I think your blog is really interesting and I enjoy how you break down the different aspects of an advertisement. It gives a clear image on how exactly companies are able to psychologically influence one’s mind through a picture and a few words. An advertisement that sticks out to me is the iconic Snickers ad, where the brand shows a person that is overly moody and angry. The moment the individual eats a bite of Snickers, they immediately become happy and their attitude is gone. This advertisement sticks out to me and others because it is relatable. I am extremely cranky when I am hungry and the moment I eat, I instantly feel better. The advertisement depicts something that everyone has universally experienced, making people feel seen and understood. The ad ends with the question “Hungry?,” followed by the command “Have a Snickers.” Asking this question makes the audience become aware of their own hunger level and because they are watching an ad about Snickers, they are more likely to crave the candy bar. Many companies make advertisements that include some kind of psychology in it, and it is interesting to see how it influences viewers to buy the product.
ReplyDeleteHi Mahesh. It’s interesting to see how language and rhetorical devices directly influence how advertisers can reach their target audience. Often, the messages are very subtle, as most advertisers try not to make their tactics extremely obvious. This subtlety allows for what the audience may believe is a chance for open interpretation of the fact when, in fact, the viewer is falling into the exact trap that the advertiser has crafted. You bring up an interesting point about combining storytelling with real-life examples—many advertisements use actors to portray actual events, and some of them, such as the exaggerated Bounty paper towel ad, end up being comically ridiculous yet memorable for that very reason. I think it’s also worth noting that advertisements play on existing stereotypes in order to cater to specific audiences, which is also a negative of using rhetorical devices. Seeing that a lot of harmful ideas can be spread through subliminal messages in advertisements, I wonder what you think of this.
ReplyDeleteHey Mahesh, I found your blog very interesting to read this week. I do agree that advertisements have their own power to convince/persuade us to purchase products. Many times, I will wonder why I even bought a product after I spent money on it. The way it looks on an advertisement makes it very appealing to purchase impulsively. A varied use of vibrant colors along with a moving story can alter someone's mind immediately. I agree that small businesses should use these techniques to grow their business however it can be expensive at times. If they found people to invest in or fund their business I feel that any company can end up as successful.
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