The Ancient Art Of Rethoric And Persuasion

Question: Before coming to class, bring a print advertisement that you believe persuades the reader rhetorically. Explain your case using the concepts learnt this week.

Answer: 

Research shows that advertising is regard not as information but as the power of semiotic used which are viewed by the viewer according to their cultural experiences  (Oliver & Bulmer, 2006 as cited from Holt & Mulvey, 1997). Advertisers believed that the successful of advertisements depends not only on the message itself. However, it also depends on suitable mass media that are used such as images, styles and cultural icons which capture the viewers’ eyes. “The persuasive appeal is not tied to the literal or factual content of the message but the consumer constructed pastiche into which the images can be concocted” (Oliver & Bulmer, 2006 as cited from Hirschman & Thompson, 1997, p.58).

Rhetoric in advertising means that advertisers attempt to employ the most effective way for informing, reminding and persuading the target market. Symbols such as pictures are an example of visual rhetoric. Visual is considered as one of the rhetorical element because it has the same power of persuasive as words (Oliver & Bulmer, 2006).

Visual rhetoric applied images to create meaning and form an argument. Famous person, animals and cartoons advertising characters are used to make the message becomes more persuasive. This is another way on how the advertisers make the rhetoric becomes more powerful (Oliver & Bulmer, 2006 as cited from Mulvey & Medina, 2003).

Both text and images should be presence in an advertisement in order for it to be considered as rhetoric (Enschot, Hoeken & Mulken, 2008 as cited from Forceville, 1996; McQuarrie & Mick, 1992; Tanaka, 1992). Text and images have a connection to each other. With the presence of text, it helps us to interpret the picture very well. However, visual such as pictures is still the one that persuades the viewers (Enschot, Hoeken & Mulken, 2008).

In advertising, semiotic analysis text analysis is often used in order to attract and persuade the viewers (Stathakopoulos, Theodorakis & Mastoridou, 2008 as cited from McQuarrie & Mick, 1992).


For example,   the advertising below:

http://youtu.be/W7jkygJ_QNo

In the Pepsi's advertisement above shown, they use famous celebrities like Beyonce, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias and Pink. The celebs were wearing ancient Romanian's outfits which make them look sexy, unusual and attractive. This may attract the viewers to watch the commercial because the Hollywood's sweethearts are in the advertisement. The song which was singing by Beyonce, Britney Spears and Pink 'We will rock you' is also considered as rhetoric because the song is very famous in 1982 until now.

References:

· - Bulmer, S. & Oliver, M.B. (March, 2006). Marketing Communication. Visual Rhetoric and Global Advertising Imagery, 12(1), pp. 49-61. Accessed on November 5, 2012 from University Brunei Darussalam Ebrary Books Website.

· - Enschot, R.V., Hoeken, H. & Mulken, M.V. (2008). Information Design. Rhetoric in advertising: Attitudes towards verbo-pictorial rhetorical figures, 16(1), pp. 35-45. Accessed on November 5, 2012 from University Brunei Darussalam Ebrary Books Website.

· - Stathakopoulos, V., Theodorakis, I.G. & Mastoridou, E. (2008). International Journal Of Advertising. Visual and verbal rhetoric in advertising, 27(4), pp. 629-658. Accessed on November 5, 2012 from University Brunei Darussalam Ebrary Books Website.