Rhetoric Analysis of H1N1 Campaign Rap Video - Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Memo Rhetoric Analysis of H1N1 Campaign Rap Video February 8, Description The 2009 H1NI virus pandemic is the motivation behind this video. This virus started in Mexico in April 2009, and spread to America and other parts of the world, mainly through the travellers, moving from one place to another. This resulted in loss of lives, especially in the USA, and this was detrimental to the whole country. This video thus, centres on H1N1 virus. This memo will therefore, provide a rhetorical analysis of the video, citing how the author appeals to the audience, among other factors that affect the effectiveness of this video in fulfilling its purpose. The author and purpose of the video The author of this video is one Dr. Clarke John from New York. In 2009, this video won in the video PSA contest, defeating over 200 other videos. Video PSA contest was mainly concerned with the prevention of flu, and strategies that can be employed to prevent spread of flu. The purpose of this video is therefore, to enlighten people about the H1N1 virus, how it spreads, and the preventive measures that one can take to avoid infection. The audience This video does not target a specific audience, instead; it is intended for the whole public. Since the H1N1 virus affected the whole of USA, the public must be enlightened on the preventive strategies they can adopt to avoid future occurrence of the condition in the USA. Therefore, all Americans, children and adults, men and women, professionals, among others are therefore, audience of this video, since all are capable of catching H1N1 virus. What the author values, and what he appears to assume about the audience’s values The author of this video chose to spread the word about H1N1 virus through lyrics. Specifically, he uses the music genre of rap to deliver his message. As his primary choice of message delivery, this means that the author values music, specifically rap music. The author intended this message for an audience. This therefore, shows that the author assumes that the audience too value rap music. Since this is the best way he thought his message could reach the audience, it seems he assumes that Americans love rap music, therefore, will easily receive the message. How the author establishes credibility and character The author establishes credibility and character in his video mainly through the manner he presents himself, and the ideas in his message. For instance, he dresses decently in his white lab coat. Dressing this way is decent, and brings him out as a professional in the medical field. Therefore, the audience will value the message he delivers, as they will view it as credible. Although it is a rap video, this contrasts with the mainstream rap videos in the popular culture, as in this video, the author upholds professionalism, as seen in his decent attire. Professionalism is also evident in his presentation of facts, which enhances credibility and character. He uses formal and decent language while rapping. Most rap videos use informal and sometimes indecent language. Therefore, this makes the video and message therein credible, and brings out the character of the author in a positive manner. Additionally, the end of the video was shot in the author’s office. This is a different setting, as the rest of the video part was shot at a strategic point in the streets of New York. An office environment increases the seriousness of the message and incorporates an element of professionalism in the rap clip. Credibility of the message in the video is also increased when the author lets the audience know the main source of his message in the video. It turns out that he got his message from a trusted government website on flu. It is more likely that the audience will trust the message and do as it says, since the information is credible, and from an individual with a credible character. How the author appeals to the audience In order to appeal to the audience, the author uses an element of popular culture. Popular culture has different elements, and in this case, the author uses rap music as the main form of his message delivery. The popular culture is rampant in America and most Americans identify with it. By using rap music, the author thought he would reach a large number of people. This is especially the young people, who make up a bigger percentage of the American population, and at the same time, have embraced popular culture, including rap music. Additionally, the author has used the element of contrast as a way of appealing to the audience. The fact that he is a doctor, and he is rapping, is interesting. It is rare to see a doctor rapping. This contrast therefore, serves to attract more people to watch the video, and in the process, the message is delivered to the audience. Finally, the author urges the people to visit a specific government website on flu, to get more information. He says that, “. . . and together, we can stop the H1N1” (Clarke Web). This is a strong statement, meaning that all Americans should address the H1N1 virus collectively, as it affects them all equally. Therefore, people will be interested in heeding the author’s advices in the video. Comparison with the Chinese swine flu cartoon Communication of ideas in the two videos is done in different ways. In the Chinese video, ideas are communicated more clearly. There are subtitles, showing the words spoken by the characters in the video, therefore, the message can be read if the audience lack appropriate listening capacity. In the rap video, there is no subtitle, therefore, most audience who are not keen on understanding words in rap, might miss the information. The length of the videos and the depth of information vary. The rap video is shorter than the Chinese video. In the Chinese video, in-depth message about H1N1 is provided, including illustrations. The cartoon characters illustrate how one can catch flu and how they can prevent catching flu. On the other hand, the rap video is plain rapping, and nothing more. This makes the Chinese video to be more appealing than the rap video. Visuals in the Chinese video are more enhanced than in the rap video. Use of colour variations, tonal variations, and sound tracks in the Chinese movie makes it more interesting to watch and listen to. This especially appeals to children and those adults, who love watching cartoons. The Chinese video, unlike the rap video is prejudiced toward America, by claiming that: “the H1N1 virus comes from America and spreads around the world” (MattiRauramo Web). This therefore, could be offensive to Americans, thus, reducing the number of audience for the video. On the other hand, the rap video is strategic and addresses important issues only. Nonetheless, the rap video is effective to the American audience, as the author incorporates features in the video, which are appealing to most Americans. However, this might not go down well with those who detest rap, and those who cannot comprehend words in rap music. Compared to the Chinese video, the rap video is devoid of prejudice, therefore, might apply to a larger audience, even those outside the USA. Works Cited Clarke, John. “H1N1 Rap by Dr. Clarke.” Flu.Gov. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. n.d. Web. 8 Jan 2013. MattiRauramo. “Chinese Swine Flu Cartoon—Full High-Quality Version.” 17 Sept 2009. YouTube. 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