Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example

RUNNING HEADER: Rhetorical Analysis of an Advertisement Rhetorical Analysis of an Advertisement BY YOU YOUR SCHOOL INFO HERE HERE Rhetorical Analysis of an Advertisement In the 1950s, The Soda Pop Board of America began an intensive advertising campaign in an attempt to further sales of carbonated beverages. This board began looking for new target markets by which to persuade in order to generate more sales and interest in Coca-Cola, 7-Up and Pepsi Cola. The middle-class consumer housewife as the most obvious target, using credible and influential advertising content and communications to gain market attention.

This broad promotional campaign effectively utilized ethos, pathos and logos in a singular ad format that built much higher target market interest through its influential, convincing messages. The advertisement depicts an attractive toddler who is smiling in ecstasy to the adoring grin of a well-groomed mother. The well-placed image of a soda bottle is pointing in the direction of the child, along with specific messages about the inherent benefits of soda products. The most prominent message serves as a banner at the top of the ad, stating “for a better start in life, start cola earlier!”. As the middle-class homemaker was the primary child caregiver and shopping decision-maker in most households, the ad effectively gained desired market attention.

The advertisement utilizes ethos, an appeal that is based on credibility, reputation or expert appeal. There is a block of text below the picture of the two actors that describes tangible laboratory research findings on early-aged soda consumption. The promotional message is attempting to illustrate that the claims being made can be founded on legitimate professional studies, which gives the product more influence in convincing the buyer that soda is a quality choice for early youth consumption.

This ad also uses logos in its appeals, which is a petition based on logic and reasoning. One of the messages next to the soda bottle is “gives body essential sugars!”, which is a logic statement that also makes the potential buyer consider the legitimate benefits of the product. This is likely done in the event that other promotional messages are not necessarily accepted by the target market, thus a statement of the rational benefits of the product serves to support lucid and sensible decision-making.

The ad further utilizes ethos in the advertisement, accomplished significantly well. The ad makes the claim that the aforementioned laboratory studies indicated that youths who start drinking cola very early in life gain better social acceptance. Because during this period, teens and pre-teens often frequented soda shops, it was a very socially-accepted activity to consume soda in a variety of socially-relevant environments. This advertisement makes these claims so that the target market will feel the importance of a social bond, thus providing empathy or emotional response for a caregiver that wants the best for their child.

The ad additionally states, “do your child a favor”, further appealing to the psycho-social needs of a typical middle-class mother that is concerned about the growth and development of their child. The ad statement, “for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness” further builds compassion or empathy in the potential buyer, believing that positive emotional reward will be the long-term outcome of youth soda consumption. Referenceshttp://www.deceptology.com/2011/02/10-deceptive-baby-advertisements.html