Project #2 Rhetorical Strategies Used in Informercials

You are channel surfing and you come across an infomercial. You glance around the
room to make sure no one is there, and when the coast is clear, you watch it. When it's over and the number is flashing on the screen, you fight the temptation to pick up the phone and dial. Although many of us don't like to admit it, we are enticed by infomercials on a daily basis. The claims they make draw you in, making it very difficult not to call and order the product. This is because they use many different rhetorical appeals and strategies to make you think that you simply can't go without their product. The above video is an infomercial advertising "The Firm" workout equipment. This video appeals mainly to women through all three appeals of pathos, logos and ethos. This video utilizes almost all of the rhetorical strategies we have learned in class, and at times overlaps strategies. I feel the most predominant strategies used are example and description, through the voice of the narrator, and compare-contrast and cause and effect through the personal success stories.

It is very easy to see that the target audience of this infomercial is young to middle aged women. Out of all of the people seen in this video, there are maybe three men. The entire cast of the actual work out video is comprised of women. All of the success stories are given by women. It is always fairly younger women too. Not once do they show an older woman.

From the beginning, this video relies heavily on narrator to appeal both to logos and ethos by using the strategies of description and example. The voice of the narrator serves to describe how the firm works, provide statistics, and establish credibility by guaranteeing results. He describes how the firm works by using scientific principles of metabolism. This statement appeals highly to logos. A persons logic would say that anything that is developed by using scientific principles must work. He also describes how the firm combines aerobics and weight training. He claims that this reduces fat at a higher rate and builds muscle. He provides many statistics such as, the number of "firm believers" and the rate a which it burns fat. He also establishes credibility by guaranteeing the product. He claims that, "You will see visible results guaranteed in ten workouts or less". This statement appeals greatly to ethos and makes the audience believe that this product truly does work.

They use the testimonies of individual "firm believers" to appeal to ethos and pathos by overlapping the strategies of cause and effect and compare-contrast. Throughout the entirety of the video they interject personal success stories, which I believe to be the greatest strategy used in infomercials. We live in a time when body image is a big deal in people's lives, especially with obesity on the rise. So these success stories really appeal to pathos and "hit home" so to speak. People watch these success stories and relate themselves very easily to these people. The video makes very clear that these are ordinary women that have real lives. It shows these women in there careers as lawyers, teachers and mothers. This shows its audience that the firm is not something that is going to take up a lot of time in your day. It proves that you can lead your everyday life and still stay healthy and fit through the use if their product.

The women are also used to prove how easy the product is to use and how fast results are seen, thus appealing to ethos. The audio and visual components use two different rhetorical strategies at the same time. The visual component uses the rhetorical strategy of compare-contrast, while the audio uses the strategy of cause and effect. The combination of the two components make for a very convincing argument. The visual element consists of two pictures flashing on the screen, one before the use of the firm and the other after the use of the firm. Before and after photos create a great credibility with the audience. While these photographs are on the screen, the women in these photos proceed to describe what their life was like before and after using the firm. This implements the strategy of cause and effect. The women take many different angles when describing how the firm has affected their life. "Before the firm I was a size sixteen with elastic, but now I am a size six wearing a size four," says one woman. As another woman holds up a pair of very large shorts with elastic she says, "I used to stretch these out, but now I fit in one leg." All of these stories illustrate very clearly the results of using the firm. The combination of the visual and audio using two strategies at once form the strongest argument in the entirety of the infomercial.

This infomercial does a wonderful job of enticing its audience by intertwining many rhetorical strategies at once and touching on all three appeals of pathos, ethos and logos. It is now clear why it is so difficult to keep yourself from ordering products presented in these videos. They are carefully crafted and well thought out in order to have this kind of overwhelming appeal. So next time you reach for the phone, don't feel so guilty. You could always just blame it on the rhetoric.

Barack Obama's Plan to Empower American's With Disabilities

“We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination .... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities.”

In the above clip, Barack Obama explains what he believes needs to happen in America to help people with disabilities. He use many different rhetorical strategies to appeal to his audience. His strongest strategy, however, is the use of pathos created both through narration and example. He begins by telling a story of how disability has affected his family. This establishes great credibility, in letting us know that he has personally experienced the affects of disabilities on a family. He describes the toll it took on his mother and the different challenges the family faced. This narration appeals to our emotions by creating a sense of sympathy for those with disabilities and the difficulties they must deal with everyday. His demeanor gives you the sense that he really cares about this issue and is willing to do anything to make life for the disabled easy and more independent.
He then goes on, giving examples of such difficulties and how he proposes we change things for the better. He not only gives examples of what needs to be changed, but also how he proposes it be changed. He describes the need to make building more accessible, get rid of stereotypes and discrimination, to ensure students with disabilties a quality education, and to ensure them job opportunities.
In providing people with disabilities with an equal education, he express his support of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. He also describes the need to test children once as infants as well as after the age of two, because certain disabilities, such as autism, don't fully develop until then.
He plans to give people with disabilities equal opportunity in the workplace as well. He plans to do so by leading by example. He plans to hire disabled people to work in government offices and encourage businesses to do the same. He also wants to create better health care plans for the workers.
By giving so many detailed examples Obama makes it clear that he is serious about helping these people. He is clear that he wants what is best for people with disabilities. The examples he provides make Americans want to get involved in helping these people become more independent.

Commercial Observation

Observation and Reflection-Starbucks

The door acts as a sort if barrier separating two completely different environments. As you cross this barrier, you go from the bitter winds biting at your skin and the sounds of angry drivers honking at one another as traffic piles up, to the calm, warm and welcoming atmosphere of Starbucks.

As you enter, your nostrils are immediately filled with the aroma of rich, warm espresso. The walls and furniture sooth you with rich earth tones of browns, reds, and oranges. The room echoes with friendly voices of employees and customers alike. It seems as though there is not a worry in the world for a single person here.

As I glance around, I notice people of all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life. The coffee house seems like a commonplace or getaway of sorts, for anyone and everyone. Near the entrance sit a mother and daughter. The daughter, sporting the latest Disney Princess apparel, looks to be about five years old. The mother, looking quite young herself, is maybe mid to late twenties. They sit together at a table sipping their drinks, cappuccino for mom and hot chocolate for daughter, obviously. The little girl take tiny sips, sticking her tongue out after each one as if having burned it, while the mother just sits there and chuckles. The begin discussing the happenings of the day, taking a walk, passing out girl scout cookies, just as dad arrives to pick them up.

On the other side of the coffee house sit two teenagers, one male and one female. It is very clear that they are on a date of some sort. They sit together in two armchairs angled towards one another. The man is dressed in a button up collared shirt striped with cool blues, purples and greens. The girl is wearing a fairly conservative jean skirt, covering three-quarters of her thighs, a brown and white polka dotted halter top covered with a tan corduroy jacket, and black open toed heels that made her at least a few inches taller. They were both quite obviously trying to impress one another. They gazed into each other eyes while deep in conversation, stopping every now and then to giggle. She then gently sets her hand on his knee as if to make some kind of connection, but they are abruptly interrupted by an employee’s voice. “Venti carmel macchiato for Julie,” he yells. She jumps up to retrieve her drink. When she returns with her drink, they pick up right where they left off.

I stand at the end of the counter, listening to the whirring of the espresso machine and the clanking of ice being shoveled into the blender, as I patiently wait for my drink. Finally, it is ready. “Grande mocha for Sylvia,” he hollers. I grab my drink and slice of pumpkin loaf and sit down at a table. I begin using my fork to slice the pumpkin loaf into chewable sized portions. With each bite, the moist and sweet pumpkin loaf leaves me wanting more. In between bites, I take sips of the warm and rich mocha. This is exactly what I need on a day like today. The door swings open from time to time, shocking my senses with the frigid wind. I take another sip to warm myself once again. On the wall next to me are three very large mirrors taking up the entire wall. The lighting is very dim, and the music being played is very mellow and relaxing, but I am unable to identify the artist.

At the table next to me sits what appears to be another collage student. She sits there listening to her I-Pod drowning out the sounds that might become distracting to her as she attempts to finish what looks to be a lengthy paper or project. She fumbles through papers, highlighting as she goes along. Then, she pulls out a Mac book and begins franticly typing. She doesn’t even budge when her drink order is called out, “Grande non-fat peppermint latte for Michelle!” The woman looks around and after only a few seconds, sets the drink on the counter and goes to make another drink. The sits there for a good five minutes untouched. Then Michelle stops typing. Realizing that her drink is ready she runs to the counter to retrieve it. When she returns, she takes a sip, sets her drink down and begins avidly typing once again.

The wind hits me again. I glance towards the door and see a woman, mid thirties. She is dressed in a dark brown two piece suit and heels. She looks very nice, as if heading to a business meeting of some kind. She walks to the counter and places her order, “One grande carmel mocha, one venti non-fat vanilla latte, one grande double white chocolate mocha, and venti peppermint latte.” After paying she walks to the end of the counter to wait. She stands there tapping her foot and checking her watch every couple minutes. She pulls out her blackberry and begins typing away. Finally, after ten minutes or so, her drinks are up. “Would you like a drink carrier for these?” the employee asks nicely. She nods her head, and once the drinks are in the carrier, she snatches them and rushes out the door.

As I take the last few drinks of my mocha, which is now very cold and mostly syrup, I think about the vast array of people that enjoy the atmosphere of the coffee shop. We tend to think as the coffee house just as a place for artists and business people, but in reality you can find people of all sorts enjoying its relaxing environment. It is the perfect place for many different activities. Whether you are on a date, spending time with your daughter or just trying to finish a paper, Starbucks is a great choice.

As my time here draws to a close, I throw away my cup and place my plate on the counter. “Thank you for coming and have a nice day,” says an employee sincerely as I walk back through the barrier. The wind slaps me in the face as I open the door. The sounds of lunch hour traffic fill the air. As I reach my car, I fight the temptation to go back inside, because this is my getaway. It is the only place where I forget the troubles of the day and just sit and enjoy a nice cup of coffee.