Advertisements

Here's a great summary of the use of Aristotle's rhetorical triangle in advertisement:

Your turn.

Take any ad in any medium and analyze its rhetoric. Write the answers to these questions in Drive either as a document or as a presentation, and share it with me. Include the ad, either by importing or linking it.

  1. Discuss the ad's purpose and audience. Yes, of course the purpose is to sell stuff to us, right? but look more deeply: exactly what effect does it aim to create, specifically in whom? Consider the medium and outlet here!
  2. What is the primary appeal of the ad, pathos, logos, or ethos? How is it used? How are the other appeals used?
  3. What modes of argument are used to create these appeals? Note at least three of these rhetorical strategies within your ad, and for each one, explain its intended effect.
  4. What rhetorical fallacies can you find in the ad? Explain at least two.
  5. Assess the ad. To what extent do you think it's successful? To what do you attribute its success or failure? Again, focus on purpose and audience here.