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"A picture is worth a thousand words"
- Fred R. Barnard
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction
Visual argumentation and rhetoric are recognized as extremely valuable assets in terms of contemporary writing, communication, and more. These tools break the textual barriers and capture the audience’s attention by utilizing visual elements to create more emotional resonance and persuasion. To understand the significance of visual argumentation and rhetoric, one must consider the roles they (visual argumentation and rhetoric) fulfill in day-to-day life.
Areas such as marketing, social media, politics, education, and the news all apply some form of visual representation to facilitate their audience’s comprehension. To ensure engagement, these skills are incorporated into essays, literature, and presentations in the form of infographics or illustrations. They provide complex information in a manner that is less difficult for viewers to interpret. Visual argumentation encompasses the deliberate use of design elements to make compelling points with the use of color, aesthetics, and imagery, further transforming text into a more comprehensible narrative.
In summation, the use of visual argumentation and rhetoric is highly regarded as an influential media and writing strategy. The ability to connect and educate viewers is maximized due to the innovative tactics that infographics and imagery provide. This proposal will present the argument that the implementation of visual argumentation and rhetoric will enhance writing techniques and make the narrative more compelling to the viewer.
Importance
Importance
How do visual elements facilitate better comprehension for the audience?
How do visual elements facilitate better comprehension for the audience?
Visual components are able to clarify and condense information
Facilitates memorability
Emotional resonance
Engagement & Creativity
Where are they incorporated?
Where are they incorporated?
Essays
Literature
Marketing
Presentations
Infographics
AND MORE…
Real-world Examples?
Real-world Examples?
Essays
Words can get boring and confusing! Images help audiences stay entertained and informed.
Marketing
Show an example/image of the product instead of listing out the features. Let the consumer see their future purchase in action!
Literature
Cover art draws the audience in! Consumers usually base purchases off of aesthetics and quality before considering the content.
Presentations
Sometimes, a simple pie chart does the job better than most people! Visual learners will appreciate the drawn-out information (and, most likely, comprehend the material better).
Infographics
Environmental factors/impacts have more influence over the audience when there is visual evidence of change (i.e. turtles consuming plastic).
Color
Color
Red
The color red is universally accepted as the color of “love,” “passion,” “anger,” "dominance" and more.
Red induces arousal/interest. Therefore: a great marketing strategy! (Coca-Cola, Netflix, Target, etc.)
“Alters emotions, physiology, psychology, and behavior” (Mentzel, Schücker, Hagemann, Strauss).
Yellow
The color yellow portrays happiness (as well as warning, warmth, anxiety, etc.)!
BE CAREFUL: though some forms of yellow may indicate "happiness" and excitement," darker tones (mustard) can portray sadness/depression.
This is usually utilized as a "positive" color.
Orange
The color Orange represents transformation in Confucianism, a religion followed in China (Adobe Express).
Evoking creativity and confidence, Orange is a popular choice for non-corporate brands. (Maybray).
Orange is also associated with feelings like frustration and sluggishness.
Green
Universally, green usually signifies relaxation, health, prosperity, hope, and freshness.
Representing life, green is associated with grass, trees, and bushes.
Promoting freshness, Whole Foods utilizes green branding, positioning itself as “America’s healthiest grocery store.”
Blue
Blue is the color, usually used, to present calamity.
Blue induces feelings of security, strength, wisdom, and trust. Blue, associated with dependability, is frequently used by social media - like Facebook and Twitter.
Possessing negative connotations blue conveys feelings of coldness and unfriendliness.
Purple
Purple, associated with royalty and superiority, promotes a wise, wealthy, and sophisticated aura.
Purple, often used by brands, gestures superior service, products, and experiences.
Associated as a more feminine color Hallmark utilizes the purple tone to leverage the predominantly female audience.
Black
The color Black is often used to display power and elegance.
Black is used to create striking graphics (MacNair) that stand out.
Black is avoided in the health industry due to the association with death and mourning (Maybray).
White
The color white is used to display purity and simplicity.
White can bring out moods and tones of multiple colors combined (MacNair).
White is also viewed as universally appealing (Maybray) and inclusive.
Analyzing Visual Arguments
Analyzing Visual Arguments
Employing visual rhetoric guides the audience to different outcomes by inducing a variety of emotions; compassion, anger, fear, curiosity, etc. When correctly utilized, visual arguments grab the reader's attention. Compelling images engage the reader: allowing for a more comprehensive and understandable argument. Marketing companies often use visual rhetoric as a way to employ effective product promotion. Visual argument advertisements persuade customers to purchase a product. For instance, the Gatorade advertisement suggests that when consumed, the drink provides “supernatural power.” Athletes being the targeted audience as compared to the Gatorade convinces them they will show excellent performance, hence the Gatorade winning the track meet (Gurevich).
Three Main Aspects of a Successful Visual Advertisement
Three Main Aspects of a Successful Visual Advertisement
Slogan - “a drink for sportspeople”
Illustrates superiority among other beverages.
Use of colors
A bright picture of the bottle.
Blue and Green are the dominating colors (considered natural colors).
Associated with the grass and sky (nature).
The color mixing technique provides the audience with the assurance of success in the race.
“Supernatural Power”
The image displays the Gatorade bottle dramatically winning the race.
The advertised drink is, noticeably, ahead of the other beverages.
Can be referenced as “reaching for the sky”.
Suggests the consumer will have the same power upon consumption.
Shock Appeal
Uses a Metaphorical contestant (the Gatorade bottle) in a “race.”
This uncommon approach “startles” the audience and draws them in.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Understanding the best practices for employing visual arguments effectively, ethically and creatively will support the arguments you make in academic contexts.
Picture a magazine cover, a beautiful woman applying makeup on her flawless skin. The image may evoke certain feelings of inadequacy (“I’ll never be as pretty as her”), youth (She has no wrinkles), and envy.
The combination of emotions evoked by the images support each other in an argument convincing the viewer the makeup will change their life, changing their appearance to a more youthful and attractive “model” look.
Visual Elements
Visual Elements
There are two main types of visual elements that often strengthen the persuasive effect of an argument.
Quantitative:
Graphically presents data, allowing statistics to be viewed spatially.
Proposes logical appeals to the audience.
More comprehensible to view the disparity graphically.
Bar graphs, pie charts, Venn diagrams, histograms, and line graphs are all ways of presenting quantitative data in spatial dimensions.
Qualitative:
Emotionally appeals to the audience.
Presents photographs and pictorial images.
Conveys a story through visuals.
For instance, broadcasting images of animals from a rescue shelter will likely have more of an emotional impact than reading information dedicated to convince an individual to adopt
Summary
Summary
In essence, visual argumentation and rhetoric are crucial in shaping and innovating means of communication, marketing, and all forms of writing. Visual enhancers such as graphics and other photo media allow audiences to become more engaged with the material presented and create emotional resonance with the issue. Furthermore, the blend of visual elements and writing serve as a more compelling means of communication by creating an immersive, impactful narrative that is more relatable to audiences on an emotional and psychological level. Visual representations of a greater matter are simplified to ensure comprehension and outreach. The shift from conventional writing strategies will further benefit society by increasing engagement, innovating storytelling, and establish more versatility in the writing space as pictures are more understandable than words. Due to these benefits, including visual arguments in writing is beneficial to improve audience understanding and engagement with the material presented.
Works Cited
Works Cited
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