Suggestions for Reading Advertising

(pg 206 from Reading Culture)

1. What is the product being sold, and what is that product used for?

2. What does the ad promise? What claim does the ad make about the product?

3. What visuals are used in the ad? Do they illustrate the product claim or promise, or do they associate the product with something else—for example, a lifestyle or a celebrity?

4. Who is the target audience? Who is likely to buy the product? Is age or gender an important issue for the ad or the product? Is cost an issue? How can you tell?

5. Where does the ad appear? If it is a magazine or newspaper ad, who reads that publication? If it is a billboard, where is it placed? Who is likely to be the target audience for that publication or location?

6. How are people depicted in the ad image? Do they conform to or break with stereotypes?

7. Can you identify the cultural significance of this product? Is it a product that has been around for several generations? Is it associated with a particular idea or ideal about American culture or family life? Is it new to the market and suddenly popular with teens or young children? Does the ad refer to current events in the news or to popular films or media events?

8. Is this ad more text than image or more image than text? In other words, does the advertiser think the audience wants more information about the product, or is the audience one that will more likely be persuaded by the visual appeal of the ad? For example, ads in electronics equipment magazines give readers quite a bit of text—the details of the equipment—suggesting that advertisers assume the readers know something about the product and are looking for specific features. Ads for clothing, cosmetics, soap products, or cigarettes rarely provide much information beyond the product name, the product claim—“softer, younger looking skin”—and the advertising image.

9. Does the ad look familiar to you? Does it remind you of other ads or other media? If it does, what is that association?

The Rhetorical Triangle

Three important elements come into play when creating any kind of argument. These are illustrated by the rhetorical triangle:

Logos (Message)

Argument

Ethos (Author)

Pathos (Audience)

Logos: Rational or Logical Appeals. Appeal to logical reasoning ability of the audience through use of facts, case studies, statistics, experiments, logical reasoning, analogies, anecdotes, authority voices, etc. Are writer’s claims reasonable? Is there sufficient evidence to support those claims? Does the speaker make logical conclusions? Does he/she talk about counter-arguments, other opinions or points of view?

Pathos: Emotional Appeals. Appeal to beliefs/feelings of the audience. An appeal of pathos can move an audience to anger or tears as a means of persuasion. May attempt to invoke particular emotions such as fear, envy, patriotism, lust, etc. Or, an appeal of pathos may stem from shared values between the author and the audience, or from an argument that caters to an audience’s beliefs.

Ethos: Ethical Appeals. Appeal based on the character, persona, and/or position of the speaker. This kind of appeals give the audience a sense of the author as competent/fair/an authority figure. Such an appeal may highlight the author’s trustworthiness, credibility, reliability, expert testimony, reliable sources, fairness, celebrity, etc.

Using the Rhetorical Triangle to Analyze Media Messages

The media – advertisements, and often TV shows and movies, are visual arguments. They attempt to persuade readers to buy a product/viewpoint using the same kinds of appeals authors use when constructing a written argument. So, when you analyze a piece of media, it is important to remember the rhetorical triangle. Ask yourself: Who is the author? How is the author trying to represent himself/herself? What is the message and how is that message coming across? Is the argument logical/emotional? Who are the intended receivers of the message? Is the argument having its desired effect on those receivers?

Specific Questions to Consider (Not necessarily all at once…):

The Author

· Who is the author? Is it a business firm trying to sell you a product or a service, a public organization seeking to inform you about its policies, a politician trying to win your allegiance, an interest group or media member trying to change your opinion about an issue? Other?

· What is the ethos (general credibility) of the author?

· What is the ad trying to accomplish? In other words, what is the sender’s “problem?” There is often some kind of communication problem behind an ad or campaign. For example, the authors may seek more awareness on the part of the receiver, or more legitimacy for themselves. Are you aware of any problems the sender (company) may be having within that specific industry, market, or area of activity?

The Message

· What is the simple message of the media? What product is the ad trying to sell? What is the subject of the movie/TV show?

· What is the true message of the media? Are there any hidden meanings the receiver is intended to observe? Do any connotations come to mind when you view the media?

· What ideologies or values does the piece of media invoke? In other words, what images, discourses, concepts, myths, etc. of the culture does the media use when making an appeal?

· How is the message presented? In an advertisement, what is the layout? What images, text appear, etc.? If it is a TV Show or movie, who are the characters? What is the setting, etc?

· How does the media connect concrete features with abstract values? In other words, how does the presentation of the message communicate deeper/abstract meanings (our values/norms) in addition to the simpler meaning (what is being sold)?

The Audience

· Who is the targeted audience? What individuals/group of individuals is/are intended to receive the message?

· Is the media having the desired affect on the targeted audience? Are the logical/emotional/ethical appeals working? Is the audience being persuaded to buy what the media/advertisers are selling? If yes, why? If not, why not?

· If the desired message comes across effectively, might there be any consequences for the receivers? For society as a whole?