Perspective & Rhetoric

Advertisements, as we have already discussed extensively, use rhetoric a great deal. Rhetoric is essentially the only way an ad can be useful, it must convince the viewer of something. This ad shows this in a great way.

This ad draws on pathos to tell a story with just two images.

Under the sink, chemical products are depicted, in the first image. This is a usual scene in many households. Alone this image means little. The tagline on the bottom states, “Prevent accidents. Read the label.” Most viewers will see this and pay little mind to it. It is almost common sense to most people that chemicals are dangerous.

Yet, by juxtaposing the same image, only slightly altered, the ad takes on a whole other meaning.

Once children are brought into the ad, pathos is drawn out. Safety for our children and today’s youth is an ideal most people can respect and attend to.

The ad shows that children may see such chemical products as toys or, at the very least, something intriguing. Thus, the viewer thinks of a child playing with chemicals, and sympathy and sadness is subconsciously drawn out.

Suddenly, reading the label takes on a whole new meaning. It is no longer about the obvious - it is about protecting children. It is about helping those who can’t help themselves. This ad is effective in creating a message, by switching perspective.

That is a key aspect in rhetoric, in general. Perspective is a crucial element to any and all arguments. Thus, by showing various viewpoints, a more reformed and relatable ad is shown.

Ultimately, rhetoric in ads draws on many things to make an argument. It is all about working with how people see things and what images will draw their attention further.

The safety of children is certainly an applicable one, and I find this ad to be a great example of rhetoric.