This week we looked at a number of advertisements as an introduction to the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. ((Go ahead and bookmark The Forest of Rhetoric—we will refer to it often.)) These will be the basis of your analyses of arguments for the next few weeks, so make sure you’re familiar with them.

Your homework for the weekend is to find an argument in the wild—the topic does not matter, nor does the medium—email a link to me (if possible), and bring a copy to school. After you’ve chosen the piece, note how the author appeals to his or her audience: what kind of emotions is it meant to elicit? how does the piece inspire trust? what is the audience meant to do with this information?

You will (briefly, informally) present the argument to the class and we will discuss on Monday.

In our continuing quest to better understand the essential elements of any argument, each of you will be writing a more extended analysis of an advertisement. It can be a commercial, a print ad, or even an infomercial. (I’ve never had anyone analyze an infomercial before, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work…)

The format for these analyses is in your syllabus.

Post questions or good commercials you come across (as long as you aren’t using them) below. Your response should be typed, and in this format.

Update: It seems that I neglected online advertisements. While we will focus primarily on the form and content of individual arguments, it is always interesting to take a look at the bigger picture. The video below illustrates the scope and possible impact of online media and advertisements. It is aimed at businesses (especially around the 3:00 mark), I thought it worth sharing.

Today we briefly discussed the three basic appeals of any argument: appeal to the audience’s emotions, the speaker’s credibility, and the author’s message itself. Tonight, find commercials or advertisements on the Internet (YouTube is a goldmine, but you may be able to find static ads elsewhere—just turn off your ad blocking plugins) and post a link in the comments below. You should include a brief explanation of how the ad works in light of the appeals we discussed in class. For example:

While O.J. Simpson’s plea for viewers to “snap that seatbelt” may have been persuasive at the height of his career as football’s golden child, the events surrounding his trial have since sullied any credibility he might have as a role model.

We will discuss your advertisements and explanations in class tomorrow. As always, email with questions.