Introduction
The Goias ad passes out the message that Brazil is concerned about its environment. The image is composed of a large cloud which has the shape of a fist, and positioned on top of a city. In addition, the advertisement reads “what goes around comes around.” A smaller part of the image also speaks of Global warming, it read, “Global Warming. Do your part to change that.” Below the statement, three small images are embedded. These images are also related to the environment; the first portrays a cultivated land, the second shows a hand watering on some vegetation and the third is an image of the shores of an ocean or sea (Stcyr “"Eco-ad 10”).
This environmental guilt advert targets the people of Brazil and the entire world, inviting each individual to play a part in ending global warming. The earth is warming as a result of human activity. Through various rhetoric appeals and logical fallacies, the advertisers seek to inform the audience that the problem is not a localized agenda, but it is something which hits every individual, nation or region. Rhetoric appeals and logical fallacies, allows them to persuade the audience more effectively thus attaining their objective. This paper analyzes the rhetoric qualities of the image, presenting its contextual and persuasive qualities with a focus on the rhetoric appeals employed and the fallacies which the ad overly emphasizes.
Discussion
The strongest appeal utilized in this advertisement is logos. It corresponds to the advertisers’ logical arguments. In arguing for joint efforts to end global warming, the advertisers use statement which attempt to persuade the audience by making rational claims and giving proof in support of the logical strategy to persuade the audience. A cause or consequence and analogy appeals are applied by the advertisers when they bring in the three small images which show a conserved environment. This reflects the results of fighting global warming, thus making a logical argument and proof for calls for joint action.
Secondly, in persuading each individual to play his or her part, the speaker as presented in the advertisement employs the ethos appeal. The intrinsic ethos of the advertiser comes out strong in persuading the audience; that is how they speak or write. When the advertisers issue the statements that “what goes around comes around” and “Global warming, Do your part to change that”, they express themselves intelligently and confidently using a language which is appropriate for the audience. Their intrinsic ethos goes up to the eyes of their audience, drawing them into the perception that the advertisers are knowledgeable of the effects of Global warming and the remedies. As a consequence, the overall ethos which was frail since the audience was skeptical of what the author knows concerning the issue is strengthened.
The softest appeal used is the pathos; the author attempts to engage the emotions of the audience. The context which the city is placed; an arid region with minimal vegetation, tends to draw the emotions from the audience. Various audiences may be drawn to feel pity, sorrow, sympathy and even love for the environment. The three small images also invoke emotions form the audience. The proper structuring of these features of the advert further persuades the audience to take part in the efforts towards countering global warming.
Apart from the appeals, the Goias ad also employs overly sentimental fallacies. By using the large fist-shaped cloud, the ad brings focus on combining efforts to end global warming with everyone taking part, while emphasizing on the need to understand that it is a universal problem. The intention of this ad is to acknowledge the people that Brazil cares about the environment and desires to have everyone take part in bringing global warming to an end.
Finally, the ad uses the either or choices fallacies. It exaggerates on the effects of global warming as it can be seen with the city’s environment. However, the author tends to provide a remedy in the three embedded images. These images portray a well conserved and cared environment as it can be seen with the first and third image. The author of the ad connects this with the second image where an arm is shown to be watering some vegetation; implying that when each person takes part in the process, global warming can be kept at bay.
Conclusion
In summary, the ad uses rhetorical appeals and logical fallacies to convey the message concerning global warming. It uses the logos as the strongest appeal; persuading the audience with an implied reasonableness and merit of the proofs and claims which it offers in support of the thesis. Secondly, it uses the ethos, persuading the audience to buy the message since the author is knowledgeable of the effects of Global warming and the remedies. Lastly the softest appeal is the pathos; where the ad engages the emotions of the audience using its features. Apart from the appeals, the ad uses the sentimental, and either or choices fallacies.
These rhetorical concepts are relevant in understanding and enhancing the abilities of authors or speakers who attempt to persuade, inform and motivate audiences in specific situations. Rhetorics offer heuristics for comprehending, finding and advancing arguments for specific situations such as the case of global warming.
Works cited
Stcyr, Linda. "Eco-ad 10 Awesome Environmental Ads." Ecorazzi. Ecorazzi, 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. <http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/03/21/10-awesome-environmental- ads/>.
