Doctors, Patients and the Affordable Healthcare Act- Healthcare.gov- October 13
This is a rhetorical analysis that entails a healthcare ad in support of the Affordable Healthcare Act and the subsequent healthcare program otherwise dubbed the Obamacare. This paper shall apply the Aristotelian Analysis in discussing the advertisement.
The advert is deliberately set within the hospital confines. This brings out to the target audience, the program’s critical objective. In the hospital setup, the characters are the patients, their relatives and the medical personnel. The fact that it runs within the hospital environment brings out its main objective, that is, improve medical care and to get a better healthcare system. The sceneries used depict a situation whereby thanks to the program, thousands can now access healthcare. In fact, the plot begins with the patients accessing the services and, at the end they (patients) leave the hospital premises having appreciated the services they received. The fact that at the end they leave in laughter and embrace the medical personnel is deliberately depicted to communicate the success of the service. It shows the audience that the program is serving its intention and is well within the stipulated standards and levels.
It is essential to consider the characters used in the advertisement. As mentioned before, three types of roles are seen. They are the medical personnel, the patients and the patients’ relatives. Foremost, the advertisement depicts the situation that all the three parties are in appreciation of the program. For the medical personnel, this is gathered from their individual testimonies. Three managing directors of the hospitals expressly show their appreciation in their brief comments. Christopher Lillis specifically appreciates the program for its ability to help solve the situation facing the client base. On the other hand, Kate Conway expresses optimism on the future of the program. According to her, the program would be useful in changing the lives of millions of Americans who previously had no access to healthcare. David Strickland equally expresses his appreciation of the program. He opines that the introduction of the program would change the face of healthcare forever. The three represent the feeling among medical personnel.
In fact, their diversity shows the fact that across board, the program has been appreciated. It is not lost on us that Christopher is a White male, Kate is a White female and David is a Black male. This selection is deliberate so as to capture the diverse background of medical personnel in terms of both the gender and the races. It sends the message that the program suffices for all races and both genders in the United States of America. This is essential in capturing the support of the audience who would want to feel part of the system. The selection of both Black and White medical personnel, therefore, bridges the racial gap that critics and skeptics would easily bring forth to discourage the masses from supporting the program.
It is equally essential to note the diverse nature of patients. The patients are of different ages and circumstances. One sees the White mother and her child suffering from cancer and the old Black lady who expresses appreciation for the program, the old and averagely aged men and women who receive services. One gets the impression that program serves all the American citizenry. This augurs well as it captures the attention and emotion of the diverse groups in America. Two particular scenes captured get the emotions of the audience. The first relates to the old Black lady. She opines that thanks to the program she can now receive medical attention without having to break a bank. While it is not expected that she broke banks before, the fact that program provides to her so much financial relief shows just how effective the program is. The main intention was to get the common man access medical care without having to strain financially. To that extent the confession by the old lady (Helen R) demonstrates just how successful the program has been. That Helen gets medical attention should be in perpetuity and this influences the audience into supporting the program. The second scene relates to the child suffering from cancer. At her tender age, everyone would want that she receives medical attention at all costs. The audience, therefore, feel happy by the news that the program has enabled her receives the much needed medical attention. Her mother (Alycia S) further foments this in her comments. She appreciates the program for availing healthcare to her suffering child at a minimal cost. This aspect of the advertisement relates to emotional banking where to persuade people to one’s side, their emotions are appealed to. Ashley M brings another dimension to the program. She opines that the program not only helps her, but would equally support future generations. This line of argument is persuasive within the context of sustainability and the future generations. There is need for implementation of programs that last long enough to cover the future generations from social problems and challenges. The healthcare program is placed within that caveat by Ashley’s remarks on the program aiding the future generations.
Other than the characters, one needs to appreciate the language, music and idea in the advertisement. For starters, the language used across board comes out as convincing and sensitive. The characters use language that demonstrates absolute appreciation of the program. This suggests the success of the program in assisting the common man receive medical attention. The element of appreciation demonstrates the fact that the program is achieving its main objectives and this goes a long way in persuading the audience to support the program.
On the other hand, the idea communicated across board is that from the introduction of the program, healthcare has undergone reforms. These reforms are all-inclusive and leave all the parties concerned happy and optimistic of a better healthcare regime. This is essential in getting the support of the entire nation. Indeed, this advertisement is in appreciation of the scathing opposition the program has receives especially from the Republican support base. It is, therefore, essential to appeal to the public’s reasoning in a different manner. This, the advertisement does by divorcing it from politics and assuming a purely medical premise. It is for that reason that no politicians are seen in the advertisement despite the fact that most of them are heavily involved in the implementation. By divorcing politics from the program, the advertisement calls for the audience to look at it from a vacuum only giving due attention to the medical needs of the nation and its citizenry. The music that accompanies the advertisement is embracive and brings the right mood for consideration of the idea being communicated.
Works Cited
Fowles, Jib. Mass advertising as social forecast: a method for futures research. New York: Greenwood Press, 2009.
Obamacare Ads. Doctors, Patients and the Affordable Healthcare Act. 12 October 2013. 24 January 2014. <http://pcl.stanford.edu/campaigns/2013/>.
