I just finished reading the bias reflections (some are missing and, if you'd care to remove the 0, do so quickly) and wished to share some of what you folks wrote. All acknowledged the role bias and prejudice play in society, and quite a few people used the article to pause and reflect on their own judgments: their origins and outcomes and how they are expressed. Several noted how different you were from your family members. If one looks at prejudice in an historical light, I would imagine you view yourself on the continuum towards, if not enlightenment, at least mindfulness. Many recognized what intially appear to be benefits in being biases, as in one as a designated group to belong, in which one may find safety and security, protection from the others. Ask yourselves what are the limitations here? There were strong feelings expressed about what happens if you recongnize within yourself that you are not part, nor wish to be, of the particular group you have been assigned. One's idividuality and authenticy is compromised. As well, several people saw themselves buying into prejudices, trying to fit a mold.
As journalists, it is imperative to be aware of one's limitations, one's personal biases, in order to write an objectively and honestly as feasible.
Advertising Unit
Today we will begin our unit on advertising, which we will work on up until Thanksgiving break. During the next few days, we will analyze print and commercial advertisements in terms of target audience, persuasive techniques, and production techniques. Then you will have a chance to create your own commercial! Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly bombarded by advertisements - on TV, in magazines, on billboards, on the sides of busses, etc. It is important to look at advertisements critically, and to be aware of the message the advertisers are trying to send. We are not individuals to the advertising industry, but belong to groups of people they wish to target.
Today, we will focus on how advertisers use ethos, logos, and pathos in creating an advertisement, much like we would in a persuasive essay. Below I have included some information on these rhetorical techniques and how they appear in advertisements. You will also receive this information in class. I have posted four print advertisements and two commercials on the blog below. Please choose three advertisements and watch both commercials and respond to the questions below (you will receive a paper copy of these questions in class). Thus, you will turn in four sets of questions. Pay attention to the target audience and which persuasive techniques were used in each advertisement. Have fun!
Rhetorical Techniques in Advertising
Pathos: an emotional appeal; an advertisement using pathos will attempt to provoke an emotional response in the consumer.
-Can be a positive emotion, such as happiness – an image of people enjoying themselves while drinking Pepsi.
-Can be a negative emotion, such as pain – a person having back problems after buying the “wrong” mattress.
-Can include the emotions of fear and guilt – images of a starving child to persuade you to send money.
Ethos: refers to establishing the credibility or character of the product.
-Will try to convince you that the company is more reliable, honest, and credible; therefore, you should buy its product.
-Can give statistics from reliable experts, such as nine out of ten dentists agree that Crest is better than any brand.
-Often, a celebrity endorses a product to make it more credible.
Logos: an appeal to logic or reason; the logos of an advertisement is straight-forward – it tells you exactly what the product does, how it works, what it is used for.
-Will give the evidence and statistics you need to fully understand what the product does: One glass of Florida orange juice contains 75% of your daily Vitamin C needs.
Demographics: the characteristics that make up a human population such as gender, age, and race. Advertisers think of consumers not as individuals, but as members of groups that tend to believe, behave, or purchase in certain patterns.
Using the information you received on ethos, logos and pathos in advertising, as well as on demographics, please answer the following questions for each advertisement.
What is the message?
What persuasive technique(s) is being employed? Explain.
Who is the target audience/target demographic? Explain. In what magazine or television station might this ad appear?
Is this an effective ad? Why or why not?
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5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlXRengzZoc
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDNgbQ-bQpA
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