Aristotelian Ad Analysis

The Assignment:

Find
a print advertisement or a print Public Service Announcement (PSA) in a
magazine, newspaper, or online. Analyze the ad for which Aristotelian
appeals the company/service is using: ethos, pathos, and/or logos. Write
an essay that explains how the appeal is made. You will need to address
the artwork, pictures, and text of the ad. Also identify any logical
fallacies you see. Finally, decide if this appeal is effective: does the
argument being made about the product or service make you want to use
or buy it?

The Details:

This essay must be 3-4 pages, not
including the ad itself. This paper is worth 15 points. It is due to the
drop box in D2L by midnight on Friday, June 12th. You must attach your
ad to your paper in order to receive any credit.

The Criteria:

1.
First Impression: Overall, the essay should be written with care and
consideration. It should not appear sloppy or feel rushed, with
numerous, careless errors. Recurrent grammatical errors should be noted
now and corrected in the future.

2. Picture/Artwork Analysis:
Discuss the pictures and/or artwork included as part of your ad or PSA.
Consider what specifically is being depicted. Examine in detail how
those images make you feel or what they make you think about. How do you
think the advertisers expect you to react to those images?

3.
Copy Analysis: Examine the text or copy in your ad or PSA. What are the
advertisers telling you in words about this product or service? Consider
what and how the words included as part of the ad are designed to make
you feel or think about the product or service in the ad.

4.
Identification of Aristotelian Appeals: The core of your essay should
address the different types of classical appeals being made in your ad
or PSA including: ethos, pathos, and/or logos. There may be more than
one appeal included; you should discuss all the ones you see. Are these
appeals made through the artwork, images, or text included in the ad or
all of the above?

5. Significance: The end result of all
advertisements is financial, trying to convince you to buy their product
or service. Decide if the appeals in your ad or PSA are effective.
Would you use or buy this product or service? Identify any logical
fallacies being made, especially as they might impact your willingness
to buy this product or service.

6. Final Thoughts: I will be looking for what parts of the essay work well and which parts could use a little more attention.