The photograph above is used by the Procter and Gamble Company to advertise their washing detergent. This company manufactures Ariel washing detergent which is sold in most countries in the world. The company’s highest concern is the cleanliness of clothes. We cannot successfully use water alone in washing our clothes to satisfaction. Detergents aid in making clothes and other items clean. This analysis uses the rhetorical appeals and rhetorical triangle to analyze the photograph.
Advertisements need to appeal to the audience for the product to sell. This company targets audience globally, especially those who hand wash and those who use machines. These mostly are mothers and those who offer paid laundry services. All these depend on use of detergents in their cleaning. Due to high competition among companies, an advert of this kind has to be most appealing so that the customers can consider. The company’s stance is that women and families with little children will buy more of their products when they see the woman enjoying her meal even with a lot of dirt on her body. The woman does not look disturbed by the dirt on her. Ibach (2015) argues that creativity is critical when reaching out to a specific audience. This becomes easy when then rhetor has a good understanding of the target audience.
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The photograph is posted in both print and visual electronic media where the target audience can access. This is aimed at making awareness of the availability of the product to the public, especially those who come in contact with dirt often. To understand more on how this advert would reach and appeal to the public, we can think of a man walking down the street. Along the street, a big screen is raised to advertise products from different suppliers. Just as he reaches the screen, the advert that comes to air is that of Ariel washing detergent. The person speaking talks of how Ariel removes all the dirt and stains. Then the photo that is displayed is of the woman in the photo, who has tomato source spilled all around her as she eats her chips.
The photograph would not persuade customers to buy Ariel washing detergent. The photograph is not compatible with the actual use of the product being advertised. The creators of the image for the advert did not use a proper means to appeal to the target audience. The woman in the photograph has tomato source spilled on her arms and face, and on the table, and not her clothes. The use of a dining environment to show how the washing detergent can work is inappropriate too, considering the fact that dining areas are mostly kept clean. The photograph displays a situation of total disorder in the dining area. The choice of a woman in the photograph does not appeal as much as if a child was in her place. The audience keeps wondering what exactly the woman was doing that caused all the mess. It is common for children to spill things over especially when they are eating like in the photograph.
The Three Rhetoric Appeals
Williams (2015), in his book on ‘The Three Rhetorical Appeals’, suggests that for everything that we write or draw, we have a target audience, the purpose, the genre, and the medium to use. No one actually writes for no reason at all. The photograph use to advertise Ariel washing detergent has elements of ethos, pathos, and logos persuasion strategies, which make up the rhetoric triangle. In the book ‘Rhetorical Triangle’, Diedra Taylor (2018) argues that, using one strategy may not be appealing to all audiences but a combination of all the three is important for persuasion. This argument aims at emphasizing the need of an advertisement to utilize all strategies to persuade the target audience.
Ethos
This is the perception of the audience on the credibility of the photograph. . The Ariel detergent is among the best selling in the world, according to The Daily Records (2017), because of its stain removing enzymes. Ethos can be either extrinsic (experience and popularity of the rhetor) or intrinsic (how the rhetor present the item). The rhetor (the company) is well known to the people who have used the Ariel detergent, and it commands some authority to them. However, the ones who have not used the product have no idea of what the company is all about. Upon viewing this photograph in the advertisement, the former trusts the validity of information, competence and knowledge of the company, but the later does not find anything appealing. The intrinsic ethos for both audiences is weak considering the way in which the advert is presented. Since the detergent is meant to clean clothes, the dirty areas in the photograph does not represent where the product will be used on.
Logos
This is a rhetorical appeal to logic. The use of a woman eating chips is something that the recipients of this advert would identify with. Use of tomato sauce during meals is common too. The company has chosen these factors to indicate that everyday messes can be solved by their product. The spillage endeavors to tell the audience that dirt is not that bad but the audience may notice that the spillage does not touch the blouse that the woman is wearing. The blouse is shining clean yet the detergent is formulated for cleaning clothes. The dirty areas does not necessarily require stain removal enzymes. The rhetor has not used facts to reason with the audience on how the mess would be cleaned up. Diedra (2018) argues that to appeal to logos, one must attempt to reason with the audience.
Pathos
The rhetor here tries to appeal to the audience’s emotions and interests. The emotions that the photograph can provoke in the audience include that of pity and laughter. An audience that identifies with the woman’s situation, maybe because they have experienced such before, is likely to feel pity for this woman. The other audience may just find the whole photograph funny because of the manner in which it is presented. The spills all over can evoke different emotions from the audience. The photograph tries to move the audience to believe that they can always be happy and comfortable even with dirt. Suggett (2017) brings out that advertisers have mastered the art of provoking positive emotions in the audience so that they are encouraged to buy the products. They make you laugh and feel happy.
Conclusion
The use of the photograph to persuade audience to buy Ariel detergents is not effective. The advertisers would give a step to step guidelines on how to use the aerial product such as to achieve a shining white cloth as the one that the woman is wearing. Detergent users may then be convinced when they are led through the process of how the enzymes in the detergent would work on the fabric rather than the presentation of a contentious photograph. The means used by the advertisers was ethical since it does not threaten the audience but presents the product and allows the audience the liberty to choose.
References
Diedra Taylor (2018). Rhetorical Triangle : Definition and Example . [online] Available at https://study.com/academy/lesson/rhetorical-triangle-definition-example.html [Accessed April 6th 2018)
Dr. Williams (2015). Ethos-Pathos-Logos-The –Three –Rhetorical Appeals. USC Upstate: English Program
Ibach,H. (2015). How to write an inspired creative brief.2 nd Edition. Ibach Media Group, Washington.
Suggett ,P. (2017). 13 Ways advertisers persuade you to buy : Common Methods that make you spend money. The Balance . Written December 8 th 2017. Viewed April 6, 2018
The Daily Records (2017). Top 10 Best Detergents in the World. Written November 28 th 2017. Viewed April 6th 2018
