It is essential to understand the nature of linguistic styles applicable to the general audience in order to create an efficient advertisement. The persuasive power of ads stems from the development of rhetorical elements specific to marketing purposes that focus on making customers get interested in a product or service (Ferreira 33). In the example of Buick’s short commercial of its LaCrosse model, it is possible to perceive the specific way brands use to deliver their message to the public. This essay will discuss the use of rhetoric in advertisements and its role in marketing.
Marketing specialists strive to create a visual representation of the benefits their products provide. For such a goal, it is common to fill one’s persuasion attempts with easily recognizable imagery and quick and simple messages (Ferreira 39). The formula that most ads follow proposes the value and provides the authority behind the claims. Due to the high cost of every ad spot on TV and other media, companies have evolved their rhetoric to fit into the most cost-efficient paradigm (Ferreira 39). The three fundamental elements — emotional, logical, and ethical — can often be found in ads.
It is worth noting that Buick’s video is only 40-seconds-long, yet it draws people’s attention to a highly complex product. Its creators have succeeded in compacting the data that potential customers might need to become interested in purchasing a new car. The approach to promoting the product in the Buick LaCrosse commercial highlights the essential aspects of short and concise message delivery. The goal of this video is to present an object, describe its desirability through the words of a credible person, and shortly state the basic info that is necessary yet not as attention-catching.
Visual aspects are a crucial part of advertisements, as they complement the narrated statements. In fact, the lacking persuasive elements are often constructed by the audience itself through the depiction of the proposed product (Kjeldsen 2). By showing the interior of the car, Buick enables viewers to explore the vehicle and judge its luxury themselves. The addition of Shaquille O’Neal to this ad plays on this person’s iconicity, as people know about his bulk size and can imagine the difficulties he may experience when choosing a car (RogersAutomotive). His comments prove that the model is so comfortable that even a person of his height finds this vehicle to be suitable for anyone.
Businesses also add visual information to back their claims, as the emotional appeal alone can not achieve the intended objective. Not all viewers may be swayed by a flashy performance or catchy soundtrack since many seek data that can be brought up for comparison. In fact, the audience of advertisements is not composed of silent listeners, as these people judge and criticize the content and reflect their answers via purchasing behavior (Ferreira 35). This form of interaction pushes marketing specialists to continuously evolve their use of rhetoric elements in order to make them more convincing for the targeted viewers.
In conclusion, advertisements use a specific type of rhetoric that prioritizes creating an appealing image alongside an intriguing message that will affect the targeted audience’s buying behavior. Buick’s commercial has a value proposal, iconicity that is added by a celebrity, and both informative and emotional narration elements. Modern-day advertisements rely on a combination of each part of the principles of persuasive rhetoric in a short and engaging format.
Works Cited
Ferreira, Ivone. “Advertising as a Rhetorical Metagenre.” Media Rhetoric: How Advertising and Digital Media Influence Us, edited by Samuel Mateus, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2021, pp. 29–44.
Kjeldsen, J. E. “Visual Rhetorical Argumentation.” Semiotica, vol. 2018, no. 220, 2018, pp. 69-94.
RogersAutomotive. “Shaq Buick Commercial.” YouTube, Web.