Nike Rhetoric
All companies that compete in today’s global economy from huge corporations to small businesses use tactical forms of advertisement that are specifically designed to reach their desired audiences. In order to have a successful business the company must convince consumers that their product is the best product on the market through media such as commercials and magazines. The Nike brand is a well-established and well-respected company that continually reaches a wide range of audience members through advertising. The purpose of visual rhetoric is to convince visually and I will be analyzing the visual rhetoric of a Nike soccer commercial (Take It To The Next Level, directed by Guy Ritchie) and how the rhetorical components make the message of the commercial effective/ineffective.
The entire commercial takes place in a first-person perspective of a soccer player and makes the viewer feel like they are the main character of the commercial. Visual aids such as a small stadium in the background gives the impression that you are playing on a lower-level team in the beginning of the commercial, but as it progresses you move your way up to become a world-class super star. The rhetorical appeal logos, or logical appeals, is immediately established within the first 30 seconds because consumers interested in buying Nike soccer products are more than likely interested in playing soccer so therefore giving a first-person perspective is a very wise visual rhetoric component. Credibility, which ties in with the rhetorical appeal ethos is also established within the first 30 seconds by showing a glimpse of Arsen Wenger, the manager of Arsenal, a very distinguished and successful club soccer team from England. Sex appeal is used throughout the commercial because it is a very effective form of advertisement that appeals to the audience.
20 Oct
