Monday, January 14, 2013

Week 1 Assignment

1.  “The Nissan Leaf…’world car of the year’ at the New York International Auto Show as well as a ‘top safety pick’ by the Institute for Highway Safety, thus building an ethos of clean energy and safety.”
This excerpt is speaking to the consumer. The manufacturer has researched what is “in” right now according to these words. The auto industry can be a difficult one to compete in, big names such as Nissan have been around for quite some time and being a person who has handled some of their vehicles I can say that they do have quite the reputation for placing reliable cars on the market. Many drivers, specifically parents, would be those people interested in the safety of the vehicle they might be purchasing. Pulling on those emotional strings that is family can definitely have an impact on the thoughts of a consumer. I would say that any wise business person know that emotion, or ethos, can be a much more effective method when trying to convey a new product. The point about the vehicle being a “green” car can be related to health. What parent wouldn't want their children living in a healthier world? Questions like these, I would say, are common when using this method of appeal because it makes the targeted audience pause and think of the possibilities. When it comes to marketing products, I believe that ethos is the tactic most commonly used because of the personal connection that the salesman can make between their customer and their product.

2.    On page 55 of “Everything’s An Argument” by Andrea Lundsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz there is a cartoon of a man watching a television commercial. On the television screen, appears to be a doctor recommending some product. “And it’s recommended by nine out of ten people we believe to be doctors.” Is what the caption reads. Logos is supposed to pertain to logic; this cartoon is an example of what could be a method of logos. A doctor is typically a person to trust when searching for medicines or other remedy. However, it is also true that the world possesses people that are greedy and would do practically anything to make profit off any product. This picture in a sense is discrediting doctors from their profession. Various commercials advertising skin lotions, dietary pills, or any supplements are common to have a hired actor to play the role of a certified physician. On the other hand it is speaking to the consumer as well. I believe that it is saying that the public should use their logic. The media portrays lots of nonsense now a days and it is our job to do further investigation about what we bring into our homes and more importantly our bodies. The picture does have its humorous aspect in which it might be poking fun at the number of people who would actually believe someone impersonating a doctor but the overall message I believe it is attempting to portray is to use our personal logos.

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