The pathos appeal in the SlimFast "Yes I Did" commercial is quite heavy in its focus to attract those viewers looking to put minimal effort into their weight loss. The first technique that is utilized to establish the appeal is the diction used to describe the process of weight loss with the help of the SlimFast beverage. In the commercial, words like 'fast', 'easy', and 'results' are mentioned in order to emphasize the effectiveness and efficiency of the product. This diction appeals to those looking to lose lots of weight fast, and it reassures them that the SlimFast beverage is responsible for the drastic weight loss of "millions of people." This phrase also demonstrates a pathos appeal because it invites the viewers to be part of a certain group - those that consumed the product and got results. Repetition is also used as a technique to strengthen the pathos appeal of the advertisement. The words 'it off', that refer to the loss of weight, are repeated to represent the different ways weight can be lost with the help of the SlimFast beverage. A strategy like repetition accesses the viewers' subconscious and compels the audience to perceive the product as more effective and necessary.
The main stasis in Metrecal's 1960's commercial is Consequence. It is also known as Cause and Effect and can be found in most commercials then and now. Metrecal's cause and effect focuses on the benefits of drinking their product. The commercial states that if you drink Metrecal for lunch, you can eat whatever you want for dinner (within reason) and still lose weight. This might be a bit of a logical fallacy, since they never say how it works or how long you need to use it before seeing results. They leave their cause and effect open ended so you can come to your own conclusions. They also do this in order to save face if someone is unhappy with their product without having to admit to giving baseless information. Another stasis that could be applied here is Evaluation. When people see the commercial and hear what it has to say, they make up their own minds on whether the product is good or bad. This often goes hand in hand with cause and effect because most effects have po...
This is a really great way to examine for pathos! I think that a commercial appealing to the ease of a product is probably going to be more successful than a commercial that honestly explains how tedious weight loss can be (and how boring...those shakes taste like dark chocolate chalk paste!)
ReplyDeleteI agree that the efficiency quality of the product makes it extremely attractive, especially since most humans by nature like achieving goals without having to go through a painful and long process. Also another appeal to emotion may be from the people shown in the commercial. All of them are rather fit and seem joyful, thus giving the audience a positive vibe about using the product.
ReplyDeleteI think by saying that this product has helped millions of people lose weight, it shocks and encourages people to use the product. It also helps build their ethos since so many people claim to have used the product. I like your analysis of repetition because it makes people want to buy the product if they keep hearing the same words over and over again.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the repetition really grabbing the readers attention. Another thing that can attract customers is the phrase said such as "snack it off, shake it off, crunch" etc. the enticing pictures of pizza and chips draw the viewer in even more. This distracts them from the fact that this is a weight loss supplement and that you're supposed to avoid those foods
ReplyDeleteI like how you emphasized the type of diction the commercial used. I think they utilized words and phrases like "fast", "easy", 'shake it off", etc in order to convince their audience that weight loss can be a fun, easy process with the addition of purchasing their products.
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