Project One: Introduction to [Visual] Rhetoric
Part A: Advertisement Analysis
Weight: 5%
Deliverables:
- 550 word analytical essay
- PDF of advertisment
The first part of project one asks you to "read" the design components of a magazine advertisement. I introduce rhetoric through advertising because we know the ultimate purpose of any ad: it is to persuade us to purchase a product or donate money. Thus, you can focus on how the ad achieves that purpose. Each analysis will differ, but you'll want to address some of the following questions:
- How might you answer the questions on page 7 of our coursepack?
- Does the ad use cultural symbolism, humor, metaphor?
- How does the ad use color?
- How does the ad use basic visual principles: contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity?
- What “genre" is the ad? Do you find it playing on other ads?
- What audience does the ad target? How does it target it?
- Who can you imagine caring about the ad? What would they care about? What does the ad do to intensify their caring?
- What values is the ad based upon? What social groups hold these values?
Your analysis will be written up in the traditional 5 paragraph essay format (what we discussed in class) and should come in at about 550 words. This serves two purposes: first, using a form you are familiar with should allow you to focus on developing your analytic skills; second, this provides me with a measuring stick to determine "where you're at" in terms of writing experience. Based on your diagnostic "Why Are You Here Responses," I think everyone will do fine..
Finally, I would like you to email these papers to me by 10:29 a.m. on Monday. In addition to your paper, I would like you to email me a PDF copy of your advertisement. Instructions on creating a PDF are available here.