Topic Proposal: Vintage du Maurier Ad

http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/tobacco-ads-1950s/2

I chose this ad for the second rhetorical analysis project because I think that it's visually stunning and I really like the way the red stands out. The ad originally came out in 1952 for a Canadian audience. I think the ad is very simple, I like the soft lines of the illustration and the bold print of du Maurier juxtaposed with the cursive description below.

The ad suggests a life of luxury and class, with the high wing-back red chair and the woman's long evening gown and manicured hand. The fact that the woman's face is hidden is mysterious, and the viewer is left visualizing the rest, lingering over the ad itself. The words "waiting for you" and "make up your mind" are inviting and essentially seduce the viewer.

Promoting Healthy Eating

http://youtu.be/LTsKh0YVKJY

In January of 2011, the USDA revamped their healthy eating campaign to include the "myplate" guide, a new demonstration of a nutritious balanced diet targeted at the average American. While the concept is a great idea, incorporating elements of portion control and nutrient balance, this intro video is just plain sad. While it is beyond obvious that the diet of any average North-American citizen could use some help, these  healthy eating campaigns are far from inspiring or effective. 

In this video specifically, the music is dated and the kids speaking do not seem to be terribly interested in what they are talking about. While its true that most kids aren't authorities on vitamins and nutrients that are plentiful in produce and grains, the ad could be much more relatable to kids, showing foods that they might actually like rather than raisin bran. There are healthy foods that aren't as boring looking, like fresh fruits and veggies, or chocolate milk. If the video associates healthy food with bland tasting food, the message kids will ultimately take away from the video is that healthy eating just plain sucks.

While the USDA might not have the same budget that Coke or McDonalds does to make high quality advertisements, I think that there are quite a few simple things that they can do to change their video campaigns to make them much more effective and memorable. If the authorities are trying to push healthy eating in society, they are going to need to put more of a priority on actually making it appealing and popular.

Tiffany's Blue

http://red-soledfashionista.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentines-day-at-tiffanys.html

I think this Tiffany's ad is absolutely gorgeous. The setting is very pretty, and the woman's dress exudes elegance and style. The only way to recognize that this is a Tiffany's ad, or even a jewelry ad, is by the small blue box the man is holding behind his back. Tiffany's has done a remarkable job of branding themselves to be instantly recognized by their signature colour. Since Valentines day is fast approaching, a few different versions of this ad are circulating online and in various fashion magazines. 

I think this ad is effective because the company's name appears nowhere on the image, and yet people understand who they are, what they are selling, and who they are marketing towards all from one single photo. From this photo, one can deduct that the couple is young and stylish (based on their attire), and the city background ads a sense of sophistication. The rain-dampened setting also ads a colour contrast to luminosity of her dress, making it stand out even more. The ad suggests that if you want to show that you are sophisticated and stylish, that Tiffany's is the right fit for you.

This ad is most definitely marketing a lifestyle, or selling a potential milestone moment. It suggests that if a man buys his significant other jewelry from Tiffany's, then she will be ecstatic and madly in love. For a woman, it suggests that a man has chosen an elegant and classic piece of jewelry, not to mention he spent a significant amount of money to make her happy. I think it is fair to say that Tiffany's is definitely selling a status, and that it is attempting to define a more elite population.

Topic Proposal: The Power of Oprah

http://www.coolmyspacecomments.com/barack-obama-3.html

The image I have chosen for our Rhetorical Analysis assignment is called "Oprah Winfrey vs. Barrack Obama". As you can see, Oprah's character is towering above and overshadowing that of President Obama's. There are no speech bubbles or captions, because the viewer is supposed to infer that during the election process, Oprah acted so strongly as an advocate to for Barrack Obama, that he essentially got elected due to the powers of persuasion Oprah has on her public.

I would like to look specifically at the body parts emphasized in each character. For Oprah, this is her mouth, due to the fact that she is well known for her persuasive speeches, and her talk show was watched almost religiously by millions of viewers five days a week. For Barrack Obama, his shoes are enlarged, representing the fact that he had large shoes to fill, based on the excellent persona that was projected on his behalf. This also balances the image because your line of vision is drawn across the entire image.

I would also to analyze the fact that Oprah is drastically larger than Obama, which is reflective of her celebrity status, and also correlates with their power roles. While technically Obama is running the country, it is sadly celebrities that have more control over how the population acts in today's society. As we have discussed in class, many ad campaigns employ celebrities to promote their products, and this political cartoon is applying the same ideology to Obama's past presidential campaign.