Tow #6: ASPCA Advertisement

Every single time one of these commercials comes on to my television, I can't help but to tear up a little bit. I decided to analyze it to see how the ASPCA actually attracts people. Obviously, most of the ads, if not all, appeal to pathos. The image of the puppy, kitten, or another desperate animal is the forefront of the advertisement, pulling the viewer in to only get a closer look at how sad or hopeless the animal must be. While some of it may be a hyperbole- it works. Something else I noticed was the strong diction. For example, in this ad, it uses "barbaric cruelty" when describing dog fighting. I think that definitely supports the ad in the sense that people would want to save the puppy from whatever "cruelty" it's encountering. These ads definitely place a more emotional connection and even a more human connection to the animals. Many would start to feel bad for a dog in a picture. Something that also caught my eye was "as little as 60 cents" in reference to the donation that can be made to the organization. I think when using the words "as little as", it makes it seem like much less of a donation. Also, perhaps, people may feel obligated to donate MORE than that initial 60 cents, bringing in more money for the ASPCA. On the bottom of the ad, it states, "make a monthly gift". The word "gift" is definitely used cleverly here, because it's more of a donation, but they're trying to make the point that the donation is a "gift" to the animals. Overall, I think this advertisement is extremely effective. The mere color scheme adds to the sad, hopeless theme that the ad tries to convey. I think audience is definitely a factor here as well. People with dogs, in my opinion, would be more likely to have feelings toward the animal on the ad, while people without any relation to pets wouldn't have as much of an emotional connection. While rhetorically analyzing, it is easy to observe that the ASPCA ads do an extremely great job of connecting to their audience, while also attempting to get people to donate to a cause that benefits the life of animals. So, while tears may be rolling down my face as the sad music starts playing along with this commercial, I will be thinking, "Great rhetoric work, ASPCA. Well done."