TOW 10: Revlon makeup advertisement

            This week I chose to go a new route with my choice of visual text to analyze. Anyone who has browsed on the Internet or watched television for any length of time knows how abundant cosmetic commercials are today. In accordance with this trend, I chose to analyze an online advertisement for Revlon makeup. This particular advertisement is depicting the company’s brand of “skin-matching” foundation. The model for the makeup in the ad is famous actress Jessica Alba. Pictured next to Alba’s image is a photo of the makeup as well as a brief summary of the product.

            The speaker of the advertisement is the Revlon cosmetic company, a globally known and respected corporation. The Revlon brand is recognizable all around the world, and has been trusted by consumers since its formation in the 1930’s. This advertisement is directed at the company’s consumer base, primarily made up of appearance-conscious females.

            The main rhetorical device employed in this advertisement is the usage of Jessica Alba to endorse the product. This celebrity testimonial appeals to the audience in many ways. Endorsement of an idolized celebrity adds an extra layer of credibility to the product. Also, Alba’s beauty appeals to the emotions of the female audience. Revlon knows that female consumers will see someone that they regard as beautiful endorsing a product and consider buying the product with the hope and desire to emulate this beauty themselves. Finally, the slogan “naturally glamorous, never overdone” appeals to the consumers’ sense of reason: if the product creates a perfect balance for the user’s appearance, what could go wrong?

            Although this advertisement has all of the components of an effective advertisement, I do not find it effective. Simply the fact that every major makeup company today produces hundreds of ads yearly that are exactly like this one diminishes its impact on me as a consumer. A makeup advertisement in the industry today would have to do something more extraordinary and unique to capture my attention. 

IRB Intro Post #2

For this marking period, I have chosen to read Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom. I first explored the possibility of reading this memoir upon recommendation from a good friend of mine. After doing some research on the book, I discovered that it contains the firsthand account of a young man’s experiences learning from his dying former professor. The premise of the book immediately interested me, as I have always thought that there is something special about the advice of wise, elderly men and women. I hope to be personally affected by the life lessons that Albom describes in his memoir. I believe that everyone can benefit from the retrospective musings of those who have already experienced the vast majority of life. 

TOW #9: A Letter By Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

Upon suggestion of Mr. Yost via twitter, I found an interesting letter to analyze on Letters of Note for this week. This particular letter was written by Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) in Florence, Italy in 1904. Mr. Clemens penned this letter to his fans in response to an outpouring of support following the death of his wife. In the letter, Clemens emphasizes his immense gratitude for all well- wishes received during a very difficult time. Clemens’ purpose in writing this letter is very simple and clear. The author is demonstrating his gratitude for the support of his loyal fans not only during his time of difficulty, but in general. As a well-respected author, Clemens is obviously a credible source on nearly any text he might produce. In the case of a letter pertaining to the death of his wife, Clemens is virtually the only possible source.

Although this letter is very brief, many rhetorical strategies are evident. The shortness of the letter further emphasized the already notable word choice. Throughout the letter Clemens uses deeply emotional words to describe his feelings toward his fans. The most powerful example of this is when he characterizes his gratitude as “unexpressed and inexpressible”. This description is very effective in enabling the reader to feel the author’s sentiments of appreciation. The individual word choices made by the author also establish the persona of Mr. Clemens. When reading his letter, the reader does not interpret the author as being the immortal, legendary writer that he is known as. The persona expressed is that of a vulnerable man dealing with a difficult situation, and simply hoping to express his pure gratitude.

The vulnerable persona that Clemens created as well as the emotionally loaded words he incorporated in this piece definitely accomplished his goal of showing his fans and well- wishers his overwhelming gratefulness for their support in his time of need.  

TOW 8: Searching for the Sound by Phil Lesh (part two)

The second half of Searching for the Sound by Phil Lesh followed the impressive precedent set by the first half and was captivating right through to the very end. In the closing half his story, founding member and bass player for the Grateful Dead Phil Lesh described in detail the decades following the formation and initial establishment of the Dead. While the first half of the autobiography was mainly spent giving accounts of Lesh’s early life leading up through the formation and beginnings of success for the Grateful Dead, the second half covered most of the duration of the band’s existence, ending with band member Jerry Garcia’s death in 1995. The messages conveyed in the second half of Searching for the Sound took on a more serious light than those of the first half. During the early years described in the beginning of the book, youth and love were celebrated and possibilities were endless. As the band matured, sentiments grew slightly more realistic. A downward spiral into hard-drug addiction as well as the passing of band members contributed to these changes of mood. Lesh’s purpose in writing the second half of this book was to encourage his readers (primarily Grateful Dead fans) to cherish the important aspects of their lives.

            One major factor that distinguished the first half of this book from the second was the author’s change in tone from whimsical to serious. The clearest example of this shift came at the very end of book, when Lesh detailed his reaction to longtime friend and fellow band member Jerry Garcia’s death. The reader was really able to feel Lesh’s grief through the remorseful tone. This served as a stunning reminder to us readers to appreciate the truly important people in our lives. I was particularly affected by this message of grief and the subsequently learned lesson. As a lifelong Grateful Dead fan, the pain of Phil over Jerry’s death was heartbreaking to me, and the prompting to cherish those who are important to me was very potent.