This ad by the Citizens Against Government Waste uses many rhetorical strategies to get its message across. It appeals to pathos, its setting, and kairos to send out the message that if the government continues to tax and spend, it will collapse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTSQozWP-rM
The ad appeals to the viewers emotions in many ways. It depicts a group of Chinese students in a college setting, learning about how America failed as a nation and now is "working" for China. Due to this, the Chinese students are all shown laughing at America. This is an appeal to pathos because it deeply attacks our American sense of patriotism, questions our ability to lead the world, and suggests that we will become slaves to another nation. All of these things make the viewer very uncomfortable, and almost stir up anger, as to what our possible future could be. The ad effectively uses pathos to get its message across.
The commercial also uses its setting to help convey its idea. The scene is shown in a dark, almost dreary looking classroom. Furthermore, eerie music is being played in the background, causing a scene that is almost scary and causes the viewer to worry about what is happening. The eerie setting of the commercial is a second rhetorical strategy that the Citizens Against Government Waste uses.
Finally, the ad was released at a kairotic moment. It continues to be shown today, and was also on television all throughout the recent economic recession. It alludes to ARRA and Obamacare, two recent governmental actions that could be seen as "waste" by some people. Furthermore, it is released at a time where many people think that China will be surpassing the US as the world's most powerful nation. The kairoticism of the ad makes it very efficient at communicating its message.
The ad does a very good job at attempting to convey its message against government waste. It uses pathos, setting, and kairos to make the viewers believe that their nation is in danger, and something must be done to stop it.
I remember when we saw this in the HUB, I thought that it would make a great topic for a blog as it has a lot going on in it. The commercial itself actually reminds me a lot of that old Macintosh commercial that was based on the novel 1984. It takes place in what looks like a bleak and fairly bad looking future. I think that almost everything that takes place is supposed to get a negative reaction from the viewer and IS in fact supposed to simulate and attack at our sense of national pride and evoke fear that this future could be ours.
ReplyDeleteWow i have never seen this commercial before! I can see how patriotic people could defiantly be upset with this. I think it is funny how they are mocking America, but both America and China are great countires that are probably at the same economic level, so I don't really understand that too much
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