Model, and the functions of visual images. everywhere that read the magazine.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Model, and the functions of visual images. everywhere that read the magazine."

Stanley Flowers
6 years ago
Views:

1 Kelci Jones SPCM For my paper I will examine the print advertisements and images of Cosmopolitan magazine, and discuss the ethicality of these images and advertisements, focusing on the cultural values regarding gender, race, class, and sexuality embedded in them. In this paper I will also discuss theories and ideas such as Aristotle s artistic proofs, Agenda Setting Theory, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and the functions of visual images. I chose to do my persuasion analysis paper on Cosmopolitan magazine because I started reading the magazine when I was a teenager and still read it occasionally today. When I was younger, I was a huge fan of the magazine and read it religiously because I thought it gave me all the information I needed to be a cool girl in today s society. I thought it would be interesting to further investigate the images and print advertisements seen in the magazine because they affect women everywhere that read the magazine. As a teenager, I was unaware of the effects the images had on my self- perception. I thought that all the girls in the magazine were beautiful and really looked the way they were portrayed. I wanted to be just like those girls so I would read all of the how- to make up and exercise guides. Now that I am aware that it is not normal or common for women to look the way they do in print advertisements I think it will be interesting to look back and evaluate the methods of persuasion being used and determine why Cosmopolitan is successful in making women believe in a false conception of beauty.

2 In this paper, I will analyze three specific advertisements found in different issues of Cosmopolitan. I will discuss the ethicality of these images while focusing on the cultural values of race, gender, class, and sexuality. To show the different methods being used to persuade the reader, I will use theories such as Aristotle s artistic proofs, the Elaboration Likelihood Model and the functions of visual images. The advertisements I will be using for this paper can be found in different issues of Cosmopolitan from 2009 to The media plays a major role in the analysis of this paper because magazines are a form of print media. Cosmopolitan can be bought at almost any convenience or drug store in the country. They are very accessible and easy to find because they are placed right at the checkout. Although the number of people who read magazines isn t as high as it used to be, Cosmopolitan is still sold by the millions each month. New media also plays a big role in the distribution on the magazine. Not only can you buy the publication outright, readers now have the option of subscribing online with the Cosmopolitan app that can be downloaded with any smart phone. Cosmopolitan makes it easy for its readers to have access to the magazine without having to leave their home. If you aren t a smart phone user and don t have a means of transportation you also have the option of reading the magazine from their website cosmopolitan.com. Cosmopolitan uses multiple platforms of media to reach their audience and makes it easy for them to read the magazine wherever they go. I have multiple research questions that I want to answer regarding the topic of persuasion in Cosmopolitan print ads. One of my questions is how do cosmetic magazine advertisers use visual images to engage ethos, logos and pathos to

3 persuade their audience? Also, which artistic proof works best at persuading the audience? Is it the emotional, logical or credible appeal that makes the audience want to buy the product or the idea that is being sold? Another question I have is how are the two routes of the Elaboration Likelihood Model used to persuade the reader? Are they both used simultaneously or separately? How effective are each of these routes in print advertising? I also have many questions about the functions of the images. What kinds of symbols are used in the images to persuade the reader? How do the colors, form, shapes and lines play a role in persuading the audience to feel a certain way? How does the persuader use spatiality and lighting to draw attention to certain images? I will answer these questions by reviewing scholarly journal articles and online articles about the effects of these images and the methods persuaders use to persuade their audience. I will also research the audience for Cosmopolitan and do an audience analysis that will show why persuaders use the methods they do and which ones are the most effective. By researching the audience I hope to better understand why the methods that are used are effective. Not only will I research the audience, but I will also research Cosmopolitan itself so I can see what the company stands for. By researching Cosmopolitan I will be able to determine why the advertisers structure their images they way they do. Advertisers have to make their advertisements to fit the publication s standards and ideals. If I understand the values of the company I will be able to better understand the advertisements.

4 I also plan to research the companies behind the print advertisement that I use and look at other advertisements used in different publications and how they differ from the ads used in Cosmopolitan. My prediction is that these companies use alternative persuasive methods in different publications because they are targeting different audiences. I think it will be interesting to see the different methods the persuader uses to attract different audiences. To explain the persuasive messages in the ads I must first explain the theories that I will use. The first theory I will be using is Aristotle s artistic proofs; ethos, logos and pathos. Ethos refers to the credibility of speaker or the person delivering the message (Borchers, 2012). For example, Nike uses Michael Jordan as their spokesperson because he is well- known and liked by many sports fans. According to Steinberg, ethos refers to what happens during the speech making process (2006). Language and the development of the message are factors that contribute to the speaker s credibility (Steinberg, 2006). Logos is another one of Artisotle s artistic proofs. Logos refers to the logical appeal of a message (Borchers, 2012). An example of logos would be a sign outside of a loan office that said Less time, more money. In today s society everyone is looking for the quickest way to earn a buck. It only makes sense that people receiving this message would want to spend less time and make more money. Pathos is the last of Aristotle s artistic proofs and it refers to the emotional appeal of a message. A good example of pathos is a commercial about animal abuse. The animal commercials show pictures of sad looking, wounded animals in cages while simultaneously playing a depressing song. The advertiser is attempting to

5 appeal to the audience s emotions to make them want to donate to the charity organization. This is an effective appeal because people often react to a situation that plays off their emotions. Another theory that I will be using to analyze the ads is Petty and Cacioppo s elaboration likelihood model. This theory states that persuasion occurs through two routes; the central and the peripheral route (Borchers, 2012). The central route of persuasion uses logic and reasoning to process information and appeal to the audience. The peripheral route of persuasion does the opposite in that it makes use of contextual cues and relies on a spokesperson, background music or flashy computer graphics. The elaboration likelihood model is a leading model of attitude change. According to this model people are more likely to evaluate a persuasive message when their motivation state is high and when they possess the knowledge needed to evaluate the information. When the elaboration likelihood model is low attitude changes through peripheral route processing (Nevid, S. Jeffery, 2009). The central route of persuasion is more permanent while the peripheral route is temporary. Both routes can be used simultaneously or stand- alone. The final theory that I will be using to examine the ads is Messaris s functions of visual images. Visual symbols are powerful ways of suggesting messages to audiences. Visual images also have many attributes that include color, form, lighting, spatiality and movement. Images persuade the audience by representing reality, suggesting arguments to the audience and serving as a proof for a persuader s message. According to Messaris, the use of angles in images can function as

6 attention- getters or emotion- eliciting devices depending on how high or low the angle appears to be. Any one visual device could conceivably serve both functions (1997). The first Cosmopolitan advertisement that I am going to analyze is Zooey Deschanel in a Rimmel London ad. In the ad Deschanel is pictured wearing volume accelerator mascara. Her name is also on the ad and it says, Zooey Deschanel wears shade 001 black. One the bottom left corner it says, Get the London Look. There is also more information about the mascara s volume and how you can make your lashes look denser and more numerous in 30 days. This advertisement uses Aristotle s ethos and logos appeals. The use of Deschanel, a well- known celebrity, is an example of ethos because she is credible and brings that attribute to the ad. The ad also uses logos by including the information about growing longer lashing in 30 days. Since the majority of Cosmopolitan s readers are women and most women wear make- up the logic of growing longer lashes in a short amount of time appeals to them. The route of persuasion used in the Rimmel ad is mostly peripheral but also includes some central route processing. The peripheral route of persuasion is used in this ad by having Deschanel as the face of the product. The message relies on her to influence people to want to buy the mascara. Although having a celebrity spokesperson grabs the audience s attention it doesn t keep it for long. To counter that, this ad also uses central route processing to keep the audience s attention. The facts about the mascara off to the side of the ad appeal to the central route

7 processing and allows the reader give the product careful and thoughtful consideration. Deschanel s Rimmel advertisement uses multiple functions of visual images. Some of these functions include color and spatiality. Color is used in her eyes and eyelashes. Her eyes are a deep blue and her eyelashes are jet black. These colors draw the reader s attention to her eyes and not her lips or other facial features. The spatiality of the ad is mostly taken up with Deschanel s face. Her face is not directly in the middle of the page but off to the upper left side. I think the advertiser did this to make the image seem more natural and not like a headshot. This image of Deschanel is a representation of reality because her direct eye gaze attracts the attention of the audience. According to Messaris, we give our attention to people we feel are looking at us (1997). The next Cosmopolitan ad I am going to analyze is Leighton Meester s Lovestruck Perfume. The advertisement is Meester in a purple dress on a balcony looking at the camera, while an average guy in black clothes looks up at her holding a bouquet of flowers. Meester s dress, the flowers and the perfume being sold are the only things in the image with color. Two of Artistotle s artistic proofs, ethos and pathos, are used in this advertisement. Ethos is used because Meester is famous for her role in the popular television show, Glee. Her credibility is brought into the ad with her and influences people to want to buy the perfume. Pathos is also used in this ad because the way Meester is positioned on the balcony in comparison to the man on the ground makes women feel fierce and empowered.

8 Meester s advertisement uses peripheral route processing only to appeal to the audience. Peripheral route processing is used because Meester s face is the message s spokesperson. Her fancy dress and the flowers are also an attractive source for the audience. Central route processing is not used in this ad because there isn t any information given on the product besides that it is sold at Macy s. The Lovestruck ad in Cosmopolitan uses several functions of visual images such as color, spatiality and movement. The ad doesn t use a lot of colors; in fact the only actual color besides black and white is purple. The advertiser only made certain things purple because that is what they want the audience to pay attention to. The ad uses spatiality by making it appear that Meester is positioned above the man handing her flowers. She is also the center of the ad while he is off to the right side because the advertiser wants the reader to feel that he is less important than her. The element of movement is also used in this ad because when you look at it you notice her first and then the colorful perfume and lastly the guy off to the side. The image also suggests that he is about to hand her the flowers as she is leaning over the balcony. This ad is a representation of reality by making an emotional appeal using the camera angle and identification. The camera angle is used to communicate power and status. Meester appears to be powerful because the camera angle is positioned looking up at her. This image also creates identification because it makes you feel a special kind of bond with Meester. The ad makes it easy for the audience to see themselves in her.

9 The last Cosmopolitan image I will analyze is of Jennifer Aniston in Sephora s living proof satin hair serum advertisement. The ad is a face shot of Aniston and it says, The weight is over. There is a small bottom of hair serum at the bottom of the ad in the middle and it Sephora is printed off to the left bottom side in smaller print. Sephora s ad uses Aristotle s ethos and logos appeals. Having a well- known celebrity who has starred in multiple movies and was on the popular television show, Friends, as the face of their ad, is an example of ethos. The ad also uses logos because it says, Finally, smoother, softer, satiny style in half the time. This appeals to the audience because the majority of women who fix their hair would like to have softer, shinier hair in half the time. Sephora s ad in Cosmopolitan uses the peripheral and central route of processing. The ad uses peripheral route processing because it uses Jennifer Aniston as the message s spokesperson. Central route processing is also used because the ad gives logical information about the product that the audience is more likely to remember. The visual element of photography is used in this advertisement to persuade the audience to buy the hair serum. The elements of photography used are camera angle, framing and pose. The camera angle is a straight- on shot of Aniston s face, which indicates that the subject is trustworthy. Most people view Aniston as a trustworthy person because of the ways she has been portrayed by the media in the past. Framing is another element used in the photo of Aniston. Aniston is centered in the middle of the ad, which communicates a sense of balance to the audience. The advertiser wants the reader to feel certain about the product and not create

10 uncertainty. Finally, the element of pose is used in the photo because you can tell that Aniston is posing for the picture and it s not just a random shot. Her facial expression also communicates certainty, stability and a sense of seriousness. After examining the advertisements in Cosmopolitan I decided to research the company and their audience so I could better understand why the advertisements were structured the way they were. By researching the company I found that the audience for Cosmopolitan is independent, hard- working women who need inspiration to go after what they want. The magazine pushes the envelope with articles on provocative, taboo topics (Benjamin, 2013). The magazine also gives women advice on how to live their life on their own terms. Researching this information helped me understand why the ads focused so much on sexuality and featured successful, independent women in their advertisements. Not only did I research the company and its audience but I also looked at other ads by Rimmel, Sephora and Macy s. The advertisements shown by these companies in other magazines resembled the ads shown in Cosmopolitan. I think this is because the target audience for these companies is women; however I think that if the companies had a broader target audience such as Shick razor blades or a deodorant brand that the advertisements would differ vastly. I am interested in learning more about persuasion and the methods used to attract audience s attention. I chose this topic because I can relate to it and it interests me. After analyzing these images I found that multiple types of persuasion are used in each ad to persuade the reader to buy the product. Most images use a combination of Aristotle s artistic proofs and the elaboration likelihood model to

11 persuade the reader along with the attributes of visual images. Also, all advertisements I reviewed used the peripheral route to processing information so I think that is a good indication that readers pay more attention to that type of advertising than central route processing. After conducting research on this topic I am more aware of the ways I am being persuaded to buy a product or an idea. I can now look at an ad and analyze it to discover what methods are being used to persuade me and other readers.

12 References Steinberg, S. (2006). Persusasive Communication Skills. Retrieved from stic+proofs+ethos+logos+pathos&hl=en&sa=x&ei=vzdtupzaoovlyahfqicgbw &ved=0cdqq6aewaq#v=onepage&q=aristotle's%20artistic%20proofs%20eth os%20logos%20pathos&f=false Nevid, S. Jeffery. (2009). Psychology Concepts and Applications. Retrieved from +likelihood+model&hl=en&sa=x&ei=o5ttutcwk4piyagkhygaaq&ved=0ce EQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=elaboration%20likelihood%20model&f=false Messaris, Paul. (1997). Visual Persuasion: The Role of Images in Advertising. Retrieved from PA3&dq=Messaris+functions+of+visual+images&ots=7N77fyRok2&sig=POby0 gqih9dh0uhevji9ybgumci#v=onepage&q=messaris%20functions%20of%20vi sual%20images&f=false Benjamin, Jennifer. (2013). How Cosmo Changed the World. Retrieved from us_how- cosmo- changed- the- world Borchers, Timothy A. Persuasion in the Media Age. 3 rd ed. Long Grove, IL: Waveland, Print.

Rhetorical Analysis of CNN.com. Villegas. University of Texas at El Paso

1 Rhetorical Analysis of CNN.com Brianna Thornton, Armando Salas, Abel Romo, Brenda Villegas University of Texas at El Paso Ethos, Pathos, Logos CNN.com is a well-known news source around the world that