Visual Rhetoric Lauren Milam October 19 2010 2

Visual Rhetoric Lauren Milam October 19, 2010 2 nd Period

This photo was released in Public Interest in October of 2008. It is sponsored by BMW. The actual artist is unknown. Desi Colours. “Spare Parts” Drinking and Driving, 2008. Web. 13 October 2010

What is this advertisement promoting? It’s trying to convince people that drinking and driving is never okay, and that the consequences are negative Also, BMW is trying to let people know that the parts for their cars are original and look just like the part they are replacing. They do this in an underlying way rather than just coming out and saying it.

Who do you believe is the audience for this ad? I think the audience can be anyone who is driving and/or has seen the effects that drunk driving has not only on the victim, but everyone around them.

Ethos? Pathos? Logos?

Ethos? Is the source credible? BMW is a credible source. They were rated the 2009 top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They are not being radical or extreme in their opinion.

Pathos? How do you feel? I think that the picture evokes a feeling of pity and fear. It’s scary thinking of your life this way. If you know someone who has been effected by drinking and driving, the feeling is even stronger

Logos? What about your logic? We all know that prosthetics have been created to seem more and more realistic, so why did BMW choose this particular piece? You’re not supposed to be attracted to the photo. It’s supposed to push you away.

What is omitted from the ad? The rest of the person is omitted from the picture. I believe the creator did this to put less of an emphasis on the person and more so on the actual prosthetic. Also, it does not give the person an identity making it more relateable.

How does removing the normal foot effect the overall persuasion of the photo? The text says nothing referring to the normal leg. By adding it, the artist makes the prosthetic stand out even more. We can all relate to the normal one, so it’s personable.

Is the foot on the left a man or a woman? I feel that the foot is a man’s due to the shape of the foot and the hair on the leg. I think that it is stereotyping boys to be more of the ones to commit this act, but that’s not true. What is significant about this? Does it provoke a stereotype?

By photoshopping the ad, how is the overall message or meaning altered?

I feel that it turns into a more general message rather than only a certain social class. BMW didn’t put their symbol on there for no reason. They wanted it to be seen.

Juxtaposition What is being juxtaposed? � The prosthetic foot is being juxtaposed with the normal one to emphasize it even further. It pushes the viewer to put themselves into the situation and it evokes a stronger feeling.

Balance What balances the prosthetic foot? What balances both of the feet? The normal foot balances the prosthetic one and the text balances both of the feet.

Lighting Is the lighting natural or artificial? What’s the purpose of this? The lighting seems artificial and I believe that the point of this is to make everything very visible. They are not trying to hide anything.

Are you attracted to this photo? Why or why not? I personally am because it’s not hard to understand can be related to by everyone.

Bibliography Desi Colours. “Spare Parts” Drinking and Driving, 2008. Web. 13 October 2010 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 2009 top picks. http: //www. iihs. org/ ratings/tsp_archive. html. Web. 15 October 2010