Visual Rhetoric: Obama Ad

This ad from the American Humanist Association is using Barack Obama to promote their theory of humanism, which includes leading an ethical life to inspire the greater good of society without supernaturalism. The top of the ad has two pictures: one of Obama's childhood home and another of his new home in the Whitehouse. It also includes an excerpt from Obama's book that explains how he did not grow up in a religious household and he learned all of his morals from his parents. The main slogan "President Obama: Living proof that family values without religion build character" is controversial because it could possibly offend certain people. Very religious people who voted for Barack Obama would definitely be offended because they don’t want to compromise their beliefs based on how the president was raised. I'm not even sure how Barack Obama would feel about this ad because they are putting his face on their words and thoughts and basically using him as an endorsement. Even though he might not have grown up in a religious household, I'm sure he would not promote it considering how serious people in America take religion. I have to give the organization that ran this ad some support because they found out a small, yet influential detail about Obama's past and used it to their advantage. He is the new face of our country and people expect him to be flawless and inspirational. He is our leader and even though he did not go to Sunday school when he was younger, he still grew up to be a good person. At the same time, it makes people who spend a lot of time practicing their religion look bad because Barack didn't have to do that and he still turned out good. Religious groups in general are probably offended by this ad since it contends their different theories and outlooks on life.

Works Cited

"American Humanist Ad for Obama on Flickr - Photo Sharing!" Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing. 23 Feb. 2009 .

"Deconstructing An Alcohol Ad Techniques of Persuasion Other Questions To Ask About Alcohol Ads Deconstructing An Alcohol." Media Literacy Clearinghouse: Resources for K-12 Educators. 23 Feb. 2009 .

"Get Outdoors - GoBlog Man/Gear Of The Year: Michael Phelps and Takes Hits From The Bong - Getoutdoors.com Outdoor Blog." 23 Feb. 2009 .

"The greatest wonder of the sea is that it's still alive, Greenpeace." Design Scene - Fashion, Style & Design. 23 Feb. 2009 .

Visual Rhetoric: Environmental Ad

This advertisement for Greenpeace is a picture of bottles and trash in the ocean depicting a school of fish and a banner with a slogan saying "the greatest wonder of the sea is that it's still alive." This ad is portraying the negative effects that pollution has on the environment and the ocean in particular. The organization behind this ad used a beautiful picture of the ocean floor, but substituted a school of fish for a ton of trash. The picture initially gets the attention of the public because the picture shows how gorgeous the ocean can be, but it also shows how much it is polluted on a daily basis. The sea is such an interesting part of our world that holds many mysteries, which is why the slogan makes perfect sense. It is basically stating how amazing it is that the ocean is still functioning and producing such magnificent scenery when there is so much pollution taking place every day. I think this ad gives people a visual perspective on how much water pollution actually goes on throughout the world. Each year, plastic waste in water and coastal areas kills up to 10,000 marine mammals, 1,000 sea birds, and countless fish (Grinningplanet.com). Notice how Greenpeace did not show any sea animals or fish because they are trying to show people that they will no longer exist if we do not stop polluting the ocean with waste.

Visual Rhetoric: Jose Cuervo Ad

This advertisement is trying to promote Jose Cuervo tequila (which is an alcoholic beverage) by using sex appeal, gender roles, high class society, and color scheme. The two people in this ad are obviously attractive and they look like they are having a fun time drinking Jose Cuervo. The models only have a slim amount of clothing on and the girl has her legs wrapped around the boy, which also draws the attention of people. The typical male gender role is portrayed here since he is carrying his girlfriend somewhere (probably to their hotel room). They both look drunk, but the girl is playing the "damsel in distress" role very well. The models look like they are in shape and they can obviously afford to go on vacation, which appeals to people who want to be a part of the high class community. I found the color scheme to be very interesting because although the models take up a large portion of the picture, they are in black and white. The bottle and logo "VIVE CUERVO" are bright in gold, which draws the attention to the product first and foremost. Looking at this picture myself, all of the aspects draw me in and make me want to buy a bottle of Jose Cuervo. The bathing suits and wet hair on the models tells me that they are probably near a beach in good weather. They are clearing smiling, which means that they are having a great time drinking Jose Cuervo. The problem here is that I am only 19 years old and therefore not allowed to drink alcohol. This advertisement could be controversial because it promotes underage drinking. Both of the models could easily be under the age of 21 and they are sponsoring an alcohol beverage. Notice how the required "drink responsibly" logo is in very small, write writing at the bottom of the advertisement. The words "Pursue Your Daydreams" could mean many things, but I would translate it as "drink during the day, relax at beach, hang out with your boyfriend/girlfriend, and have fun." I'm sure the company that made this ad purposely made the words capitalized, bold, black, and right near the model's crotch.

Visual Rhetoric: Michael Phelps Picture

The controversial picture that was recently released of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps apparently smoking pot out of a bong caused a lot of stir. There were many opinions heard, both good and bad, that made valid points. Some of the positive outlooks from this picture include the fact that Phelps smoked a little weed and was still able to win 14 gold medals in the Olympic Games. This helps out other athletes who have gotten caught with marijuana because it proves to the public that pro athletes can smoke pot and still be successful. It also changes the image of the typical "pothead" because it is obvious that not all pot smokers are lazy. Michael Phelps apparently trains 10 months out of the year and sacrifices his body to show patriotism and give the people of our country something to look forward to. In my opinion, this picture shows that Phelps isn’t actually a freak of nature and he isn't perfect. He is just a normal 23-year old guy who makes mistakes just like the rest of us. When I looked at the picture initially, I thought that it could have been another guy who resembled Michael Phelps from the side who might just be pretending to smoke a bong. I think it took a lot of courage for Phelps to admit to the truth and take responsibility for his actions instead of denying it. There were also many negative aspects about the photo which included bad press for the U.S. and the Olympic swim team that he was involved with. Phelps' persona was also looked at in a new way because he was once considered a role model to children, as many professional athletes are. The picture came as a shock for people across the world because competitive athletes aren't supposed to smoke pot. Unfortunately for Phelps, he was dropped from some of his sponsors since pot is illegal and smoking it is generally frowned upon by most. He probably lost fans and publicity because this picture was not the first time Phelps was caught doing something wrong (he had a previous DUI charge). In his defense, Michael Phelps never had a choice of whether or not he wanted to be a role model for children. Even though he was stupid enough to let this picture be taken, I doubt he wanted anyone to see it. If this were to happen to any other young man, it would be forgotten within 24 hours, but Phelps has to live with this for the rest of his life.