From Inquiry to Academic Writing A Practical Guide, 3rd edition

AnALYzing visuAL RHEToRiC: AdvERTisEmEnTs 253

A Practice sequence: Analyzing the Rhetoric of an Advertisement

To practice these strategies, we would like you to choose and analyze

the following ad for Microsoft (Figure 8.3). The photograph is of a

girl in a robe and slippers sitting on her bed looking at a laptop. The

text above the image reads, “You have your best ideas in the shower.

Now you can work in the next room.” Below the image the text reads,

“Office and an online workspace from Microsoft let you work from

almost anywhere inspiration finds you. It’s easier than ever to store,

view, and share all your important documents from pretty much any-

where you happen to be. That’s because Microsoft Office works so eas-

ily with a free online workspace from Microsoft. So work no longer

requires clothes, just Internet access. Buy it for your PC this holiday

season.” Text at the bottom of the ad reads, “Office2007.com Micro-

soft Office Real life tools.” (Other advertisements for analysis appear

on pages 254–256.)

First, evaluate the ethos that the ad tries to project. Do some re -

search on the Internet to find out what Microsoft, which designs and

manufactures computer software, represents as a company. In doing

this research, write a brief summary of the company’s values. Do

you share those values? Are you confident in the company’s ability to

produce a good product that you want to use?

Second, reflect on and write about what the images and text make

you feel about your own experiences working from home. In what

ways do you identify with the message that the workplace extends

into per sonal space?

Third, work in small groups to identify the logic of the narrative

that the images and text convey. What do you see as the main premise

of the ad? How did you arrive at your conclusion? Report your group’s

findings to the class. Be sure to present the evidence to support your

claim.

corporation or institution sponsoring the ad? To what extent do

you share its values?

■^5 analyze the pathos in the ad. How do the images and text appeal

to your emotions? What does the image or text make you feel or

think about?

■^6 Understand the logos of the ad. What is the logic of the ad? Taken

together, what do the cluster of images and text convey? How are

the different images and text related to the claim that the ad is

making?

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